Japan Heartful Store ships orders directly from Japan. Orders accepted for delivery to the United States are arranged using DDP — Delivered Duty Paid. Under DDP, Japan Heartful Store arranges payment of applicable import duties, import taxes, and customs-clearance charges as part of the shipping process.

Customers in the United States will generally not be required to pay additional import duties or customs-clearance charges when the parcel is delivered. Any applicable U.S. state or local sales tax shown at checkout is separate from customs duties.

What DDP means

• DDP — Delivered Duty Paid. The seller assumes responsibility for applicable import costs such as customs duties, import taxes, and customs-clearance charges. See the Shopify Help Center .
• DAP — Delivered at Place. Under DAP, the customer is generally responsible for paying applicable import charges to the carrier or customs authority.
• Why DDP matters. DDP is intended to reduce unexpected import-related payment requests when a parcel reaches the United States.

Understanding the amounts shown for your order

Product prices, shipping charges, import-related charges, and state or local sales tax are different types of charges.

How import-related charges are handled

Any applicable U.S. state or local sales tax is handled separately from customs duties and is displayed at checkout where required.

Product and shipping availability

Product availability and shipping methods may vary depending on the product, package weight and dimensions, delivery address, carrier availability, and applicable import restrictions.

Only the shipping methods currently available for your specific order and destination will be displayed at checkout. If no shipping method is displayed, we cannot accept that product and destination combination through the online checkout.

Certain addresses, including some remote locations, P.O. boxes, APO/FPO addresses, U.S. territories, and freight-forwarding addresses, may have limited or unavailable delivery options.

Will I be asked to pay import charges when the parcel arrives?

Because U.S. orders accepted by our checkout are arranged using DDP, customers will generally not be required to pay additional import duties or customs-clearance charges at delivery.

In unusual cases, a carrier or customs authority may request additional information or issue a payment request because of a classification review, customs reassessment, address change, redelivery, or another exceptional circumstance.

If you receive an unexpected request for import duties or customs-clearance charges, please contact us before making payment whenever possible. Include your order number, tracking number, and a copy or photograph of the request.

DDP and free shipping are separate

We offer free worldwide shipping on qualifying orders of US$250 or more, or the equivalent amount in the currency displayed on our website. Free Shipping availability is determined by the order amount and the options displayed at checkout.

• Free Shipping means that the shipping charge for the selected service is US$0.
• DDP determines how applicable import duties, import taxes, and customs-clearance charges are handled.

A qualifying U.S. order may receive Free Shipping and still be arranged under DDP. These are separate conditions and are therefore described separately.

Shipping methods and delivery times for the United States

We offer three shipping service levels for orders delivered to the United States. The delivery estimates below apply specifically to U.S. destinations and are counted in business days, Monday through Friday, after dispatch.

These estimates apply specifically to deliveries to the United States and begin after your order has been dispatched. They do not include our usual 1–3 business day processing period.

For example, an Express shipment usually requires 1–3 business days for order processing, followed by an estimated 2–5 business days for delivery after dispatch.

Delivery times are estimates, not guarantees. Customs review, weather, carrier congestion, public holidays, remote delivery areas, address problems, and other circumstances outside our control may cause delays.

We use international carriers such as FedEx, DHL, EMS and International Air Packet through Japan Post, OCS, and Yamato Transport International TA-Q-BIN. The exact carrier depends on the selected service, product, delivery address, package size and weight, and current carrier availability.

Express, Standard, and Economy service availability may vary by product and delivery address. Only the shipping methods available for your specific order will be displayed at checkout.

U.S. orders accepted through our checkout are arranged using DDP. The available shipping service may vary, but the DDP treatment for an accepted U.S. order does not depend on whether the available service is labeled Express, Standard, or Economy.

Returns and DDP charges

Eligible voluntary return requests must generally be submitted within 14 days after delivery. The item must satisfy the conditions stated in our Return & Refund Policy .

For an approved customer-requested voluntary return, the customer is generally responsible for return-related costs. These may include return shipping, tracking, insurance, customs duties, import or export taxes, brokerage, customs-clearance fees, carrier fees, and other third-party charges, except where applicable law requires otherwise.

Customs duties, taxes, brokerage charges, and customs-clearance charges may be collected or retained by government authorities, customs agencies, carriers, or other third parties. These amounts are not automatically refundable by Japan Heartful Store. Where a refund, drawback, or reimbursement may be available, the customer may need to apply to the relevant authority or service provider.

If a parcel is refused, unclaimed, or undeliverable

Please do not refuse a parcel without contacting us first. A refused, unclaimed, or undeliverable parcel is not automatically treated as an approved return or cancellation.

If a parcel is returned, we will inspect it after arrival. Where permitted by law, actual outbound shipping, return shipping, carrier, customs-clearance, duty, tax, brokerage, storage, redelivery, and handling costs caused by the failed delivery may be deducted from any eligible refund.

Possible shipping limitations

• Remote and restricted areas. Certain delivery addresses may have limited carrier options or additional restrictions.
• Restricted products. Products containing batteries, alcohol, food, cosmetics, liquids, or other regulated materials may not be available through every shipping service.
• Food products. Matcha, tea, and other food products are offered to U.S. customers only when applicable shipping and import requirements can be met.
• Address limitations. P.O. boxes, APO/FPO addresses, freight forwarders, U.S. territories, and certain remote addresses may not be supported by every carrier.
• Oversized or heavy parcels. Available services and shipping charges may differ for large or heavy shipments.

The shipping methods and charges displayed at checkout are based on the information available for your specific order and delivery address.

Frequently asked questions

What does DDP mean?

DDP stands for Delivered Duty Paid. Under DDP, the seller arranges payment of applicable import duties, import taxes, and customs-clearance charges as part of the shipping process.

Will I have to pay import duties when my parcel arrives?

Customers in the United States will generally not be required to pay additional import duties or customs-clearance charges when a DDP parcel is delivered. If you receive an unexpected request, please contact us before making payment whenever possible.

Which shipping methods can I choose for a U.S. delivery?

Depending on the product and delivery address, you may be able to choose Express Shipping, Standard Shipping, or Economy Shipping. Only the services currently available for your specific order will be displayed at checkout.

How long will delivery to the United States take?

After dispatch, the estimated delivery times are 2–5 business days for Express Shipping, 4–7 business days for Standard Shipping, and 14–20 business days for Economy Shipping. These estimates do not include our usual 1–3 business day processing period and are not guaranteed.

Is delivery faster if I pay for a faster shipping service?

Yes. Express is the fastest service, Standard offers a balance between delivery speed and shipping cost, and Economy is intended for customers who prioritize a lower shipping cost. The services and charges available for your order will be displayed at checkout.

Is U.S. state sales tax the same as a customs duty?

No. State or local sales tax is separate from customs duty. Any applicable sales tax is displayed at checkout where required.

Does free shipping mean that duties are included?

Not by itself. Free Shipping applies to the shipping charge. DDP separately determines how applicable import duties, import taxes, and customs-clearance charges are handled.

Does every product have all three shipping services?

No. Available services vary by product, package size, weight, address, import restrictions, and carrier availability. Only the services available for your specific order will be displayed at checkout.

Can food products such as matcha be shipped to the United States?

Matcha, tea, and other food products are available for U.S. delivery only when applicable shipping and import requirements can be met. Product and delivery availability will be determined by the options available for your order. Please contact us before purchasing if you need confirmation for a specific food product.

What happens if I refuse the parcel?

Please contact us before refusing delivery. Refusal does not automatically create an approved return or full refund. Actual shipping, return, customs, carrier, storage, and handling costs may be deducted from an eligible refund where permitted by law.

Last updated: September 23, 2026. Import rules, carrier availability, and shipping conditions may change. The options displayed at checkout and the current Shipping Policy apply to each order.