Customs & Import Taxes
Import duties, taxes, and customs clearance fees may apply to international orders, depending on the destination country. These charges are not included in the product price or shipping fees.
Customs Clearance and Import Charges
All orders are shipped on a "duties unpaid" basis. Whether any duties or taxes are due is determined by the customs authority of the destination country.
Where charges apply, they are collected from the recipient by the carrier (usually FedEx). The timing of the request varies by case:
- Before delivery — FedEx may contact you by phone or email, using the details provided with your order, or send an invoice by mail.
- At delivery — payment may be requested when the parcel is handed over.
- After delivery — a notice or invoice may follow by phone, email, or mail.
The carrier may also charge a customs clearance or advancement fee. This fee is set and collected by the carrier and is separate from government duties and taxes. On lower-value shipments, it may exceed the duties and taxes themselves.
All applicable customs duties, taxes, and fees are the responsibility of the customer.
We are unable to calculate these charges in advance. The notice issued by the customs authority of the destination country, or by the carrier, is the accurate statement of the amount due.
Customs Declaration
We are legally required to declare the full purchase price and to describe each item accurately. We cannot declare a lower value, and we cannot mark an order as a gift.
We currently declare our items under the following HS headings:
| Item | Customs description | HS heading |
|---|---|---|
| Original woodblock print, over 100 years old | Antique Japanese woodblock print on paper (artwork), over 100 years old, No wood material included | 9702.10 |
| Original woodblock print, under 100 years old | Japanese woodblock print on paper (artwork), No wood material included | 9702.90 |
| Reproduction woodblock print, over 100 years old | Antique Japanese woodblock print reproduction on paper, over 100 years old, No wood material included | 9706.90 |
| Reproduction woodblock print, under 100 years old | Japanese woodblock print reproduction on paper (artwork), No wood material included | 4911.91 |
| Antique book, over 100 years old | Antique book, over 100 years old | 9706.90 |
| Book, under 100 years old | Book | 4901.99 |
The first six digits of an HS code are identical worldwide. Each country adds further digits of its own. Items more than 250 years old are classified under 9706.10 rather than 9706.90. Final classification is determined by the customs authority of the destination country.
Shipping Address and Customs Charges
A shipping label can carry only one address, which is the delivery address. A separate billing address cannot be shown on it.
For this reason, customs notices and any request for duties, taxes, or fees are directed to the recipient at the delivery address. If an order is sent as a gift to another person's address, that recipient may be asked to pay these charges.
We therefore ask that the delivery address and the billing address be the same wherever possible.
Checking the Regulations of Your Country
- United States — Harmonized Tariff Schedule (hts.usitc.gov)
- European Union — TARIC database of the European Commission
- United Kingdom — UK Trade Tariff (gov.uk/trade-tariff)
- Other countries — the tariff lookup published by your national customs authority.
Orders to the United States
The duty-free exemption for low-value shipments is currently suspended. All parcels are processed through customs regardless of their value, and duties, taxes, and fees may apply.
For U.S. customs, we declare our items under the following 10-digit HTS codes:
- Original woodblock print — 9702.10.0000 (over 100 years old) / 9702.90.0000 (under 100 years old)
- Reproduction woodblock print — 9706.90.0060 (over 100 years old) / 4911.91.1000 (under 100 years old)
- Antique book (over 100 years old) — 9706.90.0060
- Book (under 100 years old) — 4901.99.0065
- Items more than 250 years old — 9706.10.0060
Refused or Undeliverable Parcels
Important: If you refuse, ignore, or otherwise fail to pay any applicable customs duties, this will be considered a violation of our Terms and Conditions.
Where a parcel cannot be delivered because it is refused, left unclaimed, or because the customs duties are not paid, the following applies:
- The shipping fee paid at the time of purchase is not refundable.
- The cost of return shipping to Japan, typically three to five times the original shipping cost, is deducted from any refund.
- Any duties, taxes, or fees charged to us by the carrier are also deducted from any refund.
- All accounts associated with you will be permanently suspended, and you will no longer be permitted to purchase from our store.
Creating a new account, or using another account, in order to avoid a suspension is strictly prohibited. Where we identify such an account, it will also be permanently suspended without prior notice.
Please ensure that all applicable customs duties and import fees are paid promptly upon request by the courier or customs authorities.
Further Information
For the duties and taxes applicable in your country, please consult your national customs authority. For questions regarding the contents of our customs declaration, please contact us with your order number.
