Shipping and duties
One delivered price. The duty is inside it. Here is exactly what that means, and what the duty actually is right now.
What changed since 2025
Until August 2025, a parcel worth under $800 entered the US duty-free under the de minimis rule, which is why buying a knife from Japan used to feel like buying domestically. The US government suspended that exemption for every country on August 29, 2025, and in June 2026 made the suspension indefinite by regulation. Every parcel from Japan now goes through customs with duty assessed on its declared value.
The rate itself has moved more than once. Through late 2025 buyers on knife forums were reporting bills of around 50% of the knife's value, because kitchen knives were being taxed on their steel content under the 50% Section 232 steel tariff. On April 6, 2026 the US reorganised those tariffs: kitchen knives are now listed as steel derivative products and taxed at a flat 25% of the full value of the knife.
| Date | What happened | Effect on a knife from Japan |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 27, 2025 | Japan Post suspends goods shipments (EMS, parcels, small packets) to the US | Only DHL, FedEx and UPS could carry knives for a while |
| Aug 29, 2025 | US suspends the $800 de minimis exemption for all countries | Duty owed on every parcel, whatever its value |
| Apr 6, 2026 | Section 232 overhaul: kitchen knives become derivative products at 25% of full value | Bills drop from roughly 50% to roughly 25% plus the base duty |
| Apr 14, 2026 | Japan Post resumes goods to the US, but only with duty prepaid by the sender | EMS is back, and it is DDP by design |
| Jun 24, 2026 | CBP makes the de minimis suspension indefinite for courier shipments | No sign of the duty-free parcel coming back |
| Jul 24, 2026 | New CBP entry process for international mail; flat postal surcharge expires | Postal parcels now pay the same duty as courier parcels |
Most Japanese shops responded by shipping DDU: the price on their site is the knife plus postage, and the duty arrives later as a bill from DHL or FedEx, with the carrier's own clearance fee added. Buyers on Reddit and knife forums discovered this the hard way.
How much the duty is (October 2026)
A kitchen knife from Japan is classified under HTS 8211.92. As of October 2026 two charges apply to it at US customs. The Section 232 derivative rate is 25% of the declared value of the knife. On top of that sits the ordinary duty for kitchen knives, 6.1% plus a fraction of a cent per piece. Together that is about 31% of the knife's value. The general tariff on other Japanese goods (a whetstone or a saya in the same box, for example) is lower, in the 10% to 15% range, and does not stack on the knife itself.
If the parcel is shipped DDU, the carrier pays that duty to CBP on your behalf and then bills you for it plus its own fee for advancing the money and filing the entry. Those fees run from about $17 (DHL's minimum) to $25 to $35 (FedEx's entry fee plus advancement fee), and UPS sits in the same band. Here is what that looks like on three typical knives.
| Knife (declared value) | US duty at ~31% | Carrier fee on a DDU parcel | Owed at the door (DDU) | Owed at the door (our DDP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $80 petty | about $25 | $17 to $35 | $42 to $60 | $0 |
| $150 gyuto | about $47 | $17 to $35 | $64 to $82 | $0 |
| $300 gyuto | about $93 | $17 to $35 | $110 to $128 | $0 |
Two things follow from this. A DDU price that looks $40 cheaper than ours is not cheaper once the knife is on your doorstep. And because the rate has changed twice in a year, what matters when you compare shops is whether the number they show you is final. Ours is. If the rate rises after you have paid, we cover it; if it falls, the quote you accepted still stands and we do not go back and reprice.
Rates are set by the US government and can change again. The figures above are what the published tariff schedule and other Japanese shops' customer notices show as of October 2026, and we update this page when they move.
What we do instead
We ship DDP, Delivered Duty Paid. When we quote a knife at, say, $190 delivered, that number already contains the knife, insured shipping and the US import duty at the current rate. The carrier is paid before the box leaves Tokyo. You sign for it and that is the end of the transaction.
| Typical Japanese shop (DDU) | Us (DDP) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price on site | Knife + postage | Knife + shipping + US duty |
| At delivery | Duty bill + carrier brokerage fee | Nothing |
| Who deals with customs | You | We do |
If you are weighing a Japanese shop against a US retailer, the buying from Japan guide walks through how to compare delivered prices and how to vet a shop before ordering.
Carriers and timing
We use DHL Express, FedEx or Japan Post EMS depending on destination and weight. All three are tracked and insured for the full value. Door to door is typically three to five days by DHL or FedEx and five to ten by EMS. Since April 2026, EMS to the US only moves if the sender has prepaid US duty through a CBP-approved service, so an EMS parcel from us is DDP in the same way a DHL parcel is. We ship within two business days of payment for knives the maker has in stock. Made-to-order knives (left-handed single bevels, custom handles, engraving on some lines) take two to six weeks and we tell you the lead time before you pay.
Is it legal?
Yes. Kitchen knives are ordinary merchandise at US customs. There is no federal blade-length limit for kitchen cutlery and no import permit. State knife laws concern carrying, and mostly cover switchblades, gravity knives and similar; a gyuto in a kitchen drawer is not affected. Japan does not restrict the export of kitchen knives (the Japanese law on blades leaving the country covers registered swords and cultural property).
Packing
Edge and tip are guarded, the knife is wrapped and placed in the maker's box, then in a rigid outer carton with padding on all sides. Carbon steel blades are lightly oiled and ship with a desiccant packet so a week in a humid warehouse does not leave rust on a new blade. Wipe the oil off before first use.
Damage, mistakes and returns
If a knife arrives damaged, chipped or not what you ordered, send us a photo within 7 days and we replace it or refund you in full, at our cost. For a change of mind on an unused, unsharpened knife, contact us within 14 days of delivery; you cover return shipping to Japan and we refund the knife price once it arrives. Made-to-order, left-handed and engraved knives are final sale.
Frequently asked questions
Will I get a customs bill from DHL or FedEx?
No. We ship DDP (Delivered Duty Paid). Import duty and any carrier clearance fee are paid by us before the parcel leaves Japan. If a carrier ever asks you for money on a parcel from us, do not pay it; forward us the notice and we handle it.
How much is the US import duty on a Japanese kitchen knife?
As of October 2026, kitchen knives from Japan are taxed as steel derivative products under Section 232 at 25% of the declared value, on top of the ordinary 6.1% duty for kitchen knives, so about 31% in total. A shop shipping DDU would also pass on the carrier's clearance fee, usually $17 to $35. We absorb the whole amount into the delivered price you are quoted.
Why do other Japanese knife shops charge duty on delivery?
Most ship DDU (Delivered Duty Unpaid), which was invisible to buyers while the $800 de minimis exemption existed. Since the US suspended it in August 2025, DDU parcels arrive with a duty bill plus a carrier brokerage fee. We chose to build the duty into the price instead.
Does EMS from Japan avoid the duty?
No. Japan Post stopped accepting goods to the US in August 2025 and resumed in April 2026 only on the condition that the sender prepays US duty through a CBP-approved service before the parcel leaves Japan. Whichever carrier we use, the duty is settled on our side.
How is the knife packed?
Blade tip and edge are covered, the knife is wrapped, boxed in the maker's box where one exists, then packed in a rigid outer carton with padding. Carbon steel blades get a light coat of oil and a moisture-absorbing packet.
Can I return a knife?
If it arrives damaged or is not what you ordered, we replace it or refund you, our shipping cost. For a change of mind on an unused, unsharpened knife, contact us within 14 days; you pay return shipping to Japan and we refund the knife price. Made-to-order and engraved knives cannot be returned.
Do you ship outside the US?
This site is built for US buyers and every price includes US duty. We can ship to Canada, the UK, EU and Australia on request with duties quoted separately.