This post is sponsored by Tokyo Hotel Express, but all opinions and experiences shared are my own.
Travel is physically demanding. And when you add mobility challenges into the mix, those demands multiply. You already know that if you’re reading this site.
I travel with a companion who helps me navigate Japan. Doors, elevators, the thousand small accessibility challenges that come up every day. The thing is, we’ve got two people’s worth of luggage and I can’t help carry any of it. So my companion deals with doors and elevators (often requiring two trips as elevators here in Japan are small!), plus pushing, pulling, or carrying double the bags through train stations, onto buses, up to hotel counters, etc.
It’s difficult physically. But it also adds stress to situations that are already stressful – arriving in a new city after a long flight, making a tight connection between airports. Every extra bag is another thing to manage when you’re already managing a lot.
Which is why I wanted to tell you about Tokyo Hotel Express.
About the Founder
Hitoshi Asami runs Tokyo Hotel Express. His background is banking and went overseas to get an MBA. When he came back to Japan and was figuring out what to do next, he took various jobs. One of them was working at an airport delivery counter.
That’s where he saw a need. Travelers struggling with heavy bags. Families juggling kids and suitcases. Elderly visitors trying to make connections. People in wheelchairs who couldn’t manage their luggage on top of everything else. The existing services helped, but there were gaps.
So he started Tokyo Hotel Express to fill them.
More than a luggage delivery company, his stated mission is to be a “concierge and rest stop for people with mobility restrictions at airports” and help them maximize their time in Japan. His vision is a society where everyone can enjoy their stay in Japan seamlessly, regardless of their mobility situation.
He’s also thinking long-term about employing people with disabilities in the airport operations side of the business. Creating opportunities while providing a service that helps travelers with similar challenges. Something that resonates with Accessible Japan’s vision.
A Real Example
Mr. Asami told me a story that shows what this service does in practice.
An elderly Japanese woman living in the US used the service at Haneda. She needed to get to Hakone immediately to meet family, but her luggage needed to go to a hotel she wouldn’t reach for a few days. Tokyo Hotel Express handled it. She was able to travel light and the luggage showed up at her hotel when it was needed.
Two months later, the same customer came back to Japan for New Year’s with her partner who uses a wheelchair. They were landing at Narita with large bags and had a two-hour connection to a domestic flight to Kansai. Their flight got delayed 40 minutes due to strong winds, which meant they’d have to move fast through the airport. The customer messaged Tokyo Hotel Express from her phone while still on the plane and asked Mr. Asami to take all four bags instead of the originally planned three. When the couple landed and cleared immigration, Mr. Asami was waiting at the arrivals exit in his bright orange shirt with the company’s fox character on it. They handed over their bags and headed straight to their connecting flight.
They made their connection in time and the luggage arrived in Kansai the next day.
Without that instant communication and someone ready to take the bags at the exit, an elderly traveler helping a wheelchair user navigate four large bags through a Japanese airport in under two hours wouldn’t have been realistic.
The Basics
You can contact Tokyo Hotel Express via WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or by their inquiry form. Before you fly, give them your name, arrival details, and where you want your bags delivered. They’ll create a shipping label and send it to you for confirmation, then send you a payment link. Everything’s handled online before you land.
On arrival day, you’ll meet them at the airport exit. Look for the orange shirt with the fox character, hand over your bags, and you’re done.
Your luggage goes through Yamato Transport, so you’ll get a tracking number and can follow everything with delivery notifications. If you have questions along the way, you can message them on whatever platform you’re using.
Pricing:
Next day delivery anywhere in Japan: ¥6,000
Same day to Tokyo hotels (23 wards, Chiba, Yokohama, Kawasaki): ¥8,000. Deadline is 7:00 PM so most international arrivals work.
They also help with getting Suica cards if you need one and save you from figuring out ticket machines when you just want to get into the city.
Why I’m Recommending This
For me and my companion, this means the difference between a stressful arrival and a manageable one. My companion can help me get to where I want to go instead of wrestling with luggage. We save energy for actually enjoying the destination instead of burning it all getting there.
If you’re traveling solo with a disability, you don’t have to ask strangers for help with your bags. If you’re elderly or traveling with kids, you have one less thing to manage. The service makes Tokyo more accessible from the moment you land.
Questions You Probably Have
¥6,000 for next-day delivery anywhere in Japan. ¥8,000 for same-day delivery to hotels in Tokyo (23 wards, Chiba, Yokohama, and Kawasaki). You pay online with a credit card before arrival.
Contact Tokyo Hotel Express via WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or their inquiry form before your flight. Give them your arrival details and hotel address. They create your shipping label and send a payment link. On arrival, meet their staff at the airport exit – they’re wearing an orange shirt with a fox logo. Hand over your bags. That’s it.
Yes. They use Yamato Transport for delivery. You get a tracking number and can follow your luggage through the Yamato system with real-time updates and delivery notifications.
You can book up until you board your flight to Japan. Some customers have contacted them while already in the air and arranged pickup. However booking a few days in advance is best if you want confirmation before traveling.
That’s what it was designed for. Mr. Asami worked at an airport counter and saw travelers with disabilities struggling with luggage on top of navigation challenges. Meeting at the arrivals exit means no need to find counters or navigate airport facilities with heavy bags. The whole point is removing that barrier.
They’ll wait up to about 3 hours for delayed flights. You can message them through WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger with your updated arrival time. They monitor flights and can adjust pickup times. Keep in mind that if your flight is significantly delayed, your luggage might not arrive at your destination on the originally scheduled date.
Yes, they deliver to hotels, Airbnb addresses, and private homes anywhere in Japan. Just provide the complete address when booking. Important: in the case of an Airbnb or private home, someone needs to be there to receive the luggage. Most delivery companies don’t do porch or doorstep drop-offs – if no one is home when the driver arrives, they’ll take the luggage back and you’ll need to arrange redelivery.
How to Book
If you’re planning to land at Tokyo and this would help:
- Website: tokyohotelexpress.com
- Inquiry form: forms.gle/Pr2Q3DzSDKRZBHeg6
- Or contact them on WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger for quick questions.
They’re running a feedback survey right now – complete it and you get a 50% discount coupon for your next use. Complete the survey.
Responses