Luggage Delivery from New Chitose to Niseko: Send Your Bags and Ski Hands-Free

Yes, you can hand your suitcases and skis to a Yamato Transport counter the minute you land at New Chitose and have them waiting at your Niseko accommodation, so the family rides to the hotel with just a daypack. The counter is on the domestic terminal's 1st floor and the international terminal's 3rd floor, skis and snowboards travel in a cover at the largest size tier, and the one thing that trips families up is timing: send your bags to arrive the day you want to ski, not the day you land.

This is written for a family arriving with two big suitcases and two ski bags who would rather not wrestle all of it onto a bus. Yamato's service is called takkyubin (宅急便), and its ski version is sukii takkyubin. Facts and conditions below are from Yamato's official pages, checked on 6 October 2026. Once you know how your bags are getting there, the people in them still need a ride, so pair this with which way from the airport to Niseko suits your family?

Where is the luggage counter at New Chitose?

Yamato Transport runs counters inside the airport, so you send bags before you ever leave the building. On the domestic terminal they sit on the 1st floor, which both receives and sends, and on the 2nd floor, which sends only. On the international terminal, where most overseas families land, the counter is on the 3rd floor and sends only (Yamato Transport). So the drill after you clear customs is simple: collect your bags, walk to the counter, fill in your accommodation's name, address and phone number, pay, and keep the slip.

The catch is that you need the delivery address before you fly. Have your hotel's full Japanese address and phone number saved on your phone, because the counter staff will ask for it and a half-remembered place name is not enough. If you are staying in a managed apartment or a small lodge, ask the operator for the exact address and the name the delivery should be made under when you book.

How many days does it take to reach Niseko?

Plan for your bags to arrive the day after you send them, not the same day. Yamato's own advice for ski takkyubin is to send so the gear arrives by your play day, and to post it at least two days before you ski, or three days for some areas (Yamato Transport). New Chitose and Niseko are both in Hokkaido, so a parcel handed in during the day often lands the next day, but treat that as a hope, not a guarantee, especially in peak season and after heavy snow.

What this means in practice depends on your plans. If you land a day or two before your first lift day, send everything from the airport and travel light. If you land and want to ski that same afternoon, your gear will not beat you there, so carry your ski clothes and boots yourself and only send the bulky suitcases. Either way, confirm the exact arrival date on Yamato's official delivery-day lookup before you rely on it.

What size and price should I expect?

Takkyubin is priced by size, and size is the total of a parcel's length, width and height. The tiers run from 60 up to 200, where the number is the centimetre total, and no parcel over 200 cm or 30 kg is accepted (Yamato Transport). A large family suitcase usually lands in the 140 to 160 range, and skis or a snowboard in a cover go in the 180 tier.

The fare itself depends on the size and the route, so rather than quote a figure that may be out of date, weigh and measure each bag and use Yamato's official fare lookup for the exact amount. For a family, the honest way to think about it is per bag: two suitcases and two ski bags is four separate charges, so count them before you decide this beats paying for extra luggage space in a taxi or private transfer.

Sending skis: how ski takkyubin works

Ski takkyubin is the same service tuned for gear, and it carries a few rules worth knowing. Skis and snowboards must go in a cover, which the counter sells for 400 to 600 yen depending on type, and they are charged at the 180 size. One shipment can hold up to two sets of skis or boards (three or more is not accepted), the 30 kg limit still applies, and Yamato caps its liability at 300,000 yen per item (Yamato Transport).

If you already know you are sending the gear home afterwards, the round-trip option (ofuku takkyubin) takes 200 yen off each item and stays valid for one month from the day you first send it, which covers a normal trip. One thing to note for the return leg: you cannot drop a round-trip parcel at a convenience store, so plan to send it from your accommodation or a Yamato branch on the way out.

Will my hotel take the bags before I arrive?

This is the part that is not up to Yamato, and families get caught by it. Whether a property will accept and hold your luggage before you check in depends entirely on the place, so ask when you book, not when you land. A staffed hotel with a front desk will almost always hold bags; a self-check-in apartment or a small lodge with no daytime staff may not, and a parcel that arrives to a locked door goes back to the depot.

So put one line in your booking message: "Can you receive a Yamato delivery in our name before check-in on [date]?" Get a yes in writing, confirm the name the delivery should be under, and you are set. If the answer is no, you can usually hold the parcel at a nearby Yamato branch for pickup instead. Choosing where to stay is its own decision, covered in where should a family stay in Niseko?

Pack a carry-on you can ski in

Because your bags may not arrive until the next day, pack as if the big luggage will be late. Keep one night's clothes, any medication, toiletries and the children's essentials in a bag you carry, and if there is any chance you will ski on arrival day, keep your boots, base layers, gloves and goggles with you too. Boots especially are worth carrying: they are heavy in a suitcase but they are the one piece of gear that has to fit, and you do not want them sitting in a depot while you are on the hill.

The rest, the bulky jackets and the souvenirs you have not bought yet, can travel by takkyubin without a second thought. For a full list of what belongs in the carry-on versus the sent bag, see what should a family pack for Niseko?

FAQ

Where do I send luggage from at New Chitose Airport?

From a Yamato Transport counter inside the airport. On the domestic terminal they are on the 1st floor (receive and send) and 2nd floor (send only); on the international terminal, the counter is on the 3rd floor (send only).

How long does delivery to Niseko take?

Plan for the day after you send, not the same day. Both the airport and Niseko are in Hokkaido, so same-day handovers often arrive next-day, but Yamato advises sending ski gear at least two days before you ski. Confirm the exact date on Yamato's official delivery-day lookup.

How much does it cost to send a suitcase or skis?

It depends on size and route. A large suitcase is usually a 140 to 160 size and skis or a board in a cover are a 180 size, with nothing over 200 cm or 30 kg accepted. Weigh and measure each bag and use Yamato's official fare lookup for the current price; remember you pay per item.

Can I ski on the day I arrive?

Only if you carry your own gear. Sent bags usually arrive the next day, so if you want to ski on arrival day, bring your boots, clothes, gloves and goggles in your carry-on and send the bulky suitcases ahead.

Will my accommodation hold the bags before check-in?

It depends on the property, so ask when you book. Staffed hotels usually hold deliveries; self-check-in apartments and small lodges may not, and an undelivered parcel returns to the depot.

Compare places to stay and check which ones can receive a delivery before you arrive.

— Niseko Hub Editorial Team