International Shipping
We ship Japanese calligraphy scrolls worldwide via USPS Priority Mail International from our studio in Washington State.
Shipping Time
- United States: 2–3 business days via USPS Priority Mail
- International: 6–10 business days via USPS Priority Mail International, plus customs clearance
Customs clearance typically adds a few days but can take 1–4 weeks in some countries. Tracking may go silent during this time — this is normal. If four or more weeks pass with no update, contact your local post office with your tracking number.
Shipping Cost
Shipping is calculated at checkout based on your destination. For international orders, the checkout shows your exact shipping cost before you pay.
Import Taxes and Duties
International orders may be subject to import duties, taxes (such as VAT or GST), and customs processing fees. These are collected by your local customs authority when the package arrives — not by Takase Studios.
Original artwork is typically duty-free. Each scroll is an original work of art by Master Calligrapher Eri Takase — hand-brushed, signed, and sealed. Most countries exempt original artwork from import duties.
VAT or GST still applies in most countries. This tax is calculated on the total value of your order including shipping. Rates vary by country:
| Destination | Typical VAT/GST Rate |
|---|---|
| Canada | 5% GST |
| Australia, Japan | 10% |
| Germany | 7% (reduced rate for art) |
| Switzerland | 7.7% |
| United Kingdom | 20% |
| Norway, Sweden, Denmark | 25% |
| Most other EU countries | 5–7% for art |
Your carrier may also charge a handling fee (typically $5–15) for processing customs paperwork.
Our checkout shows an estimate of these additional costs when you select your country, so you can see the full picture before you pay.
Country-Specific Notes
Brazil
Brazil collects more import tax than any country we ship to. We still ship there, and we want you to know what to expect before you order.
A $220 scroll arrives at your door for around $560. That breaks down as $220 for the scroll, about $35 for USPS Priority Mail International, and roughly $305 in Brazilian federal duty, state VAT, and Correios handling fees. The federal duty is 60% under the Regime de Tributação Simplificada (RTS); the state VAT (ICMS) is 17% to 20% depending on your state and compounds on top of the federal duty. Our checkout estimate shows the full delivered cost before you pay, so the number on the page is the number you pay.
To clear customs, Brazilian buyers need to provide a CPF (Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas) and a phone number reachable by Correios. Our checkout collects both. We pack a paper invoice in the package with the same details — Brazilian customs requires the documentation match exactly.
Delivery takes about 4 to 6 weeks. Most of that is customs processing, not transit. If your package sits in Aguardando pagamento status for more than 10 days, that usually means Correios is waiting on the duty payment from you — they will send a payment slip (boleto) by post or email.
Questions about Brazil shipping specifically? Email Eri at eri@takase.com. We have shipped to Brazil since May 2026 and the process is now familiar to us.
South Korea
Korean customs requires every personal import over USD 200 to carry a Personal Customs Clearance Code (PCCC) tied to the buyer's national ID. Our scrolls are over the threshold, so a PCCC is required.
A $220 scroll arrives at your door for around $290. That breaks down as $220 for the scroll, about $35 for USPS Priority Mail International, 10% VAT (~$25), and roughly $10 in Korea Post handling. Calligraphy is duty-free under the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement, so you only pay the VAT and the small handling fee — there is no separate import duty. Our checkout estimate shows the full delivered cost before you pay.
You can register for a PCCC for free at unipass.customs.go.kr by uploading your passport. It takes about 10 minutes and you keep the same code for all future personal imports — register once, reuse forever. Your PCCC has the format P followed by 12 digits (for example, P012345678901).
At checkout we ask for your PCCC, your name as it appears on your passport, your phone number with the +82 country code, and your postal code. Korean customs verifies that all four match the registration on file before they release the package — please double-check the spelling and digits before you submit.
Delivery takes about 2 to 3 weeks. Korea Post is fast and reliable; most of the time is the international transit, not customs.
Questions about Korea shipping specifically? Email Eri at eri@takase.com.
Where We Ship
We currently ship to:
- North America: United States, Canada
- Europe: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
- Asia-Pacific: Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea
If your country is not listed, please contact us at tim@takase.com — we may be able to arrange shipping on a case-by-case basis.
Questions
If you have any questions about international shipping, customs, or delivery to your country, please email us at tim@takase.com. We are happy to help.