FAQ – THE SPICE BOX

Yes, our spices are all cultivated by organic farming, which means no use of “synthetic” chemicals, pest control acquired from animal or plant waste, no use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), recycling of all organic waste, crop rotation to improve soil regeneration, respect for the environment and preservation of natural resources, maintenance and development of biodiversity, etc. Please check our concept page to learn more about our green philosophy.

All prices on our site are displayed in US dollars (USD) by default and will be charged in US dollars (USD) as well. Actual conversion into your local currency is handled by your payment method service after your purchase is complete.

However, if you wish to check approximately how much your order will be in your currency, click on the top left of your screen on the 「USD $」 indication and select your local currency. Please note the price indicated in your currency is an estimate for information purposes only.

For any question, please contact us at contact@thespicebox.jp

If you're not satisfied with your purchase or have changed your mind, you can return the items and request a refund, exchange, or store credit. Note that all returned items must be unopened, unused and in the original condition you received them in. Note that all returned items must be unopened, unused and in the original condition you received them in.

Shipping fees cannot be reimbursed and the customer is also responsible for return shipping fees.

You have seven days after delivery to send us an exchange request. Simply send us an email at return@thespicebox.jp.

Please don’t forget to tell us what item(s) you would like to exchange and send the item(s) you received back to us. After we receive the returned item(s), we will adjust any price differences and send you the new item(s) requested.

International shipping cost vary depending on where you live, the weight of your package and the shipping method you choose. The total shipping cost is automatically calculated by our system. Exact shipping rates will be displayed during the checkout process. We also offer Free Shipping on orders of $100 USD or more to many countries!

Please refer to the shipping section on our info page for more details.

It depends on where you are. Orders processed here will take 5-7 business days to arrive. Overseas deliveries can take anywhere from 7-40 days. Delivery details will be provided in your confirmation email.

Typically, international shipping via airmail takes about 2 working weeks to arrive at the recipient once the order has been mailed out, within 1-2 working days of the order.

However, expect an average of 9 to 30 working days for it to be delivered with economy shipping.

Orders sent with Express shipping (EMS) generally take around 2 to 5 working days to be delivered to many countries.

Please take a look at your shipping confirmation email for a delivery estimation specific to your order.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if your package is not delivered within the estimated shipping time mentioned above.

We use Japan Post services to reach your home. You’ll be asked to select a delivery method during checkout.

Depending on the weight and number of your item(s), the shipping method and carriers may vary but here are your main options:

・economy shipping (flatpack only) - non-tracked, non-insured, 9 to 30 days

・epacket light - tracked, 9 to 20 days

・express shipping (EMS) - tracked, insured, 2 to 5 days

Please choose what carrier will fit your needs the best！

Please be aware that the customer is responsible for paying any customs fees applied to their order and for providing any and all documents required by customs in the country of receipt.

These costs include the sales tax in the country of receipt (applied to the total value of the order), duties on the cost of products (around 6% for the European Union) and any handling fees applied by the shipping provider.

For orders from the USA: Most packages with a declared value under $2000 USD will be cleared without any fee. In any case, please refer to your country customs website for more details.

We understand that customs fees are bothersome, but you really are ordering directly from Japan and this could be the price to pay to get authentic, tasty and original Japanese spices that are not easily found anywhere else.

Flatpack products are shipped by Japan Post in Economy service for FREE (without tracking, without insurance)! However, to keep our environmental impact as small as possible, if you order a box with your flatpack, we may charge you to send it alone (box weight only will be charged).

We offer Free Shipping on orders of $100 USD or more to many countries!

Our Free Shipping option means shipping costs are free of charge and shipped by Japan Post via Economy service (without tracking, without insurance). However, you may have to pay any customs fees and/or taxes due to buying goods from abroad. Sorry for the inconvenience and thank you for your understanding.

Yes, we do! Spicy doesn’t necessarily mean pricey! Here are four ways to save on spice and get easy discounts!

1/ Buy 3 boxes of your favorite spice and get 15% off automatically by using the 「SPICEFAN」coupon code. You want more, no problem! Just add boxes to your cart and enter the「SPICEADDICT」coupon code at checkout and get $20 off!!

2/ Subscribe to our newsletter and you will get a $5 voucher code for your next order! A totally free and totally stunning way to stay tuned! Be the first to know about what’s new in our store and our limited spicy sales as well as our monthly new recipes and our frequently updated cooking tips.

3/ You can get a 5% voucher code for your next order just by sending us a picture of your favorite recipe cooked with our spice! Don’t forget to mention which spice you tried and show the box in the picture! Please include a short description of your photo and your order number with your submission and email it to mybox@thespicebox.jp.

4/ Tag us on Instagram and get a 10% off coupon on your next box set! We would love to hear from you about your experience, so don’t be shy! Really, don’t be!

If you have any questions, suggestions regarding our website or your order, please email us at contact@thespicebox.jp, use our [contact] form, or give us a ring at +818 8110 6440.

Our customer service team is available from 9AM to 5PM (local time in Japan) in English, French and Japanese. Outside of these opening hours, please expect a response by the next business day.

And remember: if you can’t find the information you’re looking for here, call or write! We would really love to hear from you about your experience, so don’t be shy!

Yes! We have a store on the second floor of Motoki-san’s new ramen restaurant in beautiful Kyoto. Follow our 1st floor Michelin 2 star chef, Kei-san here: https://www.instagram.com/kashiwano_ramen/

We also have a showroom in the BLU TOKYO kitchen in Dusseldorf, Germany, if you are near! Check it out here: : https://www.blutokyo.com/

Also, you can take a stroll to the amazing Wakayama mountains and pay a visit to Nagaoka-san and his wife on his lovely farm nestled in the hills of Aridagawa. Take a look here: https://www.instagram.com/kanja_sanshoen/

For further information and addresses, contact us through our contact page!