Moving within Japan
Several Moving methods
When you move within Japan, there are a few ways you can transport your personal effects and belongings. These transportation methods vary depending on the number of things you want to bring to your new home, the distance to the new destination, whether you are moving alone or with a family, and whether you will be moving furniture as well.
- 1) Self-styled move - If the move is local or to a nearby city, many people rent a van and transport most of their belongings themselves. Normally, people ask friends or family members to help, as some items can be too heavy - or there may be too many items - for one person to move. This would be the most economical moving method; however, it is important to note that when you, for example, accidentally drop an item and it gets broken, there will be no insurance coverage. When you hire a moving company, the items are typically insured and protected.
- 2) Sending boxed items by takuhaibin - If you are not moving many items and you can pack everything, sending boxes this way is an option. However, remember that just like when you move many packages internationally by Japan Post to another country, the more packages you move, the more expensive the charge will be without getting a volume discount. Perhaps this would work best only if you were moving into a furnished apartment.
- 3) Hiring a professional domestic moving company - If you have a relatively large number of belongings, this would be the best way to go. Moving companies typically visit your residence and provide an onsite estimate. They check on what types of large items you have. They provide you with moving boxes free of charge so that you can pack small items. Some companies do the packing themselves, including fragile items. This service, however, could be expensive.
- 4) Moving with a small trucking company - An example of this is “Akabou”. It has a space of 180cm x 140cm x 130cm or so. The maximum weight is about 300kg. Each vehicle is owned and operated by an individual because “Akabou” is a franchise network. Only one driver in a small vehicle will come, so you and the driver will have to load your boxes and household goods into the vehicle.
There are some English-speaking movers with small vans serving expats in Tokyo and surrounding areas. You may wish to contact such companies first if you reside in the Tokyo area. English-speaking movers are very difficult to find outside Tokyo.
Yamato Home Convenience, a subsidiary of Yamato Unyu, offers services such as moving large items (e.g., pieces of furniture) for which you are not able to find suitable packages. The company has cage-like metal crates in which you can place your item vertically and transport it to your new residence. Pickups are done by two men. An English-speaking operations staff is available. The company can move small to medium-sized refrigerators, sofas, etc.
Our moving company, Japan Luggage Express, is a specialist in international moving from Japan to other countries. We can help you move your personal belongings from Japan to your home country or to another country when you leave Japan. Moving internationally is entirely different from moving within Japan, as there are many formalities you must go through. With over two decades in international moving and shipping, our company maintains vast knowledge of this special field. If you have time, please browse through some of our pages on this website about overseas moving, as they might be useful for the future.
Here are some facts about moving within Japan.
- 1) In Japan, the end of March is the peak season for moving. March is the end of the fiscal year and many people move from one place to another because they start working for a company or start attending universities. March is also a peak season for international moving because it is right after the end of academic and fiscal years.
- 2) Four to five percent of Japanese people move every year.
- 3) Many people move with their families. Domestic moving companies often have a mascot animal painted on their trucks, such as a giant panda, an elephant, etc. because children like seeing them.
- 4) When Japanese people move into a new neighborhood, it is a custom to give some sort of gift to the neighbors. Many years ago, it was typically Japanese buckwheat noodles. However, people give all kinds of gifts now, so it doesn’t necessarily have to be noodles.
- 5) It is a custom to give a farewell gift to people who are moving out of an area or leaving a workplace. For this reason, many expats leaving Japan for good receive several gifts from their Japanese friends and co-workers.