Cost to Move to Japan from the USA
Japan is a well-served, efficient destination with one procedural trap that catches people every year: the customs form that clears your shipment has to be stamped when you personally enter Japan. Get that wrong and the goods cannot be released, however good the rest of the paperwork is.
What it costs
Door-to-door sea and air freight ranges from New York to Japan, by home size. Ranges include origin services, freight, destination services and routine clearance. They are planning figures, not quotes — a firm price needs a survey of your home.
| Home size | Sea freight | Air freight |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $3,520 – $5,500 | $7,040 – $15,400 |
| 1 bedroom | $4,950 – $8,250 | $9,900 – $23,100 |
| 2 bedrooms | $7,700 – $13,200 | $15,400 – $36,960 |
| 3 bedrooms | $11,000 – $17,600 | $22,000 – $49,280 |
| 4 bedrooms | $14,850 – $24,200 | $29,700 – $67,760 |
| 5+ bedrooms | $19,800 – $33,000 | $39,600 – $92,400 |
Japanese housing is the other planning item. Apartments are smaller than American ones, doorways and lifts are narrower, and a US king bed or a large sectional sofa may simply not fit. Measure the destination before you decide what to ship — freight you pay for and then cannot get through the door is the worst money in a move.
Price your own move — pick your origin city and home size and the calculator will give you a range in a few seconds, with no contact details required.
How long it takes
From the West Coast this is a short Pacific run — 4–6 weeks door to door. From the East Coast, 6–9 weeks. Los Angeles origins price noticeably better on this lane.
Customs and duty
Form C-5360 — unaccompanied baggage
Used personal effects enter Japan duty-free, but the mechanism is specific. You must declare unaccompanied baggage on Customs Form C-5360 when you arrive in Japan and have it stamped at the airport on entry — two copies, one retained by customs and one returned to you, which your moving company then needs to clear the shipment. The shipment must generally arrive within six months of your entry. You will also need your residence card. Miss the airport stamp and the clearance stalls; it cannot easily be fixed afterwards.
Customs requirements change and are applied at the discretion of the authorities at the border. Treat this as orientation, not advice — confirm current requirements with your moving company or the destination’s customs authority before you ship.
What you cannot ship to Japan
- Get the C-5360 stamped on arrival at the airport — this is the most common failure on this route.
- Certain over-the-counter US medications, including some containing pseudoephedrine or codeine, are prohibited.
- Firearms and swords are heavily restricted; even decorative blades need care.
- Alcohol and tobacco above personal allowances are dutiable.
- Check that large US furniture physically fits the apartment before shipping it.
Common questions
What happens if I forget to get the C-5360 stamped?
Your shipment cannot be cleared as unaccompanied baggage on the strength of an unstamped form, and resolving it after the fact is difficult. The form is completed and stamped at the airport when you land — put a copy in your carry-on rather than in the container.
Is shipping from the West Coast cheaper to Japan?
Yes, meaningfully. It is a direct Pacific sailing rather than a run through the Panama Canal, and both the price and the transit time reflect that. If your goods can be collected in California, get it quoted.
Will my American furniture fit a Japanese apartment?
Sometimes not. Rooms, doorways, lifts and stairwells are smaller than US equivalents, and oversized beds and sofas are the usual casualties. Get the dimensions of the destination — including the route in from the street — before deciding what travels.
What will your move to Japan cost?
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