Yamato collection for non Japanese speakers

We are staying in an apartment in Tokyo for the first part of our vacation but would like to use Yamato to forward our luggage to our first Hotel in Tokushima. We will ring up for a collection from the apartment on the Yamato number given on it's English web site and think that they will have an operator who speaks English but are concerned about the pick up driver - how complex is the process for collecting the luggage - we will have our hotel details written in Japanese so would it be enough to show the collection driver that, hope he fills in any forms for us and pay ( I am learning Japanese at evening classes but only 8 leasons so far)

Just visit one of Yamato office rather than calling to pick up your luggage if you have language difficulties.

I don't think sending from an office will make much difference language-wise; in both cases you are unlikely to interact with English speakers. If anything, if you arrange for delivery in advance you may be able to request an English-speaking driver if one is available.

you can write a shipping label in English.
http://www.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/en/send/invoice/
you can pick up blank labels at the nearest convenience store and fill it in advance.
I advise you that you bring your luggage to the store to save money and time.

We have decided to take hand luggage for our 4 days in Tokyo and send the large cases from Narita Airport to Tokushima as soon as we arrive this will be on the Monday and we arrive in Tokushima on the Saturday so hopefully our casesvshould becwaiting for us.