Carry-on rules on Japanese domestic flights
The domestic carry-on rule in Japan is generous by international standards — until your flight is on a turboprop, at which point the allowance shrinks by 15 cm and a case that flew out with you will not fly back.
The standard allowance
On ANA and JAL aircraft with 100 seats or more: one bag within 55 × 40 × 25 cm whose three sides add up to 115 cm or less, plus one personal item within 40 × 30 × 20 cm, and 10 kg for the two together.
Skymark applies the same 115 cm total and 10 kg. Japanese low-cost carriers allow a similar size but cut the weight to 7 kg.
Note that a 22-inch case at roughly 56 × 39 × 24 cm is 119 cm around and misses on both the total and the longest side. The size that reliably clears the rule is a 20-inch case or smaller.
The under-100-seat rule
On aircraft with fewer than 100 seats the box is 45 × 35 × 20 cm and the total drops to 100 cm. ANA lists the DHC-8-400, DHC8-Q200, CRJ700, ATR42-600 and ATR72-600 in this class; these fly the regional routes, to islands and to smaller airports.
This is the rule that catches people out on a return leg. Tokyo to Osaka is a 737 or an A320 and your cabin case is fine; Osaka to a small island is an ATR, and the same case has to be checked.
Check the aircraft type on your booking before you pack. It is shown on the seat selection screen for domestic flights.
How it is actually checked
There are sizers at the check-in area and at the gate, and staff use them. The 10 kg is checked less often on full-service carriers than on the LCCs, but a visibly heavy bag will be weighed.
A case that fails at the gate is checked into the hold there, free of charge on ANA and JAL if you are within the free checked allowance — inconvenient rather than expensive, but it means anything you need on the flight has to come out first.
Checked baggage on the full-service carriers
ANA and JAL both include 20 kg of checked baggage in an Economy domestic fare. Each piece may be up to 203 cm around; over 32 kg a piece, or a total of 100 kg per passenger, may be refused.
That free 20 kg is why a full-service ticket with a suitcase is often not much more expensive than an LCC ticket with a paid bag, and why it is worth pricing both with the bag included.
What gets stopped regardless of size
Power banks and spare lithium batteries must be in the cabin, never in checked baggage, and there are limits on capacity. Charging a power bank from a seat USB port is prohibited on several carriers.
Scissors, tools and anything blade-like go in the hold. If the case has to be checked at the gate, take these out of it first rather than after.
Liquids are not restricted on domestic flights the way they are on international ones, which is one of the few things that gets easier once you are inside Japan.
Frequently asked questions
What size carry-on is allowed on ANA and JAL domestic flights?
55 × 40 × 25 cm and 115 cm around on aircraft with 100 seats or more, plus a personal item of up to 40 × 30 × 20 cm, 10 kg for both together. On aircraft with fewer than 100 seats it is 45 × 35 × 20 cm and 100 cm.
Will a 22-inch suitcase fit as carry-on in Japan?
Usually not. A 22-inch case is around 56 × 39 × 24 cm, which is 119 cm around and over the 55 cm longest-side limit. A 20-inch case at about 51 × 36 × 23 cm clears it.
Which aircraft have the smaller 100 cm limit?
Those with fewer than 100 seats: on ANA the DHC-8-400, DHC8-Q200, CRJ700, ATR42-600 and ATR72-600, used on regional and island routes. The aircraft type is shown when you choose your seat.
How much checked baggage is free on a Japanese domestic flight?
20 kg in Economy on ANA and JAL, and 20 kg on Skymark. Japanese LCCs charge from the first piece.
Check your own bag
All guides
Sources
- ANA — Carry-on baggage size and rules, Japan domestic flights (Last checked 2026-09-09)
- ANA — Weight, size and number of items checked in free of charge (domestic) (Last checked 2026-09-09)
- JAL — Carry-on baggage, Japan domestic flights (Last checked 2026-09-09)
- Skymark Airlines — Cabin baggage size and weight (Last checked 2026-09-09)
- Skymark Airlines — Checked baggage: 20 kg free, 50 × 60 × 120 cm (Last checked 2026-09-09)
- Peach Aviation — Carry-on baggage: 2 items, under 115 cm, 7 kg (Last checked 2026-09-09)
Last checked: 2026-09-09 — Rules and prices change. Coin locker dimensions in particular vary from station to station, so treat the sizes here as a guide and check the official page before you travel.