Shipping, Duties & Returns
Where we ship
YUWEN ships from Japan to the United States, Canada, Australia, Europe and much of Asia; the full list is in the country selector at checkout. Most of what you read below is written for US customers, who are the majority of our orders. We do not currently ship to the United Kingdom.
Duties and import taxes
For the United States, all import duties are already included in the price you see. There is nothing to pay when the parcel arrives, and no surprise invoice from the carrier. We prepay the duties in Japan before the parcel leaves.
For Europe (EU, Switzerland, Norway), prices do not include import VAT or duties. Your national postal service will collect import VAT (typically 19–25% of the value), any customs duty and a small handling fee before delivery, and will contact you with the amount. Because every piece we sell is made in Japan, our commercial invoice carries a statement of origin under the EU–Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, which in most cases reduces the EU customs duty to zero; VAT and the postal handling fee still apply.
For all other countries, any duties or taxes charged on arrival are the responsibility of the recipient unless the checkout says otherwise.
Shipping cost
| Region | Shipping fee | Free shipping |
|---|---|---|
| United States | US$29 for orders under US$100 US$19 for orders of US$100 – 199.99 |
Orders of US$200 or more |
| Euro area | €29 | Orders of €200 or more |
| Other countries | Calculated at checkout by weight and destination | Orders of US$200 or more |
Thresholds apply to the merchandise subtotal after discounts, excluding shipping and taxes. A few large items, currently the Banko-ware rice pot and the Kiso sawara rice keeper, ship at a flat US$45 (euro area €45, elsewhere US$60) and are not included in free shipping; this is shown on the product page and at checkout. Import VAT, duties and postal handling fees, where applicable, are separate from shipping.
How long it takes
- Door to door to the US: about 5–10 days in all if the item is in stock — 1–3 business days to dispatch, then 3–7 days in transit. Each product page shows an estimated arrival window for an order placed today.
- Dispatch: 1–3 business days after your order for in-stock items. Pre-order and made-to-order items show their own dispatch window on the product page.
- Transit to the US: typically 3–7 days by Japan Post EMS, tracked door to door and insured.
- Transit to Europe: typically 7–10 business days by Japan Post EMS, plus any time your local customs office needs to process the import charges.
- You will receive a tracking number by email the day your parcel leaves Japan.
How we pack
Every piece is wrapped individually by hand, with the same care we use for our Japanese customers, then boxed for international transit. Gift boxes, where a product has one, travel inside the outer carton.
If something arrives broken
Email info@yuwen.jp within 14 days of delivery with a photo of the piece and of the packaging. We will send a replacement, or refund you in full if the piece is no longer available. In most cases you will not need to send anything back.
Returns
30-day returns. If a piece isn't right, you may return it within 30 days of delivery, unused and in its original packaging, for a refund of the purchase price paid for the returned item(s). Return shipping to Japan is at your cost; please email info@yuwen.jp first so we can send instructions and the return address. Food products and sale items are final sale, except where otherwise required by applicable law. Refunds are issued to the original payment method within 5–10 business days of the parcel reaching us.
Hand-made ceramics vary slightly from piece to piece. Small differences in glaze, tiny iron spots and minor asymmetry are part of the work, not defects.
This return policy does not affect any statutory rights you may have under applicable law.
Questions
Write to info@yuwen.jp. We usually reply within one business day.