moving and shipping - customs?

[tone]

Hi again

so continuing with the issue of moving to the concrete jungle from Seattle for a while - starting to think about shipping and customs, and whether to sell things here and buy again there (furniture, books, kitchen) or shipping to japan (computer)

I have a pretty nice 12-core mac that i use for work - just bought it this year actually. do they look up exact model number in JP customs when they open the package - and ding me a % of that value? or could i claim a lower
"used price" when i send it over

speaking of sending it, is that just crazy expensive? what have you guys done about your "things" - we're planning on craigslisting most of our stuff - which is ok, we got them at antique stores and flea markets, not taking a huge hit on anything

are there any slower but cheaper methods of shipping across the pacific?

thanks

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

are there any slower but cheaper methods of shipping across the pacific?

Putting them in a bottle and casting it out to sea?

[tone]

haha yeah i was thinking about making learning ropemaking and boatbuilding and shipping it all my damn self

[Taro Toporific]

...are there any slower but cheaper methods of shipping across the pacific?

Nope.

I feel your pain. Two weeks ago I needed ship 3 packing cases (like aluminium streamer trunks) of my junk from the States to here in the Land-of-Concrete(tm).

The airline would not take my oversize packing cases as luggage since they were over 120lbs each. The US Postal Service has totally abandoned on their overseas parcel post service. UPS wanted to charge me $300+ for each case. International moving companies like Allied Van Lines quoted me over $1,000 for all three. The best price was the smallest sea shipping container available which costs about $2000 a ton (but that was overkill for my needs).

Bottom Line: The best way is a big bonfire.

[Coligny]

Nope.

I feel your pain. Two weeks ago I needed ship 3 packing cases (like aluminium streamer trunks) of my junk from the States to here in the Land-of-Concrete(tm).

The airline would not take my oversize packing cases as luggage since they were over 120lbs each. The US Postal Service has totally abandoned on their overseas parcel post service. UPS wanted to charge me $300+ for each case. International moving companies like Allied Van Lines quoted me over $1,000 for all three. The best price was the smallest sea shipping container available which cost $2000 a ton (but that was overkill for my needs).

Bottom Line: A big bonfire was best.

No Yamato quotes ?

[FG Lurker]

If you know people in Seattle's Japanese community I'd ask them about shipping stuff. With people coming and going regularly they may know the cheapest ways to ship. (Or maybe not... Just a thought.)

As you are moving here your own goods should be considered "personal effects" and you shouldn't have to pay duty to bring them into the country. When you are filling out the customs form on the plane be sure to fill out the "unaccompanied baggage" section. Here is some information on unaccompanied baggage. If you forget to file the paperwork when you arrive you're fucked so make sure to do it!

[Taro Toporific]

No Yamato quotes ?

Yamato is partnered with obscenely-overpriced DHL.*

Yamato's bogus minimum price is $750 USD (but in reality nothing they offer is under $1,200 per lot).

*Yamato used to be partnered with UPS
and Yamato's prices still are the same as
all the other air freight companies---
more than $120 for one 10kg box.

[matsuki]

I use FedEX regularly now for business. Best communication and service by far. Very few customs issues and when they did come up, they were handles quickly and correctly. Not sure that it would be cheaper than $300 per case though.

Look at OCS, alot of Japanese companies use them and many Japanese in LA were using them to ship personal affects from the US to Japan.

[tone]

this is good info

now with the declaration form... if we live there and happen to sell my computer - is that trouble? do we have to check out with every item we check in with?

[Coligny]

this is good info

now with the declaration form... if we live there and happen to sell my computer - is that trouble? do we have to check out with every item we check in with?

Aside from the unaccompanied luggage declaration, the japanese customs are really far from being anal retentive, surprinsingly for a japanese administration. I came with several dozen box of stuff, i can't remember and 8 years later still haven't unpacked everything. They only checked the box marked with DVD certainly to filter the dangerous uncensored pr0n. Everything else was just moved along, even the 3 computers. When it's someone moving in to 'settle' they don't seems to scrutinize to much. I'm pretty sure i could even have skipped the cat quarantine. Also I buy a plenty stuff overseas, software and minicars from europe, everypossible other kind of junk from deal extreme (hong kong) I basically receive 1 parcel a day. Never had to pay any taxes on these. Meanwhile, anything sent through fedex got a 1000 yens 'customs processing' taxe to pay to fedex (at the local combini)... really boring as psome seller like Mouser electronics only use them.

[Iraira]

Look at OCS, alot of Japanese companies use them and many Japanese in LA were using them to ship personal affects from the US to Japan.

I used OCS to ship about 40 kilos of stuff out (ex-gf wanted me to bring everything in the kitchen than wasn't bolted down) here when I first came here about 12 years ago. As I recall, it didn't cost more than $500 (as I recall), and I think they took care of most of the paperwork regarding whatever. They dropped off the boxes to pack everything up, then picked it up from my old place in LA and dropped it off 10 days later at my place in Tokyo.

[matsuki]

I basically receive 1 parcel a day. Never had to pay any taxes on these. Meanwhile, anything sent through fedex got a 1000 yens 'customs processing' taxe to pay to fedex (at the local combini)

Yeah, this is FedEx's only drawback. Regular post office EMS and whatnot is the best for small packages marked as gifts or really devalued but even with that, after a certain size/weight, FedEX becomes cheaper. (especially with a business wholesale account) Also, customs and duties...the sender declares the value and you are taxed on that plus the cost of shipping...

[tone]

now what about packing some duffels full of books, crap etc and leaving it with my buddy who works for an airline and is constantly going to japan for fun... what would he put down to avoid getting dinged on my goods?

[Iraira]

now what about packing some duffels full of books, crap etc and leaving it with my buddy who works for an airline and is constantly going to japan for fun... what would he put down to avoid getting dinged on my goods?

Just write "dead whore parts" on the duffel and be done with it.

[Mike Oxlong]

A "friend" who worked for an airline got 75% off shipping with DHL back about 10 years ago. You should ask your friend if that deal still applies.

[matsuki]

Personal luggage? I don't think he'd have to declare it at all.

[Taro Toporific]

now what about packing some duffels full of books, crap etc.

Books, media, etc. are counted as "Printed Matter" and can be sent at super low prices via the US Postal Service. I sack up my books, computer media, etc.* in 30-lbs bags that cost me less than $25 to mail to Japan from the States.

Airmail M-Bags deliver a large amount of mail to a single addressee.
http://www.usps.com/international/mbags.htm

All categories of printed matter can be enclosed in an Airmail M-bag.

Printed matter is defined as paper on which words, letters, characters, figures, images, or any combination thereof, not having the character of a bill or statement of account, or of actual or personal correspondence, have been reproduced by any process other than handwriting or typewriting.

Minimum weight - There is no longer a minimum-weight threshold for Airmail M-bag usage. However, customers who tender Airmail M-bags that weigh less than 11 pounds are still required to pay the applicable 11-pound postage rate.
Maximum weight - 66 pounds (including the tare weight of the sack).
Identification - PS Tag 158, the Airmail M-Bag Addressee Tag, must be completed and attached to the neck of the sack.
Allowable Contents - Certain categories of merchandise can be combined with printed matter in an M-bag provided that all of the criteria are met for allowable contents.

Hint: Many US Post Offices have no idea what an M-Bag for printed matter is, so only go to large district post offices, always print out a copy of the USPS regulations to show the workers what you are talking about, and only talk to postal clerks who look like they have a lot of seniority.

*M-Bags are hardly checked by J-customs (except by sniffer dogs) so I always mix in a several pounds of non-printed matter that is square-ish and does not rattle.

[tone]

just going through the craziness of moving now

about the "unaccompanied baggage"

do we just ship to my wifes family's place?

i guess we have the customs declaration in duplicate - hand a copy to the customs guy and then ship to wifes address and we're done? or does the shipping have to go to a 3rd party place for it to be cleared etc?

we're going with a a connection through Fedex - how should we proceed? the below instructions seem somewhat applicable but also the consignment seems specific to this moving company. will fedex have their own consignment building?

thanks much (moving is not a joy)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


3) JAPAN POINTS OF ENTRY (Please limit to these ports/airports):

Please ensure bills of lading and/or air waybills are affreighted to following ports only:

Kansai Area Kanto Area
Sea Kobe Port Yokohama Port
Air Kansai Airport (Also known as
Osaka International Airport) Narita Airport

(4) CONSIGNMENT & NOTIFY INSTRUCTIONS (All shipments):

Please ensure bills of lading and/or waybills are consigned per below. If the actual shipper already has a registered address in Japan, the Consignee box can show the actual address.

Consignee:
CUSTOMER NAME (Complete name as in Passport)

C/O VANCOMBE INC

KITA AOYAMA 1-6-4-210, MINATO-KU

TOKYO, JAPAN 107-0061

TEL: 81-3- 6824-5445 FAX 81-3- 6824-5443

EMAIL: INFO@MOVINGJAPAN.COM

Notify: Same as Consginee

[Bucky]

Have you looked into using Yamato Transport (Kuroneko Yamato)? We use them each year when I have to send a pallet of magazines to Tokyo and they seem reasonable. This year I even got air service at surface rates. You might check them out. I don't know where you are, but here is their US website: http://www.yamatoamerica.com/e/moving/tanshin.html

Buck

just going through the craziness of moving now

about the "unaccompanied baggage"

do we just ship to my wifes family's place?

i guess we have the customs declaration in duplicate - hand a copy to the customs guy and then ship to wifes address and we're done? or does the shipping have to go to a 3rd party place for it to be cleared etc?

we're going with a a connection through Fedex - how should we proceed? the below instructions seem somewhat applicable but also the consignment seems specific to this moving company. will fedex have their own consignment building?

thanks much (moving is not a joy)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


3) JAPAN POINTS OF ENTRY (Please limit to these ports/airports):

Please ensure bills of lading and/or air waybills are affreighted to following ports only:

Kansai Area Kanto Area
Sea Kobe Port Yokohama Port
Air Kansai Airport (Also known as
Osaka International Airport) Narita Airport

(4) CONSIGNMENT & NOTIFY INSTRUCTIONS (All shipments):

Please ensure bills of lading and/or waybills are consigned per below. If the actual shipper already has a registered address in Japan, the Consignee box can show the actual address.

Consignee:
CUSTOMER NAME (Complete name as in Passport)

C/O VANCOMBE INC

KITA AOYAMA 1-6-4-210, MINATO-KU

TOKYO, JAPAN 107-0061

TEL: 81-3- 6824-5445 FAX 81-3- 6824-5443

EMAIL: [email="INFO@MOVINGJAPAN.COM"]INFO@MOVINGJAPAN.COM[/email]

Notify: Same as Consginee

[Greji]

Just write "dead whore parts" on the duffel and be done with it.

That is only acceptable upon entering Japan.

[tone]

the main question i have for unaccompanied baggage is do we address it to my wifes address or a fedex customs holding bldg in tokyo?

taking it tomorrow

also - what if there isnt room on the customs declaration - should we type up a manifest?

thanks