tyr

I'm not counting my chickens yet as they have not yet hatched but there is a possibility I could have a job in Japan on the way.
I'm wondering out of curiosity in case this comes through- how much would it cost to post things to Japan?
Both small (a lttle 5kg box) and large (computer, guitar...)

Anyone over there know?

bakedbean

You are not saying where you are, but suggest for small items contact your local Post Office or equivalent or look at their website. Posting computers, I don't think so.

tyr

Sorry, I'm in the UK, Newcastle.

This if it happens is a big move so involves shipping my worldy posessions (well...some of them. The rest are moving back in with mam and dad) , I've heard of people doing that sort of thing before when moving around the world. Any ideas on how expensive?
To elsewhere in Asia I bet will give me a good enough comparison.

DigitalGhost

My OH has often sent large parcels back home to Japan using the Royal Mail and the price has risen significantly over the last few years so much in that her parents can now send stuff to us cheaper by 72 Hour EMS then we can send stuff back over there by surface mail.

If you have a look on Moneysavingexpert.com though, there are a lot of posts about UK-based companies who resell the services of UPS, Fedex and DHL and offer much cheaper and faster alternatives to getting parcels over there from the UK. They will also collect the parcels from a UK address at no extra charge which saves your parents dragging them down to the post office.

I would be careful of what you send though. Like most organisations in Japan, the customs agency are polite, effecient, fair but also extremely strict so I'd check that everything you intend to send is allowed before you send it.

If you really do want to use the post office then we have been told by them that it is far cheaper to send multiple smaller parcels than fewer massive whenever possible.

tyr

YTeah doubt I'll be looking into the post office. More the domain of...removal companies here.

DigitalGhost

Removal companies are only really needed if you're moving a lot of stuff like furniture otherwise they can be a bit of an unnecassary expense and you will not want to take a ton of furniture with you to Japan in most cases because very few Japanese homes can house western furniture comfortably anyway.

Viking Man

Probably late to answer now, but I sent a load of stuff in cardboard boxes, some sea mail and some air, and it arrived OK. The sea mail boxes took 6 weeks and one had been opened by Japanese customs and resealed. Other than that everything was fine.

When moving back from Japan to the UK we used a cheaper air mail service called SAL (available at the post office in Japan) to send 40 cardboard boxes (special double-thickness boxes that are meant for posting sacks of rice - you can buy them an a Japanese hypermarket or hardware store) of stuff, it all arrived in the UK about a fortnight later.

tyr

I do have the job in Japan afterall it seems. Yey.

So yeah...what I'm looking for isn't quite removal companies but then a bit more than just royal mail parcels.

What company did you use viking?

Viking Man

I just went down to my local Post Office with cardboard boxes, weighed to ensure they weren't over-weight, well taped up, and sent them off with a green customs sticker on them. No worries. Good luck in Japan. If you keep an open mind, and try to forget your Western concepts of morality, individuality and justice (which isn't easy I admit), then life is great there.

Japaholic

first thread I read and already got some useful information. Brilliant!