The ‘rookie’ public transport habit that shows Japanese locals you’re a tourist

A bum bag and a furrowed brow aren’t the only things that single you out as a tourist.

In Japan, a famously polite and rule-following nation, visitors are outing themselves with public transport etiquette.

The Metro Travel desk has previously reported on Japanese locals getting fed up of travellers ‘speaking loudly on trains, buses, and subways’.

A study, commissioned by the Japan Private Railway Association, showed 69% of the 5,202 people surveyed said loud behaviour on trains bothers them in a major way.

But previously, Tokyo resident Chieki Ikemoto told us about another frustrating habit — one she wishes visitors would educate themselves about.

‘One thing I’d love travellers to know about is the “reserved seat with oversized baggage area” policy,’ she says.

‘Long-term travellers usually have a lot of luggage. To keep the aisles clear, I’d highly recommend they book the seats at the very back of the car where there’s extra space for large bags.’

The policy Chieki is referring to mainly applies to the routes available on bullet train lines, or Shinkansen.

A must-do for visitors, Japan’s iconic high-speed trains serve around 432,000 passengers a day.

It’s a novel and efficient way to travel. The Tokyo to Osaka bullet train journey, for example, takes just two hours, compared to between 8 and 10 hours on local trains.

However, on TikTok, videos show tourists struggling with luggage squashed against their legs or blocking the aisle.

Seasoned travellers have called it a ‘rookie mistake’, while one regular bullet train user said: ‘Look around you and can see most of those people with big luggage are foreigners.’

@eleazarsorto

This is your sing to reserve your oversize luggage if you plan take the shinkansen #tokyo to #osaka

♬ Tokyo Drift – Xavier Wulf

And, unsurprisingly, this mishap tends to be inconvenient for everyone, with 42% of the survey’s respondents saying they have low tolerance for tourists carrying oversized suitcases and bags.

Japanetic, a Japanese etiquette blog written by resident Niko Mezuro, explains that public transportation in Japan operates on a culture of silence and mutual respect.

‘This unwritten rule stems from the Japanese concept of not bothering others (meiwaku wo kakenai) and maintaining harmony in shared spaces’.

How do the oversized baggage tickets work?

These particular tickets are marketed for anyone travelling with luggage with a total of three dimensions between 161 and 250 cm.

They’re the same price as reserved seats in ordinary cars, but they are in pretty high demand.

The amount of tickets available vary, with an average of just five seats up for grab per train. They can be purchased either online or from a JR station ticket office.

Located behind the back row of seats, there should be signage on the floor which shows where the ‘reserved seat with oversized baggage area’ ticket holders can place their luggage.

However, due to the rather complicated baggage system on-board the Shinkansen line trains, it can sometimes become confusing as to who is entitled to use this space.

To avoid any awkwardness, make sure to check your ticket (which will say ‘Your reservation is seats with an oversized baggage area’).

If you haven’t been able to make a reservation, you are still allowed to store luggage in baggage racks, footwell spaces, and deck baggage storage areas.

This article was originally published on May 5, 2026.

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