Frequently Asked Questions

We use Japan Post to ship domestically, and use DHL, FedEx and Japan Post to ship internationally. Custom and inspection from destination countries may cause delay.

Receiver will be responsible for all tax and custom duty from their home country, if applicable. If special express delivery is needed, please email us directly for instruction.

Items will be shipped within 7 days of payment. International shipping time varies, usually takes about 2-4 weeks to arrive. Due to recent changes in global logistic regulation, we may change carriers or suspend services accordingly. Read our special announcement for latest updates.

Read our Shipping and Handling page for details.

Yes! Gift wrapping is a very important part of the gifting culture in Japan. Leave us a message when you place your order. We provide gift-wrapping and special handwritten note card upon request for an additional USD4. Select "Gift Wrap" at check out.

Returns are accepted within 14 days of purchase for refund, exchange or store credit. Returns must be authorized in advance or will be returned to sender at the senders expense. Please refer to Terms and Conditions page for details.

Returned items must be UNUSED and in perfect condition to be returned. Please send items back by insured mail with a copy of your receipt. Shipping charges will not be reimbursed.

We are used to dealing with fragile items, so care is taken during packing. In case of broken / damaged pottery due to shipping packaging, please reject the package and communicate with us in details on the condition. We will replace the item best we can.

10% Sales Tax applies only to shipping address IN Japan.

TARIFF for importing to US (August 13, 2025)

Read new update section on U.S. Duty-Free Rule Ending August 29, 2025 in other FAQ section.

TARIFF for Importing to EU countries (July 2022)

EU Trade commission has implemented new policy as of July 2022, all goods purchased from outside of EU are subject to VAT / Import duty despite of value. The tax-free threshold for low-cost goods has been eliminated.

When shipping address is outside of Japan, we do not charge sales tax on the purchase from Goenne.com. However, buyer (or recipient) is responsible for all customs duty and consumption tax (VAT) of their own country. The amount is determined by the destination country's Custom and collected by the carrier, whom will collect any applicable tax prior to releasing the package . The calculation is based on the value of the item (and the international tariff HS code) declared on the commercial invoice enclosed with the package. The VAT & taxes vary per country. We do not have visibility on the VAT amount billed to buyer. Each country has different rate and allowable purchase thresholds. (E.e.g if your purchase is under the threshold, it could be duty-free)

Any question about duty / VAT, please check with your country's tax bureau.

You are purchasing handmade products and no two items are alike, we provide product description and specification as accurate as we can. However, because everything is made one-by-one by hand, so slight variations incolor, dimension, weight should be expected. Artisans in Japan are highly-skilled and have decades of experience in their trade. It is the nature of hand-made product to have variations.

Hand-made pottery requires (and deserves) some extra care. If you show them some love, they will last you a lifetime. That is how many hand-crafted items become family heirlooms. Visit our Product Care Page for information on how to handle hand-made pottery.

Because everything is made at the kiln by hands, some artisans welcome custom order and will make products based on your needs. Please contact us to inquire about Special or Custom order. Expect at least 1 to 1.5 month of completion time. Ceramics as well as most other handcraft requires a lot of time.

This could be a great idea for special gift for your special occasion or anniversary celebration, just plan ahead.

We'd love to discuss new collaborations, trade, or initiatives.

Please refer to Trade & Partnership page.