How do I get all my stuff home?

Carly Bode, International Affairs Division

For almost everyone who lives in Japan, there comes a time when our visas expire or our contract is up and we must move back to our home country or on to another more enticing place.

Some of your belongings can be sold on, some can be given away to friends or successors, but a great deal will need to be squished into your limited luggage allowance.

Remember your baggage allowance limits for when you fly back. For North and South America it is two pieces not to exceed 32 kilograms (70 pounds) each, while the rest of the world is 20 kilograms total. Excess baggage is very expensive. Checking extra pieces or extra-large luggage can be up US$150.

The things that don't fit will need to be shipped by air or sea.

Japan Post

While using Japan Post to send your parcels home isn't going to be the cheapest method, it is the simplest.

There are a number of options:

  • EMS
  • Air Mail Parcel Post
  • Economy Air Mail (SAL)
  • Surface Mail

EMS (http://www.ems-post.jp/(external link)) is a fast, safe and reliable service that will pick up your parcels from your house. Parcels will arrive in 2–4 days and can be tracked via the internet. There is a limit on weight and size which varies from country to country. For the USA, the limits are: 30 kilograms (66 pounds), length (longest side) 1.5 m (59"), and girth 1.25 m (49"). Parcels to Australia are limited to 20 kilograms.

Air Mail Parcel Post is not as fast as EMS and parcels must be sent from a post office. Parcels can take up to 1 week to arrive. The limits also vary from country to country, but the maximums are the same as EMS. Parcel Post can also be tracked via the internet.

SAL is a slower, cheaper version of airmail and may take up 3 weeks to arrive. Limits are the same as above.

Surface Mail is the cheapest option and can take up to 2 months to arrive. Limits are the same as above.

The Japan Post website has an online simulator to help you estimate the cost.

Here is an example of prices for a 30 kilogram package being sent to the USA via Japan Post:

EMS
36,000 yen
Airmail
36,650 yen
SAL
26,550 yen
Surface Mail
13,750 yen

Other Services

The limits of size and weight used by Japan Post make it difficult to send larger items. Services like DHL, UPS, and Fedex are not very cost-efficient for one-time-only deliveries. There are a number of companies that specialize in people moving house that are more suited.

Prices are based on place of origin, destination, size (in case of sea freight) and weight (in case of air freight).

The companies listed below have been recommended by foreigners in Japan who have used them to send their belongings to their home countries.

Things to take into consideration

  • Plan in advance and make a checklist so you don't leave anything behind.
  • Inventory everything you plan to send so that if in the worst case something goes missing or gets broken, you have a record. Give a copy of this to your office too.
  • Choose good strong boxes so they don't break during transit.
  • Wrap your fragile items well and label them "fragile." Back up all computer files if sending a computer.
  • Label your boxes well and put a copy of your details inside the boxes as well.
  • Consider insuring your packages.
  • Check customs regulations for the destination country as to what you can and can't send, and what duties may need to be paid.