Thousands of Abandoned Suitcases in Tokyo: Why Tourists Dump Them and What to Do Instead

Tourists in Japan buy a new suitcase for the trip home, fill it with shopping and leave the old one on the street. Tokyo recorded about 4,600 found suitcases in 2025, up from about 2,600 in 2022, and the authorities are preparing to get tougher. The fix starts at home: pack with space to spare, and for a shopping trip bring an expandable suitcase.

What is happening in Tokyo?

According to the reports, Tokyo is preparing stricter enforcement against dumping suitcases. One hot spot is Toshima ward, home to the Ikebukuro shopping area. The ward found about 290 abandoned suitcases during 2025 and is working on new rules by the end of March 2027, to take effect in April and allow penalties against people who leave a suitcase behind.

Airports feel it too. Narita recorded 1,201 abandoned suitcases in 2025, up about 50% in three years, and Kansai found 315 between April and August. About 70% of the suitcases handed to Tokyo police are never claimed, even after three months. They then pass to the metropolitan government, which can sell them to businesses at auction. An Ikebukuro resident told the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper he had seen more than 50 abandoned suitcases on his neighborhood's streets in recent years.

Why do tourists buy a new suitcase on vacation at all?

• A weak yen and attractive prices: it is easy to buy more than you planned.
• Japanese suitcases have a good name: some visitors use the trip to replace theirs.
• Saving on baggage: the authorities estimate that some tourists try to avoid paying for an extra bag on the way home.

And the last step: in Japan you cannot simply put a large suitcase in the trash. Bulky waste follows local rules and sometimes costs money, so some people leave it on the street, in a park or near their hotel.

What is the penalty?

Japan's waste law allows up to five years in prison, a fine of up to 10 million yen (about $65,000), or both for illegal dumping. Beyond the penalty, an ownerless suitcase is a security matter: in Toshima, cleaning staff sometimes have to check heavy suitcases with police present.

Bought a suitcase in Japan? How to part with the old one

If you are already in this situation, there is a proper way out. In July, Toshima ward signed agreements with two private companies: one takes old suitcases at collection points, and the other picks them up from where you are staying for 2,500 yen per suitcase, about $16. Anywhere else, ask at your hotel's front desk what the local procedure is. Do not leave a suitcase on the street, even if it looks worthless to you.

How to bring your shopping home without buying a suitcase

1. Bring an expandable suitcase. The Cosmos DLX 24 inch holds 80 liters and expands by another 3 cm. Keep it closed on the way out, and you have room on the way back.
2. Go one size up. If you planned on a 20 inch and know you will shop, a half-empty 24 inch beats looking for a solution on the last day of your trip.
3. Leave space free. Our guide to saving suitcase space has the methods that work.
4. Plan a second bag in advance. Our guide to shopping abroad explains how to work out whether it pays, including baggage on the way home.
5. Check weight, not just space. Room in the suitcase does not help if you pass the flight's limit. Know your allowance before you buy one more set of Japanese dishes.

Expandable suitcases: 3 things to check before the flight home

• The size changes. On the Cosmos DLX 24 inch the depth goes from 23 cm to 26 cm. For a checked bag this only adds 3 cm to the total, but on a carry-on the expansion can take you over the limit.
• The weight does not disappear. More room does not change your ticket's weight limit. Check it before the big shopping, not after.
• The suitcase itself counts. The 3.5 kg of the Cosmos DLX 24 inch is part of the weight you pay for. Compare empty suitcase weights here.

Suitcase broken on the flight? Do not throw it away at the airport

There is another reason people look for a new suitcase mid-trip: it came off the belt broken. In that case, do not part with it and do not buy another right away. Before you leave the terminal, go to the lost and found desk or the airline's desk and file a damage report, and photograph the damage, the bag tag and your boarding pass. On many international flights, under the Montreal Convention, a written complaint about a damaged bag must arrive within 7 days of receiving it.

And to finish, a nice story: since 2023 the Niwa Tokyo hotel in Chiyoda ward has used suitcases left by guests as vegetable planters in its rooftop garden, and the vegetables end up in the hotel's restaurant.

Source: Liat Mofaz Miltzen, Israel Hayom, October 28, 2026.