How to Purchase and Return Expensive Items on Amazon in Japan

JR West partners with JAL and ANA

Railways and airlines have traditionally been competitors, competing for the same passengers. However, in recent years, collaboration has been increasing alongside the growth of inbound tourism demand in Japan.

For example, in 2021, overseas JAL Mileage Bank members became able to exchange their miles for the JR-WEST RAIL PASS. This marked one of the initiatives jointly promoted by JR West and JAL to encourage travel across western Japan.

Looking ahead to the 2030s, the two companies are working to directly integrate their booking systems, allowing travelers to arrange both rail and air transportation in a single booking process.

Previously, travelers needed to book flights first and then separately reserve Shinkansen or limited express trains. With this new system, international visitors to Japan will be able to organize their entire journey on one platform.

As an early example, dynamic package products combining flights between Haneda and Nanki-Shirahama with JR West’s Limited Express Kuroshio and regional rail passes are already being introduced.

While flights are generally slightly faster in terms of travel time, how do they compare on price?

For example, on the Osaka–Fukuoka route, last-minute airfare and the standard Shinkansen fare are roughly similar, both costing around ¥16,000. However, if flights are booked early and outside peak travel periods, airfare can sometimes drop to around ¥9,000, making air travel the cheaper option depending on the conditions.

Under the Japanese government’s goal of attracting 60 million international visitors by 2030, stronger integration between transportation and tourism is becoming increasingly important.

One key challenge will be how to combine and coordinate relatively stable Shinkansen fares with airline prices, which can fluctuate significantly depending on timing and demand.

Currently, around 70% of inbound travelers’ overnight stays are concentrated in the Tokyo metropolitan area, Kansai, and Nagoya, making regional distribution another major issue.

Attention is now focused on whether collaboration between railways and airlines can help solve this challenge by encouraging international visitors to travel beyond Japan’s major urban centers.

2026年5月2日

鉄旅ライフ編集部

過去のコラムはこちら

I bought a Canon lens on Amazon, but a completely different product was delivered.

By the way, the lens I ordered was the “Sigma 20mm f1.4 DG HSM Art for Canon” with an EF mount. I wanted something bright, and to shoot with a blurred background at wide open aperture, so as a Canon body user, there was no other option for me but this lens.

Since it was an expensive item and a one-of-a-kind used product, I thoroughly checked the seller, the fulfillment source, and the Amazon seller rating. I confirmed that 100% of the reviews were positive before placing the order. I’ve only had a package from Amazon not arrive once before, but since it’s rare, I took extra precautions and chose face-to-face delivery.

Around 8 PM, the delivery person brought the package. I opened it immediately and tried to attach the lens, but no matter what I did, it wouldn’t fit. Then I looked at the lens cap, and to my surprise, it said “SIGMA For NIKON”.

This is for Nikon, right?
I thought maybe I had made a mistake, so I checked the seller’s page again carefully.

To my shock, it turned out to be a seller that frequently ships the wrong products and has received many critical reviews.
On top of that, Amazon was deleting those reviews.

“This product is fulfilled by Amazon, and we take responsibility for its shipment.”
Of course it would show 100% positive feedback.

I immediately tried to return it.
I went to my order history, selected “The item was different from what I ordered,” and proceeded with the return process.

I issued a QR code, repackaged the item in the condition it arrived, and brought it to the nearby Yamato (delivery service).

Trying Out QR Code Returns at Yamato
The Return Is Complete, but the Refund Hasn’t Been Processed
Summary

Trying Out QR Code Returns at Yamato

As soon as you enter the Yamato shipping office, there’s a machine near the entrance (apparently it’s called “Nekopit”!). You scan the QR code there, and a printed slip comes out. Just hand that slip and your packaged box to the staff at the counter, and the return process is complete. It was simple.

The Return Is Complete, but the Refund Hasn’t Been Processed

I submitted a refund request at the same time as the return, but surprisingly, the refund still hasn’t been processed.

I contacted customer service from this screen and explained the situation via chat. They told me the reason the refund hasn’t gone through.

This time, I had used an Amazon Gift Card (Amagifu) for the payment, but my account already had a ¥300,000 gift card balance loaded.

Because of that, they said they couldn’t add any more gift card balance, and that’s why the refund process is on hold. They told me the refund would go through once my balance decreases, but who knows when that will be. Looking back, I should’ve just asked for a cash refund, even if it took longer.

Summary

So, the takeaway here is: when buying an expensive item, make sure to check who the seller is carefully, and also pay attention to your Amazon gift card balance.

After all that, I ended up ordering the lens through in-store pickup at Camera no Kitamura. This time, it clearly says SIGMA FOR CANON. I made sure the lens fit properly on my camera at the store before purchasing it.
As for the story about how I also sold my EOS 8000D at the same time—check out that article.