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In Japan, the default assumption is that unless you're in a very rural area, everyone goes everywhere by public transit. Even if you're just heading to downtown Tokyo from Narita airport, the Skyliner will be faster and cheaper than a taxi. Furthermore, you probably aren't taking a taxi from one prefecture to the next.

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Yet I never see Japanese people with luggage on trains, whether that be an airport train or the subway. I'm pretty sure everyone takes a taxi or an airport bus when they have luggage.

Nope, I see people with luggage on trains all the time, especially the Narita and Haneda train lines (obviously). Locals too.

It's far more common for foreigners to carry luggage on the trains in my experience. Especially on the subway.

Wouldn't that be a biased view based on the fact that foreigners are the ones more likely to travel?

I did consider that, the other factor is Japanese people travel for smaller periods of time so maybe carry tiny suitcases instead of the (multiple) huge ones you see foreigners carry.

Thus "the magical Japanese art of luggage forwarding."

Not true unless you count Nagoya and below as very rural

Nagoya is a bit more car-centric as it's Toyota's turf, but still very much transit-friendly.

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