Moving from Germany to Japan
A long haul move where one customs rule trips people up: you must declare your unaccompanied baggage when you first enter Japan, not after. Here is the honest brief on cost, shipping to Yokohama, and the paperwork.
Costs are indicative ranges for 2026.
The honest summary of this move.
Moving a household from Germany to Japan is a long ocean lane with a smooth process if you get one timing detail right. For a 2 to 3 bedroom home, a shared sea container runs roughly 5,200 to 10,500 US dollars in 2026, arriving in about six to ten weeks door to door from Hamburg or Bremerhaven to Japanese ports such as Yokohama, Tokyo, Kobe, or Osaka.
The detail that catches people out is the unaccompanied baggage declaration. When you first arrive in Japan you must declare, in two copies, that household goods are following separately as unaccompanied baggage, using the customs declaration of personal effects and unaccompanied articles, customs form C number 5360. The officer stamps and returns one copy, and you need it to clear your shipment later. You cannot make this declaration once you have already entered the country, so handle it at your first arrival.
Customs is otherwise reasonable. If you are moving to Japan to stay for more than a year, household effects that you and your family have used can generally be imported free of duty and tax within reasonable limits, with the shipment arriving within about six months of your arrival. The long sea time is the main constraint, so a small air shipment of essentials bridges the gap.
For residence, Japan issues a residence card, the zairyu card, on arrival to longer term residents, and you then register at your local municipal or ward office to enter the residence record, the juminhyo, and receive your My Number. The common routes are work visas tied to a sponsoring employer, such as the engineer and specialist in humanities category, and the points based highly skilled professional route. Budget in Japanese yen and expect deposits and agency fees when renting.
What it costs, by home size and method.
The numbers below are indicative ranges for Germany to Japan in 2026. This is a long ocean lane, so volume drives the price, and access in dense Japanese cities can add handling cost.
Indicative ranges for 2026 in US dollars. The main drivers are volume in cubic metres, your Japanese port and the delivery access in dense city neighbourhoods where large trucks cannot reach, packing scope, and the season. Demand around the Japanese spring relocation period can tighten availability.
- + Best value for a 2 to 3 bedroom home
- + You pay only for the space you use
- - Long transit and fixed sailings
- + Sealed, your goods only, fewer handoffs
- + Pays off for a 3 bedroom home or larger
- - Expensive for smaller loads
- + Fastest by a wide margin over the long sea route
- + Ideal for essentials during the long wait
- - Very expensive by volume
A sane timeline for a long haul move.
With six to ten weeks at sea and a strict arrival declaration, the plan is about the visa, the customs form, and the order of your first days in Japan.
Sort your visa
Confirm your route, usually a work visa sponsored by a Japanese employer such as the engineer and specialist in humanities category, or the highly skilled professional route, and obtain your certificate of eligibility before applying for the visa.
Get three surveys
Have movers run video or in home surveys for an accurate volume and a binding quote that names the Japanese port and city delivery access. Confirm your sailing from Hamburg or Bremerhaven.
Prepare the C 5360 plan
Prepare a valued inventory in line with the customs declaration of personal effects and unaccompanied articles, customs form C number 5360, and plan to declare your unaccompanied baggage when you first enter Japan.
Pack and load
The packing crew comes one to two days before collection. Goods are inventoried, sealed, and trucked to Hamburg or Bremerhaven for the ocean voyage to Japan.
Arrive and declare
At your first entry to Japan, submit two copies of form C number 5360 to customs, declaring that household goods follow as unaccompanied baggage. Keep the stamped copy, since you need it to clear the shipment.
Register and settle
Collect your residence card, the zairyu card, register at your municipal or ward office for the juminhyo and your My Number, then arrange a bank account, health insurance, and utilities. Clear your shipment with the stamped form when it lands.
Bringing your household goods into Japan.
Japan welcomes the household goods of genuine longer term movers, but the process hinges on declaring your unaccompanied baggage at your first arrival.
If you are moving to Japan to stay for more than a year, household effects that you or your family have owned and used can generally be imported free of duty and consumption tax within limits deemed reasonable, assessed by Japan Customs against a detailed inventory. The shipment normally has to be in your possession within about six months of your arrival.
The pivotal step is the declaration. When you first enter Japan you must submit two copies of the customs declaration of personal effects and unaccompanied articles, customs form C number 5360, stating that goods are following separately. A customs officer stamps both, keeps one, and returns the other, which your destination agent then uses to clear the sea shipment. You cannot make this declaration after you have already entered the country.
Restricted and prohibited categories are taken seriously and include weapons, certain medicines beyond personal limits, some foods and plants, and protected species products. Pets from Germany must meet Japan's import rules, which involve advance notification and can include a quarantine period. A German car can be imported but must meet Japanese registration and inspection rules and drives on the left, so many movers sell before leaving.
Verify before you move. The duty free conditions for longer term movers, the six month arrival window, and the use of customs form C number 5360 at first entry change. Confirm the current position with Japan Customs and your mover's destination agent before your goods ship.The realistic routes for this corridor.
Germans need a status of residence to live in Japan, usually arranged through a certificate of eligibility before arrival. These are the routes movers on this lane use most.
The engineer, specialist in humanities, and international services status covers many professional roles in technology, business, and language work. A sponsoring Japanese employer obtains the certificate of eligibility that underpins the visa.
A points based status that rewards qualifications, income, and experience with benefits such as longer stays and a faster route to permanent residence. Popular with senior professionals on this corridor.
For staff transferred from a German office to a related office in Japan, with the employer arranging the status. Common for corporate relocations.
For spouses and dependent family of Japanese nationals or residents, with relationship and support conditions.
How to choose a mover for Germany to Japan.
We never name, rank, or recommend a moving company. Instead, here is the neutral checklist that matters on this exact lane. Apply it to any quote, then request comparable quotes through the form below.
FIDI or IAM affiliation
Membership of the FIDI Global Alliance or the International Association of Movers signals audited financial stability and a complaints process you can lean on if something goes wrong.
Real corridor experience
Ask how many households the company has shipped on your exact route in the past year. A mover that runs the lane weekly knows the ports, the customs broker, and the paperwork by heart.
A binding pre move survey
Insist on a video or in home survey and a binding or not to exceed quote. A price built from a real volume estimate is the only quote you can compare like for like.
Clear insurance terms
Read how marine transit cover is calculated, what the deductible is, and whether valuation is by replacement value. Vague cover is the most common regret on an international move.
Verifiable reviews
Look for recent, specific reviews that name the destination, not just star ratings. Patterns in how a company handles claims tell you more than any single glowing note.
Written scope and timeline
Everything that matters belongs in writing: packing, customs clearance, delivery, unpacking, and debris removal, with who pays destination charges spelled out.
Get moving quotes for Germany to Japan.
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Questions people ask about this move.
How much does it cost to move from Germany to Japan?
For a 2 to 3 bedroom home, a shared container typically costs from about 5,200 to 10,500 US dollars in 2026. It is a long ocean lane, so volume drives the price, and access in dense Japanese cities can add handling cost. Base your budget on a binding pre move survey.
How long does shipping take from Germany to Japan?
Plan on roughly six to ten weeks door to door for a shared container from Hamburg or Bremerhaven to Yokohama, Tokyo, Kobe, or Osaka, including consolidation, the ocean voyage, customs, and city delivery. Air freight lands in one to two weeks at a much higher cost.
Do I pay duty on my furniture moving to Japan?
If you are moving to Japan for more than a year, used household effects you and your family have owned and used can generally enter free of duty and consumption tax within reasonable limits, declared to Japan Customs with an inventory. The shipment usually must arrive within about six months. Confirm current rules before shipping.
What is customs form C 5360 and when do I use it?
It is the customs declaration of personal effects and unaccompanied articles. You submit two copies when you first enter Japan to declare that household goods are following as unaccompanied baggage. The stamped copy you keep is needed to clear your sea shipment, and you cannot make the declaration after entering the country.
What is the residence card and My Number?
The residence card, the zairyu card, is issued to longer term residents on arrival. You then register at your municipal or ward office to enter the residence record, the juminhyo, and receive your My Number, which is used for tax, social insurance, and many official processes.
Should I ship my car from Germany?
Usually not. A German car must meet Japanese registration and inspection rules, and Japan drives on the left, so a left hand drive car is less convenient. The long shipping cost is significant, so most movers sell before leaving and buy locally.