“Can I bring a bag in?” comes up a lot from people coming straight from work or traveling in. Short answer: almost every small Tokyo club has a locker or hanger rack. You’re fine.
The locker types you’ll meet
Small coin-operated lockers, 100-500 yen. Most common.
Check-with-staff system — hand bag, get a tag. Common at smaller venues.
Open hanger rack — for coats, no lock, you retrieve yourself.
Larger lockers fitting suitcases — at bigger venues and some small ones.
Fully free lockers — exists at some venues.
What stays on you, what goes in
What I bring onto the floor:
Wallet, coins, phone, ID, handkerchief, sweat towel, earplugs (detailed here), minimal cosmetic items if applicable.
What goes in the locker:
Bigger bag / tote, season coat, work laptop / documents (if the venue takes them), umbrella, spare shoes.
Winter coat situation
Three patterns you’ll meet:
Cloak system: hand coat to staff, get a tag. Easiest.
Hanger rack only: hang it yourself. Theft is rare at small venues but always pocket-check before hanging.
Coat too big for locker: ask staff. Often they’ll stash it in a back room.
In summer you might skip the locker entirely. No coat, no problem.
Suitcase strategy
Coming straight from a flight with a suitcase:
Big-locker venue: walk in, ask staff where it goes.
Smaller venue: drop the suitcase at a station coin locker first, come empty-handed.
Shibuya and Shinjuku stations have lots of coin lockers, but check overnight access for the day — some lockers shut overnight.
Cash and phone stay on you
This is the universal rule for both big and small rooms: wallet, phone, ID — stay on your person. The locker is for clothing and bag shells, valuables stay on the body. Pocket your phone deep or in a body bag — dropped phones get stepped on.