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Finding the record in Japan is the easy part. Getting it home flat, with the jacket and obi intact, is where most collectors lose money.
MIKANBAKO is a Tokyo shipping company that has been sending goods out of Japan since 2008. Over the past year, requests to ship used vinyl have grown fast, from collectors and record shops around the world. Many of them came to us from other forwarding services, for better packing and a lower overall cost.
This guide covers where people buy, what goes wrong in transit, and exactly how we pack.
目次
Why collectors buy used vinyl in Japan
Japanese pressings are known for quiet surfaces and careful quality control, and used records here tend to be well kept and honestly graded.
- Obi strips. The paper band on Japanese LPs is collectible in its own right. A torn or missing obi can cut a record’s value sharply.
- Domestic-only releases. City pop, Japanese jazz and anime soundtracks were often pressed only for the home market.
- Depth of supply. Japan’s used-record chains and auction apps hold collections that rarely reach eBay.
The hard part: getting it out of Japan
Most of the best stock sits behind a Japanese address or a Japanese payment method.
| Where you buy | What you get | The shipping problem |
|---|---|---|
| Large used-record chains (stores and online) | Deep stock, reliable grading | Many ship within Japan only |
| Auction and flea-market apps (Yahoo! Auctions, Mercari) | Rare items, private collections | Domestic shipping only, often in thin envelopes |
| Independent shops in Tokyo and Osaka | Specialist crates | Overseas shipping is ad hoc, if offered at all |
| Buying in person on a trip | The best finds | Carrying 30 LPs in a suitcase |
Most of the records we ship were bought at Japan’s large used-record chains. Customers order from several branches, send everything to our Tokyo warehouse, and we ship it as one consolidated shipment.
A forwarding address solves the address problem. It does not solve the packing problem. A general forwarder handles records the same way it handles clothes and snacks.
What goes wrong in transit
A record that leaves Japan as Near Mint can arrive as Very Good, and the price gap between those grades is large. The usual damage is predictable:
- Seam splits, when the disc slides inside the jacket and cuts through the edge.
- Bent corners, when records shift inside a box that is too big or too weak.
- Warping, from heat in trucks and warehouses or heavy parcels stacked on top.
- Torn obi strips and lost inserts.
- Crushed cartons, the root cause of most of the above.
How we pack
Everything that arrives at our Tokyo warehouse is repacked by our own staff before it leaves Japan.
Records: never shipped in the shop’s carton
Bulk orders from Japanese shops arrive in cartons made for domestic delivery. By the time they reach us, many are already dented, crushed or re-taped. We don’t send those boxes abroad.
Every record shipment is double-boxed. The records go into a new carton, and that carton goes inside a second, outer carton. The knocks of an international flight hit the outer box, not your records.
Left: cartons as they arrive from record shops. Right: the same records, repacked and double-boxed for the flight.
Turntables: cushioned on every side
Turntables and other audio gear get their own packing.
- The dust cover is stretch-wrapped to the body, so the lid can’t move or crack.
- The whole unit is wrapped in bubble wrap.
- It goes into a double-wall carton lined with foam on the bottom and all four sides.
- Every remaining gap is filled with paper, so the unit sits tight in the box.
Step 1: the dust cover is stretch-wrapped to the body.
Step 2: the whole unit is wrapped in bubble wrap.
Step 3: a double-wall carton, lined with foam.
Step 4: foam on every side, paper in every gap.
Our customers rate us 4.8 on Google. Careful packing and no damage come up in the reviews more than anything else.
Who we work with
| You are | How it works |
|---|---|
| A collector | Have the shops send your orders to our Tokyo address. We repack, consolidate and ship them to you. |
| A record shop or dealer | Buy in Japan, or have your buyer shop here. We collect, repack and ship your stock in regular runs. |
Sourcing in Japan in volume?
If you plan to buy stock in Japan on a larger scale, we support the purchasing side too, not just the shipping. We can help you buy from multiple stores, collect the stock in Tokyo and ship it in regular, consolidated runs.
Buying from many stores also means a pile of receipts. We turn them into the commercial invoice and packing list that customs needs, so you don’t have to.
Tell us your genres and your monthly volume, and we will suggest how to set it up.
Shipping and customs
Air freight. Most record shipments go by air. We work with a range of airlines and pick the routing for each shipment ourselves, rather than putting every box on a single courier.
Sea freight. For larger volumes, we also arrange sea freight to many countries.
Cost. Shipping cost depends on the destination, weight and size, so we quote each shipment. Tell us the country and roughly how many records.
Customs. Records are declared as used vinyl records at their actual purchase value. Import duty and tax are set by the destination country and paid by the receiver. We prepare the invoice and packing list, so you know what was declared.
FAQ
Can I keep the original shop packaging?
Yes, if you ask. We usually repack, because most Japanese shop cartons are made for domestic delivery, not an international flight.
Can you ship sealed records without opening them?
Yes. We don’t open sealed records.
What about CDs, cassettes, turntables and amplifiers?
We ship them too. Turntables and amplifiers are quoted separately because of their size and weight.
Do you ship in summer?
Yes. In hot months we recommend air freight over sea, so records spend less time in warm containers and warehouses.
Get a quote
Tell us where you are buying, roughly how many records, and where they are going. We will reply with the best route and a price.
