FAQ

We are a traditional Japanese company called “CHINRIU”, established in 1871, and now managed by the fifth generation of our family. NIHON ICHIBAN is our international brand. Based in Odawara, Kanagawa prefecture, we specialize in traditional foods like “umeboshi plums”, “red shiso” and “Sakura foods”. In 2012, we launched NIHON ICHIBAN to connect the “Best of Japan” with Japan enthusiasts from all over the world and support small business without the knowledge and skills to ship internationally or online. We now represent traditional craftsmen, artisans and family businesses from all corners of Japan and work closely together to keep these precious traditional crafts thriving in a modern society.

Read our full story here.

All our products are sourced and manufactured in Japan, with very few exceptions. Some craftsmen and artisans, after careful consideration and expectation, decide to source part of their raw ingredients or materials abroad, due to scarcity in Japan. In this case this is explicitly mentioned on the product page.

The NIHON ICHIBAN store is operated by CHINRIU HONTEN LIMITED. The company was established in 1871 and is run by the fifth generation of the Komine family. We run two brick and mortar stores in Odawara city and you can reach us by phone during Japanese business hours (JST): +81-(0)50-6860-4261 or by email: info@chinriu.com The company's registration number is 1021001035429, the address is: 1-2-1 Sakaecho, Odawara, Kanagawa 250-0011 Japan.

We source directly from the manufacturers to make sure that we get original and genuine products.

No! You can choose to create an account or check out as a guest. Please note that as a guest you will not be able to log back in and check on your order's progress, or collect points on your order. Points cannot be collected after the order has been completed as a guest.

With an account, you can collect loyalty points, track your order status and benefit from a faster check-out for future orders.

Yes! To combat food loss, we offer food items with a shorter best-before-date in our mottainai/sales category here.  Furthermore, you can collect points on your account for purchases, reviews and social shares to save for a discount. To stay up to date on special sales events and rewards, please sign up for our Newsletter here. As we offer high-quality, often hand-made crafts and foods, we do not participate in commercial sales events like Black Friday. Businesses can apply for a wholesale account here.

Yes! We offer free gift wrapping and a small customizable message card for all orders. To send the gift directly to the recipient, select their address as the shipping address. You may decide to opt for DHL shipping with customs duties paid to avoid the recipient having to pay charges upon receipt.

Yes! Read how our gift vouchers work here.

You can apply for a wholesale account here. Please note that it may take some time before your application has been reviewed. You will receive a confirmation upon acceptance.

Yes! You can request a product here. We will review your request and if we are able to add this to our shop, you will be notified. Please note that we are committed to selling the “Best of Japan” through high-quality foods and crafts from traditional and authentic craftsmen, artisans and designers. We will not be offering items like mass-produced processed foods, cheap tools or manga.

We ship worldwide, both in- and outside of Japan. You can confirm the available shipping options and rates for your address by adding your items to the shopping cart, before checking out.

Some items in our shop have a handling time. This can be because we order them fresh, like senbei and fresh wasabi paste, or because the items are made-to-order and have a production time. You can see the estimated shipping date on the product page before placing your order, and again in the shopping cart before checking out. In case of doubt, please contact our customer support.

If you wish to make any changes to your order contents, please contact us at your earliest convenience: info@chinriu.com

If your order has already been handed over to the postal services, we can no longer make any changes. We kindly ask you not to change or remove food items or made-to-order items that we order with the craftsman on your behalf, as they may not be able to be canceled. Customized items (e.g. personalized masu cups, engraved brushes and message tanzaku strings) CANNOT be canceled or adjusted once the customization has begun.

Incomplete or incorrect shipping information (including missing first/last name, incomplete/invalid address, or invalid phone number) can result in customs clearance- or delivery delays or delivery failure.

If your order has not shipped yet, please contact us at your earliest convenience: info@chinriu.com If your order has already shipped, please contact your shipping provider directly (DHL or your local shipping service). If the shipment cannot be forwarded or corrected, it may be returned to Japan and you will have to pay for the re-shipping. We will not be able to refund shipping costs and food items expired during transit for shipments delayed due to incomplete- or incorrect details.

The delivery time depends on your selected shipping service. 

• DHL Express – 3-7 days by air, door-to-door by DHL. Includes tracking and insurance. 
• EMS Express – 3-7 days by air, handled by Japan Post + your local delivery service. includes tracking and insurance.
• Registered Mail – takes 2 weeks by air and includes tracking and insurance.
• Air Mail – takes 2 weeks by air and does not include tracking and insurance.
• SURFACE MAIL – ships per land and sea (boat) and therefore takes 2-3 months to arrive. Tracking is available on land only and is updated when the parcel leaves the port in Japan and again when your local courier is ready for the final delivery per truck.

Once your order has been shipped, you will receive a shipping confirmation and tracking details by email (except for Air Mail).

• DHL, you can track your order here: Track & Trace Service
• Japan Post For Japan Post, you can track your order here: Tracking. It may also be useful to use the tracking engine on your local postal services’ website, e.g. “USPS” or “La Poste”. 

For our full shipping policy and your responsibilities for monitoring and collecting your shipment, please see here.

You may have to pay import taxes and customs fees for your order. These charges are separate from your shipping fee, and you will be billed directly from the carrier of your choice. These fees are mandated by international law and out of our control. We cannot predict the exact fees. Whether you are charged or not is at the discretion of the customs officer in charge of your shipment. If your customs office requires additional paperwork, please contact our customer support. You can opt to pay duties in advance with DHL Duties Paid.

NOTE: If you decide to return or reject the order because of the import duties, we will not refund the shipping costs or food items that expired during transport.