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Shipping to the United States
Thank you to all of our customers, both in the United States and worldwide for supporting and choosing Sakai Ichimonji Mitsuhide for your knives. We hear stories everyday from chefs around the world using our tools to improve their cuisine, especially from America.
This news article is being posted to announce and address shipping changes between Japan and the United States, and how that affects shipments from us to our American-based customers. This article only concerns shipments being sent to the United States from Sakai Ichimonji Mitsuhide, not any other situations.
As per announcements from various courier and postal companies we partner with, as well as the United States government, as of 29th August, 2025 (JST), commercial shipments from Japan to the United States will have tariffs applied, which vary depending on what the shipment is.
This adjustment has come from the American government level, is not a decision made by us, and is out of our control.
These adjustments change frequently, and we will update then and this article where we can. When we do so, we will note the appropriate updates.
As a disclaimer, these tariff amounts are not a decisive amount, as they change often. We create this post as advice, and recommend doing your own research for further information.
The information in this article was originally written on 3rd December, 2025 (JST). Policies may have changed if the article is read after that date. We will do our best to update them, but they may not always be accurate. Updates will be summarised below.
You can find out precise tariff information quickly using reports such as this one provided by DHL.
UPDATE 1 - March 19th, 2026: We have updated this article to improve the language used, plus added a section titled "Kitchen Knife Orders to the United States" about manual confirmation of order before shipment. We have also added a question in this article's FAQ to address this new section. We have added more clarification around tariff amounts by adding "courier adminitration fees" as a seperate indicator. We have updated the term "15% reciprocal tariff" to "10–15% global tariff" due to changes in U.S. policy enacted in February 2026. We have added reference articles posted by the United States Congress for further clarification from a trusted source point.
UPDATE 2 - April 8th, 2026: Tariff rates have changed and gone down to 25% of the total base value of the product. This is based on official documentation related by the United States Government. You can find this related proof here and here. Updates to the article have been made to reflect this change.
For a quick summary, be aware that most orders containing kitchen knives coming from Japan to the United States will result in a 25% tariff of the value of the knife applied, plus courier administration fees and standard tariffs on other non-kitchen knife items. We do not take this payment, and all purchases from us exclude all tariffs in the final price.
If you order a kitchen knife to the United States, you'll hear from us first before we ship it to confirm awareness of these tariffs.
Tariffs on Japanese Kitchen Knives
The United States government currently imposes a 25% tariff on the full value of a kitchen knife entering Japan. This means that if you pay $100USD for a knife, you may need to pay an extra $25USD in tariffs, plus any other fees the courier charges to process this service.
Originally, this tariff was higher (about 50%) and was based on the approximate content of steel in a product. As of April 6th, 2026, the 25% revised rate applies and that 50% rate has ceased.
You can read about the previous precise amounts and reasoning in the article "Expanded Section 232 Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum" posted by the US Congress here to find out more. You can also see the new tariff rule applied here in a document from The Whitehouse, under pages 14 and 15.
Please expect that any kitchen knife order made from Japan will incur a 25% tariff on the price of the knife, as well as additional courier administration fees, dependant on the courier.
Please note this does not stack with the standard 10–15% tariff for items from Japan. Tariffs on kitchen knives are 25% instead of 10–15%, not 25% plus 10–15%.
Tariffs on Whetstones, Saya, and Other Items
Tarriffs are applied differently depending on what the item is.
Most of the extra products we sell are whetstones, sheathes (saya), and cutting boards. These will normally have the standard 10–15% tariff that items from Japan to the United States carry.
This may not always be the case, as rules change frequently.
How are Tariffs Paid?
Knife purchases from us do not include customs taxes, duties, and other levies. Our shipping charge specifically covers just shipping. Likewise, when we offer free international shipping, this specifically just means shipping charges are waived. It does not cover or waive customs taxes, duties, and other levies.
When a courier picks up an item from us to deliver to you, the United States Government bills them for the expected tarriff amount.
The courier then pays this tariff, and bills you for the amount they paid. They also charge an administrative fee to do this, which is on your bill.
Tarriffs are paid directly to them, and we are not involved in that transaction in anyway, nor do we see any money from it. In turn, all disputes regarding tariffs must go to the courier directly. We cannot help you with those disputes.
Kitchen Knife Orders to the United States
We understand these charges can be high, especially as a percentage on smaller orders, and as a raw number on larger orders.
In order to try and counter unexpected bill shock, we will manually reach out to any customer ordering a steel product such as a kitchen knife from us to the United States via email to inform them of the potential U.S. tariffs, and confirm they are aware both that they exist and agree to pay them before sending the item.
This email will also explain the risks and potential percentage-based fees associated with the order, and link to this article explaining why these tariffs are in place.
Shipment will not start before we hear back from the customer confirming they are aware of the risks and are okay to proceed. If we cannot get a hold of the customer after two weeks, we will cancel the order automatically and refund the money.
If you need the order quickly, or are already aware of and agree to pay the charges, we advise to either whitelist emails from us or contact us directly by replying to the purchase email sent after ordering confirming that you are okay with paying the tariffs.
If you are sending a gift to someone in the United States and do not want them to know, we advise keeping the contact email as yours instead of using the recipient's email address.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did tariffs on packages from Japan to the United States start?
This particular tariff started on August 29th, 2025
When will this tariff end?
This is a matter solely decided by the United States government, and only they could answer that question.
What if I don't want to pay the tariff?
The order would be returned to us, but as the tariff has already been paid by the courier company, we must then pay it in your place.
Any refund given would be minus the unsubsidised cost of the shipping of the item, and all tariff fees.
This can sometimes leave you with very little, or even no money remaining to refund.
Please keep in mind items that have been modified, such as with name engraving or extra sharpening services, are ineligible for refund.
I didn't see that the tariff is not included. What should I do?
Unfortunately, as the courier charges the tariff instead of us, this tariff must always be paid.
Under each product on our website, as well as on your cart page before checkout, we disclose "Prices do not include import taxes or customs fees."
We also mention this in our Shipping Policy, our FAQ as well as our final checkout screen under the Help (?) and Shipping subsections.
We also contact all customers shipping orders with kitchen knives to the United States before shipment to confirm they are aware of these tariffs before shipment.
Why do your prices exclude these tariff fees?
While some webstores choose to collect import taxes at time of payment, these aren't always accurate and may require further billing later.
Just as many webstores take the same approach as us, not taking any tariff fees and having the courier handle this part of the process.
Handling these tariffs internally is a very labor-intensive, time-consuming experience. We would have to hire staff to handle this, which would result in higher prices on top of the tariffs, so we feel it best to leave it to our courier partners who are experts in this subject.
If you are ever unsure, we highly advise you to contact whatever webstore you are purchasing from to confirm if the price includes tariffs or not. They may also appear in your invoice under "Taxes" or another similar term.
Do I pay these tariffs if I bring the item with me on an airplane?
Please be aware that if you purchase products at our shop in Osaka and wish to bring them out of Japan with you, knives and plating chopsticks cannot be carried in your hand luggage. You will need to put them into your checked luggage. Please see further information in our Taking Kitchen Knives Out of Japan article.
US duty-free exemptions do exist, and depending on your situation, you may not need to pay any import fees at all.
Please consult the CBP attaché at the U.S. embassy located in Japan about your situation to confirm such information.
Will these tariffs apply if I ship the item myself?
U.S. tariffs will still apply even if you purchase our products ar our shop in Osaka and then ship them yourself.
Items shipped to the United States are ineligible for American duty free status, as per the United States Customs and Border Protection website.
In addition, due to changes in Japanese law effective April 2025, items shipped from Japan are no longer eligible for Japanese duty-free status. Therefore, if you purchased the item in Japan tax-free, you will also need to pay Japanese consumption tax.
I have further questions about these tariffs, who should I contact?
As per the website of the United States Customs and Border Protection office.
"Duty free exemption limits depend on the country or countries you visit and the length of stay. Learn which rates apply to the goods your purchase on your trip - call the CBP attaché at the country's U.S. embassy."
Please call the CBP attaché at the U.S. embassy located in Japan for further information about U.S. tariffs.
Do all couriers charge this tariff?
Yes, all couriers are meant to charge this tariff. Changing couriers will not change the tariff you pay. Courier administration fees may vary from courier to courier.
What do I do if I didn't get an email from you about tariffs?
Please check your email's spam filter.
If you do not see an email from us, contact us by replying to your automated payment completion email about the order and we will send you the right information.
If you don't see this either, contact us via our contact page so we can make sure you get the information.