How To Fill Out A Yamato Form & More: An Easy Waybill Guide

Knowing how to fill out a Yamato form is essential for anyone sending parcels in Japan.

Yamato Transport (ヤマト運輸, Yamato Unyu), also known as Kuroneko Yamato, operates Japan's most widely used door-to-door delivery service, TA-Q-BIN (宅急便, takkyubin).

The standard TA-Q-BIN waybill covers parcels from Size 60 up to Size 200, meaning a combined length, width, and height of up to 200 cm and a maximum weight of 30 kg. Japan Post's Yu-Pack (ゆうパック) is the other major option, accepting parcels up to 170 cm and 25 kg.

This guide covers how to fill out both waybill forms step by step, where to get them, the different service types, and how to handle international shipping labels, all translated and compared side by side so you don't need to piece together separate instructions from two different carriers' websites.

What is a waybill?

A waybill is a document attached to parcels that provides information such as the sender and recipient names, addresses, building name, contact information, and the contents inside.

Yamato and Japan Post Yu-Pack are the two most common waybills in Japan

It is like a passport for your parcel, detailing the shipment's origin, intended route, and destination. 

For domestic shipping, you have to make sure that it is filled out correctly to avoid delays or issues.

Waybills are crucial for tracking and managing deliveries, especially international parcels, as they help with couriers and customs for logistics processing and clearance purposes.

Waybill examples

There are many waybill examples. The most common ones are the:

• Regular forms: which will be discussed in this article

• 着払い form (chakubarai form): Cash on delivery

Yamato vs. Japan Post comparison table

Japan Post’s shipping form example

Japan Post's waybill is mainly for their Yu-Pack, which categorizes parcels up to 170 cm and 25 kg in total weight.

Most common waybill labels for Japan Post.

Their YuPack label can be used for:

• Same-Day Delivery

• ‎Weighted Yu-Pack: packages weighing over 25kg and up to 30kg can be delivered.

• Refrigerated Yu-Pack: parcels that should be refrigerated from acceptance to delivery.

Japan Post also has other waybill forms to fill out depending on what you are sending:

• Airport Yu-Pack: Send heavy suitcases and bulky carry-on bags to the airport.

• Ski Yu-Pack: Send ski equipment and baggage to ski resorts.

• Golf Yu-Pack: Send golf equipment and baggage to golf courses.

Japan Post has special instructions for international shipping.

Yamato Transport (Kuroneko)

The most common Yamato waybill is for their TA-Q-BIN (宅急便) service.

This form covers parcels from Size 60 to Size 200, where the size number represents the total of a parcel's length, width, and height in centimeters.

For example, a Size 60 parcel has a combined measurement of up to 60 cm, while Size 200 is the maximum at 200 cm combined with a weight limit of 30 kg. Each TA-Q-BIN parcel is insured up to 300,000 yen.

Yamato Transport waybill form example

Note that weight can bump your package into a higher size category even if its dimensions fit a smaller one. Yamato bases the final size on whichever is larger, the combined dimension measurement or the size category your actual weight falls into.

The TA-Q-BIN form can be used for:

• Refrigerated items: check 冷凍 frozen or 冷蔵 means chilled items.

• Sending luggage to hotels: fill out your hotel accommodation information such as the hotel's name and address.

• Sending ski equipment: fill out with the ski's name and address. Write the parcel content and circle "スキー" on the form.

• Sending golf equipment: fill out with the golf course's name and address. Write the reservation date for the course, parcel contents, number of clubs, and circle "ゴルフ."

Sending luggage to the airport, including Narita

Yamato's Airport TA-Q-BIN service lets you send luggage directly to major airports, including Narita, so you don't have to carry heavy bags through the train or drive to the airport yourself. Fill in the airport name, terminal, and your flight number and departure time in place of a standard delivery address. For Narita specifically, double check whether you're departing from Terminal 1's North or South Wing, since the airline you're flying with determines which one applies, and writing the wrong wing can delay your bag reaching the right counter. This same service works in reverse too, letting you send luggage from the airport to your hotel or home after you land.

Additionally, Yamato has other waybill forms for different services:

• TA-Q-BIN Time Service Waybill: parcels will be delivered by 10:00 am the following morning

• International TA-Q-BIN: for overseas parcels

• TA-Q-BIN Compact: For parcels smaller than Size 60

What is a waybill number?

A waybill number is a tracking number. It allows you to track your parcels as they are being delivered. You need to know the tracking number on the respective shipping company's website or tracking tool to follow the status of your shipment in real time.

A Yamato TA-Q-BIN waybill number is either 11 or 12 digits long, confirmed directly on Yamato's own tracking page. You'll find it printed on your copy of the waybill, on your receipt if you shipped from a convenience store, or on your screen if you used a PUDO locker or the smartphone shipping option.

How do you fill out a waybill in Japan?

How to fill out a Japan Post shipping label

Here is a translated version of what you, the sender, should fill out for a Japan Post waybill form.

How to fill out JapanPost form

The staff will fill out the other information at the post office, such as the parcel size and weight.

After confirming everything, you will pay the fee.

How to fill out a Yamato form

Most waybills from Yamato have English underneath the Japanese. But here are more translated items in the waybill form.

How to fill out Yamato form

A staff member will fill out the rest of the form. 

Where to get a waybill?

There are two ways to get a waybill.

Pick up a label at a store location.

You can pick up shipping application forms at any Japan Post Office or a Yamato Transport Sales Office. There is no fee; it can be taken anytime the office is open.

You can also pick up a Yamato TA-Q-BIN waybill at a Japanese convenience store. Locations that stock Yamato waybills include 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, NewDays, Daily Yamazaki, and Poplar. Note that when sending a parcel from a convenience store, the size must be Size 160 or smaller. There are no fees for picking up waybills.

Schedule a pick-up delivery.

When you schedule a parcel delivery via pick-up, the driver will bring the waybill form and fill it out.

Skip the paper form: sending a waybill from your smartphone

If filling out a paper application form in Japanese feels intimidating, Yamato offers a way around it entirely. The service, officially called "Send Takkyubin via Smartphone" (宅急便をスマホで送る), lets you enter your waybill information directly into the Yamato Transport app or website instead of handwriting a paper form.

Here's how the process works:

1. Enter the recipient's name, address, and package details into the app or website, the same information you'd otherwise write by hand on a paper waybill

2. The system generates a QR code on your phone

3. Bring your package and QR code to a participating convenience store or Yamato service location

4. Staff scan the code and print your waybill for you, so you never have to write a single Japanese character by hand

Using this service can also save you money! Registering for Kuroneko Members (free) and bringing your own package to a Yamato sales office unlocks up to ¥210 in combined discounts, ¥60 for using the digital option and ¥150 for the members' bring-in-yourself discount. Using it as a guest without a Kuroneko Members account still works, but only at a staffed Yamato sales office rather than convenience stores or parcel lockers, and without the full discount stack.

One thing to keep in mind, while this service saves you from handwriting a Japanese form, the app and website themselves don't appear to have an English interface as of this writing. You'll likely still be navigating Japanese menus to get there, even though the actual information you enter, names and addresses, works the same regardless of language.

If your Japanese reading skills are limited, having a translation app open alongside Yamato's app can help you get through the setup the first time.

This option is especially useful if you're shipping something last minute and don't have time to look up how to fill out each field, or if your handwriting in Japanese isn't confident enough for a staff member to read easily. It's also required if you want access to certain same-prefecture shipping discounts at convenience stores, which only apply when you use this smartphone option rather than a handwritten form.

International waybill shipping label

International waybills are a little more complicated to fill out as you must adhere to the country's specific customs regarding imported goods.

Japan Post and international shipping labels

JapanPost does not allow handwritten labels for international shipping. 

Instead, you will need to fill out and print the electronic label.

Yamato Transport (Kuroneko) international shipping labels

Yamato does allow handwritten waybills for international shipping. They have created a visual guide to help you out.

Kuroneko’s international waybill form filled out

Frequently asked questions

How do I fill out a Yamato TA-Q-BIN waybill form?

To fill out a Yamato TA-Q-BIN waybill, write the recipient's postal code, address, building name, room number, full name, and phone number in the delivery address section (お届け先, otodoke-saki). Then write your own address and name in the sender section (ご依頼主, go-irainin-nushi). Write the parcel contents in Japanese in the 品名 (hinmei) field. You can also specify an optional delivery date and time slot. A staff member at the Yamato sales office or convenience store will complete the size, weight, and fee fields.

Where can I get a Yamato TA-Q-BIN waybill application form?

You can pick up a blank Yamato TA-Q-BIN waybill at any Yamato Transport sales office, a TA-Q-BIN agency, or at convenience stores including 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, NewDays, Daily Yamazaki, and Poplar. There is no fee for waybills. If you request a home pickup, the Yamato driver will bring the waybill to your door. Note that convenience store drop-offs are only accepted for parcels of Size 160 or smaller.

What is the difference between a Yamato waybill and a Japan Post Yu-Pack label?

A Yamato TA-Q-BIN waybill covers parcels from Size 60 to Size 200 (combined length, width, and height up to 200 cm, maximum 30 kg). A Japan Post Yu-Pack label covers parcels up to 170 cm combined and up to 25 kg. Yamato waybills can be written in English and are available with English sub-labels on the form. Japan Post standard waybills are in Japanese only. For international shipping, Yamato allows handwritten waybills while Japan Post requires an electronic label printed from their website.

What is a chakubarai (着払い) form in Japan?

A chakubarai (着払い) form is a cash-on-delivery waybill where the recipient pays the shipping cost upon delivery rather than the sender. To fill it out, write the recipient's postal code, address, name, and phone number first, then add your own information as the sender. You can select a preferred delivery date. Both Yamato and Japan Post offer chakubarai service, but each requires a special dedicated waybill form that is separate from the standard prepaid form.

What is the difference between motobarai and chakubarai?

Motobarai (元払い, also written 発払い) means the sender pays the shipping fee at the time of shipping, which is the default and most common arrangement for both Yamato and Japan Post. Chakubarai (着払い) is the opposite: the recipient pays when the package arrives. Every standard waybill covered earlier in this guide is a motobarai form unless you specifically request and fill out a chakubarai form instead.

Is a waybill number the same as a tracking number?

A waybill number functions as a tracking number that you can use on the carrier's website to follow your parcel's status and location in real time. For Yamato TA-Q-BIN, enter the number at the Kuroneko Yamato tracking website. For Japan Post Yu-Pack, use the Japan Post tracking system. If a parcel is transferred to a different courier during delivery, the original waybill number may be replaced or supplemented by a new tracking number from the second carrier.

How do I send luggage to a hotel in Japan using Yamato TA-Q-BIN?

Fill out a standard TA-Q-BIN waybill with the hotel's name and full address as the delivery destination. Write the guest name as it appears on the reservation in the recipient name field. Include your check-in date in the preferred delivery date section to ensure the luggage arrives before you do. Yamato's Airport TA-Q-BIN service allows you to send bags from the airport directly to your hotel or vice versa.

Can I fill out a Yamato waybill in English?

Yes. Yamato Transport confirms that TA-Q-BIN waybills can be written in English, and most standard waybill forms include English translations beneath the Japanese fields. Yamato also allows handwritten waybills for international shipping, and has published a visual guide to help non-Japanese speakers complete the form correctly. Japan Post does not allow handwritten labels for international shipping and requires senders to complete an electronic label on their website.

Can I create a Yamato waybill without filling out a paper form?

Yes. Yamato's "Send Takkyubin via Smartphone" service lets you enter your recipient's information, address, and package details directly into the Yamato Transport app or website. The system generates a QR code, which you bring to a participating convenience store or Yamato location along with your package, and staff will scan it and print the waybill for you. This is a useful option if you're not confident filling out a Japanese application form by hand, or if you're shipping in a hurry.

In closing

Knowing how to fill out a waybill form eases the stress of sending your package to its destination. Whether you send items domestically or internationally, waybills are key to smooth delivery to your recipient.  

The number one rule is to check the size and weight and ensure that the information is provided in the correct way to avoid delays in processing and delivery.