I found a redelivery slip in my mailbox — what are my options?

That slip is your menu, and Japan’s system is unusually good at this. You can book a redelivery online, through the app, by phone using the automated line, or by scanning the code printed on the slip — and you choose a date and a time slot rather than waiting all day. Alternatively you can redirect the package to a convenience store or a locker for collection at your convenience. Same-day redelivery is often possible if you book before the cut-off, which is genuinely useful when you get home in the evening and find the slip. Have the slip to hand either way, since the number on it identifies your package.

How do I choose a delivery time slot?

Time slots are the best part of the system, and they’re available both before and after a failed attempt. Many Japanese shops let you pick a slot at checkout; otherwise you can set one through the carrier’s app or site once the package is on its way, or when booking a redelivery. Slots run in bands across the day into the evening, which is what makes a delivery workable around a normal working schedule. Registering with the carrier’s free membership service adds more control, including advance notice of an incoming package and the ability to set a slot before the first attempt. That last one prevents the slip ever appearing.

Can I collect from a convenience store or a locker instead?

Convenience store pickup is one of Japan’s quiet conveniences, and it works with lockers too. You can nominate a nearby store or a locker as the destination either when the package is on its way or after a missed attempt, and then collect whenever suits — stores are typically open around the clock. Take the collection code or the slip and some identification. Not everything qualifies: oversized items, anything requiring a signature from a named person, and cash-on-delivery packages sometimes have to be handled differently. Lockers also depend on a free compartment being available at the moment your package arrives, which is worth bearing in mind at busy times.

How many days will they hold my package before it goes back?

Standard parcels are held for up to 7 days (including the day of the first delivery attempt) before returning to the sender. The delivery notice slip will display the exact deadline for your package. Locker collections have tighter limits, as compartments are needed for other deliveries. If you cannot meet the deadline, schedule a redelivery for a later date rather than letting it lapse — this resets the delivery arrangement. Once a package is returned to an overseas sender, recovering it usually requires requesting a refund or re-shipment rather than arranging a second delivery.

I’m visiting Japan — can something be delivered to my hotel?

Hotels handle this constantly, so it’s a well-worn path rather than an imposition. Tell the hotel in advance that a package is coming and give them the name it’s addressed to, which should match your booking name exactly — mismatched names are the usual reason a hotel turns a delivery away. Include the hotel’s full address, phone number and your check-in date, and add your own name plus a room or reservation reference in the address line. Timing matters more than usual: a package arriving before you check in or after you leave becomes a problem, so build in a buffer. The same network also moves luggage between hotels, which is worth knowing if you’re travelling on.

My address is in English rather than Japanese — will that cause problems?

English addresses usually work, and drivers deal with them regularly in cities and around tourist areas. What matters most is that the components are right and in a sensible order: prefecture, city, ward, district and the block-lot numbers that Japanese addressing depends on, since those numbers are what actually locates a building rather than a street name. A postal code helps enormously and is worth double-checking. Add your phone number, because a driver who can call will find you. If a Japanese version of the address is available — from your hotel, landlord or the shop — including it alongside the English removes the last bit of friction entirely.

I’m receiving something chilled or frozen — what should I expect?

Chilled and frozen deliveries run on strict rules, and the main one is that they are never left unattended. Someone must receive the delivery in person, so a missed attempt triggers a redelivery attempt. Select a preferred time slot if possible to minimize depot wait times. Convenience store and locker pickups are generally unavailable for temperature-controlled items, so plan to be home. Retention periods are much shorter for these items: Yamato keeps refrigerated (0–10°C) and frozen (-15°C) parcels for up to 3 days (including the date of the first attempt) before returning them to the sender. If you know you'll be out, arrange your time slot before the first attempt.

Can I arrange things before the slip ever lands in my mailbox?

Setting things up in advance is the real trick, and it’s what regular residents do. Registering with the carrier’s free service means you get told a package is coming before it arrives, and you can set a delivery slot, redirect it to a store or locker, or nominate a different day — all before anyone knocks. That turns the whole redelivery ritual into something you never encounter. Adding your number here and switching alerts on does the same job from the other direction, telling you when a package is close so you can act while there’s still time. Between the two, the slip in the mailbox becomes a rarity rather than a routine.

Which countries can I track parcels in with Parcel Monitor?

You may also want to explore tracking for these other destinations:

• Waiting on something from Japan?

• Keep an eye on China deliveries

• Tracking made easy for South Korea

• See deliveries to and from Taiwan

• Where's your United States parcel?

• Follow your shipment in Australia

Which other carriers can I track with Parcel Monitor?

These carrier pages are worth a look too:

• Waiting on DHL Express? Track it here

• Track your TNT parcels

• Following a SkyNet Worldwide Express delivery?

• Rincos tracking, step by step

• See where your FedEx package is

• Got a UPS number? Start here