A new sharing network now lets you travel without luggage through Japan. Travellers can rent clothes, gadgets and goods from locals, without the bother of lugging a suitcase or backpack around while you travel.
Using this network, users can borrow or lend items to others. These include necessities like t-shirts, jeans, suits, dresses, hats, sunglasses, kimonos, towels, and workout clothes. You can even get sporting goods and gadgets like surfboards, golf clubs, tennis rackets, tents, cameras and binoculars
This luggage-sharing network, Locarry, was created by Japanese entrepreneur Shimpei Watanabe. He came up with the idea on a recent trip to China when he “had to bring a suitcase instead of light-luggage because I brought workout clothes and shoes. But when I met my friend at the destination, he said I didn’t have to bring them… he could have lent them to me.”
Travel without luggage through Japan with this new service
Seeing a gap in the market, he was inspired by other companies, such as Singapore-based marketplace Carousell, Japanese second-hand goods app Mercari and rental network Airbnb to create his own platform. His goal was to create a network where everyone can travel without luggage, or having to stress over packing.
Also read, Some Stress-Free Packing Tips For The Savvy Traveler
Lenders post items they’re willing to share (whether it’s a camera, or clothes for two days), along with sizes and other measurements. Borrowers then look for items that meet their specifications and send a request to the lender. They can “apply filters to find lenders who have a similar body size,” and confirm payments, as well as collection and return dates.
All users are rated on a five-star feedback system to ensure quality control. Lenders are rated on the quality of the items, and borrowers on what condition they return it in. Collection and payment take place in person, and there is no commission or membership fee. Watanabe is also planning to partner this feature with Airbnb hosts to create complete vacation packages.
This travel without luggage service is currently available in Japan, USA, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. You can find out more at Locarry’s official website here.
