What's the best express shipping from US->J-Land?

[Not Invented Here]

I looked around for a thread that would answer this, but no joy.

I need to ship an application to a school in Kyoto quickly (must arrive by the 15th of this month). I'm looking around at the various companies (FedEx, UPS, USPS, STFU, et al.) but I was wondering if anyone has any experience with the varying shipping companies and knows which would be able to send my papers out with speed and reliability.

I'm not too familiar with international express stuff, so any ideas as to how fucked I am in this situation (if I am as fucked as I think I am) would be appreciated.

If this package goes through, and a bunch of other documents get stamped, approved, and otherwise fucked with, I'll be in Japan by September...

[TennoChinko]

I looked around for a thread that would answer this, but no joy.

I need to ship an application to a school in Kyoto quickly (must arrive by the 15th of this month). I'm looking around at the various companies (FedEx, UPS, USPS, STFU, et al.) but I was wondering if anyone has any experience with the varying shipping companies and knows which would be able to send my papers out with speed and reliability.

I'm not too familiar with international express stuff, so any ideas as to how fucked I am in this situation (if I am as fucked as I think I am) would be appreciated.

If this package goes through, and a bunch of other documents get stamped, approved, and otherwise fucked with, I'll be in Japan by September...

FedEx is very reliable. However, so is the USPS and their "Global Express Guaranteed (GXG)" premium express mail service:

http://www.usps.com/international/globalexpressguaranteed.htm

[Not Invented Here]

Thanks for the advice. I ended up taking a third option when time constraints forced my hand and I somehow ended up at UPS (because it was the closest to where I was and I could make the shipping deadline). Spent 49 dollars to make sure that it arrives on time, but in this case even 100 would have felt like money well spent.

Now to figure out how to ship my books later on...

[Charles]

..Now to figure out how to ship my books later on...

That's been covered here on FG before. There's a special discount rate "book bag" that you can get from the yuubinkyoku. I think it's slow boat like SAL but it's cheap. Some post offices might not have the bags in stock, but they can always get them if you ask.

[TennoChinko]

That's been covered here on FG before. There's a special discount rate "book bag" that you can get from the yuubinkyoku. I think it's slow boat like SAL but it's cheap. Some post offices might not have the bags in stock, but they can always get them if you ask.

You're referring to the M-Bag which from Japan to the US Or other countries) can be done via surface mail:

http://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/service/s_printed_matter_en.html

However, at the end of last year, the USPS discontinued M-Bag service via surface and only have the more expensive airmail option:

http://www.usps.com/international/mbags.htm

[Charles]

You're referring to the M-Bag which from Japan to the US Or other countries) can be done via surface mail:

http://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/service/s_printed_matter_en.html

However, at the end of last year, the USPS discontinued M-Bag service via surface and only have the more expensive airmail option:

http://www.usps.com/international/mbags.htm

Interesting, I did not know that. But I'm curious if the USPS action matters (costwise) if the shipment isn't originating in the US.

[FG Lurker]

Interesting, I did not know that. But I'm curious if the USPS action matters (costwise) if the shipment isn't originating in the US.

Probably not, but the OP is wondering about sending books from the US to Kyoto.