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How do Tourist Dispatch Parcel in Japan? 2011/1/5 14:42
Hi,

I need some advise on sending International Parcel from inside Japan(Tokyo). I will be in Japan for nearly 3weeks and the Luggage limit is only 20kg. I'm worried that I might be overweight so I preparing just in case. The airline said it $23 per kg if overweight.

I searched Japan Post Office online and found EMS, SAL, the rate ranges from $8-10+.

If I am to send a Large Parcel(approx 20kg) from Tokyo to my home country, but I do not have a "Local Japan Address" what should I do? Because nowadays, some courier require Sender Address.

Ty
by linkerbell  

JP parcel 2011/1/5 15:59
I had this problem. JP at Fukuoka airport refused to send it. I went to a different JP outlet and used the address of my next hotel. I was charged 5000 yen for 3 kg, I think. It took about 2 weeks to arrive.
by anon (guest) rate this post as useful

using hotel address~ 2011/1/5 17:20
D: that is like $20+ per kg!
Hmm.. use hotel address, ok.

The Airlines said they only allow extra weights for student & migrant therefore is stuck with just 20kg.

My Luggage bag is about 7kg! That leaves 13kg for the ''fillings'', I'm making sure that I'll pack light on depart but still I doubt that 13kg is enough... ...moreover I lovee to collect BOOKs! and books are rather heavy :s
Since books are tax free so I'm planning to mail them back instead.

And my sis... is erm.. well '' a little'' shopaholic. I don't really want to end up carring 3 Luggage on return in our last trip *sweat*

thank you~
by linkerbell rate this post as useful

... 2011/1/5 21:18
During all of my recent trips i send several packages to my home address (Europe).

I go to the local postoffice (plenty around) to get a carton box. They sell boxes in several sizes (I also picked up a box from the street as there are in the in shopping area's in the evening always boxes laying around on the sidewalk to be picked up by the garbage collectors. However be careful not to 'steel' boxes from the homeless!)

At the postoffice i also take a couple of forms that you need to fill out (so i can fill them out in the hotel and mess up one or two). The form is in English. The postoffice employee can also make available a list with the prices for the several sending options).
A good start on the internet is here:
http://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/service/compare_en.html
I always go for the lowest fare (surface mail) as it does not matter that it takes some time (in general less than 6 weeks) and i do not want the parcels to arrive at my home before i get home :-). Also in most cases i sent stuff home that i should not have brought in the first place!

Some info on the form to be filled out.
I always use the hotel address as my sending address. This is because there need to be an address. (They do not accept it without an address)
I never take insurance. Sometimes you need to take risks in your life (and i never sent expensive stuff). I did sent over time maybe 15 boxes and never a box was lost.
In case they can not deliver you need to give a forwarding address. I use the same address as the normal address (=my home address).
I never list all the individual items (no room for that on the form). I group them in 4-6 groups like: clothes or books/pamphlets, CD's etc and give them a very low value. I always mention on top of the list that it is surplus travelluggage. I am not sure that it works but so fare i never had to pay import duties in my home country.
As you do not have scales you can not give the weight of the individual items (in my case) groups so i just give an estimate.

When you drop the parcel in the postoffice you can ask for some extra tape or rope/string to secure the package more. They are always very kind to give this to you.
Sometimes they ask if there are no forbidden items in the box. And ones they asked if there were batteries in a electronic gadget that was in the box (apparently some batteries are not allowed).
They check all fiels of the form (if they contain data) and weight the box.

Note the opening times of the postoffices. I think (not sure) all offices handle boxes. In the bigger cities there are also postoffices that are always open. (I needed this ones when i discovered that just before leaving it was a national holiday and the regular offices were all closed).

Have a nice trip
by B. Slager (guest) rate this post as useful

Better internet link 2011/1/5 21:31
This is a better link to postal service parcel shipping:
http://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/service/i_parcel_en.html
Butch
by B. Slager (guest) rate this post as useful

ty~ 2011/1/6 11:37
Hi,

Thank you for the detail infos!!!
Its really helpful.

ty B. Slager
by linkerbell rate this post as useful

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