Shipping and Returns
Important Notice
Japan Post has occasionally been suspending shipments to certain destinations. This has been changing from time to time, and we make sure to check the eligibility before shipping out any item. If you have purchased from us and your country happens to be one of the countries we can’t deliver, we will notify you and give you a full refund. To check the status of your country, please visit this page on the Japan Post site. We offer free shipping to countries with the checkmark “✔” under “Parcels” > “Air” column. If there is a checkmark under “EMS” column, express shipping is still available with the shipping cost. We do not offer free shipping for EMS.
Due to restrictions and global delays we are facing today, please also expect longer than delivery and processing times.
All orders are processed within 3 to 5 business days (excluding weekends and holidays) once we receive your order confirmation email. We will send you a notification when your order has shipped. The message will include a tracking number you can use to check its status. Please allow 48 hours for the tracking information to become available.
Motsutou is based in Japan. We currently use Japan Postal Service and Yamato Transport for shipping.
Expectations for shipping vary greatly depending on the destination, but it usually takes roughly 3-14 days for standard shipping. For specific time of delivery, please contact us with your address and items you are interested in ordering.
Due to restrictions and global delays from COVID-19, please expect longer than the normal delivery and processing times.
We happily offer free standard shipping on all shipping. We also offer express delivery in available countries at the customer’s cost, provided during checkout. All shipping options, however, do NOT include import duties and taxes (including VAT). Please keep in mind that you may be charged for them on the arrival of the goods in your country. For more information, please see the “Import duties and taxes” section below.
Your order may be subject to import duties and taxes (including VAT) as well as fees to the carrier for handling, which are incurred once a shipment reaches your destination country. Motsutou is not responsible for these charges if they are applied and are your responsibility as the customer.
For example, in the E.U., the import duties are currently estimated to be around 5-6%, and VAT is presently about 20% (as of August 2021). This can vary in each country.
For customers in the U.S.: Most packages with a declared value under $800 will be cleared without any fee.
We understand these fees can be concerning for you, and we will keep trying our best to work things around to make the situation better for you.
We include insurance to both standard and EMS (express shipping) packages. Since each destination has a different maximum insurance amount, we will notify you if your order exceeds it. We are also partnered with a service called Route that tracks and protects your order at a reasonable price. This option will be provided at the checkout.
If you opt-in for Route service and haven’t received your package, but the tracking says it’s been delivered, please reach out to Route within 5 days from your last tracking record.
If you did not opt-in for Route and your package seems lost, please contact us immediately, and we’ll look into it for you.
If you live in the U.S. and you use P.O. boxes, please select standard shipping.
We do our best to photograph any significant imperfections on the product page, so please look thoroughly before purchasing. Please also note that colors may also vary slightly from those seen on your screen.
Due to the handmade nature of Bizen ware, there may be slight imperfections, patterns, or color variations from one product to the next. These differences are part of what makes Bizen ware unique and beautiful. The characteristics of handmade items are not considered a reason for returns.
If your item arrives damaged in any way, please email us as soon as possible at hello@motsutou.com with your order number and a photo of the item’s condition. We’ll get you through the insurance company to solve your issue.
If you have any further questions, please contact us at hello@motsutou.com.