Train stations & luggage

My wife & I are travelling between Shinagawa & Osakjokoen stations later this year. We hope to take 1 medium-sized suitcase & 2 carry bags. I've read in a Guide Book to Japan that it can be difficult to carry luggage through some stations. Does anyone have any advice, please, about the difficulties of taking this luggage through Shin-Osaka, Osaka & Osakajokoen stations. Would it be easier to take a taxi from Shin-Osaka or Osaka to the New Otani Hotel?

Two healthy adults should have no major problems carrying a medium sized suitcase and two carry bags through any railway station in Japan, except maybe some of the largest stations during weekday morning rush hours.

Shin-Osaka and Osakajokoen Station should not pose major problems during any time of the day. But Osaka Station can be stressful during the weekday rush hours.

Would it be easier to take a taxi from Shin-Osaka or Osaka to the New Otani Hotel?

Yes, certainly. But also more expensive (I estimate it to cost around 2000 Yen).

Thanks Uji - I should have mentioned that my wife & I are both in our 60's. We're due to arrive at Shin-Osaka around 1.00pm so it seems, from your reply, that we won't have any great difficulty in using the trains to Osakajokoen

No, I think you should encounter no great difficulties.

As for stairs, you will find escalators at Shin-Osaka and Osaka Station, but only regular stairs at Osakajokoen Station.

I'm a 20 year old female, and my sister and I will also be going to Japan. We are going to buy a lot of things, so I think we will need three big luggages? Would that be too impossible to carry to and from the train stations?

Hopefully you will have luggage on wheels so you are not actually carrying it. In general, the less you have the better. Luggage is nuisance for yourself as well as the other people.

The trouble will not be the getting to and from the station, it will be negotiating the station and the train itself.Many stations have escalaotorsgoing up but not down. there is usually an elevator you may have to seek it out though, they are for the disabled.


Best to avoid busy times if you travel with luggage or avoid the issue altogether by using takkyubin luggage delivery service - ask at your hotel

not to rain on your parade but..last year I took a lady friend to Japan. She is a mad shopper and was planning to buy suitcases to carry her loot UNTIL she saw the prices...she did buy stuff in a couple of 100 yen stores but just small knick knacks. She later admitted that beeing there plus looking at photos she took was the best.

My brother has just been back from New Otani Osaka yesterday and has to carry 2 luggages up and down the Osakajokoen station through regular stairs which is a bit tiring. What about getting off at the Osaka busines park station instead ? Is there anybody can advise if there is any escalators at this station. I will be staying at New Otani next spring and will be troubled with 3 luggages too.