Is it expensive to move to a new house in Japan?

My personal answer is: Yes, it is very expensive.

The first time moving, I had to pay 75,000 yen even though the fee had dropped quite a bit after a few tips that I'm discussing later. But part of the reason why my moving price was high is because of the wrong timing.

Surely many international students studying in the land of cherry blossoms know that most schools usually let their students graduate in March and enroll in April. This period from March to April is not considered a good time to move because the need for new housing for students is also really high. But since I did not know at that time, it ended up costing me more than moving to a new house during the last months of the year (October – December).

Fortunately, despite moving when the service fee was high, I was guided by many local colleagues, and after a few moves, I learned the tips below.

Tip 1: Make an appointment with the moving company as soon as possible.

In life, having early preparation for anything will always produce better results, right? For house moving, please make sure that we would make an appointment with the moving company 1 - 2 months before the moving time, for the simple reason that they will have enough time to arrange the truck to deliver the luggage. So, at the time of moving, you would not have to worry about the lack of a carriage anymore.

On the contrary, during the first time moving out, I choose to move at the peak period, and also decided to contact the moving service too late (1 week before the move), so when the day came, the company said there was no car available. And I had to wait for 2 more days.

=> The tip is carved into my heart, and it sure will be helpful for the next time moving.

Tip 2: Choose the correct type of moving company and consult the prices from multiple companies.

What types of moving companies are there?

There are only 2 main types of moving companies: Large companies and small (local) companies.

Large company: We use the service of a big company when we move from big cities like Tokyo to smaller provinces like Aichi Prefecture. Then the shipping cost will be cheaper.

Small company (local): Usually used when moving between provinces (They do not offer moving services in big cities)

Benefits of consulting prices from multiple companies

Based on my experience, the shipping company often asks whether I have consulted the services of other companies and at what price to calculate the best cost for the customer.

So do not just look for 1-2 companies. I found the service on the website https://hikkoshi.suumo.jp/, then they contacted me and directly visited my house to figure out the quantity of our furniture. From there, the most accurate price was given.

Tip 3: Select the 2 most potential companies to start negotiating for the lowest price

After receiving offers from different companies, I chose the 2 most potential companies according to two criteria: shipping price & customer service quality.

About customer service:

I would observe the service quality given by the employees from the time of making an appointment to the time when the employee came to the house, survey the amount of furniture, quote the price, ... In this process, I could see that many companies put in a lot of time and work to train their employees. Staff from all departments were harmoniously coordinated and attentive to customer service.

About the shipping price:

Two potential companies will be the two companies with the best customer service and shipping rates. Once you have done selecting, start negotiating the price!

For the second time moving, I booked an appointment 2 months in advance. With the ‘Dekataku’ company, the initial offer was an 80000 yen moving fee. I then called ‘Art’ company to discuss that price and they offered me a reduction of 10000 yen. I then contacted ‘Dekataku’ company again and got the best offer at 65000 yen.

Above are some tips to help you to reduce the costs of house moving as much as possible. I also hope to receive more good tips from you guys.