Moving from Ireland to Japan
A long container voyage from Dublin to the Japanese coast, with precise customs paperwork and a residence card to sort on arrival. Here is the honest brief on costs in euro, the import rules at the Japanese end, the visa routes, and a timeline you can plan around.
A long sea haul where careful paperwork at the Japanese end matters more than the distance.
Almost every household move from Ireland to Japan travels by sea. Your goods leave Dublin Port and sail through the Suez Canal to a Japanese port such as Yokohama, Tokyo, or Kobe, with onward delivery to your city. Plan for roughly six to nine weeks port to port, plus collection in Ireland and clearance and delivery in Japan. Air freight is worth it only for the few boxes you cannot do without, because flying a whole home halfway around the world is rarely sensible.
The part that catches people out is how exact Japan is on arrival. Used personal effects and household goods imported for relocation can enter free of duty and tax when you declare your unaccompanied baggage on Customs Form C 5360, the declaration of personal effects and unaccompanied articles, which is stamped on entry and presented again when your goods arrive. The declaration can also be lodged through the Visit Japan Web service. Unaccompanied goods must reach you within six months of your arrival, so timing matters.
Prices below are in euro and indicative for 2026. Japan runs on the yen, so budget for currency on the far side, where renting often means key money, deposits, and a guarantor, and replacing bulky items can be costly.
What it costs in 2026, by home size and method.
Because Ireland and Japan sit an ocean apart, the choice that drives your bill is a shared container versus a full container. The figures below are indicative ranges for 2026 in euro.
Indicative 2026 ranges in euro, port to port by sea via Suez to Japan. Volume, season, the Suez routing, and final delivery distance move the figure. Clearance handling is extra.
- +Best value for a typical home, you pay for the space you use
- +Operators run the Europe to Japan lane all year
- −Consolidation and sailing dates flex around other shipments
- +Your goods alone, sealed at your door in Ireland
- +Faster clearance, nothing waits on a co loader
- −Wasted money unless you fill most of the box
- +Right for documents, a few boxes, and what you need first
- +Beats sea by over a month
- −Many times the cost of sea for the same volume
Get moving quotes for Ireland to Japan.
Tell us your home size and timing and we will put your Ireland to Japan move in front of vetted international movers who run this exact lane.
A realistic schedule for this route.
A move from Ireland to Japan rewards early booking, because the voyage is long and the unaccompanied goods must reach you within six months. Here is a realistic schedule.
Book and survey
Arrange a video or in home survey so your volume is measured. Decide between a shared and a full container, and lock a sailing from Dublin Port well ahead.
Pack and load
Professional packing for a long ocean voyage and a detailed inventory in English. The inventory underpins your Customs Form C 5360, so it must be accurate and free of any controlled item.
Declare unaccompanied baggage
When you arrive in Japan, declare your unaccompanied baggage on Customs Form C 5360, or through Visit Japan Web, and keep the stamped copy. You present it when the container lands.
Sea transit
Your container sails from Dublin through Suez to Japan. Six to nine weeks is realistic. Track the vessel and keep your residence card and stamped declaration to hand.
Clearance and delivery
Your agent clears the goods against your stamped C 5360 so used effects enter free of duty and tax. Once released, your goods are delivered to your Japanese address.
Used household goods, Customs Form C 5360, and Japanese controls.
Japan Customs treats your shipment as unaccompanied baggage. Used personal effects and household goods that you owned and used before arriving, imported in connection with your move, can enter free of duty and tax. The mechanism is Customs Form C 5360, the declaration of personal effects and unaccompanied articles. You submit it when you arrive, in person or through the Visit Japan Web service, get it stamped, and present the stamped copy when your goods reach the port. Unaccompanied baggage must be in your custody within six months of your arrival.
Japan controls some items strictly. Certain medicines, including some common cold and allergy remedies that contain stimulants, are restricted and may require an import certificate, while firearms, swords, and some knives are tightly regulated. Alcohol and tobacco beyond personal allowances carry duty. Read the rules before you pack, because a single prohibited item can hold up a whole shipment.
Pets travel under the Animal Quarantine Service rules, which require advance notification, microchip, rabies vaccination, and often a waiting period arranged months ahead. If you plan to bring a vehicle, check Japanese registration and standards first, because importing and registering a foreign car can be complex and costly.
The routes in for this corridor.
Japan grants residence through specific status of residence categories, most often tied to work or family. For most people moving from Ireland, the right to live there follows a job and a sponsoring employer. These are summaries, not immigration advice.
Status such as Engineer or Specialist in Humanities and International Services covers many professional roles. Your employer supports the application, and on arrival you receive a residence card and register at your local municipal office.
A points based route for highly qualified professionals that offers faster processing and added benefits for those who score well on education, income, and experience.
Ireland and Japan have a working holiday arrangement that lets eligible young adults live in Japan for a period and work to support their stay, subject to the scheme's age and conditions.
Spouses and children of a status holder can usually join on a dependent visa, sponsored by the main visa holder, with its own rules on work and study.
How to pick a mover for this route, without the guesswork.
We do not rank or recommend individual companies. We teach you the criteria that separate a safe international move from an expensive mistake, then put your request in front of vetted movers who run this lane.
Check the trade affiliation. For a move this far, FIDI accreditation through the FIDI Global Alliance and its FAIM standard is the strongest signal, alongside membership of IAM. It tells you the company is audited on the financial and operational standards that matter when your goods cross the world.
Insist on a binding pre move survey. A real video or in home survey of your volume is the only honest basis for a price. A quote given without one is a guess that tends to grow on moving day.
Compare like for like. Read what each quote includes: packing, materials, customs clearance, destination delivery, stair or long carry charges, and insurance. The cheapest headline number is rarely the cheapest move.
Understand the insurance terms. Ask whether cover is full replacement value or depreciated, what the excess is, and how claims are handled. Read the valuation clause before you sign.
Read recent reviews for this corridor. Look specifically for reviews that mention Japanese clearance, C 5360 handling, and delivery into tight Japanese streets and apartments, not just a clean pack in Ireland. The Japanese end is where the care shows.
Questions people ask about this move.
How much does it cost to move from Ireland to Japan?
For a two to three bedroom home expect roughly €5,500 to €10,000 in a shared container in 2026, and more for a full container. Volume, season, and Japanese delivery move the figure. Always get a surveyed quote.
How long does shipping take from Ireland to Japan?
Plan for six to nine weeks port to port by sea from Dublin through Suez to Japan, plus collection and clearance. Air freight cuts it to one to two weeks at a much higher cost.
Do I pay tax on my furniture going into Japan?
Used personal effects imported for your move can enter free of duty and tax when you declare them on Customs Form C 5360 and present the stamped copy. The goods must reach you within six months of arrival.
What is Customs Form C 5360?
It is Japan's declaration of personal effects and unaccompanied articles. You submit it on arrival, in person or through Visit Japan Web, and present the stamped copy when your shipped goods reach the port.
Can I bring my medicines to Japan?
Some common remedies that contain stimulants are restricted and may need an import certificate. Check the current Japanese rules for your specific medication before you pack or travel.
Can I bring my car from Ireland to Japan?
Sometimes, but Japanese registration and standards apply and the process can be complex and costly. Many movers sell the car in Ireland and budget for transport in Japan instead.
Last reviewed: 28 March 2026. We refresh this guide as costs, customs, and visa rules change.