SHIPPING · GUIDE
How to Ship Luggage & Shopping Home From Japan
UPDATED JUL 2026 · 4 MIN READ
Bought more in Tokyo than your suitcase can hold? You've got three real ways to get it home: the post office, a courier, or a hotel-pickup service that does it all for you. Here's what each costs, what you can't ship, and how to avoid the customs headaches.
Short on time? We'll handle it.
Leave your bags at your hotel front desk — we pick up, pack, and ship them home. Flat $120 + shipping.
Ship my bags — flat $120 →Should you ship, or just pay for extra baggage?
First, do the math. Airlines charge steep excess-baggage and overweight fees — often $100–200 for one extra checked bag on a long-haul flight, and more if it's overweight. If you've filled a whole box with drugstore skincare, snacks, and souvenirs, shipping that box separately is frequently cheaper and lets you fly comfortably with only your original luggage.
Rule of thumb: fragile, bulky, or heavy shopping → ship it. Clothes you'll wear on the trip → keep in your suitcase.
Your 3 options to ship home
Post office (EMS / Japan Post)
Cheapest for small-to-mid boxes, decent tracking. You pack and carry it to a post office and fill out a customs form.
BEST FOR: Budget shippers who don't mind a post-office trip.
Courier (DHL / FedEx / Yamato)
Faster and more reliable for heavier or urgent boxes, with door pickup in some cases. Costs more than EMS.
BEST FOR: Fragile, heavy, or time-sensitive shipments.
Hotel-pickup service (e.g. Tokyo Concierge)
You leave bags at your hotel front desk; staff pick up, pack, and coordinate international shipping. A flat handling fee plus the shipping quote.
BEST FOR: Shoppers who don't want to pack, queue, or carry anything.
What it costs
Shipping is priced by weight, box size, and destination, so quotes vary. As a ballpark for a ~10 kg box to the US: EMS/Japan Post is usually the cheapest, couriers cost more but arrive faster, and a full-service pickup adds a handling fee on top of the shipping itself. Always confirm the exact quote after your box is weighed and measured — and remember your destination country may charge import duty on arrival.
What you can't ship
Carriers and customs restrict a lot of common tourist buys. Typically off-limits or requiring special handling: alcohol, aerosols and sprays, some battery-powered items, perishable or refrigerated food, medicines and supplements, and anything counterfeit, oversized, or restricted by your destination country. When in doubt, ask before you pack.
The easy way: hotel pickup
If you'd rather not queue at a post office or hunt for a box, a hotel-pickup service handles the whole thing: you leave your shopping bags at the front desk under your reservation name, staff collect and pack them, and you get a shipping quote and tracking number by email. You can even fly home first and let the box follow.
Ship your Tokyo haul home, hands-free
Tokyo Concierge picks up from your hotel in Tokyo's 23 wards, packs your approved items, and coordinates international shipping. Flat $120 handling + shipping quoted after we weigh your box.
Ship my bags — flat $120 →Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to ship luggage home from Japan?
It depends on weight, size, and destination. A single ~10 kg box to the US typically runs roughly $60–150 by international courier (EMS/DHL/FedEx/Yamato), plus any customs duties on arrival. Services that also pick up and pack for you add a handling fee on top.
Can I ship my suitcase home instead of checking it on the plane?
Yes. You can ship a packed box or, with some services, a suitcase. Compare the shipping cost against your airline's excess-baggage fee — for heavy shoppers, shipping a box of purchases is often cheaper and lets you fly light.
Do I have to be at my hotel for pickup?
No. Most hotels hold packages at the front desk. With a hotel-pickup service you leave your bags at the desk under your reservation name and staff collect them — you can keep sightseeing or even fly home first.
Will I pay customs or import tax when it arrives?
Possibly. Import duties and taxes are set by your destination country and are the recipient's responsibility. Gifts and low-value shipments are sometimes exempt — check your country's de minimis threshold before you ship.
What can't be shipped internationally from Japan?
Common no-gos: alcohol (restricted by many couriers), aerosols, batteries in some cases, perishable or refrigerated food, medicines and supplements, and anything restricted by the carrier, customs, or your destination country.