Customs, Duties & Import Taxes
Every Michihamono tool is made and shipped from our workshop in Miki, Hyogo — Japan’s historic centre of blade making. This page explains customs duties and import taxes: the charges your own country may apply when your order arrives, so there are no surprises.
For shipping methods, delivery times, and costs, please see our Shipping Policy. For returns, see our Refund Policy.
Customs duties and import taxes
This is the part that surprises most first-time international buyers, so please read it before you order.
Duties and import taxes are not included in the price you pay us.
Your order is shipped on a DDU basis (Delivered Duty Unpaid). This means:
- You pay Michihamono for the goods and the shipping.
- When the parcel arrives in your country, your customs authority assesses any import duty, VAT, GST, or sales tax that applies.
- The carrier (FedEx, DHL, or Japan Post) contacts you and collects that amount — usually before or at the moment of delivery. A small clearance or handling fee from the carrier may be added.
These charges are set by your government, not by us. We have no way to see, estimate, or reduce them, and we cannot pay them on your behalf.
How to find out what you will pay
Duty rates depend on the product’s HS code (Harmonized System code) and on your country’s rules. Almost everything we make falls under a small number of codes:
| Product group | HS code |
|---|---|
| Carving knives, chisels, and hand tool sets | 8205.30 |
| Saws and saw sets | 8202.10 |
| Vises and clamps | 8205.70 |
| Baren and printing brushes | 9603.30 |
| Diamond sharpeners and whetstones | 6805.30 |
| Books | 4901.10 |
| Canvas tool cases | 4202.92 |
| Measuring and marking tools | 9017.30 |
To get an accurate figure, search your national customs website for the HS code above together with “Japan” as the country of origin. Your carrier’s duty calculator is also a good guide. If you would like the HS code and declared value for a specific order in advance, email us and we will send it.
What we declare
We declare the full commercial value of your order on the customs invoice, as required by law. We cannot mark an order as a gift, understate its value, or split a shipment to reduce your duty. Please do not ask us to — it puts your parcel at risk of seizure.
If duties are not paid
If a parcel is refused or the import charges are left unpaid and the parcel is returned to Japan, we will refund the price of the goods less the original shipping cost and any return or handling fees we are charged. Please see our Refund Policy for full details.
Importing blades into your country
Our tools are woodworking and printmaking implements, not weapons, and they are routinely imported worldwide. However, a few countries apply age or import restrictions to bladed items.
- You must be of legal age in your country to purchase bladed tools from us.
- Please check your national rules before ordering if you are unsure.
- We cannot be held responsible for items detained or destroyed by customs under local restrictions, and such orders cannot be refunded.
Frequently asked questions
Will I definitely be charged duty?
Not always. It depends on your country’s rules, the value of your order, and the HS code. Some orders clear with no charge at all; others attract VAT or GST. We cannot predict which.
Can you ship with duties prepaid (DDP)?
Not at present. All orders ship DDU and duties are collected by the carrier on arrival.
Can you mark my order as a gift, or declare a lower value?
No. We are required by law to declare the full commercial value. A false declaration puts your parcel at risk of seizure.
Contact
Michihamono Industrial Co., Ltd.
945-32, Ishino, Bessho-cho, Miki-shi, Hyogo 673-0452, Japan
Email: shipping@michihamono.co.jp
We reply within 2 business days, Japan time (JST), excluding our holiday periods.