Moving from Berlin to Tokyo (2026): Costs, Visas & Complete Guide

Moving from Berlin to Tokyo (2026): Costs, Visas & Complete Guide

Relocating from Berlin to Tokyo means moving between two very different administrative worlds. Germany runs on precise paperwork and formal deregistration; Japan runs on residence cards, city-office visits and some of the strictest import rules on earth. This guide walks you through the shipping route, the real cost drivers, Japanese customs, life in Tokyo and the visa and quarantine timelines you need to plan around.

Key takeaways

• Sea freight from a German port (Hamburg or Bremerhaven) to Yokohama or Tokyo typically takes around 5–8 weeks in transit; air freight is far faster but much dearer per kilo.
• Before you leave you must complete your Abmeldung (deregistration) at a Berlin Bürgeramt — this is your proof you have moved abroad.
• Japanese customs require a Declaration of Personal Effects and Unaccompanied Articles (form C-5360); used personal effects generally enter duty-free if declared correctly.
• Certain medicines need a Yakkan Shoumei import certificate before you travel.
• Your work visa depends on a sponsor-obtained Certificate of Eligibility (CoE); on arrival you receive a residence card (zairyu) and must register at your city office within 14 days.
• Pets face a MAFF 180-day waiting period after blood testing — start roughly seven months ahead.

1. The route: sea freight from Germany to Yokohama

Most household goods travelling from Berlin to Tokyo go by sea. Your belongings are collected in Berlin, consolidated and trucked to a northern German port — usually Hamburg or Bremerhaven — then loaded for the long haul to Japan. The main gateway for the Greater Tokyo area is the Port of Yokohama, with some services routing through Tokyo itself.

Plan on an ocean transit of roughly five to eight weeks once the vessel sails, and add time either side for collection, export packing, consolidation and customs clearance at both ends. A full 20ft or 40ft container is the norm for a whole household; smaller moves usually travel as a shared (groupage) load, which is cheaper but slower because it waits for a full container to fill.

Air freight is the alternative when you need essentials quickly. It compresses transit to days rather than weeks, but the cost per kilogram is dramatically higher, so it is best reserved for a small “first weeks” shipment while the bulk of your home follows by sea.

2. What drives the cost

No two Berlin-to-Tokyo moves cost the same. Rather than quote figures that will not match your home, it helps to understand the levers that move the price:

• Volume and weight. The single biggest factor. A studio flat and a four-bedroom house are worlds apart. Decluttering before you pack pays for itself.
• Sea vs air. Sea is the economical default; air is a premium for speed.
• Sole-use vs shared container. Your own container is faster and more private; groupage saves money on smaller loads.
• Access at both ends. Berlin flats often mean stairs, narrow stairwells or restricted parking; Tokyo delivery may need a shuttle vehicle or an external lift for a compact building. Both add labour.
• Packing and insurance. Professional export packing protects fragile items over a long sea voyage, and marine transit insurance is strongly recommended.
• Customs and destination charges. Terminal handling, clearance and local delivery in Japan all form part of the total.

The practical takeaway: get a proper survey, ship less rather than more, and choose sea freight unless speed is essential.

3. Japanese customs: form C-5360 and Yakkan Shoumei

Japan lets returning residents and new arrivals bring in used personal effects and household goods duty-free, provided they are declared properly. The core document is the Declaration of Personal Effects and Unaccompanied Articles, Customs Form C-5360 (the English C-5360-B version is used by non-Japanese movers).

The key points to understand:

• You declare your unaccompanied baggage (your shipped goods that arrive separately from you) on arrival in Japan. Passengers with unaccompanied baggage submit two copies of the C-5360; customs stamps both and returns one, which is needed later to clear the shipment.
• A detailed inventory / packing list is required, so your shipment must be itemised carefully.
• New items, alcohol, tobacco and certain restricted goods can attract duty or limits — the duty-free treatment is for genuinely used personal effects.

Medicines and the Yakkan Shoumei. Japan restricts several everyday medicines that are freely available in Germany. Certain cold, allergy and ADHD medications, and larger quantities of prescription drugs, require an advance import certificate called a Yakkan Shoumei (or a Yunyu Kakunin-sho for some categories). Some stimulant-based medicines are prohibited outright. Check your prescriptions against the current rules well before you fly, and apply for the certificate in advance if needed.

4. Living in Tokyo

Tokyo is a collection of very distinct districts, and where you land shapes your budget and daily life. Popular areas for international arrivals include:

• Minato (Roppongi, Azabu) — the classic expatriate heartland, with international schools, embassies and premium flats.
• Shibuya — central, energetic and well connected, popular with younger professionals.
• Setagaya — leafier and more residential, favoured by families.
• Meguro / Nakameguro — stylish, walkable and increasingly sought-after.
• Shinjuku — a major transport and business hub with huge variety.
• Chiyoda — the governmental and business core, very central.

A few realities catch Berliners off guard. Renting usually involves substantial upfront money: not just a deposit, but often “key money” (reikin) — a non-refundable gift to the landlord — plus agency fees, and frequently a guarantor or guarantor company. Flats are typically compact by Berlin standards, so the furniture that fits a spacious Altbau may simply not fit a Tokyo apartment — another reason to ship selectively. Tokyo consistently ranks among the more expensive Asian cities, but excellent public transport and everyday convenience offset a lot.

5. Visas, residence card, health, driving and pets

Visa and Certificate of Eligibility. Most people moving from Berlin to work in Tokyo need a status of residence such as Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services or the Highly Skilled Professional route. The process usually starts with your employer sponsoring a Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) in Japan; you then convert this into a visa at a Japanese mission before travelling.

Residence card and city registration. On arrival you are issued a residence card (zairyu card). You must then register your address at your local city (ward) office within 14 days of settling in. This registration underpins almost everything else — health insurance, banking and more.

Health insurance. Residents generally enrol in National Health Insurance (or employer-based health insurance), which covers a large share of medical costs.

Driving. Short term you can drive on an International Driving Permit, but for longer stays you convert your German licence through the gaimen kirikae procedure at a licence centre, which may include knowledge and practical checks.

Pets — the long pole in the tent. Japan’s MAFF Animal Quarantine Service runs one of the world’s strictest import regimes for dogs and cats. The sequence is: microchip, two rabies vaccinations, then a FAVN rabies antibody titre test, followed by a mandatory 180-day waiting period before your pet is eligible to enter. You must also send advance notification to the Animal Quarantine Service at least 40 days before arrival. In practice, start the process at least seven months ahead to avoid your pet being held on arrival.

6. A realistic timeline

• 7+ months out: Begin the pet import process (microchip, rabies vaccinations, FAVN test) so the 180-day clock can run.
• 3–4 months out: Confirm your job offer and CoE sponsorship; book a moving survey; decide what ships and what goes.
• 6–8 weeks out: Convert your CoE into a visa; arrange export packing and the sea shipment from Hamburg/Bremerhaven; check medicines against Yakkan Shoumei rules.
• 2–4 weeks out: Complete your Abmeldung at the Berlin Bürgeramt; settle utilities and contracts; send pet advance notification (≥40 days).
• Arrival: Receive residence card; declare unaccompanied baggage (C-5360); register at your ward office within 14 days; enrol in health insurance.
• After arrival: Receive your sea shipment (roughly 5–8 weeks after sailing); convert your driving licence.

How Flyto handles your move

Flyto Relocation runs its own hubs across Europe and ships worldwide, so a Berlin-to-Tokyo move is coordinated end to end — collection and export packing in Berlin, consolidation and sailing from a German port, and customs clearance and last-mile delivery in Tokyo. That means one point of contact for the paperwork that trips people up, from the C-5360 declaration to compact-flat delivery logistics, rather than juggling separate agents in each country.

Get a personalised moving plan and quote from a Flyto advisor.

Frequently asked questions

Related moves

• Moving from Stockholm to Tokyo
• Moving from Madrid to Tokyo
• Moving from Paris to Tokyo
• Moving from London to Tokyo
• Moving to Osaka from Abroad
• Moving to Tokyo from Abroad

Sources

• Japan Customs — customs forms and declarations: customs.go.jp
• Immigration Services Agency of Japan — residence status and Certificate of Eligibility: isa.go.jp
• MAFF Animal Quarantine Service — importing dogs and cats: maff.go.jp/aqs
• Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare — importing medicines (Yakkan Shoumei): mhlw.go.jp
• Germany (Berlin) — deregistration (Abmeldung) at the Bürgeramt: service.berlin.de

Hiring an international mover? See our full International removals to Japan service — Flyto’s own European hubs, vetted local partners and one English-speaking coordinator, door to door.