Hi there!

 

You will find “coin lockers” at train stations all over Japan.

These lockers are highly convenient if you want to explore a few hours before you head to your next destination!

Maybe you will arrive to Kii-Tanabe Station by train, and then you have a few hours to spare in Tanabe before you catch a bus to start the Kumano Kodo!

At coin lockers, you can store your luggage like a suitcase or a backpack.

You can expect them at major train stations in Japan, and you may also find them at smaller train stations in tourist towns.

And this includes Kii-Tanabe Station!

While there are different types of coin lockers that operate in slightly different ways, these types of luggage storage lockers are generally pretty easy to use.

There will be pretty clear instructions.

They started as “coin-operated” lockers, so that’s why they are called coin lockers.

While there are some coin lockers throughout Japan that operate without coins (usually the major tourist train stations like the Tokyo Station coin lockers), Kii-Tanabe Station does still operate with coins only.

So, you will want to be sure you have 100 yen coins if you want to use the coin lockers at Kii-Tanabe Station!

I did not see any coin exchange machine at Kii-Tanabe Station, so you’ll want to be sure to have some before you arrive.

If you don’t, then your next best option is to buy something at the 7-Eleven convenience store that is right next to the coin lockers so you can break a 1,000 yen bill or 5,000 yen bill and ask for 100 yen coins.

Or, if you are arriving to Kii-Tanabe Station by bus, then you can break 1,000 yen bills and 500 yen coins to get 100 yen coins. There is a coin exchange machine at the front of the bus. (You cannot break 5,000 yen bills on the bus.)

 

How to use a coin locker at Kii-Tanabe Station

I arrived to Kii-Tanabe Station on a train that came from Kyoto and Osaka.

Once you are at Kii-Tanabe Station, you’ll look for the 7-Eleven, and walk over that way.

And that’s where you will find coin lockers.

There are a number of different sizes of lockers depending on what size luggage you’re looking to store.

Although I don’t think even the biggest coin locker will fit a mega huge suitcase.

 

How much does a coin locker cost at Kii-Tanabe Station?

The price of the coin locker will depend on how big of a locker you get.

So in the case of these Kii-Tanabe Station coin lockers, to store a carry-on suitcase or big backpack it was 500 yen (less than US$5), and to store a larger suitcase was 700 yen (less than US$7).

If you are traveling with even lighter (smaller) luggage, there are also smaller lockers that are 400 yen (less than US$4).

 

How to store your luggage in a coin locker

So once you find an open locker…

Put your luggage that you want to leave behind into the locker!

Again, coin lockers may operate differently across Japan, but this is how it was at these Kii-Tanabe Station coin lockers.

You insert the exactly number of 100 yen coins into the coin slot.

Then once you have inserted the proper amount, you will be able to put the key into the LOCK position to remove it.

Put the key somewhere safe so you don’t lose it!!

And then…

Luggage locked, and off to walk around Tanabe!

There is a tourist information center off to the left as you leave the train station, so make that your first stop! You can get maps of Kumano Kodo and Tanabe, and also the local bus schedule.

 

How to get your luggage back

Once you return to Kii-Tanabe Station, use your key to open up the locker with your luggage in it!

You don’t need to do anything else!

 

HAPPY STORING LUGGAGE AT KII-TANABE STATION!

 

I do have pictures from Kii-Tanabe Station coin lockers which I plan to post up at some point in the future. But if you are curious now, feel free to email me and I can send you some pictures! (“contact” at very bottom of page)

I have also used other coin lockers which can give you an idea of what they are like:

 

Moving on from Tanabe: