Kazuo Mizuno, the director of the NPO Alliance of Research for Advanced Technology at Airports. Hands-free luggage services that allow foreign visitors to Japan to travel light have begun to spread, with luggage being checked in at airports and train stations and delivered to their accommodations or destinations the same day.
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It’s necessary to separate people and baggage to reduce congestion and ease local traffic.
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JeffLee
I don't know why that is necessary. The Narita Express and Skyliner trains and buses have dedicated luggage spaces. The Shinkansen DO need them, however. Nearly every suitcase has wheels that make them easy to move around.
stormcrow
Remember the days when people used to board planes with what looked everything they owned in the world.
Fortunately, we don't see that as much as we used to, but (at the time) it was always infuriating to see these people jam all of their stuff in overheads on both sides of the aisles with their junk. Bewildered people who boarded after them could never find anyplace to put their regular number of belongings.
kohakuebisu
In my experience, twenty years ago, that was Japanese on planes coming into Japan. Carrying lots of omiyage for people at work, neighbours, etc.
Now only about 20% of the passengers on such planes are Japanese. The ones that are will be under less pressure to buy omiyage.
zulander
Travelling light is a sign of wealth.
Speed
I remember before 9/11, OCAT (Osaka City AIR TERMINAL) was used for this.
I used to check my luggage in at JR OCAT in Namba and had them forward my luggage to KIX before my flights. (Umeda had something similar w/ JAL and ANA check-in offices in Nish-Umeda, if I remember correctly.)
It was really convenient since you didn't need to lug your suitcases around before your flight while you enjoyed your free time in Kansai.
They should bring this back.
iron man
not just Jpn, I flew into Suisse a few times, booked luggage direct to hotels, once desired to go up the Jungfrau at interlaken by meeting up with some ex brit tramping guys (naughty jokes not appreciated!) luggage waiting at hotel, Wheely or not, off the plane onto the train.
diagonalslip
could always travel light by.... umm.... travelling light. how much stough do you actually need for dog's sake? staggers me to see how much baggage people lug around....