Shipping Policy
We always strive to ship your order with the utmost care and attention. We carry out any legal documentation required to ship your order, according to the Japanese export licenses and customs formalities. All goods will be shipped under the Incoterms® DAP (Delivered at Place) rule, i.e., we, as the seller, are responsible for all costs and risks associated with the delivery of goods up to unloading, while customers, as the buyers, are responsible for all costs and risks involved with the unloading of goods at the final destination.
*Incoterms® is a registered trademark of the International Chamber of Commerce, and DAP is one of the commercial terms defined by the organization.
Free shipping worldwide
We offer free shipping anywhere in the world, and all of your orders are fully insured. “Free shipping” here indicates that the purchase price you see on our online store is the entire cost we charge. Please be informed, however, that any additional fees charged at customs clearance are not our responsibility and are not included in the listed price.
Shipping with DHL GoGreen Plus
CO2 reduction via Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
Kyoto Handicraft Center proudly utilizes DHL's GoGreen Plus, which incorporates Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to reduce CO2 emissions during transportation.
You can contribute not only to efficient delivery but also to environmental conservation efforts. Let's make a positive impact on the planet together.
Customs duties
The purchase price does not include customs clearance fees and duties, and under the Incoterms® DAP rule, the recipient is responsible for all customs fees that may be incurred upon arrival of the package. Additionally, some local shipping couriers may charge handling fees when receiving these further costs.
These additional payments at the destination are outside of our control and we cannot predict applicable conditions or estimate how much all and any additional costs will be.
For further information, please contact the customs authorities of the recipient’s country and/or local couriers and follow their instructions on the payment.
Shipping to Canada
*Information last updated on 13 August 2021
Under the regulations outlined in the Postal Imports Remission Order, for items exceeding 20 CAD in value, you are obligated to pay the relevant duty, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) or Harmonized Sales Tax (HST), and any Provincial Sales Tax (PST) based on the item's full value.
Additional details can be found on the following website:
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/courier/menu-eng.html
Shipping to Europe
*Changes in E-Commerce EU VAT from 1 July 2021
Under the VAT rules in effect from 1 July 2021, all commercial goods imported into the EU from third countries or third territories will be subject to VAT, regardless of their value.
At the time of import clearance, the recipient must provide the following information:
- Tax Identification Number or EORI number
- Country of issue of the above number
For further information, please contact the EU Customs Union or visit the official EU website: https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/buying-goods-online-coming-non-european-union-country_en
Shipping to the UK
*Changes in E-Commerce UK VAT from 1 January 2021
Under the UK VAT rule in effect from 1 January 2021, all commercial goods with a value of 135 GBP or more will be subject to the UK VAT.
For further information, please visit the official website of the UK Government: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/vat-and-overseas-goods-sold-directly-to-customers-in-the-uk
When delivering your order to a different person
If the recipient is different from the orderer, such as when you are sending a gift to another person, please note that the recipient is responsible for all customs clearance fees that may be incurred.
We also do not accept advance payments of customs clearance fees, as we are unable to accurately estimate how much the costs will be. If you would not like the recipient to be charged the additional fees, we suggest you have the order shipped to your address and then ship it to the recipient yourself.
Additionally, we do not offer gift wrapping on any products considering that the package may be opened at customs clearance.
Couriers (No P.O. Box delivery)
Our contracted shipping couriers are DHL and EMS. We primarily ship orders via DHL, but in some cases, such as when shipping swords, we may ship via EMS.
We ship with DHL to ensure that orders are delivered directly to recipients. For that reason, we generally do not ship to P.O. Boxes. If you are only able to pick up your order at a P.O. Box, please contact us in advance, and we will be happy to assist you.
Please be informed, however, that the number of countries we can ship to via EMS is limited, compared to DHL. If you still wish to ship with EMS, please first refer to the following website and confirm if shipping to your destination is available: https://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/information/overview_en.html
Shipping processing time and delivery time
If the purchased items are in stock, they are usually shipped the same day the orders are placed or the next day. Orders placed over weekends and holidays are dispatched the following Monday or the next business day.
If the purchased items are out of stock, it may take a few days up to a few weeks to be available in stock. In such cases, we will contact you via email as soon as we find out the availability.
Delivery times vary depending on where you are. The approximate delivery times are as follows.
Asia: 3 - 7 days
USA, UK, and Europe: 5 - 7 days
Canada, Australia, and New Zealand: 5 - 14 days
Small islands and remote areas: 1 month
Please note that these are only estimates and may take longer under various circumstances.
Tracking
Once we complete the shipment of your order, you will receive an email containing your tracking number. You can check the detailed delivery status at the link in the email or on the following URLs.
DHL: https://www.dhl.com/jp-en/home/tracking.html
EMS: https://trackings.post.japanpost.jp/services/srv/search/?locale=en
We suggest you check the delivery status of your shipment frequently until it arrives at its destination. To specify or change the date and time of pick up, please directly contact the courier’s local office in the receiving area.
In the unlikely event that your package delivery status is not updated, or if your package is lost, please contact us immediately for assistance.
Shipping information
For international shipments, providing a shipping address, a phone number (preferably a mobile phone number), and an email address is always mandatory. Please enter as much detailed and accurate information as possible when confirming your order. We are not responsible for any accidents that occur due to incorrectly entered addresses, phone numbers, or email addresses.
If you need to change your shipping address or have entered incorrect information, please contact us immediately for amendments.
How we pack your orders
All customer orders are inspected and packed by hand. To ensure the safe delivery of your package, we fill the margins with cushioning material and pack the package as small as possible. However, in some cases, we may have to ship your order in multiple pieces. In such cases, we will be sure to provide you with the tracking number for each package.
COVID-19 and the reduction of flights caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict
While we try our best to ensure fast and safe deliveries, our global network has been affected by COVID-19 as well as the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Kindly be informed that some of the shipping options are not available because of these occurrences. Please check your email often as we may contact you via email if there are any difficulties concerning the delivery of your order.
If you have any questions regarding shipment, please contact us anytime at