I'm used to things being expensive in Japan, but usually I justify the price because I'm getting something I enjoy. "Enjoy" and "moving" don't go together.
Step 1: Get price info to ship items back home. (Not everything will fit in my suitcases) For reference, 10 kg = 22 lbs.
Airmail M-bag (Printed Matter Only) 9000Yen
Airmail Parcel (Printed Matter Only) 2 x 4250Y = 8500Y
EMS expdited delivery (2-4 days?) 14000Y
Parcel Post Airmail (7-14 days?) 17650Y
That seemed pretty pricey, so I checked another option: the equivalent of UPS, Yamato kuroneko "black cat" service. I sent them email, but they never sent back to me. (First warning!) A week later I called, but they elected to call me back, in order to have the phone call in English. Next day they called, and I gave them the rough estimate of my boxes. (Roughly, 4 10kg boxes). Price estimate, by Air: 150,000 Yen!
... and finally, for comparison, checking out the price of the reverse trip, US -> Japan, using the good ol' US Postal Service:
So... for all those concerned, all options are expensive (SHOGANAI! = apathetic "What can ya do?"), but the Japan Post Office is the way to go. They have the cheapest option I can find, especially these days, if you consider that the Yen has been weak. (The price for 22lbs by EMS is about $118 USD, respectfully in range with $99.70 above) ... 20% more than I'm used to isn't nearly as bad as 240% the price!
Uhg.. these boxes are heavy. Kilograms are deceptively large, for a person accustomed to lbs! I'm off for the PO..
1 comment:
"Shoganai!" What are you gonna do?!
As a US Postal Service employee and Window Clerk, I would respecfully ask you if there might be a class of belongings that you could do without for about four weeks. That is the approximate time for shipment by surface transpo from Japan to USA. The savings in cost of surface compared to air transpo is significant (based on the rates I see regularly [USA to Japan]). Ship your essentials only by Air Parcel Post and your non-essentials (books, research notebooks, CD's, inverse flux meter, anti-gravity transcombobulator, etc.) by Surface Parcel Post, available now at your local Post Office! When listing the contents of each parcel -- for the Customs personnel -- be sure to use precise scientific terms and measurements... like "nanodweeb" and "velocipede." You are most welcome. Always happy to help. Portions of this message may be considered as truly factual. Beekeroo
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