Chinese in Japan and Their Parcel Forwarding Needs
Chinese people are the largest foreign group in Japan, with about 820,000 living and working there. Ikebukuro in Tokyo (known as "Little China in Tokyo") and Shin-Okubo have active Chinese communities, while Nipponbashi and Namba in Osaka also have many Chinese residents. Yokohama Chinatown is the largest and oldest Chinatown in Japan, with a history of over 150 years.
About 120,000 Chinese students study at top Japanese universities such as the University of Tokyo, Waseda, Keio, Osaka University, Kyoto University, and the University of Tsukuba each year. Although Japan has high-quality products, prices are also high. For example, Chinese food at Chinese product stores (中華物産店) costs 3-5 times more than in China. It is very common for Chinese in Japan to buy clothes, snacks, Chinese medicine, etc., from Chinese e-commerce platforms and have them forwarded to Japan.
Shipping Routes from China to Japan
| Shipping method | Specific Routes | Estimated Delivery Time | Suitable scenarios |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✈️ Air Freight | Shenzhen → Direct flight to Tokyo Narita (NRT) / Osaka Kansai (KIX) (flight time about 3-4 hours) | 5–8 business days | Daily parcels, urgent items |
| 🚢 Sea Freight | Shenzhen Shekou Port → Tokyo Port/Osaka Port | 7-15 days | Large items, bulk goods |
Japan is close to China; air freight takes only 5-8 days, and sea freight can arrive in as fast as 7 days, making it the second fastest destination country after Singapore.
Japanese customs clearance and tariff policy
- Duty-Free Allowance: ¥10,000 JPY (approx. 500 RMB)
- Consumption Tax: All imported goods are subject to 10% consumption tax
- Customs Duties: Exceeding the duty-free allowance, customs duties are levied at 0%-30% depending on the product category
- ⚠️ Japanese customs strictly controls Chinese herbal medicines, Chinese medicines containing animal ingredients (bezoar, donkey-hide gelatin, musk, etc.) may be confiscated
- Food must comply with import regulations of Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
Most Popular Items for Forwarding to Japan
- Chinese snacks and seasonings — Latiao, luosifen, hot pot base (prices at Chinese product stores are 3-5 times higher than in China)
- Clothing — Japanese clothing styles tend to be conservative; domestic trendy brands offer more variety
- Chinese Books — Textbooks for international students, Chinese reading materials for Chinese families in Japan
- Tea and Chinese herbal medicines — Although Chinese medicine (漢方薬) is available in Japan, it is extremely expensive
- Digital Accessories — Phone cases, earphones, etc., priced much lower than in Japan
- ⚠️ Note on small appliances — Japan's voltage is 100V/50-60Hz, incompatible with China's 220V! Electrical appliances must use a transformer or buy a global voltage version
Practical Tips for Shipping to Japan
- Japan's voltage is 100V, completely incompatible with China's 220V! This is the most important thing to note
- Japan's home delivery service (Yamato Transport) supports precise time slot delivery (morning, 14:00-16:00, 19:00-21:00, etc.)
- Convenience store pickup (コンビニ受取) is very convenient, supported by 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, etc.
- Ikebukuro and Shin-Okubo have Chinese courier pickup points, some with Chinese language support.
ImagineShip supports shipping from 11 major Chinese e-commerce platforms to Japan.Register Now, start shipping now!
Start Shipping to Japan
Sign up for a free warehouse address and start shipping today
