Research checked: 4 November 2026. This guide supports planning for a move in 2027 using information available at the review date.
At a glance
- Confirm the visa and residence arrangements that suit your reason for moving.
- Check your accommodation before deciding how much furniture to ship.
- Discuss the declaration for unaccompanied household goods before travelling.
- Build a budget that includes rental setup costs and temporary accommodation.
- Check medicines and pet entry requirements early.
- Keep documents and everyday essentials with you while your shipment is in transit.
A move to Japan can start with an overseas posting, a new job, study or joining family. Once the decision is made, you need to work out how your Australian household will fit into your life there.
Your accommodation matters as much as the shipping arrangements. Will you have room for your furniture? Are appliances included? Can you receive a delivery straight away, or will you spend the first few weeks somewhere temporary?
There is also an important customs step to organise before you fly. Household belongings arriving separately need to be declared when you enter Japan, even if the shipment will follow later.
Can Australians move to Japan?
Australians can move to Japan if they qualify for the appropriate visa and residence arrangements. The requirements depend on what they intend to do there.
For employment, study or joining family, start with the relevant visa category. The Embassy of Japan in Australia explains that most long-term visas require a Certificate of Eligibility, usually arranged through a sponsor or representative in Japan. Embassy guidance on work and long-term visas.
Ask your employer, educational institution or family sponsor which steps they will handle and which documents you need to provide. If you are moving with a partner or children, check their arrangements at the same time.
What about a working holiday?
The Japanese Embassy lists working holiday eligibility for Australian citizens aged 18–30 at the time of application, subject to its other conditions.
The primary purpose must be a holiday. Work is permitted to supplement travel funds, and the programme should not be treated as a general employment visa. Check the requirements before planning around this option. Japan working holiday guidance for Australians.
Your expected length of stay should also influence what you take. Someone spending a temporary year in furnished accommodation may need a much smaller shipment than a family moving into an unfurnished home.
Decide where you will live before choosing what to ship
Begin with your workplace or study location, the commute you can manage and the accommodation available to your household.
For families, school arrangements may narrow the search considerably. Check the language of instruction, admissions requirements, fees and transport before committing to a neighbourhood. Contact individual schools about places rather than assuming availability.
If you will initially stay in temporary accommodation, establish whether it can accept deliveries. A hotel or serviced apartment may be suitable for your arrival luggage but unsuitable for a household shipment.
Before deciding on furniture, ask for:
- A floor plan with measurements.
- Details of included appliances and furnishings.
- Doorway, stair and lift dimensions.
- Building delivery rules and any booking requirements.
- Information about vehicle access and parking near the property.
Measure large items while you still have access to them in Australia. Include the height and width of furniture that cannot be dismantled.
A sofa may fit the room but still be difficult to get through the building. Identifying that before packing gives you time to choose another option.
What does it cost to move to Japan from Australia?
The cost depends on the shipment and the delivery arrangements. A few boxes and a full household need different transport plans.
Request a quote based on what you intend to send, your Australian collection address and the destination in Japan. Explain whether you have a permanent delivery address or will need an arrangement while you look for housing.
Ask the quotation to identify the services included and any exclusions. Discuss packing, freight, customs clearance support, destination delivery, protection options and possible storage requirements.
Access deserves attention at both ends. Tell the moving team about stairs, lifts, restricted parking or furniture requiring special handling.
Budget beyond the removal quote
Allow separately for flights, accommodation, housing setup and the expenses you will face before your first regular income arrives.
Rental entry costs can include a deposit, agency fees and reikin, commonly called key money. Japan’s National Consumer Affairs Center explains that key money is generally non-refundable and that some properties do not require it. Ask for an itemised statement for the property you are considering. Official guidance on rental agreements and upfront costs.
Compare actual properties and your expected household spending. A broad claim that Japan is cheaper or more expensive than Australia will tell you little about your own budget.
What should you ship to Japan?
Start with the belongings you use, the space available and how long you expect to stay.
For each large item, compare its usefulness in your Japanese home with the cost of shipping, storage or replacement. Consider sentimental value as well as purchase price.
You may decide to ship a smaller selection while keeping some furniture in Australia. If you are considering storage, compare the likely total cost over your expected absence.
Check electrical compatibility
Japan’s standard supply is 100 volts, with frequency varying between regions. Check each appliance’s rating label and manufacturer guidance before packing it. Kansai Electric Power’s explanation of voltage and frequency.
A plug adaptor changes the connection; it does not convert voltage. Some electronics accept a range of voltages, but this must be checked for the individual item.
Also confirm which large appliances are supplied with the property before paying to transport your own.
Keep arrival essentials out of the shipment
Pack your luggage for the period before your belongings are delivered.
Keep passports, visa documents, customs paperwork and accommodation details accessible. Carry suitable clothing, essential electronics and any permitted medicines you will need.
For children, include the everyday items that will help during the first weeks. Think through sleeping, school or childcare arrangements while the shipment is still on its way.
How do you bring household belongings into Japan?
Household goods shipped separately from your flight are generally handled as unaccompanied articles.
Japan Customs provides a household relocation procedure under which qualifying used household effects may receive duty and tax relief. Eligibility depends on the circumstances, including the intended stay and the nature and quantity of the goods. Ask how the rules apply to your shipment before assuming everything will enter tax-free. Japan Customs household relocation guidance.
Organise the arrival declaration before you fly
Japan Customs instructs travellers with unaccompanied goods to submit two copies of the relevant declaration when entering Japan. One is returned with customs certification for use when the goods are cleared.
Its guidance generally requires unaccompanied articles to be cleared within six months of arrival. This can apply even when the goods are shipped after you enter Japan. Japan Customs unaccompanied articles procedure.
Discuss this with your moving coordinator before departure. Confirm the documents you must carry and what to do at your arrival airport.
Keep the certified declaration accessible for clearance. It belongs with your travel documents, rather than inside a packed box.
Prepare an accurate inventory
Work with the moving team to describe the shipment clearly. Flag new purchases, unusually valuable items and anything you are unsure about before packing.
Professional packing helps prepare belongings for international transport. Customs authorities decide whether an inspection is needed and whether goods can be released.
Check medicines, food and other restricted items separately
Avoid treating every item in your home as an ordinary household effect.
Before packing food, plants, animal products, medicines or unusual collections, ask whether they can be included and which approvals may apply. Check restrictions before making purchases specifically to take overseas.
Bringing medicines to Japan
An Australian prescription does not by itself establish that a medicine can enter Japan.
Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare sets personal import procedures and quantity limits. Some medicines require Import Confirmation in advance, while controlled substances have separate requirements and prohibitions.
Check the active ingredient, quantity and method of carrying or sending it. Arrange any approval before departure and discuss continuity of treatment with your doctor. Official guidance on bringing medicines into Japan.
Moving a dog or cat from Australia to Japan
Australia is currently one of Japan’s designated regions for dog and cat imports.
That creates a specific entry pathway, but the animal still needs to meet the requirements. These include identification, qualifying residence history, inspection and government certification.
Japan’s Animal Quarantine Service requires advance notification at least 40 days before arrival. That notice period is one part of the process; it should not be treated as the full preparation time.
The animal’s history matters, particularly if it has recently lived outside a designated region. Follow the requirements for your pet’s circumstances and discuss transit arrangements before booking flights. Japan’s official requirements for dogs and cats from designated regions.
Check pet permission for both temporary and permanent accommodation as well.
Should you take your car to Japan?
Assess the vehicle separately from the household shipment.
Before requesting shipping, investigate whether it can meet Japan’s import, inspection and registration requirements. Ask for a complete estimate that includes destination compliance work and registration-related expenses.
Also consider parking at your proposed home and how you expect to travel locally.
A car with sentimental or specialist value may justify further investigation. For an everyday vehicle, compare the total process and cost with selling in Australia and arranging a vehicle after arrival.
Shipping approval should not be taken as confirmation that the vehicle can immediately be driven in Japan.
What should you organise after arrival?
Leave time for appointments and administration alongside finding your way around.
Register your address
New mid- to long-term residents must notify their municipality within 14 days of establishing their place of residence, according to Japan’s Immigration Services Agency.
The deadline relates to establishing the residence. Check the documents required for your situation and take your residence card where applicable. Immigration Services Agency guidance for new entrants.
Confirm healthcare arrangements
Ask your employer or local municipal office which health insurance arrangements apply and how to enrol.
Before travelling, establish how you will access care during the period between arrival and completing local arrangements. If you need regular treatment, identify an appropriate provider and discuss medical records with your existing doctor.
Plan the delivery of your belongings
Once your address is confirmed, pass on the full delivery details and building requirements.
Check lift bookings, permitted delivery hours and access restrictions with the building manager. Tell the moving team promptly if your accommodation or availability changes.
Ask what happens if the shipment is ready before the property is available, including any storage arrangements and costs.
Planning your move to Japan with Palmers
When you contact Palmers, explain where you are moving, your expected travel date and what you know about your accommodation.
It helps to distinguish the belongings you need immediately from those you can wait for. Mention pets, vehicles and specialist items at the beginning so their requirements can be considered separately.
Palmers can discuss packing and international transport arrangements for your household move. The quotation should set out the agreed services and the responsibilities at each stage.
To start planning, explore our international removals service or call 1300 363 916 with your collection location, destination and a provisional list of what you would like to take.