How to order a small batch from a Japanese workshop
Updated November 2026
Many small Japanese factories and workshops can make 10–200 pieces of knives, woodwork, metal parts, leather goods or ceramics. Most of them do not have an English shop, so the order usually starts with an email. This guide walks through what to send, what a good quote contains, and the costs people forget — shipping and import duties.
Before you write: prepare 6 things
Japanese workshops answer faster when the first message already holds the facts they need to price the job. Have these ready:
- What it is — one sentence, plus a photo or a simple drawing. For custom parts, give sizes in millimetres and the material (for example “stainless steel SUS304, 2 mm”).
- Quantity — the number you want now, and the number you might reorder. “50 now, maybe 200 per year” is more useful than “small quantity”.
- Finish and branding — logo engraving, colour, packaging. Send the logo as a vector file (SVG, AI or PDF) if you have one.
- Target price — a range per piece. It saves both sides a round of emails.
- Deadline — the date the goods must arrive, not the date they ship.
- Destination — country and city, and whether you are a business or a private buyer. This decides the shipping method and the import rules.
The first email (template)
Keep it short, numbered and free of idioms — it will often be read through a translation tool. Copy and edit:
Subject: Quote request – 50 engraved wooden trays Hello, I run a small online shop in Canada and would like a quote. 1. Item: wooden serving tray, see attached drawing (300 × 200 × 20 mm) 2. Material: hinoki or similar, natural oil finish 3. Quantity: 50 pieces now, possibly 150 per year 4. Branding: my logo engraved on the back (SVG attached) 5. Target price: around ¥3,000–4,000 per piece 6. Needed in Toronto by 20 February 7. Shipping: please quote EMS or courier to Canada Could you tell me the unit price, any setup cost, the lead time, and the shipping cost? A short reply in Japanese is fine – I will translate it. Thank you, (your name, shop name, website)
The last line matters: many workshops hesitate to reply because they worry about writing English. Telling them Japanese is fine removes that barrier.
What a complete quote includes
Before you pay, make sure the quote answers each of these. If one is missing, ask — it is normal.
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Unit price and currency | Most Japanese quotes are in yen. Your bank or card will convert at its own rate. |
| Setup / tooling cost | Engraving plates, moulds, jigs or a first-article check are often charged once. On small runs this can be larger than the parts themselves. |
| Japanese consumption tax | Goods exported from Japan are normally sold without the 10% consumption tax, but ask whether the price includes it. |
| Lead time | Working days from payment or approval of the sample. Note the New Year holidays (around 29 December–3 January), Golden Week (early May) and Obon (mid-August), when many workshops close. |
| Packaging | Individual boxes, export cartons, protective wrapping. |
| Shipping and terms | Which carrier, and who pays duties. See shipping below. |
| Defects | What happens if pieces arrive damaged or out of spec — remake, refund, or partial credit — and how you report it (photos within a set number of days). |
Minimum order size and samples
Small workshops often accept small orders, but the price per piece drops sharply with quantity because the setup is the same. Three common ways to start small:
- Order an existing product with light customisation (engraving, colour) instead of a new design. This avoids tooling.
- Pay for one sample first. Expect the sample to cost more than the per-piece price. Approve it in writing before the batch starts.
- Ask about a “test lot” — for example 20 pieces at a higher price, with the normal price applying to the reorder.
Paying
The payment method is something you and the workshop agree on. Common options are an international bank transfer (both banks may charge a fee, and an intermediary bank can deduct another), a card or PayPal invoice if the workshop has a business account, or paying through the workshop's own online shop.
- Get the full quote and the bank details in writing, from the workshop's official email address or website.
- If bank details “change” by email before you pay, confirm by another channel first — this is a common fraud pattern worldwide.
- Splitting payment (for example a deposit, then the balance after you approve photos of the finished goods) is common for custom work.
Shipping and import duties
For small batches there are usually two choices from Japan:
- EMS (Japan Post's express mail) — tracked, and generally accepts parcels up to 30 kg (lower for some destinations). Often the cheapest tracked option for boxes under about 10 kg.
- Courier (DHL, FedEx, UPS) — faster and often handles customs clearance for you, but usually more expensive for small boxes and may charge you a brokerage fee on delivery.
Heavier orders (for example more than a few cartons) go by air or sea freight through a forwarder.
Who pays the duties?
Ask the workshop to state this on the quote. You will see terms such as DAP (the seller pays shipping, you pay duties and taxes on arrival) or DDP (the seller pays everything, so the price is higher but there is no surprise bill). Most small Japanese workshops ship DAP.
Things to check for your country
- United States: the duty-free “de minimis” exemption for low-value parcels has been suspended for all countries since 29 August 2025, so most commercial parcels from Japan are now subject to duties. Rules have changed several times — check U.S. Customs and Border Protection (cbp.gov) before you order, and ask the workshop which carrier can currently take your parcel.
- European Union, United Kingdom and others: import VAT is charged on most parcels, and duty depends on the product's tariff code (HS code). Ask the workshop to write a clear description and value on the customs form — a vague description (“gift”, “parts”) causes delays.
- Restricted goods: knives and blades, leather of some animals, wood with bark, and some food items have extra import rules in many countries. Check your own country's customs site before ordering.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Duties and rules change; your national customs authority is the final source.
Small things that help a lot
- Use numbers instead of adjectives. “Edge radius 1 mm” rather than “slightly rounded”.
- Send one drawing with all the sizes, and mark the sizes that must be exact (with a tolerance such as ±0.5 mm). Everything else, let the workshop decide.
- Reply in the same email thread, so the history stays together.
- Be patient with the first reply. Many workshops are run by a few people who are on the factory floor all day. Waiting a few business days is normal; one polite reminder after a week is fine.
- Say thank you after delivery, with a photo of the product in your shop. Workshops remember buyers who come back, and reorders are where small batches become cheaper.
Checklist
- Drawing or photo, sizes in mm, material
- Quantity now and expected reorder
- Logo as a vector file
- Target price range and arrival date
- Quote with unit price, setup cost, lead time, packaging, shipping and duty terms
- Sample approved in writing
- Payment details confirmed from the official address
- Your country's import rules checked
Would you like this to be easier? Kouba Link is testing a service for ordering small batches from Japanese workshops in your language and currency. It is not open for orders yet — tell us what you would order (8 taps, no email) and help us choose where to start.