There are four main ways to buy Japanese running shoes from outside Japan. This guide covers when each one fits, how cm sizing works, and what to check on shipping, duty and items that cannot be sent. Every fact comes from an official page I read on October 19, 2026. Fees and rates I could not read are left out.
The Shoe Nerd's top pick
For a Japan-first or Japan-market shoe, I start by lining up quotes from Rakuten forwarding and a buying-agent service. I choose the size from my measured foot length, not from the cm on the box. For the US, the conditions on the official country page leave Super Express for a cheaper parcel.
Key points
- Choose the size from your measured foot length, not the box cm. Go larger if you fall between two
- The US has suspended duty-free entry for 800 dollars or less; Taiwan exempts NT$2,000 or less
- Food such as energy gels is not accepted by Super Express to the US
How can you buy Japanese running shoes from overseas?
There are four ways to buy Japanese running shoes from outside Japan. The table below uses only what I could read on official pages on October 19, 2026.
| Method | Best when | How the cost adds up | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rakuten forwarding (Rakuten Global Express) | You want to send something bought on Rakuten Ichiba to your home abroad | Item price plus international shipping. The official page says the fee includes packing materials, packing work and invoice issuing, and consolidating orders is free | Some items cannot be sent. Long or flat items cost extra for special packing. Each country has its own rules |
| Buying-agent services (Buyee and others) | You want one window for shops other than Rakuten, or for used items | Item price plus the service fee, domestic shipping in Japan and international shipping. Fees differ by service | Whether duty is included also depends on the service. Read its fee page before you buy |
| A local authorized dealer or importer | The model sold in your country is fine | The local price. Tax and shipping follow local rules | Japan-market models are often not sold there |
| A Japanese shop that ships abroad itself | The shop says on its page that it ships overseas | Shipping and steps set by each shop | Whether the shop treats it as an export is the shop's call. Ask before you order |
When I go after a Japan-market model, I start by lining up quotes from Rakuten forwarding and a buying-agent service. If the same model is sold in your country, a local shop usually means less hassle with returns and repairs.
Can Rakuten Global Express ship running shoes?
Rakuten Global Express is Rakuten's forwarding service for overseas buyers. It takes in what you bought from Japanese online shops and sends it to an address abroad. The official page says the fee for combining several orders into one parcel is free. The standard shipping fee covers international shipping, packing materials, packing work and invoice issuing.
There are four shipping methods: Economy Air, Super Express, Standard Express and Sea Mail. The official page gives these examples of delivery time: Super Express 1 day (CDs to the US, golf clubs to Singapore), Economy Air 5 to 10 days, Standard Express 2 to 9 days and Sea Mail 25 to 66 days. The page says these are only examples and real times can differ.
The official FAQ says that long or flat items that are hard to pack in a normal box, such as golf clubs and interior building materials, cost extra for special packing. The page does not show the amount. The page does not say whether a shoebox triggers the special packing fee, so check the quote screen.
For the US, the official country page lists the conditions. Economy Air is not available. Standard Express and Sea Mail are only for parcels whose items total more than JPY 410,000 including tax (about 2,500 USD), and the page adds that this can change with the exchange rate. Reading those conditions together, Super Express is the method left for a cheaper parcel to the US.
What about customs duty, import tax and Japanese consumption tax?
What I could read here are the official rules for the US and Taiwan, and how Japanese consumption tax works. For other countries, check that country's customs page.
United States: The official CBP page says the duty-free treatment for parcels worth 800 dollars or less is suspended for all countries and all modes of transport. The same page says a new customs process for mail takes effect on July 24, 2026. The rate depends on how an item is classified, so this guide does not list rates.
Taiwan: The Customs Administration page says that if the dutiable value of one import batch is NT$2,000 or less, customs duty and the business and commodity taxes that customs collects are waived. Tobacco and alcohol are excluded. However, if you clear more than six duty-free imports in a half-year (January to June, July to December), you count as a frequent importer and the exemption no longer applies.
Japanese consumption tax: The National Tax Agency page says that when a retailer sends goods abroad at a customer's request, the shop is treated as the exporter and the sale can qualify for the export exemption from consumption tax. One condition is that the shop keeps the documents that prove the export. Whether a shop gives the exemption is the shop's own call, so ask before you order.
What cannot be shipped abroad?
Here is what I could read on the Rakuten Global Express page for items that cannot be delivered. Gas cylinders, spray cans, refill gas for lighters and lighter fuel are on the list. Products that use lithium batteries (mobile batteries, wireless earbuds, e-cigarettes, game consoles and so on) are in the caution section. The page says the battery must be built into the device, battery packs are limited to 100Wh, cells to 20Wh, and two packs per parcel. A stand-alone mobile battery cannot go by international post.
The US country page adds more conditions. It says button and coin batteries and electronics with them built in, fuel containers and outdoor grills are not accepted because they fall under rules of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Sea Mail does not accept products with lithium batteries.
For running, wireless earbuds and watches with lithium batteries are the items most likely to hit these rules. Wireless earbuds are named in the caution section. Watches are not named, but the battery must be built into the device. The US country page says Super Express does not accept food, such as energy gels, because it needs FDA filing. Children's clothing and sports goods also appear in the list the US does not accept under CPSC rules. The page does not say whether adult shoes are covered, so check the quote screen.
An item that is not named on the list is not guaranteed to be shippable. Before you order, check both the quote screen and the page for items that cannot be delivered.
How do Japanese cm sizes line up with US and EU sizes?
Japanese product pages write sizes in cm. Pages abroad may show US or EU numbers instead. The right conversion is each maker's own chart for each model, so this guide does not print a conversion table.
The Nike Japan size chart page recommends the larger size when your measured foot length falls between two sizes. It also says to measure both feet and apply the larger result to the chart. And it notes that the size printed on the shoebox and label in cm is different from the size of your foot in cm.
| Notation | Where you mostly see it | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| cm | Japanese product pages and the box label | The cm on the box label is not the same as your real foot length. Measure both feet and use the larger one |
| US and EU | Official pages abroad and press releases | Check the conversion on that maker's own chart |
| Weight conditions | Press releases and official pages | A weight can carry a condition such as men's US 8.5. It is not always the same condition as the number on the Japanese product page |
There is an example of this in the On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper review. The Japanese official page says 253g and the press release (men's US 8.5) says 274g, both On figures with different conditions.
My feet are 25.0cm, so on a Japanese product page I look at the 25.0cm row. For a product listed only in US sizes, I first find the number that matches 25.0cm on that maker's own chart.
How do you find shoes that launch in Japan first?
A shoe announced abroad can reach Japan on a different date. I check the maker's Japanese official page and press release first for the Japan release date and the size range. If your country's page does not have the model yet, Japan comes first.
Dates for upcoming releases are lined up in 12 upcoming running releases. For a Japan-market model, see the review of the Mizuno HYPERWARP PACER.
What should you check, in order, before you order?
Before I press the order button, I check these six things in order. Keeping to the order helps you avoid finding out afterwards that the item could not be sent.
- On the Japanese official page, note the model number, release date, price and the range of cm sizes.
- Measure the length of both feet, and use the larger number on the size chart.
- See whether the same model is on the official page for your country, and what US or EU sizes it shows. Check the conversion on that maker's own chart.
- Check that a Japanese shop such as Rakuten Ichiba has your size in stock, and that the item is not on the page for items that cannot be delivered.
- Get a shipping quote from a forwarding or buying-agent service. Read the import tax rules on your country's official customs page.
- Before you order, read the shop's return and exchange terms. Ask whether a size exchange is possible once the shoes have gone abroad.
How do the US, Taiwan and other countries differ?
| Country or region | What I read on shipping | What I read on tax |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Economy Air is not available. Standard Express and Sea Mail only take parcels that total more than JPY 410,000 including tax | The duty-free treatment for parcels of 800 dollars or less is suspended (CBP) |
| Taiwan | Delivery example: 2 days by Standard Express | Exempt when the dutiable value is NT$2,000 or less, but not after more than six exempt imports in a half-year (Customs Administration) |
| United Kingdom and Australia | Delivery examples: 4 days to the UK and 5 days to Australia by Standard Express | Check that country's customs page |
The countries named in the delivery examples are only the ones that appeared on the official page. That does not mean other countries are excluded. The full list is on the official page for countries and regions that can be delivered to.
FAQ
Which way is best for buying Japanese running shoes from overseas?
For a Japan-market model, buy on Rakuten Ichiba and forward it with Rakuten Global Express, or use a buying-agent service. If the model is sold in your country, a local shop makes returns and repairs easier to sort out.
Which Rakuten Global Express methods can send to the US?
On the country page, Economy Air is not available. Standard Express and Sea Mail are only for parcels totalling more than JPY 410,000 including tax. A cheaper parcel goes by Super Express.
Is there duty on parcels from Japan to the US?
The CBP page says duty-free entry for parcels of 800 dollars or less is suspended for all countries. The rate depends on how the item is classified, so check the CBP site.
Is there duty on parcels from Japan to Taiwan?
The Customs Administration page says a batch with a dutiable value of NT$2,000 or less is exempt. After more than six exempt clearances in a half-year, the exemption no longer applies.
Can gas canisters and batteries be sent?
The Rakuten Global Express page for items that cannot be delivered lists gas cylinders, spray cans and refill gas for lighters. Products with lithium batteries come with conditions, such as the battery being built into the device.
How long does a parcel to Taiwan take?
The official page gives an example of 2 days to Taiwan by Standard Express. It is only an example, and real delivery times can differ.
Do I pay Japanese consumption tax?
The National Tax Agency page says that when a shop sends goods abroad at a customer's request, the shop is treated as the exporter and the sale can qualify for the export exemption. Each shop decides whether to apply it, so ask before you order.
Can I pick a Japanese shoe by its cm size?
The Nike Japan size chart page recommends measuring your foot and choosing the larger size when you fall between two. It says the cm on the box and label differs from your foot size.
Can energy gels be shipped abroad?
The US country page says Super Express does not accept food because it needs FDA filing or permission. For other countries, check that country's rules.
Sources
- Rakuten Global Express official site
- Rakuten Global Express: items that cannot be delivered
- Rakuten Global Express: United States country page
- Nike Japan: men's footwear size chart
- US Customs and Border Protection: E-Commerce FAQ
- Taiwan Customs Administration: express cargo
- National Tax Agency: sending goods abroad at a customer's request
Related reading
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