Lost something on a Shinkansen, JR train, or Tokyo Metro? Complete guide to Japan's rail lost-and-found system — JR East, JR West, Tokyo Metro, and more.
Japan's rail network is extraordinarily well-organized — and its lost-and-found system matches. JR (Japan Railways) and private railway operators have dedicated lost property centers with high recovery rates. The challenge is that each operator runs its own system, all in Japanese. This guide covers the major networks and tells you exactly how to navigate each one.
When a train is cleaned at the end of a journey, staff collect any items left behind and hand them to the nearest station's lost-and-found window. Items are logged in an internal system and may be held at the station for a short period before being transferred to a central lost property office.
Key difference: in Japan, rail lost-and-found is separate from the police system. You report to the rail operator first. How long an operator holds an item before it moves on varies by operator. Retention periods and required documents vary by facility. Please contact the holding facility directly as soon as possible. For example, the Tokyo Metro official page says items are stored at its Iidabashi Lost and Found Center from the next day until four days later, and then sent to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department Lost and Found Center (checked 2026-10-17; confirm on the official page).
Shinkansen carriages are cleaned at terminal stations between each run. Items are often found soon after the train reaches its terminal station during cleaning. The process differs slightly between JR East, JR Central (Tokai), JR West, and JR Kyushu.
You need: the train name (e.g., Nozomi 123), departure station, arrival station, date and time, and your car/seat number (座席番号).
Call or visit the station where your Shinkansen terminated. If you know the train's final destination, that information can help staff locate the item. Items are held there first before transfer to the regional lost-and-found center.
Each JR region has a central lost property center. For Tokyo-area and Tohoku routes, contact JR East. For Nagoya/Osaka routes, contact JR Central. For the Sanyo Shinkansen (Shin-Osaka–Hakata), contact JR West. For the Kyushu Shinkansen (Hakata–Kagoshima-Chuo), contact JR Kyushu.
JR East's dedicated Lost & Found page (jreast.co.jp/info/lost.html) offers find chat — a 24-hour reception online inquiry with responses between 9:00–21:00 — plus phone support via the JR East Infoline in English, Chinese, and Korean. JR West offers an online lost-item inquiry using find chat (jr-odekake.net/railroad/service/left.html). Try these before calling a phone line. Both are more comprehensive in Japanese, though English phone support exists for JR East through the Infoline.
| Operator | Region | Phone | Online Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| JR East | Kanto (Tokyo, Yokohama), Tohoku, Koshinetsu (Nagano/Niigata) | +81-50-2016-1603 (JR East Infoline) | Yes — dedicated Lost & Found page with find chat (24h reception, replies 9:00–21:00) at jreast.co.jp/info/lost.html, plus English/Chinese/Korean phone support via the Infoline |
| JR Central (Tokai) | Nagoya, Shinkansen | +81-50-3772-3910 | LINE-based "find chat" (24h reception) — railway.jr-central.co.jp/left/ |
| JR West | Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima; Sanyo Shinkansen (Shin-Osaka–Hakata) | 0570-00-4146 (Lost Property Dial, daily 9:00–19:00; see JR West page below) | Yes — find chat online inquiry, jr-odekake.net/railroad/service/left.html (Japanese-first) |
| JR Kyushu | Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kumamoto; Kyushu Shinkansen (Hakata–Kagoshima-Chuo) | +81-570-00-2937 | Yes — LINE-based "find chat", jrkyushu.co.jp/railway/lost/ (Japanese only) |
| JR Hokkaido | Sapporo, Hokkaido | +81-11-222-7111 (lost-item inquiries, 10:00–17:00 daily) | No dedicated English desk, but find chat (24h reception, replies 9:00–22:00, jrhokkaido.co.jp/lost/) and station counters are the first options for English-language support. Lost and Found Japan may also assist with Japanese-language communication. |
JR West: use the online inquiry first
(Current at the time of writing. Check the operator's website for the latest hours.) JR West offers an online lost-item inquiry service using find chat at jr-odekake.net/railroad/service/left.html (Japanese-first; try this before calling). By phone, the JR West Customer Center Lost Property Dial is 0570-00-4146, open daily 9:00–19:00 (06-6133-4146 from phones that cannot use the 0570 number; call charges apply), per the JR West page. Other regional contact numbers are listed on the JR West site.
Beyond JR, Tokyo Metro, and Toei, Japan has dozens of private railway operators — including Odakyu, Tokyu, Keio, Keisei, Seibu, and Tobu — each running its own independent lost-and-found system. As with JR, each operator generally maintains its own lost property center and station-level inquiry counters, but procedures, hours, and English-language support vary by company.
Check the operator's official website
If you lost something on a private line (Odakyu, Tokyu, Keio, Keisei, Seibu, Tobu, or another regional operator), the fastest path is usually the operator's own official website, which lists its current lost-and-found contact points, hours, and any online inquiry form. Station staff at the line's terminal or your arrival station can also point you to the correct office. If you are unsure which company operates the line you were on, Google Maps will show the operator name for any station or route.
Tokyo's subway system handles thousands of lost items every day. Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway are separate operators with separate systems — identify which line you were on before contacting them.
| Operator | Lines | Phone | Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Metro | Ginza, Hibiya, Marunouchi, etc. | +81-570-033-777 (Customer Center, English support available) | tokyometro.jp/lang_en/support/lost/index.html |
| Toei Subway | Asakusa, Mita, Shinjuku, Oedo | +81-3-3816-5711 (Toei Transportation Customer Center, incl. lost articles; English and 4 other languages) | kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp/eng/guides/lostfound/ |
Tokyo Metro has dedicated English support
Tokyo Metro maintains an English-language lost and found page (tokyometro.jp/lang_en/support/lost/index.html) and its Customer Center offers English support. It is one of the more foreigner-friendly rail lost-and-found systems in Japan.
(Current at the time of writing. Check the operator's website for the latest hours.)
| Organization | Phone | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| JR East Infoline | +81-50-2016-1603 | Daily 10:00–18:00 (English/Chinese/Korean), incl. lost and found assistance; dedicated Lost & Found page at jreast.co.jp/info/lost.html (find chat: 24h reception, replies 9:00–21:00) |
| JR Central (Tokai) | +81-50-3772-3910 | 9:00–17:00 JST (per the JR Central page); find chat available 24 hours, replies may come the next day |
| JR West online inquiry | jr-odekake.net/railroad/service/left.html | find chat online inquiry (Japanese-first) |
| JR West Customer Center (Lost Property Dial) | 0570-00-4146 | Daily 09:00–19:00 (per the JR West page) |
| JR Kyushu | 0570-00-2937 | Daily 10:00–16:00 (LINE-based find chat also available 24h, jrkyushu.co.jp/railway/lost/) |
| JR Hokkaido Info Center | +81-11-222-7111 | Daily 10:00–17:00 (lost-item inquiries); find chat available 24h (replies 9:00–22:00) at jrhokkaido.co.jp/lost/ |
| Tokyo Metro Customer Center (English support available) | 0570-033-777 | 09:00–17:00 (via three-way interpreting service) |
| Toei Transportation Customer Center | +81-3-3816-5711 | Daily 09:00–20:00, incl. lost articles; English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish and Portuguese (per kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp/eng/guides/lostfound/) |
The sooner you report the loss, the better — items are most likely to still be in the carriage or at the arrival station immediately after the journey ends.
Japan has many rail operators. JR, Tokyo Metro, Toei, and dozens of private lines all have separate systems. Contacting the wrong one wastes precious time.
Your IC card (Suica/Pasmo) or paper ticket can prove your travel history — useful when filing lost item reports.
Items found mid-journey may be held by the conductor and deposited at the terminal station — often far from where you were sitting.
Odakyu, Keio, Tokyu, Hankyu — none of these are JR. They each have their own lost-and-found offices and procedures.
Not sure what line you were on? Open Google Maps, enter your start and end stations, and it will show you the operator.
Information about official channels was checked against the pages below on . Hours and procedures can change, so please confirm on the official site.
LostFoundJP contacts the lost-and-found center in Japanese, confirms your item with photos, and ships it directly to your home address. You only pay if we successfully recover it.
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