For a 1 kg parcel, an airmail small packet costs ¥950 to ¥2,580 less than EMS, depending on the country.
Postage only, from Japan Post's published rates (checked 2026-10-02).
The methods
- EMS. Japan Post's express service, tracked, up to 30 kg. Every service on this site offers it, which is why it is the default.
- Airmail small packet. For items up to 2 kg. Much cheaper than EMS at low weights, and the method ZenMarket recommends for small, cheap items.
- Airmail parcel. An ordinary parcel sent by air, up to 30 kg. Cheaper than EMS at most weights, slower to arrive.
- Surface (sea) parcel. Sent by ship. The cheapest by far for heavy parcels, and the slowest: Neokyo describes it as taking "a few months".
- SAL (economy air). Still in Japan Post's rate tables, but Japan Post states that it has suspended SAL acceptance entirely, so it is left out.
Postage at 1 kg, country by country
| Ship to | EMS | Small packet (air) | Parcel (air) | Parcel (surface) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | ¥5,300 | ¥2,720 | ¥4,200 | ¥2,600 |
| Canada | ¥4,400 | ¥2,130 | ¥3,850 | ¥2,500 |
| United Kingdom | ¥4,400 | ¥2,130 | ¥3,850 | ¥2,500 |
| Australia | ¥4,400 | ¥2,130 | ¥3,850 | ¥2,500 |
| Germany | ¥4,400 | ¥2,130 | ¥3,850 | ¥2,500 |
| France | ¥4,400 | ¥2,130 | ¥3,850 | ¥2,500 |
| Singapore | ¥3,150 | ¥1,460 | ¥2,500 | ¥2,100 |
| Taiwan | ¥2,200 | ¥1,250 | ¥2,050 | ¥1,800 |
| Hong Kong | ¥3,150 | ¥1,460 | ¥2,500 | ¥2,100 |
The airmail small packet saves the most to United States (¥2,580, 49% of the EMS price) and the least to Taiwan (¥950). At 1 kg the surface parcel and the small packet are close; above 2 kg the small packet is no longer an option and surface pulls well ahead.
Which method is cheapest at each weight
The same ¥10,000 Mercari order, totalled through the cheapest service that lists each method, for all nine countries:
| Parcel | Cheapest method (countries) | Average saving vs EMS |
|---|---|---|
| 500 g | Airmail small packet (9) | ¥1,585 |
| 1 kg | Airmail small packet (8), Surface (sea) parcel (1) | ¥2,038 |
| 2 kg | Surface (sea) parcel (9) | ¥3,167 |
| 5 kg | Surface (sea) parcel (9) | ¥7,256 |
At 5 kg, surface (sea) parcel is cheapest for all 9 countries, saving ¥7,256 on average against EMS. The saving grows with weight because EMS's price climbs much faster per kilogram than a surface parcel's.
Postage at every weight
EMS / small packet / air parcel / surface parcel, in that order. A dash means the method does not take a parcel that heavy.
| Ship to | 500 g | 1 kg | 2 kg | 5 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | ¥3,900 / ¥1,670 / ¥4,200 / ¥2,600 | ¥5,300 / ¥2,720 / ¥4,200 / ¥2,600 | ¥7,900 / ¥4,820 / ¥6,700 / ¥3,300 | ¥15,100 / — / ¥14,200 / ¥5,400 |
| Canada | ¥3,150 / ¥1,230 / ¥3,850 / ¥2,500 | ¥4,400 / ¥2,130 / ¥3,850 / ¥2,500 | ¥6,700 / ¥3,930 / ¥6,000 / ¥3,100 | ¥13,000 / — / ¥12,450 / ¥4,900 |
| United Kingdom | ¥3,150 / ¥1,230 / ¥3,850 / ¥2,500 | ¥4,400 / ¥2,130 / ¥3,850 / ¥2,500 | ¥6,700 / ¥3,930 / ¥6,000 / ¥3,100 | ¥13,000 / — / ¥12,450 / ¥4,900 |
| Australia | ¥3,150 / ¥1,230 / ¥3,850 / ¥2,500 | ¥4,400 / ¥2,130 / ¥3,850 / ¥2,500 | ¥6,700 / ¥3,930 / ¥6,000 / ¥3,100 | ¥13,000 / — / ¥12,450 / ¥4,900 |
| Germany | ¥3,150 / ¥1,230 / ¥3,850 / ¥2,500 | ¥4,400 / ¥2,130 / ¥3,850 / ¥2,500 | ¥6,700 / ¥3,930 / ¥6,000 / ¥3,100 | ¥13,000 / — / ¥12,450 / ¥4,900 |
| France | ¥3,150 / ¥1,230 / ¥3,850 / ¥2,500 | ¥4,400 / ¥2,130 / ¥3,850 / ¥2,500 | ¥6,700 / ¥3,930 / ¥6,000 / ¥3,100 | ¥13,000 / — / ¥12,450 / ¥4,900 |
| Singapore | ¥1,900 / ¥860 / ¥2,500 / ¥2,100 | ¥3,150 / ¥1,460 / ¥2,500 / ¥2,100 | ¥4,550 / ¥2,660 / ¥3,700 / ¥2,600 | ¥8,150 / — / ¥7,300 / ¥4,100 |
| Taiwan | ¥1,450 / ¥750 / ¥2,050 / ¥1,800 | ¥2,200 / ¥1,250 / ¥2,050 / ¥1,800 | ¥3,400 / ¥2,250 / ¥2,750 / ¥2,200 | ¥6,400 / — / ¥4,850 / ¥3,400 |
| Hong Kong | ¥1,900 / ¥860 / ¥2,500 / ¥2,100 | ¥3,150 / ¥1,460 / ¥2,500 / ¥2,100 | ¥4,550 / ¥2,660 / ¥3,700 / ¥2,600 | ¥8,150 / — / ¥7,300 / ¥4,100 |
Which proxies offer which method
A cheaper method is only useful if your proxy offers it. This table counts a method only where the company's own site names it.
| Service | EMS | Airmail small packet | Airmail parcel | Surface (sea) parcel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FROM JAPAN | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Not listed |
| Buyee | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ZenMarket | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Neokyo | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Yes |
| Doorzo | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
"Not listed" means we could not find the method on the company's site, not that it is definitely unavailable. The calculator still shows those totals, marked, but does not count them as cheapest.
What changes with the method
- Batteries. Japan Post does not carry lithium batteries by surface mail to the United States, France or Australia, and to the United Kingdom it carries them only by surface mail. ZenMarket and Neokyo only accept devices with batteries by EMS.
- Tax collected up front. FROM JAPAN collects Singapore's GST at checkout on EMS, but not on surface parcels, so the tax moves to the door.
- Size. Small packets have size limits as well as the 2 kg weight limit. A boxed figure that is light enough may still be too large.
- The United States. Japan Post currently marks every method to the United States, EMS included, as "partially accepted", and publishes separate notices about US consumer product (CPSC) rules from 8 July 2026. Check the latest status before sending.
Try it on your own order
The calculator below has a shipping method option. Set your item, weight and country, then switch between methods to see the totals change.