Mode of Observation: Sight
Description:
Especially in larger cities, and especially in or near train stations, you can find coin lockers meant for temporary storage of luggage and other personal items. At stations in more rural areas, or in areas with higher security requirements, they may be absent or more difficult to find.
You may also find them on the street in some busier areas, especially in or near entertainment districts.
Prices for coin lockers vary considerably. Some are purely mechanical, while newer coin lockers are electronic and offer barcode access and cashless payment systems. In some places, such as in shopping malls and museums, coin lockers may require the use of a ¥100 coin to allow the locker to be closed and locked, but the coin is returned upon replacing the key.
In the event that belongings are left in coin lockers beyond the specified time limit, management companies will generally collect locker contents for storage at the company office, where they can later be retrieved. If left there past a certain time limit, items are subsequently surrendered to local police.
Though the vast, vast majority of coin locker use is mundane and legitimate, in the past there have been instances of nefarious use, up to and including the disposal of human remains.
All images of coin lockers at Tokyo Metro’s Hanzomon Station. Many thanks to @cluelesstoshika.bsky.social for the photos.
