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Get more room in your luggage with new clothing compression machines at Haneda and Narita airports

Oona McGee Sep 17, 2026
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Forget packing hacks, Pocket Tips is the fastest and easiest way to create more room in your suitcase.

When you’re travelling to Japan, every inch of space in your suitcase is precious, because after buying up all the unique Japan-only products you come across here, you might find yourself wondering if you should start discarding your clothes just to make room for your souvenirs.

Even with all the packing hacks out there, it can still be near-impossible to try and fit everything into your luggage, but now Japan has come up with a solution to free up more space, and it’s called “Pocket Tips”. This new service uses an automatic compression machine to shrink clothing and create more space inside your suitcase.

▼ The machine is about the same size as an ATM.

Developed with support from Haneda, Narita, Kumamoto, and Naha airports, the machine has already been trialled at these locations, and the companies are now working towards full-scale implementation at the four airports.

The Pocket Tips machine has been praised for its ease of use – simply fold your clothes into the mould, then place it in the machine and press the button. In just around a minute, your clothes will be reduced to as little as one-seventh of their original bulk, becoming a compact little cube that packs easily into your suitcase.

The process doesn’t require plastic compression bags, and it can even be used on bulky items like towels.

The compressed clothes can be returned to their original shape by washing them or leaving them spread out for around 15 minutes.

▼ A 3L-size (roughly XXXL) T-shirt after compression

The compression service gives travellers a significant amount of extra room for souvenirs, which is exactly what they’ve been wanting. During the trial period, out of 400 people surveyed, about 70 percent said they had previously given up buying additional souvenirs because they didn’t have enough space in their luggage. After using the service, around 89 percent of participants said they would like to use it again.

▼ One happy customer

Though previous trials have mainly focused on travellers preparing to fly out of Japan, giving them room for last-minute purchases at the airport, the service is now being eyed for use in both directions, allowing travellers to compress their clothes upon arrival as well as before departure.

▼ Travellers lining up to use the machine during one of the trials

The machine has been developed by SJOY, a Tokyo-based apparel company that also develops clothing-compression technology, and terminal.0 HANEDA, a research and development facility operated by Japan Airport Terminal Co., Ltd., which manages Haneda Airport’s passenger terminals.

While an official launch date is yet to be announced, 2027 has been reported as the target for full-scale implementation. The companies are currently working to determine where the machines should be installed, how they should be operated and how safety considerations should be handled before full-scale implementation takes place. SJOY also says it’s considering future applications at places like hotels and in the apparel industry.

With so many travellers crying out for more room in their luggage, a service like this would be particularly helpful in hotels, and it couldn’t come at a better time, as Japan is welcoming more tourists than ever to its shores.

Source, images: Press release
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