If you lose something in Sapporo, start by contacting whoever is responsible for the place where you last had it. The city subway, JR trains, taxis and the airport do not share a single lost-and-found office. Giving the right operator a clear description is more useful than contacting every office and saying only “I lost a bag.”
Write down the details while you remember
Write down the date, the approximate time, your route or flight, the direction you were traveling and the last place you saw the item. Add the brand, color, size and anything distinctive about it. On a train, the car or seat number can help; for a taxi, keep the receipt and the company’s details if you have them.
Describe what was inside, as this can help show the item is yours, and save any photos of it. Share identifying details through the operator’s official inquiry process rather than posting personal information publicly. Keep any reply or reference number so you can follow up on the same inquiry.
Sapporo subway or streetcar
The city’s current lost property page says you can use find chat for items lost on the subway or streetcar. Since April 1, 2026, you can access it with an email address as well as through LINE. Start from that official page to find where to make your inquiry; older information saying LINE is the only option is out of date.
If you want to call, the city has different contacts depending on whether you lost the item today or on an earlier day. For items lost the same day, use the contact for the relevant location; for earlier days, call the Lost Property Center. The center’s published number is 011-241-2938, and it is normally open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., with shorter hours of 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. from December 30 to January 2.
If your item is found, ask where it is being kept before you go to collect it. The official page lists the ID you will need and the rules for having someone else collect it for you. Finding a likely match and being able to collect the item are two separate steps.
JR Hokkaido trains or stations
Use JR Hokkaido’s official lost items page, not the city subway’s center. JR also uses find chat, with email verification. According to the page, inquiries are accepted 24 hours a day and answered between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m.; new inquiries made after 9 p.m. are answered the next day.
JR’s English lost items FAQ explains that even if you know an item’s GPS location, staff cannot immediately search a train that is in service or retrieve an item from a train at the depot. It can take time for items to be registered. If there is no match at first, that does not mean your item will never be found.
To collect an item, JR asks you to bring official ID, such as your passport, to the station where it is being kept. JR does not send items to another station for pickup. Its main lost items page also describes paid delivery within Japan, which requires certain documents and does not apply to all items; do not assume international shipping is available.
At New Chitose Airport
The airport’s lost and found contact list shows who handles inquiries depending on where you lost the item. Items left on a plane or in certain areas managed by the airlines are handled by the airline, while items lost in terminal shops, restrooms or other public areas have their own contacts for each terminal.
Work out whether you lost the item in the domestic or international terminal, and at what point in your trip. If you are not sure, ask at the airport information desk. Do not assume the terminal’s public office handles items left on the plane, or that one airline can search another airline’s baggage area.
Taxi, hotel or restaurant
Contact the business directly using its official contact details. For a taxi, the company name, vehicle details and time on your receipt can help narrow the search. At a hotel or restaurant, give your booking details and, if you know it, the room or table where you were.
Our taxi guide explains why it helps to keep your receipt. If you need help making a phone call, ask your accommodation whether staff can assist, but do not count on them to translate, collect items or ship them for you.
Avoid turning a loss into a rushed journey
Never go onto the tracks to get something back. Tell station staff, or use the contact information posted at the station. Before going to collect something, confirm where it is, the office’s hours, what ID you need and whether they have matched it to your item. Leave enough time so you do not risk missing an important connection.
If you have lost your passport or a payment card, contact the issuing authority or your card issuer as well as the lost property office. Searching for the item is not a substitute for their advice on protecting your account or getting replacement travel documents.
Information checked on October 9, 2026. Contact methods, hours and pickup rules may change. Making an inquiry through chat does not guarantee that your item will be found or that you will get an immediate reply.
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