Some Japanese friends introduced me to takkyuubin in 1985, and I've never looked back.

During a visit in 2000, I spent the night with some long-term American expats who lived in Hachioji and then planned to go begin a month-long stay in Tokyo.

They worried about my taking the fairly large suitcase on the Chuo-sen, and I found that in all those years, they had never heard of takkyuubin.

I must admit to feeling smug when I showed them how to take a suitcase to the nearest 7-11 and send it anywhere in Japan for a reasonable price.