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I lost something in Japan: what should I do?

Who to contact at stations, shops, taxis, hotels, and police boxes.

Last updated:

10-second answer

What to do right now

Return to the last place you had the item and contact staff before filing a police report.

  1. 1Return to the last place you had it
  2. 2Contact the transport operator
  3. 3Visit a kōban
Show the Japanese phraseOpen official help
Detailed steps

Follow these steps

1

Return to the last place you had it

Traveler returning to the last place where an item was seen

Lost items are often kept at the station office, shop counter, restaurant, hotel front desk, or attraction information desk.

2

Contact the transport operator

Traveler contacting a transport operator about a lost bag

Note the line, direction, time, stations, carriage number, and a detailed description of the item.

3

Visit a kōban

Traveler reporting a lost item at a Japanese police box

A neighborhood police box can file a lost-property report. For a lost passport, also contact your embassy or consulate.

Traveler asking station staff whether a lost wallet has been foundUseful Japanese phrase

I lost this item. Has it been found?

γ“γ‚Œγ‚’γͺγγ—γΎγ—γŸγ€‚ε±Šγ„γ¦γ„γΎγ™γ‹οΌŸ

Kore o nakushimashita. Todoite imasu ka?

Act immediately for important items

Freeze lost bank cards and phones first. For a passport, use the passport recovery steps; for a phone, lock it and protect your accounts. Call 110 only if you believe a crime is happening or you are in immediate danger.

Freeze bank cards and phones, file a police report for a passport, and call 110 only in an emergency
Lost-item action plan

What to do first

1Go back or speak to staffContact the station, vehicle operator, shop, restaurant, hotel or attraction before filing a police report. Same-day inquiries are usually fastest.Traveler asking station staff about a lost item
2Write down the detailsDate, time, route, direction, train or bus number, station, carriage or seat, item color, brand, contents and identifying marks.Traveler writing down route, time and item details
3File a police report if neededVisit the nearest police box (koban) or police station. Found property may be transferred from the operator to police after several days.Traveler reporting a lost item at a Japanese police box
4Bring identification to collect itTake your passport or other official ID. A representative may need a letter of authorization and copies of identification.Traveler presenting identification to collect lost property
Company finder tutorial

Not sure which company had your item?

Do not worry if you cannot remember the operator name. Use the clues below to narrow it down, then open the matching official contact.

1Check your paper ticket, booking email, transport app or route-search history. 2Write down the boarding and exit stations, approximate time and direction. 3Match the transport type and region below. Take a screenshot before contacting anyone. 4Keep the inquiry or reference number until the item is returned.
Train or Shinkansen

Look for the company name in your booking email, ticket, station map or route result. β€œJR” is a group of regional companies, not one nationwide lost-property office.

JR EASTTokyo, Yokohama, Kanto, Tohoku and much of Koshinetsu JR CENTRALTokaido Shinkansen: Tokyo–Nagoya–Kyoto–Shin-Osaka; Tokai region JR WESTKyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Hiroshima and Sanyo Shinkansen to Hakata JR HOKKAIDOSapporo and conventional JR services within Hokkaido JR SHIKOKUTakamatsu, Matsuyama, Kochi, Tokushima and other Shikoku routes JR KYUSHUKyushu local trains and Kyushu Shinkansen south of Hakata

Through-service tip: A train may continue onto another company’s line. Tell staff both your boarding and exit stations so they can check the connecting operator too.

Tokyo subway
Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway signs for identifying the correct operator

Tokyo has two subway operators. The route result, station entrance and platform signs will say either Tokyo Metro or Toei Subway.

Tokyo Metro contactsToei Subway contacts

If the train continued onto a private railway, include the destination shown on the train and the station where you got off.

Bus, tram or airport bus
Bus stop, ticket and route details used to identify a bus operator

Check the bus stop sign, ticket, booking email, receipt or route-search result for the operator name. Record the route number, boarding stop, exit stop, direction and departure time.

For a Toei bus, tram or Nippori-Toneri Liner, use Toei Transportation. For another company, search the exact operator name plus β€œlost and found.”

Airport or airplane
Airline and airport lost-property counters for items lost on an aircraft or in a terminal

Left on the aircraft: contact the airline. Left inside the terminal: use the airport lost-property page. Security, customs and immigration areas may have different contacts.

HanedaNaritaKansai
Taxi
Taxi receipt and mobile app trip history used to identify a taxi company

First check the receipt or your taxi-app trip history. The company name, vehicle number and time make the search much faster.

No receipt or app history? Use the taxi lost-item service and file a report at the nearest police box.

Shop, restaurant, hotel or attraction
Traveler asking staff about an item lost at a shop, restaurant, hotel or attraction

Contact the venue directly before the police. Give the date, time, floor or area, table or room number and a detailed description. Hotels may also help call another venue in Japanese.

Useful telephone contacts

Call the operator that handled the train, bus, airport or taxi. Times below are Japan Standard Time and may change on holidays.

Police lost & found0570-550-142Japan visitor guidance lists this number for lost property. For emergencies only, call 110.
JR East Infoline050-2016-160310:00–18:00; English, Chinese and Korean. From overseas: +81-50-2016-1603.
JR Central050-3772-39109:00–17:00; select option 3 for lost property. Online find chat is also available.
JR West0570-00-41469:00–19:00; press 2. From overseas: +81-6-6133-4146. Multilingual support.
JR Kyushu0570-00-293710:00–16:00, every day. Official find chat is also available.
Tokyo Metro0570-033-7779:00–17:00; English, Chinese and Korean. International phone numbers cannot connect.
Toei Transportation03-3816-57119:00–20:00; English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish and Portuguese.
Haneda Airport03-5757-8111Lost-property guidance for airport terminals. The official find chat is usually the clearest starting point.
Narita Airport+81-476-34-800024 hours, every day. Select English and follow the guidance for your terminal or area.
Kansai Airport+81-72-455-250024-hour airport information for facilities, airport access and lost property.
Japan Visitor Hotline050-3816-278724 hours, every day; English, Chinese and Korean. From overseas: +81-50-3816-2787.

Official contact details checked on August 14, 2026. Always confirm the latest hours on the linked operator page before traveling to a collection office.

Useful links

Official resources come first. Links open in a new tab.

Before anything is lost Coin lockers, staffed luggage storage and delivery service Store or send luggage safely Use coin lockers, staffed storage or delivery between airports and hotels, and keep the receipt and tracking number. Open the luggage guide β†’ Start here JNTO lost-and-found guidance shown on a laptop and phone JNTO lost-item guidance Official advice for items lost at stations, airports, shops and other places in Japan. Read the official guidance β†’ Police report & search Traveler using the National Police Agency lost-property guide Report or search for lost property Use the National Police Agency guide, then select the prefecture where you think the item was lost. Open the police guide β†’ Police search Prefectural police lost-property website selection map Choose a prefectural police website Search published found-property records for the prefecture where your item may have been found. Choose a prefecture β†’ JR East JR East lost and found assistance For JR East trains and stations in Tokyo, Tohoku and surrounding eastern Japan areas. Contact JR East β†’ JR Central JR Central Lost & Found Use find chat or telephone support for the Tokaido Shinkansen and JR Central stations and trains. Contact JR Central β†’ JR West JR West Lost & Found Use station staff, lost-and-found chat or telephone support for western Japan. Contact JR West β†’ JR Hokkaido JR Hokkaido lost-item guidance Official collection and identification guidance for items lost on trains and at stations in Hokkaido. Contact JR Hokkaido β†’ JR Shikoku JR Shikoku lost-item guidance What details to give station staff and when items are transferred to the local police. Contact JR Shikoku β†’ JR Kyushu JR Kyushu Lost & Found Use the official find chat or lost-item information dial for Kyushu trains and stations. Contact JR Kyushu β†’ Tokyo Metro Tokyo Metro Lost & Found Check the same-day station procedure, inquiry form, telephone support and Iidabashi Lost & Found Center. Contact Tokyo Metro β†’ Toei transport Toei subway, bus, tram and liner Use the official chat or multilingual customer center for items left on Toei services. Contact Toei β†’ Haneda Airport Haneda Airport Lost & Found Choose the facility where the item was lost and submit an inquiry through the official find chat. Contact Haneda β†’ Narita Airport Narita Airport Lost & Found Find the correct terminal, airline, customs or airport-police contact for your item. Contact Narita β†’ Kansai Airport Kansai Airport Lost Property Choose the area where the item was lost or use the official inquiry form. Contact Kansai Airport β†’ Taxi Lost something in a Tokyo taxi? Use the taxi-company details on your receipt. Without a receipt, use the official taxi lost-item chat or file a police report. Open taxi lost & found β†’ 24-hour traveler support Japan Visitor Hotline JNTO provides 24-hour assistance in English, Chinese and Korean when you need help choosing the right contact. Open hotline details β†’
Keep exploring
Lost passport in Japan Read the guide β†’ Lost or stolen phone in Japan Read the guide β†’ Suitcases and coin lockers for luggage delivery and storage Luggage delivery and storage Read the guide β†’