In addition to the three main stations at Kobe-Sannomiya (which are run by JR, Hankyu, and Hanshin railways) there are also two subway stations and a Port Liner station. All of these stations have lockers but you will find the greatest number of lockers in JR Sannomiya Station. Unfortunately none of the stations at Kobe-Sannomiya have a dedicated baggage room. In this article we will show you where to find lockers in the Kobe-Sannomiya area.
A sign for lockers at JR Sannomiya Station
How to Use Station Lockers
Most of the lockers at Kobe-Sannomiya are key lockers and are very easy to use. You simply put your baggage into the locker, shut the door, pay the required number of 100 yen coins, and then turn the key. Of course you should remember to take the key with you.
Put your bag in the locker
Pay the required fee
Turn the key and take it with you
You may also find more modern automatic lockers which are operated by multilingual touch screens. These are also easy to use and have Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean options. Simply choose your language and then follow the instructions on the screen.
English instructions on an automatic locker touch screen
With some automatic lockers you can pay with either cash or a prepaid IC card such as ICOCA or other regional cards and with some other lockers you can only use an IC card. You should remember to keep your receipt if you use a automatic locker. However, at present these more modern lockers are quite rare in Kobe-Sannomiya.
Locker Sizes and Prices
Lockers generally come in three sizes: small, medium, and large. These are priced variously according to the locker type and location but prices usually range between 300 and 900 yen.
Small lockers can be priced at 300 yen or 400 yen
Medium sized lockers can be priced at 500 or 600 yen
Larger lockers can be priced between 700 and 900 yen
Lockers at JR Sannomiya Station
There is a coin locker room across from the East Ticket Gates with a variety of key lockers priced at 300, 500, 600, 700, and 900 yen.
The coin locker room by the East Ticket Gates
The coin locker room has a change machine. Simply put a 500 yen coin or 1,000 yen note into the machine and it will change it into the correct amount of 100 yen coins.
The change machine
There is a bank of key lockers priced at 300 yen, 500 yen and 700 yen by the side of the escalators that are opposite the Central Ticket Gates.
Coin lockers across from the Central Ticket Gates
Go down the stairs across from the West Ticket Gates and you will find some key lockers priced at 300 yen and 700 yen.
Coin lockers near the West Ticket Gates
You will also find several banks of lockers at intervals in the passage that runs along the south side of JR Sannomiya Station. There are key lockers in this passage that are close to the East Ticket Gates and these are priced at 300, 500, and 700 yen.
Key lockers in the passage close to the East Ticket Gates
Further along this passage on the other side of the escalators that lead up to the Port Liner station, you can find a much larger bank of key lockers priced at 300, 500, and 700 yen. There are also some automatic lockers here priced at 500 yen which can only be used with an IC card.
Key lockers by the Port Liner escalators
These automatic lockers can only be used with an IC card
Walk a little further along this passage, past the Central Concourse and you will find another bank of key lockers priced at 500 yen and 700 yen.
These key lockers are close to the steps that lead down to Hanshin Kobe-Sannomiya Station
Lockers at Hankyu Kobe-Sannomiya Station
Hankyu Kobe-Sannomiya Station has key lockers on the 1st floor at both its East Entrance and West Entrance. At both locations the lockers are priced at 300, 500 and 700 yen.
Lockers at the Hankyu station’s East Entrance
At the West Entrance look for the lockers behind and at the side of the stairs.
Lockers at the Hankyu station’s West Entrance
Lockers at Hanshin Kobe-Sannomiya Station
Hanshin Kobe-Sannomiya Station doesn’t have many lockers and they are all located inside the ticket gates. You can find a small number of key lockers inside the East Ticket Gates priced at 300, 600, and 700 yen.
Lockers at Hanshin Kobe-Sannomiya Station
Lockers at Port Liner Sannomiya Station
At Port Liner Sannomiya Station you can find a small number of key lockers just inside the ticket gates. These are priced at 300, 500, and 700 yen.
Port Liner Sannomiya lockers
Lockers at Sannomiya Subway Station (Seishin-Yamate Line)
At Sannomiya Subway Station you can find key lockers outside the ticket gates. These are priced at 300 and 500 yen.
Sannomiya Subway Station lockers
Lockers at Sannomiya-Hanadokeimae Subway Station (Kaigan Line)
At Sannomiya-Hanadokeimae Subway Station you can find key lockers outside the ticket gates. These are priced at 300 and 500 yen. There are also some refrigerated lockers here priced at 300 yen which you can use to store food.
Sannomiya-Hanadokeimae Subway Station lockers
Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved.
