Japan Luggage Express · FAQs
Planning to ship your belongings from Japan? Find answers to common questions about paperwork, packing, shipping times, charges, customs and insurance.
Please give us at least one to two weeks’ notice. Earlier notice is always welcome—some customers contact us more than a month in advance. This gives us more time to discuss the details and plan your shipment.
If you need a pickup with less than a week’s notice, we may be able to arrange it, depending on the circumstances. Please contact us as soon as possible so that we can check availability and begin the necessary arrangements.
To clear your shipment through Japanese customs, we require:
When you let us know that you would like to use our service, we will send you an application form, a packing list form with a completed example, and a detailed shipping guide.
We recommend noting the contents of each box as you pack, rather than trying to remember everything afterwards.
List the contents of each package as accurately as possible, using descriptions that make it clear what the items are.
Descriptions such as “dress shirts,” “jackets” and “T-shirts” are helpful. “Clothing” is acceptable, but descriptions such as “miscellaneous,” “personal effects,” “household goods” or “electrical appliances” are too general. For electrical items, name the actual item.
For small items that are impractical to count individually, such as photographs and documents, you can use a suitable unit such as “1 packet,” “1 set” or “1 album.” For example, “photographs — 1 album.”
A carefully prepared packing list helps customs officers understand your shipment. Many of our customers have told us that the packing lists they prepared using our instructions helped their destination customs clearance go smoothly.
Yes, but suitcases must be placed inside cardboard boxes for shipping.
For both air and sea freight, carriers require suitable outer packaging. Suitcases, flight cases, plastic containers, metal cases and similar items are not accepted as the outer shipping package and must be packed in cardboard boxes.
Yes. Each cardboard carton must weigh no more than 35 kg, including the packaging. Please divide heavier contents between two or more cartons.
Heavier items, such as furniture, can be shipped by prior arrangement if you request custom-made wooden crating. An additional helper can be arranged for collection upon request, at an extra charge.
Once crated, these items can be handled by forklift at the bonded warehouse, airport or port. Please contact us in advance with the item’s dimensions and weight so that we can confirm the crating and collection arrangements, including any additional charges.
If you cannot find a box large enough, we can arrange custom-made crating at an additional cost.
This service is limited to customers located within approximately 50 km of the ports of Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka and Fukuoka, where we can arrange crating.
Yes. Some items cannot be accepted, while others require advance confirmation, depending on the transport method, carrier and destination.
Please tell us before packing if your shipment includes batteries or battery-powered devices, aerosols, perfumes, flammable liquids, gas cartridges, food, plants, medicines or any other items that may be hazardous or restricted.
Do not assume that an item is acceptable as cargo simply because you can carry it in your passenger baggage. Please contact us with details of any item you are unsure about so that we can confirm whether it can be shipped and explain any necessary preparations.
The following are approximate shipping times from pickup in Japan to arrival at the destination airport or port/terminal. They assume normal operating conditions and that we receive all required documents on time.
| Service | Destination | Approximate time |
|---|---|---|
| Air | Overseas airport | 7–14 days |
| Sea | U.S. West Coast & Vancouver | 4–5 weeks |
| Sea | Inland and East Coast destinations in the U.S. & Canada | 4–6 weeks |
| Sea | Europe | 5–8 weeks |
| Sea | Australia & New Zealand | 4–6 weeks |
Schedules vary by route and sailing or flight availability. Port congestion, transshipment connections, weather and other disruptions may cause delays. Please ask us about the expected schedule for your destination when planning your shipment. Transit times are estimates and are not guaranteed.
Air freight charges take into account both the actual weight of your shipment and the space it occupies. The higher of the actual gross weight and the volumetric weight is used to calculate the freight charge.
This allows airlines to account for lightweight goods that take up a large amount of cargo space. Volumetric weight is particularly relevant for items such as blankets, a boxed bicycle or an acoustic guitar.
Volumetric weight is also known as “dimensional weight.”
For ordinary personal effects shipments, our sea freight charges are based on volume. The weight allowance is one metric ton (1,000 kg) per cubic meter.
Unless you are shipping unusually dense or heavy goods, such as metal or industrial stones, the weight will normally not affect the freight calculation.
One cubic meter is the volume of a space measuring 1 meter long, 1 meter wide and 1 meter high. It is approximately 35 cubic feet.
As a rough guide, this is equivalent to around 20–25 fruit cartons or 5–7 medium-sized suitcases, depending on their dimensions. Actual measurements are needed for a reliable estimate.
1 m × 1 m × 1 m = 1 m³
Volume is the space a shipment occupies. Multiply the outside length, width and height to calculate the volume of each package.
Measuring a few boxes or pieces of furniture at home can help you picture the volume of your shipment. Use the outside dimensions of the packed items.
After collection from your residence, your packages are delivered to the port and measured by an independent, government-authorized organization specializing in the measurement of international cargo, such as Nippon Kaiji Kentei Kyokai or the Japan Sworn Measurers’ Association.
Our freight charges are based on the official measurements reported by these organizations.
It depends on the contents. Personal effects shipments usually contain a mixture of light items, such as winter clothing, and heavier items, such as books and electrical appliances.
From our experience, a typical shipment weighs approximately 170–260 kg per cubic meter.
For comparison, shipments consisting entirely of vinyl records can weigh around 700 kg per cubic meter. Boxes with a lot of empty space, such as boxed bicycles, may weigh less than 100 kg per cubic meter.
In many countries, including destinations in North America, Oceania and Western Europe, used personal belongings and household goods may qualify for duty- and tax-free entry when you move or return home.
Eligibility commonly depends on factors such as your residence status, how long you have owned and used the goods, and whether they are for your own continued use. New goods and certain types of items may be taxable or subject to restrictions.
The conditions differ by country. Please check the requirements with the customs authority or a customs broker at your destination before shipping, including any ownership or use periods and the documents needed to claim relief.
This depends on the destination country, the customs procedure and whether you must already be in the country. Permission to collect the cargo and permission to complete customs clearance are separate matters.
Some of our customers have previously arranged for a friend or family member to assist with clearance and collection, including cases in the United States. These are past customer experiences, not confirmation that the same arrangement will be permitted for your shipment.
Before arranging shipment, contact the destination customs office or customs broker to confirm whether a representative can act for you, whether you must have arrived in the country, and what authorization and documents are required.
Insurance costs 1.8% of the value declared on your packing list, with a minimum premium of ¥3,800.
For more information, please see our International Moving Insurance FAQ.