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. Follow the form and provide the requested details; a straightforward request may take about 3 minutes.

Put Your Name on the Mailbox First

Before the redelivery steps, check that your delivery address includes the correct building and room number. A missing or mismatched mailbox name can make recipient confirmation harder, but it does not automatically prevent every delivery. If the carrier cannot confirm your name or address, Yamato’s notice guide says to request redelivery with the correct details.

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 slips may not have a QR code. Look for the tracking or notification number (お問い合わせ番号, otoiawase bangō) and follow the carrier’s form. Number lengths vary: Japan Post’s form accepts the 6-digit or 11–13-digit number shown on the notice. Other contact details may also be required.

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

English support differs between Japan Post, Yamato and Sagawa. An English guide or translated website does not guarantee that every redelivery form or telephone channel is in English. For packages delivered directly by Amazon, check the order page or app for the actions available for that shipment.

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. To arrange post-office counter collection or another receiving location, contact the English call center, 0570-046-111, daily 8:00–21:00. Calls are charged, and the number is unavailable from overseas and some IP phones; follow the current instructions on the notice or official form.

For eligible Yu-Pack parcels, convenience-store pickup is offered at Lawson, Ministop and FamilyMart. This e-assist option requires a Yu ID, residence verification and an electronic delivery notification. It is limited to prepaid parcels within 100 cm in total dimensions and excludes chilled, cash-on-delivery and other listed services. Hakoposu lockers are another option where the parcel and locker meet the service conditions. The Japan Post app lets you check status and available delivery changes.

Yamato Transport (Kuroneko Yamato)

Yamato offers web redelivery, its app and Kuroneko Members, LINE, and phone options. Its English notice guide explains the slip, but some online procedures are Japanese-only. For English-speaking customer service, use 0120-67-9625. The separate 0120-17-9625 number is an automated redelivery service, not the English help desk.

Kuroneko Members is free. Complete registration and identity verification and notification settings; LINE notifications also require linking your Kuroneko ID. Notifications and changes are available for eligible parcels, so check the options shown for yours. These may include a convenience store (Seven-Eleven, FamilyMart) or a PUDO locker. Even if you are staying for only a few months, it can be useful.

Sagawa Express

Start from Sagawa’s English website for tracking and service guidance. Its redelivery service has a registration-free option, but you may also need the recipient phone number and delivery details; do not assume that the whole form is in English. If you need help, use Sagawa’s current contact page, which lists the responsible-office inquiry route and multilingual chat options.

On the Japanese redelivery page, look for these labels and follow any additional instructions shown:

• 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 the phone number does not match, the sender may have registered a different number. Contact the responsible Sagawa office shown on your slip or use the office finder. Confirm where the parcel is held and arrange pickup before traveling there; the nearest office is not necessarily the office holding it.

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

For packages delivered directly by Amazon, check the order in the Amazon app for delivery status and the actions available for that shipment. Available changes and redelivery options depend on the order. At checkout, check whether convenience store pickup or Amazon Locker is offered for the items and location you selected.

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.

Refrigerated Packages Need Quick Action

Yamato’s Cool TA-Q-BIN packages are held for up to 3 days including the date of the first attempted-delivery notice; some items have a shorter limit. If the first attempt is Friday, the usual three-day period ends Sunday. Confirm the actual deadline rather than counting three extra days after the notice.

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 deductions depend on your taxable income, applicable limits and the required filing or one-stop procedure. The National Tax Agency explains that eligible donations reduce income tax and the following fiscal year’s residence tax; under the one-stop procedure, the reduction is applied through the following year’s residence tax. Not yet paying residence tax in your first year in Japan does not by itself settle your eligibility. Ask your municipality or a tax advisor about your situation before donating for a tax benefit.

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

Eligible Yamato packages can be picked up at Seven-Eleven and FamilyMart when that option is offered. Storage at convenience stores is 3–4 days from the arrival date, depending on the method and store. For Amazon, choose from the eligible pickup locations shown at checkout. Convenience stores in Japan offer a surprising range of services beyond package pickup — see our Tokyo convenience store guide for the full picture. 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 your order history. Use the number and any other details required by the carrier’s form; if you cannot submit a request, contact the carrier with the delivery address and recipient information.

Storage Deadline Is Approaching

Ask the carrier to confirm which office is holding your parcel, when it will be ready, and what identification is required before going. I have collected a package at the office myself, and it went smoothly with the tracking number and ID. The parcel may otherwise still be out for delivery, so a visit without confirmation is not a reliable shortcut.

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 (about 5 min, verification may take longer) — Free. Complete the required account and identity details, enable notifications, and link LINE if you want to use it. Notifications can help you rearrange eligible deliveries
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

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)
• National Tax Agency “Furusato Nozei deductions and one-stop procedure” and “Tax Answer 1155” (checked: 2026-11-02)
• Japan Post, convenience pickup conditions and English telephone inquiries (checked: 2026-11-02)
• Yamato, English customer service, automated redelivery service and tracking status meanings (checked: 2026-11-02)
• Sagawa, current contact options and redelivery FAQ (checked: 2026-11-02)