Our Story
✈️ How Japan Lost and Found Service Started
Japan Lost and Found Service began with my own experience of losing a MacBook while traveling overseas. During our honeymoon in 2025, I left my laptop at an airport security checkpoint in Beijing and learned how difficult it can be to recover something once you are already back home.
Our Honeymoon in Switzerland
In the summer of 2025, my wife and I traveled to Switzerland for our honeymoon. I had visited Switzerland years earlier with my brother and had always wanted to return one day with my wife.
We spent much of the trip outdoors, hiking nearly 13 kilometers a day, taking wedding photos at Kleine Scheidegg beneath the Jungfrau, and crossing into France to see Mont Blanc.
It was a trip we had been looking forward to for a long time.
A Difficult Journey Home
Our return trip did not go as planned.
A timing mistake caused us to miss our flight, and we had to buy new tickets for more than $2,500.
After that, flight delays on the way from Zurich to Frankfurt and then Beijing left us with very little time to make our connection.
When we arrived in Beijing, our flight to Tokyo was leaving in less than 40 minutes, and we had to go through another security check.
We rushed through security, put our belongings into the trays, and made it to the gate just before boarding closed.
Realizing My MacBook Was Missing
After we landed in Japan, I realized that I had left my MacBook at Beijing Airport’s security checkpoint.
Another passenger who had been sitting nearby helped me call the airport, but we were told to contact Lost & Found by email.
I sent several messages over the next three days before receiving a reply:
“Your laptop has been found. However, we cannot ship it internationally. Please pick it up in person.”
The MacBook had been found, but the only option I was given was to return to Beijing and collect it in person.
By that point, I had already spent thousands of dollars on replacement flights and used up my paid leave, so making another trip was not a simple decision.
Why I Started Japan Lost and Found Service
After weeks of communication, I eventually recovered my MacBook by returning to Beijing myself.
The experience made me realize how difficult lost-item recovery can become once a traveler has already left the country. The item may be found, but language, distance, local procedures, and collection rules can still make getting it back difficult.
That experience became one of the reasons I started Japan Lost and Found Service: to help travelers who face the same situation in Japan and need someone locally to help with the next steps.
What We Do
Japan Lost and Found Service helps travelers search for lost items in Japan and, when an item has already been found, arrange collection and return where possible.
We assist with communication in Japanese, contacting facilities, confirming collection requirements, and arranging the next steps based on where the item is being held.
We want to make the recovery process easier to understand and manage, especially for travelers who are already outside Japan.
In practice, that often means working with airports, railway operators, hotels, police offices, and other facilities in Japan to help travelers move the process forward.
Need Help With a Lost Item in Japan?
If you have lost something in Japan and are not sure what to do next, we may be able to help.
- Contacting relevant facilities in Japanese
- Helping confirm where the item is being held
- Arranging collection when permitted
- Assisting with packing, paperwork, and return arrangements when applicable
What we can do depends on the holding facility, the item, and the destination.
👋 Meet the Founder
Yusuke Baba — Founder, Japan Lost and Found Service
I once lost my MacBook during my honeymoon, so I know how stressful it can be to lose something important while traveling.
That experience is one of the reasons I started Japan Lost and Found Service—to help travelers who are dealing with the same situation, especially when language and distance make recovery difficult.