Moving back to your home country can be very expensive if you want to keep many of the things you have collected during your residence in Japan. Whatever is not critical should either be sold or trashed since the moving costs might well cost more than the item itself. Warranties for your acquisitions will be invalid outside of Japan, and even if you have something made by a big name multinational, they'll often be unable or unwilling to fix it. If you do take it home though, there are several moving companies who offer a pickup service or you can send it through the Post Office.

POST OFFICE OR SHIPPING COMPANY?

Once you have decided what is essential you will need to consider the best method of shipping your property home. Articles sent through the Post Office will be costed according to their weight so if your items are light and bulky then it is best to use this method. If you ship, your items will be costed according to their volume so smaller heavier items are best to ship home. Take your items to the Post Office and get an estimate, they will offer you two rates on sea or air mail. Air mail should take around a week to arrive and sea mail can take around two to three months. Then get an estimate from a shipping company and compare the prices and go with the cheapest option.

When shipping household items outside of Japan you must first contact a moving company, which will then come to your residence and make a written estimate based on a physical appraisal of the weight and volume of the items to be shipped. It is perfectly acceptable to arrange for more than one estimate. Some companies offer complete service, including packing. Discount shipping companies will expect you to pack the boxes yourself. Insurance protection should be subscribed to in either case. Remember to separate important documents and valuables prior to packing. Keep these together in a safe place where they will be available to accompany you on your trip.

Economove Japan are international relocation specialists extensive experience in serving the international community living in Japan and those wishing to relocate to Japan. They have established the 'JetMove' service which offers you a 5% discount on their "Economy Pack Moving Service". Their service area covers the whole of Japan and they can ship anything from 1cbm small shipments up to 40ft ocean containers for big moves. Visit DealZone for more information on their services.

There is a cheaper yet slightly less practical option. The US postal service operates from Guam and Korea so if you take your stuff there you will be able to post at the cheaper rates of about one-third of that of sea-mail from Japan. Your property will arrive in 2-5 days of you are sending it to the United States. Visit the USPS website to calculate the cost and select the cost from Agana, Guam or Korea.