Recently, I’ve become obsessed with some Japan-exclusive stationery and figurines. I searched all over Spain but couldn’t find them locally; the only options were from resellers charging double the price. So, I decided to try buying directly from Amazon Japan myself, and the whole process was much smoother than I expected! Here’s a guide based on my experience for anyone interested in doing the same.
Registration and Address Setup
You’ll need an Amazon Japan account. If you have an Amazon account for another country, which you might use for finding things like Amazon’s culinary treasures, it won’t work here—you have to register a new one. The sign-up process is simple and only requires an email. You can also switch the interface to English, which makes everything much easier.
The crucial step is setting up your shipping address. Go to Your Account -> Your Addresses and add your Spanish address directly. Remember to fill it out in English or Roman letters, and avoid special Spanish characters like ñ or accented vowels, as the system might not recognize them. Make sure to add Spain’s country code, +34, before your phone number.
About Payment
I used my Spanish CaixaBank card, and both VISA and Mastercard work fine. A pre-authorization hold is placed when you order, but your card is only charged when the items are shipped. The exchange rate is based on your bank’s JPY to EUR rate for that day, which is quite fair.
Product Selection and Ordering Process
Not all products are eligible for international shipping. When searching, you can tick the Ship to Spain box (or a similar filter) on the left sidebar to see only items that can be shipped directly. When you proceed to checkout, the system will automatically calculate the shipping cost and an optional estimated Import Fee Deposit. This is very important: Amazon pre-collects this deposit to cover customs duties. Their policy is to refund any overpayment and absorb any extra costs themselves. This way, your package will likely clear Spanish customs (Aduana) instantly, saving you the hassle of dealing with extra taxes or complex clearance procedures.
Below is a cost breakdown from my purchase from Japan, which is a process slightly different from shopping on Amazon in Spain. For your reference:
| Item | Amount | Description |
|---|
| Product Price | ¥12,000 | Three books and a small figurine |
| Shipping Fee | ¥3,500 | Chose the fastest DHL delivery |
| Import Fee Deposit | ¥2,850 | This is actually VAT, pre-collected as required |
| Total | ¥18,350 | Charged directly to credit card |
Although it might seem a bit pricey after shipping and taxes, this direct shipping method is so much more stress-free than dealing with resellers in Spain or risking a package forwarding service. From placing the order to DHL delivering it to my door in Madrid, it only took 4 days—incredibly fast! I hope this short guide helps, and happy shopping!
