Lost something on a train?

First steps

• Ask at the nearest station, or contact the railway by chat or phone; staff check whether your item has been registered. [1]
• Have ready: the date and time, the stations and line (for long-distance trains the train name or number), where you left it, and a detailed description (colour, shape, material, brand, contents). A photo of the same item helps. [1]
• Staff will not search a train in service for your item, even if your phone's GPS shows where it is. Wait until it is handed in and registered. [1]
• If your train runs through onto another company's line, the item may be found there: ask that company too. [2]

Who to contact

• JR East: use find chat (the page has English instructions) or call 050-2016-1601, 8:00–20:00. Main lost-property offices are at Tokyo, Omiya and Sendai stations. JR East only searches for items lost within the last 3 months. [1]
• JR Central (Tokaido Shinkansen and Nagoya area): find chat, 24 hours; or call 050-3772-3910, 9:00–17:00, and choose 3. Have the train name or number ready. Items can no longer be collected 3 months after they were found. [3]
• JR West: find chat, or the lost-property line 0570-00-4146, 9:00–19:00 every day. [4]
• JR West also has lost-property centres at big stations, e.g. Kyoto (9:00–19:00, every day). [4]
• Tokyo Metro: use the chatbot on its website or call 0570-033-555. From the next day until the 4th day, items are kept at the lost-property office in Iidabashi station. [2]
• The Tokyo Metro lost-property office is in Iidabashi station on the Namboku line, outside the gates, open 9:00–20:00 every day. [2]
• Toei Subway (Tokyo): call the Toei Customer Center, 03-3816-5700 (9:00–20:00, every day). [5]
• Osaka Metro: use find chat or phone the Osaka Metro customer center. The lost-property center keeps items for about 4 days from the day after they were handed in. [6]
• The Osaka Metro lost-property center is at Namba station on the Yotsubashi line (south gate, outside the gates), open 8:30–20:00 every day. [6]

Not found? The police (Tokyo)

• Items that nobody claims go to the police. In Tokyo, the Metropolitan Police lists unclaimed lost items in an online search for 3 months from the day they reached the police. [7]
• Metropolitan Police Lost and Found Center: the counter is open on weekdays 8:30–16:30. [8]
• Its phone line, 0570-550-142, answers on weekdays 8:30–17:15. [8]
• The center is at 1-9-11 Koraku, Bunkyo, Tokyo. [8]

Collecting your item

• Bring official photo ID (for visitors, your passport). Someone collecting for you needs a letter of authorisation (委任状). You pay your own travel to the office. [4]
• Before handing over a phone or other device, staff may ask you to switch it on and unlock it to show it is yours. [1]

Applies to

JR East (East Japan Railway Company), JR Central (Central Japan Railway Company), JR West (West Japan Railway Company), Tokyo Metro, Toei (Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation), Osaka Metro