Shopping Guide
HELP / FAQs
By onemall 
TL;DR
- Three things are never shippable from the OneMall warehouse, by any carrier, to any country: aerosols and sprays; flammable liquids (alcohol-based perfume, nail polish, lighter fluid, paint); and dangerous goods proper (fireworks, gases, loose or wet batteries, strong magnets, corrosives, CITES wildlife products)[1][2].
- Carrier-limited: knives and anything weapon-shaped do not go by DHL; food and alcohol do not go by ECMS; spirits over 24% ABV go only by DHL; devices with installed lithium batteries go by post within airline limits[3][4].
- Destination-limited: food into Australia and New Zealand, knives into the UK and Canada, alcohol into US states that require permits, medicines and tobacco almost everywhere — legal to export from Japan, seizable on arrival.
- The cost of getting it wrong is yours: an item that turns out to be unshippable, or is refused by your customs, cannot be refunded once it is in the warehouse; you can forfeit it free of charge but lose the price[2][6].
- To the United States the only lines today are ECMS and DHL (Japan Post is not offered), so US buyers cannot ship food or alcohol by ECMS and cannot ship knives by DHL — plan accordingly.
Sources: OneMall’s prohibited-items, shipping-method and shipping-FAQ pages and Japan Post’s nonmailable-articles pages, read on 11 September 2026. Last updated: 2026-09-11.
Why a proxy has stricter rules than a suitcase
Everything you buy through OneMall leaves Japan as air or sea cargo under the international dangerous-goods rules (IATA for air, and Japan Post applies the same list to sea mail), then enters your country as a commercial import. Two filters, neither of which cares that the same bottle of perfume would have been fine in your checked luggage. The first filter is universal and physical: can this object be in an aircraft hold? The second is your country’s import law. This guide covers both, carrier by carrier, for the things people actually ask about — perfume, alcohol, batteries, knives and food.
The list: what ships, what does not, and by which carrier
| Item | Japan Post (EMS / Seamail) | ECMS (US only) | DHL | Why / notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerosols and sprays (hair spray, deodorant spray, dust removers, camping gas) | Never | Never | Never | OneMall cannot ship anything with aerosol content; check the product is not a spray before buying[2] |
| Perfume and cologne (alcohol-based), nail polish, lighter fluid, paint, thinner | Never | Never | Never | Flammable liquids — flash point below 60.5°C — are hazardous goods for air transport and barred from international mail, sea mail included[4][5] |
| Lithium batteries installed in a device (camera, handheld console, phone, laptop, music player) | Yes, within limits | Yes, within limits | Yes, within limits | Installed batteries meeting airline criteria are accepted; not available to every destination[4]. OneMall lists the device types it handles[3] |
| Loose spare batteries, power banks, wet (lead-acid) batteries | Never | Never | Never | Corrosive / dangerous goods[1][4] |
| Alcoholic drinks up to 24% ABV (sake, wine, beer, most umeshu) | Destination permitting | Not by ECMS | Yes | Alcohol is excise goods everywhere: duty at any value, permits in some states and countries |
| Spirits above 24% ABV (whisky, shochu 25%+, gin) | No | No | DHL only | OneMall routes higher-strength alcohol to DHL[3] |
| Food: sealed shelf-stable snacks, tea, instant noodles | Destination permitting | Not by ECMS | Yes | ECMS excludes food and drink[3]; Australia and New Zealand biosecurity, and meat/dairy bans almost everywhere, apply |
| Frozen, refrigerated or fresh food | Never | Never | Never | The warehouse and all shipping are ambient temperature[2] |
| Kitchen knives, scissors, tools | Yes to most countries | Yes | No | DHL will not carry weapons or edged tools on OneMall[3]; some destinations ban specific blade types (see below) |
| Swords, replica weapons, airsoft, toy guns, radio equipment | Destination permitting | Destination permitting | No | Listed among DHL exclusions[3]; many countries require permits or ban them outright |
| Fireworks, ammunition, matches, lighters, charcoal, fire extinguishers, diving tanks | Never | Never | Never | Explosives, gases and flammable solids[1] |
| Strong magnets, engines, mercury, pesticides, bleach, peroxides | Never | Never | Never | OneMall hazardous list[1] |
| Ivory, tortoiseshell (bekko), coral, exotic leathers and other CITES species | Never | Never | Never | Washington Convention items cannot be shipped[1] |
| Cash, coins, bullion, precious stones, bearer securities | Not by EMS | No | No | Japan Post classes these as valuables and excludes them from EMS[4] |
| Disposable pocket warmers (kairo) | Approved brands only | — | — | Japan Post publishes a list of manufacturers whose warmers may be mailed[4] |
| Medicines, supplements, cosmetics with medicinal claims | Destination permitting | Destination permitting | Destination permitting | Quantity limits and import permits vary by country; prescription drugs generally cannot be imported by post |
| Tobacco, cigarettes, e-liquids | Destination permitting | Destination permitting | Destination permitting | Excise goods; several countries ban postal import of vaping products outright |
“Destination permitting” means Japan will let it out and the carrier will take it, but your country may not let it in; check your customs authority before buying. Where a table cell says Never, OneMall will not accept the item for international shipping at all — the system also blocks bidding on or purchasing items it can identify as unserviceable[1].
The five questions people search for
Can you ship perfume from Japan?
Not through the post, and not through OneMall. Alcohol-based perfume, cologne and eau de toilette are flammable liquids — ethanol’s flash point is far below the 60.5°C line Japan Post uses — and flammable liquids are dangerous goods for air transport, which Japan Post refuses for every mail class including sea mail[4][5]. Nail polish is in the same class and appears by name on OneMall’s list[1]. Solid perfumes, oil-based (non-alcohol) fragrances and unscented skincare are not flammable liquids; if a listing does not state the base, ask before ordering. The same logic bars hair tonics, toners and many “mist” products — usually because they are aerosols, which OneMall does not ship under any circumstances[2].
Can you ship alcohol from Japan?
Yes, with conditions. Alcoholic drinks are the one hazardous category with a legal route: OneMall’s shipping-method page puts alcoholic beverages above 24% ABV among the goods that can only travel by DHL, and excludes alcohol from ECMS altogether[3]. In practice: sake, wine, beer and most umeshu (under 24%) can go by Japan Post where the destination accepts alcohol by mail, or by DHL; whisky, gin and 25% shochu go by DHL. On arrival, alcohol is excise goods everywhere — duty and tax at any value, no de minimis — and some US states, the Gulf states and parts of Asia require import permits or ban private alcohol imports. Whisky buyers should also read the customs section of our import tax guide.
Can you ship batteries from Japan?
Installed, yes; loose, no. Japan Post accepts lithium batteries that are installed inside equipment and meet its criteria, though not to every country[4], and OneMall lists the device categories it handles under this rule[3]:
- Digital cameras
- Music players (iPod, MP3 players, Walkmans)
- Nintendo 3DS, Wii and Wii U
- PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PS Vita
- Laptops and tablets (iPad)
- Mobile phones
- Electronic dictionaries
- Portable DVD players
- Power tools
- LCD TVs and monitors
Spare cells, replacement batteries sold on their own, power banks and wet lead-acid batteries are dangerous goods and are not shipped. If you buy a used camera that comes with two spare batteries, expect the warehouse to remove the spares. Devices with batteries also fall under DHL and Seamail restrictions that vary by destination, so the warehouse may steer a battery item to a particular line[3].
Can you ship knives from Japan?
Kitchen knives are one of Japan’s biggest mail-order exports and ship by Japan Post EMS to most countries without issue. On OneMall they cannot go by DHL, whose exclusions cover weapons and edged tools, swords, replica weapons and radio equipment[3]. Destination law is the real constraint: the UK bans flick knives, gravity knives, zombie-style and certain disguised knives; Canada bans knives that open automatically or by centrifugal force; Australia has state-level lists. A gyuto or santoku is a kitchen tool in all of these; a balisong or a spring-assisted folder is not. Swords and replica firearms need import permits in most countries and are best not attempted by post.
Can you ship food from Japan?
Sealed, shelf-stable food — snacks, candy, tea, coffee, instant noodles, seasonings — ships by Japan Post and DHL to most destinations. It does not ship by ECMS, which excludes food and drink[3], and nothing frozen, refrigerated or fresh can be accepted because the warehouse and all shipping are at room temperature[2]. Your country then applies its own rules: Australia and New Zealand inspect and often destroy anything with meat, dairy, egg, seeds or honey; the US and EU bar meat products; many countries limit rice and require labelling. Our Japanese snacks guide covers what actually clears.
Restricted rather than banned: the grey list
- Medicines, quasi-drugs and supplements — Japan will export them; your country limits quantities (typically a personal supply of one to three months) and bans prescription-only substances by post. Eye drops, pain patches and cold medicine are the common cases.
- Cosmetics — fine unless aerosol or alcohol-based; some countries require ingredient labelling in the local language for anything that looks commercial.
- Tobacco and vaping — excise goods; Australia, Singapore, Thailand and others ban postal import of e-liquids or vapes outright.
- Seeds, plants, wood, soil — phytosanitary certificates in most countries; Australia and New Zealand refuse most of it. See the bonsai and woodworking guides for what is realistic.
- Used clothing and bedding — a few countries (India, Indonesia, the Philippines for commercial lots) restrict second-hand textiles; personal quantities are generally fine.
- Cars, engines, wheels — not a parcel; engines are on the hazardous list[1] and vehicles need a freight forwarder, not a proxy.
What happens if you buy something that cannot ship
- Before purchase: items OneMall can identify as unshippable are blocked from purchase or bidding[1]. Automatic detection is not perfect, so a spray or a perfume can slip through if the listing title does not say so.
- At the warehouse: staff inspect every arrival[7]. A prohibited item is held; you are told it cannot be shipped internationally.
- Your options: forfeit the item (free, no refund of the price)[6], or, for items that are only carrier-limited, choose a carrier that accepts them. Once an item has reached the warehouse it cannot be refunded or returned to the seller for this reason[6].
- At your customs: if the destination rejects an item as prohibited, OneMall cannot compensate the loss, and if the carrier returns the parcel the original shipping is not refunded and a return fee may apply[2].
The cheap insurance is a question before you buy: message support with the listing URL and your country, or use the photo service for anything whose contents are unclear. Fragile items have their own rules — see the shipping methods guide for reinforcement and consolidation advice.
Frequently asked questions
Can you ship from Japan to the US right now?
Yes. Perfume, alcohol, knives and food to the USA follow the table: perfume no; alcohol and food only by DHL (ECMS excludes them); kitchen knives only by ECMS (DHL excludes them). OneMall currently offers ECMS and DHL to the United States; Japan Post lines are not available for US addresses on the platform as of 11 September 2026, so the Japan Post rules above matter less for US buyers than the ECMS food/alcohol exclusion and the DHL knife exclusion.
What are the EMS prohibited items?
Japan Post’s (the post office’s) universal list, which applies to Korea and every other destination: explosives, compressed gases (including any aerosol), flammable liquids and solids, oxidisers, toxic and infectious substances, radioactive and corrosive substances (including batteries not installed in equipment), narcotics, live animals, pornographic material, and valuables such as cash and bullion. Dangerous goods are refused for sea mail as well as air[4]. Each destination country adds its own list.
Can you ship cigarettes or tobacco from Japan to the USA or elsewhere?
Japan Post will carry tobacco where the destination allows it, but almost every country treats it as excise goods with permit requirements — the US bars most postal imports of cigarettes outright, Australia requires a permit, and vaping products are banned by post in several countries. It is not a category worth attempting through a proxy.
Can I ship souvenirs, luggage or a suitcase of my stuff from Japan?
Through a proxy, only what you buy through the proxy — and yes, ordinary “stuff” and “things” (figures, clothes, snacks, books, electronics) ship to the USA, America’s neighbours and the rest of the world every day. OneMall receives parcels from Japanese sellers, not from individuals, so it is not a luggage-forwarding service; the shipping rules above apply to every item in your account regardless of how it got there.
Is there a size or weight limit?
Yes, per carrier: EMS up to 30 kg and 1.5 m on the longest side (length + girth 2.75 m) for the US example on OneMall’s page; ECMS 30 kg and 0.55 m; Seamail 30 kg and 1.05 m; DHL up to 70 kg with surcharges over 30 kg or 1 m[3]. Anything over 30 kg or 1.5 m is routed to DHL automatically.
References
- OneMall Support — Prohibited Items List for Japan
- OneMall Support — International Shipping FAQ (aerosols, fresh food, prohibited goods, returned parcels)
- OneMall Support — International shipping method (carrier limits, battery devices, DHL exclusions)
- Japan Post — Nonmailable Articles in International Mail
- Japan Post — Hazardous materials: Flammable liquids
- OneMall Support — Important Purchase Notice (returns, refunds, forfeiting)
- OneMall Support — Online Value-Added Services (inspection, photo, reinforcement)
Carrier and customs rules change; this page reflects the sources above as read on 11 September 2026. Last updated: 2026-09-11.