Shipping to Japan: the complete guide

Japan is a large, mature e-commerce market with real potential for retailers abroad. Here's what you need to ship your products there: what makes Japanese e-commerce attractive, which gift occasions drive online spending, the customs rules and documents you need, what it costs, how long delivery takes, and which carriers deliver.

Why it's worth shipping to Japan

Japan is attractive territory for online retailers. Of around 126 million people, roughly 97 million are online shoppers, with a penetration rate of about 77% and steady annual growth. To ease trade, the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement is in force, which simplifies shipping between the EU and Japan. In short, Japan offers plenty of revenue potential.

Gift occasions that boost your sales in Japan

Beyond the usual occasions like birthdays and weddings, Japan has several gift-giving traditions that can drive your sales:

1. O-chūgen (June) and O-seibo (December) – fixed gift seasons, when companies also thank their employees with gifts

2. O-miyage and Te-miyage – small tokens, travel souvenirs, and host gifts

3. Christmas – increasingly popular in Japan

4. Valentine's Day – when only men receive a gift, returning the gesture to women on White Day (March 14)

5. Mother's Day and Father's Day

6. Japanese New Year – the most important holiday, when people exchange gifts

The main carriers for shipping to Japan

Sendcloud works with leading international carriers to get your parcel to Japan affordably, reliably, and quickly. Once it arrives, Japan Post handles local delivery, with at least one delivery attempt before holding the parcel at a branch for collection.

DHL

DHL is one of the most popular and reliable carriers, and DHL Express reaches Japan at record speed. General parcel limits: minimum 15 x 11 x 1 cm, maximum 120 x 60 x 60 cm, girth up to 300 cm, and weight up to 30 kg (up to 31.5 kg with DHL Express).

DPD

DPD relies on its DPD Express service for Japan. Sizes range from XS (max. 35 cm, shortest plus longest side) to XL (up to 300 cm girth), each up to 31.5 kg.

GLS

GLS ships to Japan with its international express service (GlobalExpressParcel). Limits: maximum 200 x 80 x 60 cm, girth up to 300 cm, and weight up to 50 kg, which is ideal for heavier goods.

UPS

UPS handles larger, heavier goods well: length up to 274 cm, girth up to 400 cm, and weight up to 70 kg, with services including UPS Express Saver, UPS Worldwide Express Freight for B2B, and UPS Expedited for less urgent shipments.

How to address a parcel to Japan

Correct addressing is essential. Unlike many Western countries, the Japanese address system isn't based on street names and house numbers but on administrative units, including prefecture, district, and neighborhood alongside the place name. Give the destination country in capitals, in English (JAPAN). A Japanese address looks like this:

Mr. Yuuto Takahashi
10-23, Kotobukicho
NIIGATA
951-8073
JAPAN

Tip: add the recipient's phone number or email so the carrier can get in touch if needed.

Customs information for shipping to Japan

The EU-Japan free trade agreement makes shipping to Japan much easier. Since you're shipping outside the EU, keep these customs rules in mind:

Customs declaration. A customs declaration tells customs the contents and value of your shipment, on which import taxes and duties (paid by the recipient) are based. Use a CN23 for a parcel, and a CN22 for a small packet up to €350 in value. Attach it to the address side; complete it in English and Japanese for parcels, and in English, French, and Japanese for packets.

Commercial invoice and EORI. You also need an EORI number and a commercial invoice in English, which acts as a packing list with the contents, value, and other key details. Use the correct HS (tariff) codes on both the invoice and the customs declaration. If you're only shipping documents, declare "documents" with the carrier, as documents aren't subject to customs checks and can be delivered faster.

Goods restrictions for Japan

Restrictions apply to the following:

• Textiles, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, electrical, and household goods must meet various permit and labeling requirements

• Machine tools need a certified certificate from the relevant chamber of commerce

• Wine must declare additives and is inspected by the Japanese quarantine station

• Pharmaceutical active ingredients are subject to quality-testing rules

• Sample shipments are allowed up to a maximum of 10 kg

• A parcel to a private recipient may contain a maximum of 24 items

Prohibited goods

Don't ship any of these to Japan:

• Heroin, cocaine, MDMA, opium, cannabis, stimulants, psychotropic substances, and other narcotics

• Firearms (pistols, etc.), ammunition, and firearm parts

• Explosives (dynamite, gunpowder, etc.)

• Materials for chemical weapons

• Germs

• Counterfeit, altered, or imitation coins, paper money, banknotes or securities, and counterfeit credit cards

• Books, drawings, carvings, and other items that may harm public safety or morals (obscene material such as pornography)

• Items that infringe intellectual property rights

How can your customers track their parcel?

A parcel to Japan travels a huge distance, but with Sendcloud's track & trace your customers can follow it the whole way, which also boosts your customer satisfaction and repeat-purchase rate. You get your own tracking page in your store's style, automatically generated emails in your branding, and space to feature offers and campaigns on the tracking page.

How much does shipping to Japan cost?

Your shipping costs to Japan depend on the carrier, any added services like tracking, the delivery speed (standard or express), and the size and weight of your parcel. With a free Sendcloud account you can see exact prices in the rate calculator.

How long does delivery to Japan take?

Delivery time depends on the carrier, service, and destination region, and can be affected by customs clearance or Japanese public holidays.

Watch out for public holidays

Post offices and parcel shops close on Japanese public holidays, which can delay delivery. Watch in particular for Japanese New Year (early January) and Golden Week (late April to early May), a cluster of national holidays when many businesses close.

Packaging matters for shipping to Japan

Your parcel takes a long journey to Japan, and you want it to arrive undamaged, so choose your packaging carefully. That pays off for both safety and cost, since shipping is priced by weight and size:

• Choose the smallest possible packaging size

• Protect your goods with suitable filling material and reinforced corners

• Attach the customs documents on the outside in a pouch

• Use the correct addressing

How Sendcloud helps you ship to Japan

Sendcloud supports your shipping to Japan with leading carriers, flexible options, smart shipping rules, personalized tracking, and a returns portal. Questions about shipping to Japan? Get in touch with our team.