How to Receive Packages and Request Redelivery in Tokyo

When you start living in Tokyo, missed deliveries from Amazon or online shopping become a regular part of life. If you come home to find a slip of paper in your mailbox covered in Japanese, look for the QR code first. That alone will get your redelivery sorted in about 3 minutes.

Put Your Name on the Mailbox First

Before we get into redelivery steps, there’s something even more basic. If your name isn’t on the mailbox, the delivery driver can’t confirm the recipient and will take the package back. In the worst case, it gets returned to the sender.

In monthly mansions (マンスリーマンション) and share houses, there may already be other residents’ names on the mailbox. Ask the management company whether you can add yours. If they say yes, just write your name on a piece of tape and stick it on. Your name in Roman letters is fine.

When looking for an apartment, check whether the building has a delivery box (宅配ボックス, takuhai box) at the same time — it saves a lot of hassle after moving in.

What to Do When You Get a Missed Delivery Slip

You come home and find a missed delivery slip (不在連絡票, fuzai renraku-hyō) in your mailbox. It’s written in Japanese, but there are only a few things you actually need to look at.

3 Steps to Request Redelivery

1. Find the QR code — There’s a QR code printed somewhere on the slip. Scan it with your phone and it takes you straight to that carrier’s redelivery page
2. Choose a date and time — Pick your preferred delivery date and time slot. If you submit the request by early evening, you may even get same-day redelivery
3. Submit and wait — Once you send the form, you’re done. Just be home during the time slot you selected

No QR Code or Can’t Read It?

Some older slips or certain carriers may not have a QR code. In that case, look for the tracking number (お問い合わせ番号, otoiawase bangō) — it’s a number with roughly 12 digits. With that number, you can request redelivery directly from the carrier’s website.

If you’re not sure which carrier it is, check the logo and colors on the slip. Red text means Japan Post, a black cat logo means Yamato Transport (ヤマト運輸), and a blue logo means Sagawa Express (佐川急便).

Redelivery by Carrier: Procedures and English Support

Japan Post, Yamato Transport, and Sagawa Express all support redelivery requests in English via both web and phone. Packages delivered directly by Amazon can be handled entirely through the Amazon app, so you don’t need to read the slip at all.

Japan Post (Yu-Pack and Registered Mail)

The redelivery web form supports English, Chinese, Korean, and Portuguese. If you access it via the QR code, the tracking number is automatically filled in.

The web form only handles redelivery to your home address. If you want to pick up the package at a post office counter instead, you’ll need to call the call center (0570-046-111, 8:00–21:00, toll charges apply). The voice guidance starts in Japanese, but an English option number will be announced — just press it.

You also have plenty of pickup options: convenience store pickup at Lawson, Ministop, and FamilyMart, and PUDO lockers (はこぽす, Hakoposu) located at train stations and supermarkets. Installing the Japan Post app lets you check delivery status and request redelivery from your phone.

Yamato Transport (Kuroneko Yamato)

Yamato offers the most redelivery channels: web, app (Kuroneko Members), LINE, and phone. There’s also an English redelivery guide page, and you can call the English-speaking toll-free number (0120-17-9625) to request redelivery by phone.

Kuroneko Members is free — all you need is an email address and a Japanese phone number. Once registered, you get email and LINE notifications before delivery, so you can change the delivery time in advance. You can also redirect packages to a convenience store (Seven-Eleven, FamilyMart) or a PUDO locker. Even if you’re only staying for a few months, it’s worth signing up.

Sagawa Express

Sagawa has an English tracking and redelivery page where you can enter your tracking number and request redelivery in English. You don’t need to register for Smart Club — the tracking number from your delivery slip is enough to submit a request online. For phone inquiries, there’s an English-speaking support line (03-4221-4290, 8:00–18:00).

If you prefer the Japanese redelivery page, there are only 4 fields to fill in:

• お問い合わせ送り状No. (Otoiawase okurijō No.) — The large 12-digit number on your delivery slip
• お届け先電話番号 (Otodokesaki denwa bangō) — Your phone number (no hyphens)
• ご希望日 (Go-kibō bi) — Select a date from the calendar
• ご希望時間帯 (Go-kibō jikantai) — Select a time slot

If you get an error saying the phone number doesn’t match, the sender may have registered a different number. In that case, it’s faster to go directly to the nearest Sagawa office listed on your slip.

For convenience store pickup, Lawson and Ministop are available when the sender’s system supports it. PUDO locker pickup is available for redelivery requests.

Amazon Direct Delivery

Packages delivered directly by Amazon can be managed entirely through the Amazon app — checking delivery status, changing delivery times, and requesting redelivery. No need to read the delivery slip at all. Convenience store pickup (Lawson, Ministop, FamilyMart) and Amazon Locker are also available.

In eligible areas, okihai (置き配, unattended delivery) is enabled by default. A photo of the package at your door is sent to the app, and you just pick it up when you get home.

Packages Are Returned After the Storage Deadline

If you ignore a missed delivery slip, the package will eventually be returned to the sender. Storage periods differ by carrier, and refrigerated packages (クール便, kūru-bin) have especially short windows.

Carrier	Regular packages	Refrigerated (kūru-bin)
Japan Post	7 days	7 days (sender may set shorter)
Yamato Transport	7 days	3 days
Sagawa Express	8 days	4 days

Refrigerated Packages Need Quick Action

Yamato’s refrigerated packages are stored for only 3 days. If a package arrives on Friday and you’re not home, the storage deadline expires on Sunday.

Because refrigerated packages require temperature control, convenience store pickup, PUDO lockers, and okihai are all unavailable. Your only options are redelivery or picking up directly at the carrier’s office. If you know when a refrigerated package is arriving, scheduling a time slot when you’ll be home is the most reliable approach.

The Furusato Nōzei and Online Grocery Trap

Popular furusato nōzei (ふるさと納税, hometown tax) return gifts like meat and seafood arrive via refrigerated shipping. The problem is that many municipalities don’t let you specify a delivery date. If you happen to be away, the package exceeds the storage deadline and gets returned — and some municipalities won’t resend it. Among my acquaintances, stories of “my frozen meat from furusato nōzei got sent back” are surprisingly common. Some municipalities will resend, but shipping costs may be charged to you.

Food delivery services like AEON Net Super require you to specify a time slot, and packages are taken back if you’re not home. Make sure to order food only when you’re certain you can receive it.

Furusato nōzei tax deductions require that you’re paying residence tax (住民税, jūmin-zei). Since residence tax is based on the previous year’s income, the deduction may not apply in your first year in Japan. Check with your local ward office or a tax advisor for details.

How to Avoid Missed Deliveries

Time Slot Selection and Okihai

When ordering online, you can specify a delivery time slot. Multiple slots are available — morning, afternoon, evening — so choose one when you’ll be home.

Amazon’s okihai lets you choose from 6 delivery locations including your front door, delivery box, gas meter box, and more. In a building with security cameras by your door, it feels somewhat safer, but expensive items still make you a little uneasy. For high-value purchases, stick with time slot delivery.

Delivery Boxes and PUDO Lockers

If your apartment has a delivery box (宅配ボックス, takuhai box) in the common area, you can receive packages even when you’re out. The driver places the package in the locker and a PIN code is issued, which you use to open it when you get home. Checking for a delivery box during your apartment search dramatically reduces redelivery hassle.

If your building doesn’t have a delivery box, PUDO lockers are a good alternative. These shared lockers are installed at train stations and supermarkets. Through Kuroneko Members, you can redirect your delivery to a PUDO locker near you. It’s worth checking in advance whether there’s one on your commute.

Office Stop (Have It Sent Directly to the Carrier’s Office)

You can skip home delivery entirely and have your package held at the carrier’s office from the start. With Yamato, Kuroneko Members lets you change the delivery destination to an office pickup. Sagawa also supports office pickup service. If there’s an office you can stop by on your way home from work, you’ll never have to worry about missed deliveries. Office hours vary by location, so check the Yamato office finder or Sagawa office finder in advance.

Convenience Store Pickup and Amazon Locker

Yamato packages can be picked up at Seven-Eleven and FamilyMart. Storage at convenience stores is 3–4 days from the arrival date, depending on the method and store. Amazon offers convenience store pickup at Lawson, Ministop, and FamilyMart. Amazon Locker and FamiLocker let you open the locker with a QR code — no interaction with store staff needed.

What to Do When Redelivery Doesn’t Work

Lost Your Delivery Slip

Ask the sender for the tracking number. For Amazon orders, check the tracking number in your order history. As long as you have the tracking number, you can request redelivery from the carrier’s website.

Storage Deadline Is Approaching

Going to the carrier’s office in person is the surest option. I’ve done this myself, and it went smoothly — just bring your tracking number and an ID (driver’s license or residence card).

What to bring to the office:

• Delivery slip (or a screenshot/memo of the tracking number)
• Residence card or driver’s license (for ID verification)
• Cash if it’s a cash-on-delivery package (see our payment methods guide)

Office hours differ by location, so check the Yamato office finder or Sagawa office finder beforehand. At the counter, hand over your slip and say:

Japanese: 「これを受け取りに来ました。」(Kore o uketori ni kimashita. / “I came to pick this up.”)

Or in English: “I’m here to pick up a package.” — they’ll take it from there.

Keep Missing Deliveries

Register for Kuroneko Members and get into the habit of changing the delivery time before the package arrives. Delivery notifications come via LINE or email, so you can reschedule the moment you know you won’t be home. If you’ve already set up your phone number and SIM, app registration is quick.

Move-In Checklist for Package Delivery

To avoid package delivery problems from day one, take care of these items as soon as you move in. The whole list takes about 30 minutes.

1. Put your name on the mailbox (5 min) — Roman letters are fine. Check with the management company, then write your name on tape and stick it on
2. Learn how to use the delivery box (10 min) — If there is one, ask the management company how PIN codes are issued
3. Register for Kuroneko Members (5 min) — Free. You’ll need an email address and a Japanese phone number. Set up LINE notifications afterward to virtually eliminate redelivery
4. Install the Kuroneko Yamato app (2 min) — Delivery notifications and pickup location changes, all from your phone
5. Check your Amazon okihai settings (3 min) — If your building doesn’t have auto-lock, consider disabling okihai for security

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References:

• Japan Post “Redelivery Request” (accessed: 2026-04-08)
• Japan Post “Chilled Yu-Pack Storage Period” (accessed: 2026-04-08)
• Yamato Transport “Redelivery Request” (accessed: 2026-04-08)
• Yamato Transport “Cool Takkyubin Storage Period” (accessed: 2026-04-08)
• Sagawa Express “Redelivery Request” (accessed: 2026-04-08)
• Ministry of Internal Affairs “Individual Residence Tax” (accessed: 2026-04-08)