photo by Kentaro Ohno
While the global economy has been sluggish for a long time because of the COVID-19 pandemic, e-commerce such as online shopping and auction is running before the wind. As we all are spending more time at home, the increased number of people have started using their spare time to sell DIY items online or going into online businesses. When you go into e-commerce, delivery service such as Japan Post and courier services play an important role in your business. Fortunately, Japan has a great transport network thanks to its small size and large population. This column will introduce how to send parcels within Japan.
Japan’s major courier services
There are several courier service providers that deliver small parcels in Japan, including Japan Post. Among them, the following three companies are the largest and offers many services such as chilled delivery, pick up service, label printing.
- Japan Post: They have largest number of branch offices and the largest network. Their parcel delivery service includes “Yu-pack” and “Yu-packet”.
- Yamato Transport: One of Japan’s largest courier networks. Having branch offices all over Japan, their prompt delivery service has earned a high reputation. They also offer a variety of options including chilled/frozen goods delivery in addition to normal parcels.
- Sagawa Express: The second largest privately founded courier company in Japan. Same as other two companies, they offer various services such as same-day delivery of short distance parcels and chilled parcel delivery.
Major common services of the three courier companies
Specified time delivery, chilled/frozen goods delivery, way bill printing at home, pick up
How to write a way bill
Hand writing way bill
To make a way bill and write it by hand, you need to get a way bill at one of branch offices. The below is a way bill of Yamato Transport, and Japan Post and Sagawa Express have similar type of way bills. You need to write recipient and sender’s details, contents, time slot if you want your parcel delivered within specific time slot. Then stick the way bill on the parcel.
Printing way bill online
You can make a way bill online from websites of Japan Post, Yamato Transport and Sagawa Express (you will need to create an account). You can create an address book to save sender/receiver details via online way bill tool, and use saved data next time you send a parcel to same address. Also there are mobile phone apps.
- Japan Post: Create Japan Post ID and print way bill using “Web Yu-pack Print” (print on A4 paper).
- Yamato Transport: Create “Kuroneko Members” account and print way bill using “Waybill Printing System C2” (print on A4 paper).
- Sagawa Express: Create “e Hiden Web” account and print way bill (order way bill format pater).
Request pick up service
Other than bringing the self-printed way bill with your parcel to a branch office or convenience store to send, you can also request a pick up from your home (payment is to be made at the time of pick up). You can make a booking over the phone, or if you are using Japan Post or Yamato Transport, online booking can be made.
- Japan Post: Pick up request can be made without ID (you need to inform your home address and contact number)
- Yamato Transport: You will need to get a membership. Booking can be made on English website too.
- Sagawa Express: Call the nearest branch office to make a booking.
*: Requesting pick up service is the best option if you are sending heavy stuff. All Japan Post, Yamato Transport and Sagawa Express offer pick up service for free of charge. On the other hand, you can get little discount by handing in a parcel at a branch office, so if you are sending light stuff, this may be better option.
Pack n’ Send!
Because remote work becoming more and more common and people are slightly feeling guilty when going out, we all tend to stay home lately. In such a situation, Japan Post and other courier companies are striving to offer better services including re-delivery, pick up, and way bill printing tool so that customers don’t have to bring parcels to their branch offices. Sending parcels with them is quite easy, just print a way bill with your computer, attach it on a parcel and pay delivery fee at the time of pick up. This is a particularly handy service when you want to send heavy stuff. Of course, you can bring in a parcel at a branch office just like before, so choose whichever way you prefer.
