How to send items through post office

Many times, I want to send some items through the post office but each time i found it difficult because I do not know all the possible options available and I could not ask because I cannot speak Japanese.
So I decided to search on internet about shipping in Japan. This is a summary of what I found.
For a summary about shipping rates through post office, see the following page: http://www.post.japanpost.jp/fee/simulator/kokunai/parcel.html#02

1-Yuu-pack ( ゆうパック)

• Use for: heavier items over 500g
• Cost: http://www.post.japanpost.jp/fee/simulator/kokunai/parcel.html#01
  
• More information: http://www.post.japanpost.jp/service/parcel/you_pack/index.html (Japanese)

For heavier items, postal Yuu-Pack is probably the best option. You need to fill in a blue form with the receiver's and the sender's details, including phone numbers. You can specify a certain time of day for delivery. The fee will depend on the overall size, not the weight, of the package, so try to squeeze it into a small box! You receive a 100yen discount on the price if you take it to the post office by yourself,rather than having the parcel picked up from your home. A few days later you will receive a postcard to let you know the package has been delivered.

Options for Yuu-pack:

Yuu-pack can be sent 着払　Chakubarai　(in english, COD for cash on delivery) or 　代金引換　daikin hikikae　(in english POD for payment on delivery).

1. Chakubarai: The receiver pays the Yuu-mail rate, plus 20 yen for this service. sender fills out a pink COD form. The receiver's phone number is needed. sender can specify a time of delivery (morning, afternoon, late afternoon, evening).
   
2. Daikin hikikae: Payment on Delivery allows the sender to post the parcel to the receiver at the receiver's expense AND collect an extra amount on top of the postal fees.

For more details about options available for Yuu-Pack:
http://www.post.japanpost.jp/service/you_pack/add.html

2-Yuu-mail (ゆうメール), called before "sasshi kozutsumi "（旧冊子小包）

• Use for: books, magazines, cds, dvds, videos up to 3kg, H+W+D limit: 1.7 m
• The flat rates for anywhere in Japan are:
  
  up to 150 grams: 180 yen
  up to 250 grams: 210 yen
  up to 500 grams: 290 yen
  up to 1 kg: 340 yen
  up to 2 kg: 450 yen
  up to 3 kg: 590 yen
• For more information about Yuu-mail (in japanese) http://www.post.japanpost.jp/service/you_mail/index.html
  http://www.post.japanpost.jp/service/you_mail/use.html

Yuu-mail can also be sent chakubarai (in english, COD for cash on delivery), entailing an extra 20 yen collection fee or sent Daikin hikikae (POD for Payment on Delivery) (see Options for Yuu-Pack for more information).
For more details about options available for Yuu-mail : http://www.post.japanpost.jp/service/you_mail/add.html


3-EXPACK500（エクスパック）500
Sometimes it is possible to cram something that would be going for the top rate of 590 yen of the Yuu-mail into a 500 yen ExPack envelope, saving 90 yen.

• Use for: anything that will fit inside the envelope
• Fix cost: 500 yen for whatever you can fit inside the envelope (248mm×340mm) and the weight limit is 30 kg.
• More information (japanese) http://www.post.japanpost.jp/service/expack/index.html

There is a flat 500 yen charge nationwide, as long as the parcel fits inside the envelope provided. There is no need for complicated postage calculations and affixing stamps, and in addition to collection by postal workers, the "EXPACK 500" can also be mailed in a post box 24 hours a day. Moreover, by entering the barcode, tracking information can be checked via PC, and a seal to confirm receipt can be obtained from the recipient.
You can track EXPACK500 on the internet or cell phones. There is no insurance for these so you should not use them for valuable or irreplaceable items and it is not permitted to use them to send money. These envelopes will not fit in the mouth of some older mailboxes.

Halal Milk for babies

Few months ago some muslim women asked me about halal baby milk. A japanese mulim woman helped us to get more information about the baby milk prouced in Japan.

Unfortunately, the only confirmed halal milk for babies we know is "Chirumiru" of Morinaga: from (9months to 3 years)(http://www.hagukumi.ne.jp /products/chirumiru/chirumiru .shtml)

The japanese sister, asked the maker Morinaga about "HAGUKUMI" suitable for newborn until 9 months, this is Morinaga answer:

"Lecithin is from soy bean, but unfortunately, Hagukumi contains enzyme from pork (or lard)."

The milk of Meiji is Haram (confirmed form ingredients).

All the other brands could not confirm if their products are halal. The japanese sister has asked both of Bean Stalk Snow (group comapny of Yukijirushi) and Wakoudou (group company of Asahi Beer) about their baby milk, unfortunately, their replies were not satisfactory.

Both of them said that as ingredients, haram materials are not included, but they do not have total control on the manufacturing process of their suppliers of ingredients. Enzyme or other ingredients may have been produced or extracted utilizing the material derived from pig.
Therefore they cannot guarantee if their products are halal and they request consumers who have religious restrictions shall not use their products.

If you want to use the baby milk for a baby from 0 month until 9 months and to be sure that the milk is confirmed Halal, I think the only choice you have is the soy milk baby formula, I do not know the brand names but I think it is easy to find it in the store. But, I have been told that soy milk is not good for baby health if used for long time.

I do not know if it is possible to import baby milk from Islamic countries but I think the muslim community here in Japan should consider this option since the only halal baby milk we know is "CHIRUMIRU" of Morinaga and it is only suitable for babies above 9 months.

Fish names in japanese and english

This is a useful list of fish names in japanese and english when you are shopping. (the list was taken from http://japanese.about.com)

sakana 魚	fish
kai 貝	shellfish
awabi あわび	abalone
ebi えび	shrimp
hamachi はまち	yellowtail
hirame ひらめ	sole
ika いか	squid
iwashi いわし	sardine
kaki カキ	oyster
kani かに	crab
karei かれい	flounder
katsuo かつお	bonito
maguro まぐろ	tuna
masu ます	trout
nishin にしん	herring
saba さば	mackerel
sake 鮭	salmon
tai 鯛	sea bream
tako たこ	octopus
tara たら	cod
unagi うなぎ	eel
uni うに	sea urchin

Free guided tour of Akihabara!

From “New Discovery of Akihabara” (website)

Free tour ”New Discovery of Akihabara” on every Saturday, will take you the places where is the most excited in Akihabara such as, pop culture ( Kotobukiya ,Tokyo Anime Center ) , electric town and duty free shop.

Period : Every Saturday
July 7, 2007~January 19, 2008
Tour guide language : English

Meeting place : 1st floor of Radio Kaikan
(30 seconds from the Akihabara Electric Town Exit )
Meeting time : 0:50PM
Departure time: 1:00 PM

Tour course
(please visit the New Discovery of Akihabara website for details):
*1 Radio Kaikan
*2 Electric Town / Shopping District
*3 Tsukumo Robot Kingdom
*4 Overseas model products
*5 Knowledge Field at UDX building
*6 Radio Kaikan (disband)
Fill out a questionnaire and disbands at Radio Kaikan.
( Gift will be given at the end of the tour.)

The tour takes approximately 2 hours.

* The tour course may change due to weather.
*Let us remind you that you may be interviewed by Japanese TV or newspapers due to strong popularity of the tour.

Halal Food Seminar for women in Tsukuba Mosque