Moving house no matter where you are can be tiring. But it’s especially true in Japan and even more so if you can’t speak Japanese fluently. Moving can also be incredibly exciting, though, it’s an opportunity to see another side of the city, or even the country. It often means a fresh start and hopefully a bigger place! To ensure your moving experience is more the latter than the former, here are some English-friendly moving companies that will help make the transition as smooth as possible.

Quick tips

The cheapest time to move house is around June; there are two main reasons for this. It’s post-peak moving season, and it’s also rainy season making it very unpopular for local folks, but excellent for those who love a deal.

The most expensive time to move is in March and April. June–April is the beginning of the university and school year. It’s this time of year when new work contracts start in typical Japanese companies, which means lots of relocating.

One tip for finding the best deal when moving is to do a little shopping around for quotes, but also to let the companies know you’re looking around. If the season is quiet, and they know you have a wandering eye for companies, it puts you in a favourable position for negotiating. 

Once you’ve chosen the company you want to move with, two additional ways to save money are to request to use old boxes for moving if possible. Reusing old boxes is environmentally sustainable, but also it’s cheaper than getting new ones. Another tip is to pack and move the small stuff by yourself. The less the company has to do, the more you can cut back on service fees.

Crown Relocations

Crown Relocations has been in the moving business for half a century now, so if you’re looking for experience, these guys have it. As well as the physical side of moving house, Crown also assists with the logistical side too. The company offers immigration services, pet relocation, language training for those moving to Japan, and personal property protection. With such a big focus on international moving, Crown is best suited to those planning to move to or leave Japan as opposed to domestic moving, although they offer that too!

Web: https://www.crownrelo.com

Kokusai Express Co.

Kokusai Express Co. is one of Japan’s most well connected domestic moving companies. They offer international relocation services too, but domestic is their bread and butter. They provide both personal and business packages that can be tailor-made to fit your budget. As well as moving all your gear across the country, Kokusai Express Co. also offer packing and unpacking services too, which is ideal for office moving. Contact them via their website to get a quote for your next move.

Web: https://ksemoving.com

Allied Pickfords

Allied Pickfords is one of the biggest moving companies in the world. They have outposts across the map, so if you’re looking for a moving company you can stick with throughout future international moves, this is an excellent choice. The company boasts 400 years of moving history, but they officially launched in Japan back in 1995. They offer both domestic and international relocation services for the home and office. They also have multilingual staff that speak Japanese, English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian, so communication is no problem. 

Web: https://www.alliedpickfords.co.jp/

Tokyo Move

One of Tokyo’s better known bilingual moving companies is Tokyo Move. If you trawl through Japan’s international online discussion threads, you’ll find this team comes very highly recommended. As well as moving your stuff, Tokyo Move offers cleaning services, storage, and international relocation. If you are conscious about minimising the environmental impact of your next move, Tokyo Move proudly advertises their reuse box program. Unlike other moving companies, they reuse their moving boxes, which is cheaper for you and better for the environment. The serve Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama and ‘beyond’ so if you’re within the general vicinity of Tokyo, there’s a chance they’ll be able to help you out too. The staff are bilingual, speaking Japanese and English, so feel free to give them a call for a quote or discuss your next move.

Web: https://www.tokyomove.com

Prorow Moving Services

Prorow’s strength is its diverse and easily understandable package options. They have smart budget plans for those who are happy to pack themselves to save money. They have the standard plan for those who want someone else to do it all, as well as VIP plans, long-distance moving plans and economy plans where they can move just the big stuff for you. The latter service is perfect for people who are moving nearby or within the same building. 

Web: http://www.prorow.jp

Asian Tigers

As the name suggests, Asian Tigers is an Asia-wide moving service with outposts in the continent’s primary commercial centres like Japan, China, Indonesia, Korea, Singapore, and more. The company offers both international, in-Asia relocation packages as well as domestic services. If you want a comprehensive moving company with all the offerings, they have storage, moving management consultation, handymen, white-glove concierge delivery, and pet relocation options too. 

Web: https://www.asiantigers-mobility.com

Quick Move

Spend a little time on Quick Move’s website, and you’ll find plenty of testimonials vouching for their work. The company domestic offers moving and storage services as well as furniture removal and furniture installation. If you’re in the market for some new furniture, you can also chat with the team about their furniture stock list, as they may have the perfect piece for you in their warehouse. The company doesn’t do quotes over the phone, so be sure to email your request.

Web: https://www.quickmove.jp

By Lucy Dayman 

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