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Recommended Moving Companies in Japan for Foreigners: Understanding Costs and Tips for Saving

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For foreign residents, there are many uncertainties and concerns when moving in Japan. In this issue, we will introduce in detail the recommended Japanese moving companies for foreigners, the market price of moving costs, and ways to reduce costs.

If you are planning to move in the future, the following articles are also recommended!
▶︎ What are the necessary procedures for moving (change of address) in Japan?

▼Goandup Picks Click here for recommended articles!

Should I leave my move in Japan to a contractor?

It is said that in other countries, especially in the U.S. and Europe, it is common for people to do their own moving. This is due to the lack of reliable companies and high costs.

However, in Japan, moving companies offer a full range of services and their fees are relatively reasonable, so there are significant advantages to hiring a moving company. However, there are cases where it is cheaper to do the moving yourself, so carefully compare the advantages and disadvantages and choose the method that suits you best.

Major movers recommended for foreign nationals.

There are so many moving companies in Japan that some people may get tired just choosing which one to go with before moving. So here are some major moving companies that we can recommend to anyone. If you are not sure which company to choose, ask these major companies and you will be less likely to make a big mistake.

Sakai Moving Center

Sakai Moving Center is one of the most famous moving companies in Japan, boasting a long history of top-class performance in terms of number of moves. It offers a wide variety of moving plans, and also provides reasonable plans for single people. Another attractive feature of the company is its unique services such as the "Memorable Moving Service," which allows you to save your commemorative photos on DVD. Furthermore, Sakai Moving Center also offers English speaking services, so foreign residents can use their services with ease.

Reference:Sakai Moving Center

2. art moving center

Art Moving Center is another well-known mover that rivals Sakai Moving Center. In particular, it offers a wide range of unique options, such as "Ladies Pack," a move performed exclusively by female staff, and a piano tuning service. This company also offers English-language services, making it possible for foreign residents to use their services smoothly.

Reference:Art Moving Center

3. moving pro roro

Moving Prolo is a moving company headquartered in Tokyo that offers services especially in English. We have extensive experience, including embassy moves in Tokyo, and can handle moves from overseas to Japan or from Japan to overseas. In addition, we offer easy-to-use services for foreigners, such as moving to distant locations or overseas, and providing support for preparing luggage lists in English during storage services for your belongings.

Reference:Moving Prolo

Yamato Transport

Yamato Transport is Japan's leading major logistics provider, offering domestic and international moving services. It offers a wide range of services to meet a variety of needs, from large to small moves, with particular strength in international moves from Japan to overseas and from overseas to Japan. To make it easier for foreigners to use our services, we provide full support in English, and video explanations of our international moving services, flow, and marine cargo insurance are also available.

Reference:KURONEKO INTERNATIONAL MOVING | Yamato Transport

Local movers recommended for foreign nationals.

In addition to the large national moving companies introduced earlier, there are other moving companies in Japan that provide localized services. If you cannot find a good one from a major company, we recommend that you look for a community-based company.

1. silverbacks moving center

Silverbacks Moving Center is a local moving company in Kyoto.Popular vendor for women living alone.and features meticulous service. They are also happy to set up and wire appliances for you free of charge.

Reference:Silverbacks Moving Center

2. moving services

Matsuri Moving Service is a moving company serving Tokyo and surrounding areas. We recommend this service for those who want to move within the 23 wards of Tokyo for short distances, or those who want to move to Tokyo from Chiba, Saitama, etc.

Reference:Matsuri Moving Service

How much does it cost to move in alone?

The average cost of moving for a single person varies greatly depending on the time of year, distance, and amount of goods to be moved, but generally speaking, the cost for a domestic move is estimated to range from 30,000 yen to 70,000 yen. However, during peak moving periods (e.g., from the end of February to early April), costs rise due to increased demand and can exceed 100,000 yen. In addition, if the moving destination is far away or if additional services (such as packing services or handling of large furniture and appliances) are used, the cost may be even higher.

The cost of hiring a moving company to move a single person is generally the same for a domestic move.40,000 to 70,000 yenis considered to be a good rule of thumb.

However, it is important to have the contractor estimate the cost of the move in advance, as it varies greatly depending on the time of year, distance, and amount of goods to be moved. However,

Also, in March and April, movers are busy with students going on to higher education and finding new jobs, making prices more expensive. It is also said that movers are often busy at the end of the month, and prices tend to be higher.

Tips on how to save money on moving costs

The cost of moving for a single person is not that high, but it still costs several tens of thousands of yen, so we would like to save money if possible. There are various ways to reduce the cost of moving, so let's find a method that we can use and make the most of it.

Send packages by mail

Instead of having the movers bring your belongings, you can mail them by courier or post office. If it is cheaper to send your belongings by mail, you can take advantage of it.

However, depending on the volume and size of the shipment, mailing may be more expensive, so it is important to confirm that mailing is really cheaper.

Move in yourself using your car.

You can also use your car or truck to move yourself without using a moving company. If you have your own car or truck, you will save a lot of money because you will only have to pay for gas.

If you don't have your own car or truck, you can ask friends who do to help you or rent a car to move in.

Do your own packing and unpacking

Some moving company plans offer lower rates if you do the work of putting your belongings into cardboard boxes and opening and taking out the boxes at the destination yourself. If you don't mind the hassle of doing it yourself, we recommend using such a plan.

get a competitive quotation

When choosing a mover, it is important to get "cross-quotes". A cross-quote is to request quotes from several moving companies under the same conditions and compare their rates and services. Many companies will often lower their rates based on estimates from other companies and may offer more competitive services. Since moving costs vary widely from one company to another, it takes a little more effort, but by requesting quotes from multiple companies, you can find the most cost-effective company.

Especially for foreign residents, who are often unfamiliar with the services and fee structure of Japanese moving companies, obtaining quotes from other companies can help them understand more clearly the differences among them and choose the service that best suits their needs.

Convenient competitive quotation service!

To save you the hassle of comparing quotes, you can use a bulk moving company quote service. These websites make it easy to compare quotes from multiple moving companies. This is especially helpful for expatriates, helping them find the best companies while efficiently managing their time and information.

The following sites are especially recommended.

  • LIFULL Moving] for the cheapest moving quotes.
    • Up to 60% off moving charges!
    • Up to 100,000 yen cash back campaign is underway!
    • Free choice of moving company!
      • You can also choose Sakai Moving Center and Art Moving Center, introduced earlier.
  • Ask online for a discount! Movers
    • Free lump-sum quotes from up to 10 companies from over 290 vendors!
    • A variety of moving plans are available to suit different lifestyles!
    • 95.2% users are willing to reuse the service, boasting a high customer satisfaction rate!

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summary

Moving in Japan can be done by yourself, but it is often more convenient to use a moving company. Japanese moving companies offer a wide variety of plans and a wealth of optional services, so it is important to choose a reliable company and pay attention to how to keep costs down.

We hope this article will be a useful source of information for foreigners considering a move to Japan.

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