Pre-move Planning
A free virtual or in-home survey confirms your volume and timing, and helps you size the shipment to the home you are moving into in Japan.
Moving to Japan from the USA
A household move to Japan combines a long Pacific route with an arrival declaration that must be handled correctly. We pack at your US home, arrange sea or air transport, align the customs paperwork and complete delivery at your Japanese address.
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Across the Pacific
Your Move to Japan, Across the Pacific
Used household goods can receive favorable customs treatment when a person relocates to Japan for a year or more, provided the required arrival declaration is filed correctly. Since 1948, our overseas moving company has coordinated US packing, export clearance, Pacific transport, Japanese customs and destination delivery with that arrival step built into the plan.
Because Japanese homes are often more compact than US homes, many customers decide to ship less than first expected. Our door-to-door international movers help size the load and then manage furniture, appliances, personal effects and art from pickup through delivery to Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe, Osaka or Nagoya.
One coordinated move
Packing, freight, Japanese customs and door-to-door delivery.
- 600+ agents Worldwide network
- Door to door From any US city to Japan
- Sea and air Sailings to Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe and Nagoya
Everything your move needs
One Coordinated Move, Start to Finish
Your Japan move is built as one continuous service from the US survey through final delivery. Our international movers and packers coordinate the packing, Pacific freight, arrival documentation, customs clearance and destination handover so each step supports the next.
Packing, Wrapping and Crating
Marine-grade packing protects your goods on the long Pacific route, and custom crates safeguard art, ceramics and other items needing fine art shipping services.
Customs and Documentation
We prepare your inventory and walk you through the arrival declaration, so your used household goods can clear Japanese customs duty-free.
Ocean and Air Freight
Most Japan moves sail from West Coast ports such as Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland or Seattle-Tacoma, with air cargo to Narita, Haneda or Kansai when time is short.
Insurance and Tracking
Pick your level of cover and follow the container from a West Coast terminal to its Japanese berth, with updates at each handover.
Storage and Inside Delivery
Storage covers the gap until your Japanese lease begins, and inside delivery handles narrow stairs and compact rooms. Shipping a car too? Ask about our international car shipping services.
From home to destination
How Your Move to Japan Works
We organize a Japan relocation around six milestones, including the arrival declaration that supports clearance of unaccompanied household goods.
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Request a Quote
Send your US pickup point, Japanese destination and approximate shipment size so we can compare the practical route options.
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Book Your Survey
A surveyor reviews your home by video or in person, measuring volume and helping you decide what will fit a Japanese apartment; arrange it through our pre-move survey.
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Lock Your Plan
We confirm the service level, coverage, transport method and dates, then explain the declaration that must be filed when you arrive.
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Pack and Load
The origin crew protects and numbers the shipment, creating an inventory that can be matched to the goods declared in Japan.
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Cross the Pacific and Clear
Your shipment moves by sea or air while the stamped arrival declaration and shipment records are prepared for Japanese customs.
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Deliver Locally
After release, the destination crew works within building access rules and completes the delivery and any selected unpacking service.
Flexible shipping choices
Choose the Right Shipping Method
Shipment size, delivery timing and the space available in your new Japanese home all influence the right method. We compare shared container space, dedicated containers and air freight before you book.
Best value for a whole house
Ocean Freight
A larger household can use a dedicated 20-foot, 40-foot or 40-foot High Cube container sailing from a West Coast gateway to Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe or Nagoya.
Smaller moves
Shared Container
Less-than-container-load international shipping lets smaller Japan moves share space. Ask us to get a free groupage shipping quote.
Fastest option
Air Freight
For a compact group of priority belongings, air freight from LAX, SFO or SEA is the fastest option. Because it is weight-sensitive, it is best reserved for essentials rather than a full household.
Plan your budget
What a Move to Japan Costs
Japan moving prices are based on the volume or weight of the household goods and the transport option selected.
Groupage / LCL (Less Than Container Load): your shipment shares container space with other household moves travelling to Japan.
FCL (Full Container Load): your belongings receive exclusive use of a 20-foot, 40-foot or 40-foot High Cube container.
Treat the home-size ranges below as an initial benchmark. “Without furniture” reflects cartons and personal effects, while “with furniture” reflects a fully furnished home. Shipping and full packing are shown separately, followed by the combined totals.
Shipping cost
| Home size | Without furniture | With furniture |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Bedroom | $3,900 – $4,500 approx. 200 cu ft |
$7,000 – $8,000 approx. 600 cu ft |
| 2 Bedrooms | $4,400 – $5,100 approx. 350 cu ft |
$8,300 – $9,100 approx. 900 cu ft |
| 3 Bedrooms | $6,200 – $7,000 approx. 500 cu ft |
$11,200 – $12,800 approx. 1,500 cu ft |
| 4 Bedrooms | $7,700 – $8,400 approx. 650 cu ft |
$11,700 – $13,300 approx. 2,000 cu ft |
| 5 Bedrooms | $8,000 – $8,700 approx. 800 cu ft |
$12,700 – $14,800 approx. 2,500 cu ft |
Full packing service
| Home size | Without furniture | With furniture |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Bedroom | $780 – $900 $4,680 – $5,400 in total |
$1,400 – $1,600 $8,400 – $9,600 in total |
| 2 Bedrooms | $880 – $1,020 $5,280 – $6,120 in total |
$1,660 – $1,820 $9,960 – $10,920 in total |
| 3 Bedrooms | $1,240 – $1,400 $7,440 – $8,400 in total |
$2,240 – $2,560 $13,440 – $15,360 in total |
| 4 Bedrooms | $1,540 – $1,680 $9,240 – $10,080 in total |
$2,340 – $2,660 $14,040 – $15,960 in total |
| 5 Bedrooms | $1,600 – $1,740 $9,600 – $10,440 in total |
$2,540 – $2,960 $15,240 – $17,760 in total |
The figures are a reference only, and for a more accurate estimate we strongly recommend a free pre-move survey.
Your Japan Shipping Checklist
Preparing these points early helps the quote reflect the real shipment and keeps the Japanese duty-free entry process on schedule.
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List the belongings
A detailed inventory supports insurance and gives Japanese customs a clear record of the unaccompanied goods arriving later.
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Plan your arrival declaration
When you land, you file the Declaration of Accompanied Personal Effects and Unaccompanied Articles in two copies. Japan Customs explains the process and the six-month window for your shipment to arrive.
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Keep the stamped declaration
Customs returns a sealed copy after arrival, and that document is needed when the unaccompanied shipment is cleared.
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Budget sea against air
Ocean is cheaper and air is faster; our international moving cost calculator approach and a free survey show which suits your move.
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Right-size the move
If possible, measure the new home before shipping so the load suits the more compact space common in many Japanese residences.
Plan your inventory
What Counts as Household Goods?
Household goods are the used personal items that furnish and support daily life, such as furniture, appliances, kitchenware, clothing, books, decor, personal effects, antiques and fine art. As an international shipping company focused on relocations, we keep commercial freight separate so the shipment remains within the used-personal-effects category considered by Japanese customs.
Household goods include
Check before you pack
If you are moving to Japan for more than a year, used household effects can enter duty- and tax-free within reasonable limits, but new items and commercial quantities can be taxed.
- The Consulate-General of Japan in Los Angeles notes that unaccompanied items must arrive within six months of your arrival.
- Vehicles need proof they have been used.
Experienced support matters
Why Choose Professional Movers for Japan?
A Japan-bound household shipment crosses the Pacific and depends on the timing of your arrival documentation as well as the physical transport. Experienced international movers keep those moving parts aligned from US collection through Japanese delivery.
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Packing suited to a long Pacific route
Export materials and custom protection help furniture, ceramics and other fragile pieces handle repeated international movement.
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Less to coordinate after arrival
International residential movers manage the shipment while you focus on registration, housing and the practical steps of settling in Japan.
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Arrival paperwork built into the plan
The shipment schedule is coordinated around the declaration and six-month import window described in the source material.
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Pianos and heavy pieces handled properly
Our piano movers crate instruments for the voyage, and crews plan around tight Japanese stairwells.
When comparing the best international movers for Japan, consider how well the provider coordinates arrival documentation and destination delivery, not only freight. Our overseas moving services connect both ends of the Pacific move.
600+
Partner agents worldwide supporting international moves.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are moving costs to Japan calculated?
Pricing is based on shipment volume or weight and the selected transport option. The tables show typical shipping ranges and list full packing separately. A survey supports a more precise free international moving quote.
How long does shipping to Japan take?
Air freight to Narita, Haneda or Kansai can arrive sooner, while ocean shipments from the West Coast typically require several weeks door to door after loading, the Pacific crossing and clearance are included. We confirm the expected timing when you book.
Are household goods duty-free in Japan?
Used household effects can generally enter duty- and tax-free within reasonable limits when you are moving to Japan for more than a year and the arrival declaration is completed correctly. New items and commercial quantities may be taxed.
What declaration do I file when I arrive?
You complete the Declaration of Accompanied Personal Effects and Unaccompanied Articles in two copies when entering Japan. Customs stamps and returns one copy, which is then used to clear the unaccompanied shipment.
What happens if my shipment arrives late?
Unaccompanied household goods need to arrive within six months of your arrival to be treated as personal effects. We plan the sailing or flight so the shipment remains inside that window.
Which US cities do you collect from?
We collect nationwide. West Coast origins such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle provide direct routing to Japan, and we also arrange moves from New York, Chicago, Texas and other US locations.
Do you ship pianos and fragile ceramics to Japan?
Yes. Pianos, ceramics, artwork and other fragile items can be crated to size and individually recorded on the inventory used for the move.
Do you offer a free quote?
Yes. Once we know the US pickup city, Japanese destination and approximate shipment size, we can provide no-obligation sea and air pricing. Start with an international moving quote.
Continue planning your relocation
Popular International Moving Destinations
Explore country-specific information about shipping, customs and preparing for your new destination.
Start Your Move to Japan
Ready to plan the Japan move? Send your US origin, destination in Japan and estimated volume so we can compare Pacific shipping options. Arrange a free pre-move survey or request your international moving quote for route-specific pricing.