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Buying from abroadHow to Buy Japanese Golf Clubs From Outside JapanForwarding, proxy buying, duty and warranty, using only what I could read on official pages
Updated: Oct 19, 2026Contains affiliate links
There are four ways to buy Japanese golf clubs from outside Japan: Rakuten forwarding, Buyee-style proxy buying, a local official store and Amazon. Below, when each one fits and what to watch for on duty, specs and warranty, using only facts on official pages.
In this article
- Bottom line
- How do you buy Japanese golf clubs from outside Japan?
- Can Rakuten Global Express ship golf clubs?
- How is a proxy service like Buyee different from forwarding?
- Will I pay duty, import tax or consumption tax?
- How do Japan-spec and overseas-spec clubs differ?
- Is the warranty on a Japanese club valid abroad?
- How should I think about shipping cost and weight?
- What should I check before I order?
- What changes between the US, Taiwan and other countries?
- About the writer and sources
- FAQ
Bottom line
If you want a Japan-only model, compare Rakuten forwarding (Rakuten Global Express) with a proxy service first. Both cost the item price plus international shipping, and in some countries import tax. Long boxes like golf clubs cost extra for special packing even through Rakuten. Many makers tie the warranty to "an authorized dealer in the country of purchase," so read the warranty page before you buy.
How do you buy Japanese golf clubs from outside Japan?
There are 4 ways to buy a club from Japan while living abroad. The table uses only what I could read on the official pages (checked Oct 19, 2026).
| Method | Best for | How the cost works | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rakuten forwarding (Rakuten Global Express) | You found the club on Rakuten Ichiba and want it shipped to your home abroad | Item price plus international shipping. Shipping includes packing materials, packing work and invoice fees. Long items like clubs cost extra for special packing | Some items cannot be shipped. In some countries, a local delivery fee is charged after arrival. Person-to-person sales such as Mercari are not accepted |
| Proxy buying (Buyee and similar) | You want one window for shops other than Rakuten, or for used clubs | Item price plus a fee, domestic shipping in Japan and international shipping. Duty is separate | Fees keep changing, and so does how US duty is handled. Check the estimate tool |
| Local official store or authorized dealer | The model number is sold in your country | Local price. Tax and shipping follow local rules | Japan-only models are often not sold there. A local model number may not match the Japanese one |
| Amazon (your country's site) | The seller and the shipping origin are both in your own country | Listed price plus shipping. Tax depends on the seller and the country | Warranty depends on whether the seller is an authorized dealer |
If I were after a Japan-only model, I would put Rakuten forwarding and a proxy service side by side and get a quote from each. If your country sells the model number, a local authorized dealer is the clearer deal on warranty.
Can Rakuten Global Express ship golf clubs?
Rakuten Global Express is Rakuten's own forwarding service for overseas buyers. It collects parcels from Japanese online shops at a warehouse in Kawasaki and ships them abroad. Orders from Rakuten Ichiba and Rakuten Books are registered automatically in My Page. Parcels from other shops can be sent too. The official page says there is no fee to combine parcels from several shops into one.
There are four shipping methods: Economy Air, Super Express, Standard Express and sea mail. In the official examples, Super Express takes about 1 day, Economy Air about 5 to 10 days, Standard Express about 2 to 9 days and sea mail about 25 to 66 days. The page says these are examples and actual times can differ.
For golf clubs, the official page says items that are hard to pack in a normal box, such as long ones, cost extra for special packing. The amount is not listed. There is also a list of items it cannot ship, so check it before you order an expensive club.
How is a proxy service like Buyee different from forwarding?
With a proxy service, the company buys the item from a Japanese shop for you, receives it at its warehouse and ships it abroad. Buyee handles Rakuten, Mercari, auctions and more through one window. Per Buyee's help pages, you pay in two steps. The first is the item price plus a purchase fee (¥500 per order). The second is domestic shipping in Japan plus international shipping.
Duty is not part of Buyee's fees. Under its terms, duties, taxes and customs fees are your responsibility and are not refunded. For the US, Buyee switched to prepaying duty, and it announced that from Apr 21, 2026 it would replace the flat prepaid rate with rates by product category. Fees and duty handling change often, so check Buyee's estimate tool right before you buy.
Will I pay duty, import tax or consumption tax?
I could read the official rules for the US and Taiwan, plus how Japan's consumption tax works. For other countries, check your own customs authority's page.
United States: According to US Customs and Border Protection, duty-free treatment for packages worth $800 or less (de minimis) is suspended for goods from all countries. It covers every shipping route, including mail. The duty rate on golf clubs depends on how the item is classified and where it was made.
Taiwan: According to Taiwan's customs authority, goods imported together are exempt from duty and business tax if their dutiable value is NT$2,000 or less. But if you clear goods under this exemption more than 6 times in a half year (January to June, July to December), you are treated as a frequent importer and the exemption no longer applies.
Japanese consumption tax: According to the National Tax Agency, sales a Japanese shop makes as exports are exempt from consumption tax. When a shop ships abroad at a customer's request, it counts as the exporter and must keep the export papers. Whether a shop applies the exemption is its own call, so ask before you order.
How do Japan-spec and overseas-spec clubs differ?
Even clubs with the same name can differ between Japan and overseas in loft, lie angle, length, stock shaft and how flex is labeled. Some models exist only in Japan, and some launch there first.
I line up the Japanese official page and the local official page for the same model number and compare five things: loft, lie angle, club length, stock shaft weight and flex. Flex letters (R, SR, S) are not an industry standard. Each maker sets its own, and shafts that share an "S" can vary a lot in weight. I explain how to read them in S vs R shaft flex and how to read a spec sheet.
To check release dates and prices before you order a new Japanese release, see 2026 new irons, Srixon ZXi5 vs ZXi7 and the Srixon ZXi RKT driver. For rangefinders, read the Garmin Approach S72 article.
Is the warranty on a Japanese club valid abroad?
It depends on the maker. Callaway's warranty page, for example, covers products "purchased from an authorized retailer or distributor," and outside the US you get service from "the distributor or subsidiary in the country in which the club was purchased." Clubs are covered for two years from purchase.
Other makers may also tie the warranty to an authorized dealer in the country of purchase. Before you buy from Japan, read the maker's warranty page and the guide from your local distributor. It is safer to plan on paying for repairs yourself.
How should I think about shipping cost and weight?
International shipping depends on the weight and size of the parcel. In an example on the Rakuten Global Express page, four bottles of shampoo (1,790g) sent to Hong Kong cost ¥4,580. That is not a golf club, but it shows that weight and size set the base price. Clubs are long, so the box is bigger, and the special packing fee comes on top.
I estimate the cost in this order: 1) the item price, 2) international shipping from the forwarder's quote, 3) extra packing fees, 4) import tax in your country. Buying from Japan only makes sense when the total beats the price at an authorized dealer near you. For a Japan-only model there is no local price to compare, so I decide from the total.
What should I check before I order?
Before I press the order button, I check these six things in order. Doing it this way keeps you from finding out afterward that the club could not be shipped or had no warranty.
- Note the model number, release date, loft, shaft and price from the Japanese official page.
- See whether your country's official page lists the same model number. If it does, compare the local price.
- Check that a Japanese shop such as Rakuten Ichiba has it in stock and that it is not on the forwarder's list of items it cannot ship.
- Get a quote for shipping and special packing from a forwarder or proxy service.
- Read your customs authority's official page on import tax.
- Read the maker's warranty page to see how repairs are handled outside the country of purchase.
What changes between the US, Taiwan and other countries?
| Country or region | What I could read on shipping | What I could read on tax | What I could read on warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Listed as an example destination on the Rakuten Global Express official page | Duty-free entry for packages worth $800 or less is suspended (CBP) | Callaway covers products bought from an authorized retailer or distributor |
| Taiwan | Also listed as an example destination | Exempt up to NT$2,000 in dutiable value, but not after more than 6 uses in a half year (Taiwan customs) | Callaway expects warranty service from the distributor in the country of purchase |
| UK, Australia, Singapore | Also listed as an example destination | Check your own customs authority's page | Check each maker |
The countries listed as examples are the ones named on the official page. That does not mean a country that is not listed cannot be served. The full list is on the official "countries and regions we ship to" page.
About the writer and sources
Written by a gear nerd who studies golf equipment, averages a 72, and plays about 150 rounds a year.
I re-read the numbers against the sources below on Oct 19, 2026. Last updated Oct 19, 2026.
FAQ
What is the best way to buy Japanese golf clubs from outside Japan?
For Japan-only models, buy on Rakuten Ichiba and forward the order with Rakuten Global Express, or use a proxy service such as Buyee. If your country sells the same model number, a local authorized dealer makes the warranty easier to sort out.
Can Rakuten Global Express ship golf clubs?
Its official page says long items like golf clubs cost extra for special packing. It also has a list of items it cannot ship, so check that list before you order.
Do US customs charge duty on Japanese golf clubs?
According to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), duty-free entry for packages worth $800 or less is suspended for all countries. The rate depends on how the item is classified, so look it up on the CBP site.
Do Taiwan customs charge duty on Japanese golf clubs?
Taiwan's customs authority exempts goods worth NT$2,000 or less, but not if you use the exemption more than 6 times in a half year. Check its latest notice for what counts toward that value.
Does the warranty on a Japanese club work abroad?
It depends on the brand. Callaway, for example, expects you to get warranty service from the distributor in the country where you bought the club. Read the maker's warranty page before you buy.
Does Rakuten Global Express ship to Taiwan?
Its official page lists Taiwan as an example destination, along with the US, Hong Kong, Australia, Singapore and the UK. The full list is on the "countries and regions we ship to" page.
How much does Buyee charge?
Buyee's help page lists a purchase fee of ¥500 for 1 order. Domestic shipping in Japan and international shipping come on top, and duty is not included. Fees change, so check the estimate tool before you pay.
Can I ship golf clubs by sea?
The official page offers sea mail, with an example of about 25 to 66 days. It does not say whether golf clubs qualify, so check on the quote screen.
Do I pay Japanese consumption tax?
The National Tax Agency says sales a Japanese shop makes as exports are exempt from consumption tax. The shop must be treated as the exporter and keep the export papers. Each shop decides whether to apply it, so ask before you order.
Related reading
Garmin S72 Review: Oct 22 Release and Differences From the S70
【Oct 2026 Update】Srixon 2026 Irons | ZXi5 vs. ZXi7: The Differences
Sources for this article
- Rakuten Global Express official page
- Buyee Help Center (fees)
- US Customs and Border Protection: E-Commerce FAQ
- Taiwan Customs Administration: express cargo
- National Tax Agency: shipping goods abroad at a customer's request
- Callaway Golf: warranty
Related: 2026 release calendar · 2026 new irons.
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