Items we can't get for you

Items we can't ship to the U.S. under federal or state law and air shipping rules.

Foods that contain meat
Food, Japanese cup noodles with tonkotsu or chicken stock
USDA blocks these tightly, so they may be seized by U.S. customs.
All processed beef products
Food, jerky, canned beef, ready meals
Banned under USDA inspection rules.
Olive oil
Food
Blocked by carriers under the food category.
Fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, plants, seeds, and soil
Food
Fall under the USDA's pest-control rules.
Refrigerated or frozen foods, dry ice, and coolant packs
Food
International air shipping isn't possible.
Most dairy products
Food
Processed dairy falls under the FDA, and raw milk and certain cheeses fall under USDA inspection.
Alcoholic drinks
Food
Search and purchase are currently fully blocked on the SAZO site.
Exception: Planned for staged rollout in certain states (e.g., California) with age verification. Utah and Delaware can't receive alcohol shipments in any form under state law.
Kinder Surprise Eggs
Food
Banned by the CPSC because of the choking risk to children.
Exception: Kinder Joy is a separate product and is allowed.
Food-contact items
Food, cups, dishes, lunch boxes, cake molds, straws
Classified under Japanese food safety and inspection rules, which limits international air shipping options.
Packing straw, grass, and rice straw
Food
Blocked even when used as filler.
Pet food
Food
Falls under USDA and FDA animal-feed import procedures, so carriers apply a category block.
Perishable foods
Food
Blocked under shipping terms.
Tea, coffee, cocoa, beans, powders, fish meal, pepper, and spices
Food
Require USDA inspection or FDA prior notice, so carriers block the food category itself.
Salted or cured meats
Food
Special handling applies if shipped from a region with an active livestock disease outbreak.
U.S. over-the-counter (OTC) medicines in general
Health
Medicines you can buy freely in Japan (such as Pabron and Loxonin) can't clear customs without FDA approval.
Anabolic steroids and other drugs regulated in the U.S.
Health, muscle builders and growth hormones included
Regulated as controlled substances in the U.S.
Japanese quasi-drugs
Health, whitening creams, certain sunscreen ingredients
Products with ingredients the FDA hasn't approved are blocked.
Health supplements not approved to U.S. standards
Health
Supplements with ingredients not meeting FDA standards may be restricted at customs.
Medical devices
Health, prescription eyeglasses, contact lenses, sterile syringes, tattoo machines
Fall under FDA medical-device rules.
Exception: Non-prescription glasses and cosmetic colored lenses follow separate standards.
Products that contain mercury
Health, liquid thermometers, liquid mercury batteries
Blocked as an air hazard and an environmentally harmful material.
Exception: Digital thermometers are fine.
All cosmetics
Health, toner, lotion, sheet masks, essences, essential oils, gel nail polish, cleansing foam, face creams, mascara, shampoo, body soap, lipstick, powder, nail polish, perfume, sunscreen
Liquids, creams, and powders are hard to ship to the U.S.
Exception: Non-liquid, non-powder accessories like false eyelashes and makeup brushes are fine.
Counterfeit and knockoff goods
Fashion
Seized immediately under U.S. customs (CBP) intellectual property rules. Repeated seizures can put the importer on a CBP blacklist.
Items with "replica," "fake," "st," "homage," or "custom" in the name or description
Fashion
Blocked.
Certain brands such as Converse
Fashion
May be blocked during Japanese customs clearance.
Leather goods
Fashion, shoes, bags, clothing, gloves
International air shipping options are limited.
Exception: Solid shoe cream is the only exception.
Textile goods
Fashion, clothing, gloves, scarves, socks, aprons, tents, pet seat covers
International air shipping options are limited.
Fur and hides from the former Soviet Union or mainland China
Fashion
Banned by origin.
Bird feathers and bird skins
Fashion
Import banned for most species.
Watches and jewelry
Fashion
A separate process applies when the declared value is over $500 or 10,000 euros.
Artwork, antiques, rare items, and loose gemstones
Fashion
Blocked by carrier category or limited by value per shipment. Japanese ukiyo-e, antiques, classic art, and antique watches are effectively not shippable.
CITES Appendix I, absolute ban
Plants & Animals, rhino horn, tiger bone and skin, leopard skin, elephant ivory, turtle shell and products made from it (all turtle species), natural musk
Banned from trade across all carriers and all countries.
Exception: Synthetic musk is fine.
CITES Appendix II, certificate required
Plants & Animals, crocodile and python skin, shark-derived ingredients, giant clam and pearl oyster, native orchids, cacti, certain palms
A CITES certificate is needed to trade.
Exception: For aloe, all species are regulated except aloe vera (including Aloe arborescens).
Coral and products made from endangered species
Plants & Animals
Blocked under USFWS rules.
CBD and hemp products
Plants & Animals, Idaho effectively bans them, Hawaii bans Delta-8/10, Ohio enacts a full ban in Dec 2025
State rules are strict. Federal law tightens starting Nov 12, 2026 (0.3% total THC + 0.4mg cap per finished product). Some carriers also block CBD by policy. SAZO currently doesn't recommend handling CBD or hemp.
Live animals, plants, seeds, and insects
Plants & Animals
Can't be imported.
Otane ginseng (especially Russian-grown) and human-derived placenta
Plants & Animals
Regulated under CITES and FDA rules.
Pine cones, potpourri, herbs, and dried flowers
Plants & Animals
Without prior approval from the USDA plant quarantine office these are blocked, and carriers block the plant and seed category itself.
Taxidermy, preserved "everlasting" dried flowers, and human-hair wigs
Plants & Animals
No international air shipping option for these.
Animal organs and parts
Plants & Animals
When shipped from a region with an active livestock disease outbreak, need a permit from the USDA plant quarantine office or Permit Office.
Soil samples
Plants & Animals
Can ship only with a label issued by the USDA plant quarantine office.
Live honeybees and queen bees
Plants & Animals
Can ship only for research use (e.g., USDA Agricultural Research Service).
Livestock serum and vaccines
Plants & Animals
Require USDA approval.
Human serum, body fluids, tissue, clinical samples, bacteria, viruses, and antibodies
Plants & Animals
Blocked across the board by carriers under FDA biological-material rules and the air hazard classification (Category B infectious substances).
Narcotics, firearms, gunpowder, ammunition, explosives
Hazards
Banned by U.S. federal law. Marijuana is banned in all forms, including medical use. Stimulants, cocaine, precursor chemicals, and drug paraphernalia are blocked the same way.
Model guns, replica guns, BB guns, and airsoft
Hazards
They look like real firearms, so U.S. customs is likely to seize them, and international carriers block the category itself.
Switchblades (automatic-opening knives)
Hazards
U.S. customs bans imports. Possession itself is illegal in Delaware, Washington DC, Minnesota, and New Mexico.
Regular kitchen knives, cooking knives, and collectible Japanese swords
Hazards
International shipping options are limited, so these are hard to ship.
Self-defense items
Hazards, crossbows, batons, stun batons, nunchaku, electroshock devices, pepper spray
Blocked across the board by carriers as weapons or hazardous materials.
Obscene material
Hazards
Can't be imported.
Compressed gas and aerosols
Hazards
Can't ship by air.
Lighters, lighter fuel, matches, ignition stoves, and fireworks
Hazards, butane and propane gas included
Can't ship by air because of fire and explosion risk.
Exception: Non-flammable safety matches are an exception.
Signal flares, smoke flares, fuses, and detonating cord
Hazards
Classified as pyrotechnics.
E-cigarettes and all tobacco products
Hazards
Can't be imported.
Human remains and cremated ashes, postage stamps, banknotes and currency
Hazards, coins are excluded
Can't ship under international air shipping rules.
Checks, securities, real estate deeds, and cash cards
Hazards
Classified the same as counterfeit currency. Cash-like and security documents are blocked across the board.
Products with large amounts of strong magnets
Hazards, salvage magnets, magnetic cubes, large speaker magnets
Subject to air shipping limits.
Radioactive materials and hazardous waste
Hazards
Can't ship under international air safety standards.
Toxic, corrosive, oxidizing, pyrophoric, and anesthetic substances
Hazards, pesticides, arsenic, cyanide, mercury compounds, strong acids and bases, hydrogen peroxide, organic peroxides
Blocked under shipping terms.
Drones and unmanned aircraft
Hazards
International air shipping options are limited.
Exception: Some may be possible depending on specs; our operations team checks after you order.
Auto parts
Hazards
Carriers shipping to the U.S. block the category itself (large part size, leftover fuel risk, environmental harm).
Baseball bats, darts, compound bows, and bows and arrows
Hazards
Classified as threatening-looking products.
Military and police supplies
Hazards, body armor, combat boots, camouflage, helmets, handcuffs, batons
Blocked across the board by international carriers.
Wiretapping gear, spy gear, hidden cameras, and electronic surveillance devices
Hazards
Blocked under carrier policy.
Gambling equipment
Hazards, roulette, card machines, gambling chips, slot machine parts
Banned from U.S. mail and blocked by carriers as sensitive items.
Insect repellents and insecticides
Hazards
Classified as chemical or flammable.
National, party, and military flags and badges
Hazards
Blocked across the board by carriers as political or sensitive items.
Chemical raw materials, raw ore, and minerals
Hazards, reagents, chemical element samples, mineral samples
Can't ship without a safety data sheet.
Communication devices
Hazards, phones, routers, modems
For U.S. shipments, carriers require standard customs clearance, which can take longer than usual.
Samsung Galaxy Note7
Hazards
Banned from U.S. flights after fire incidents, and international carriers block it by model.
USB chargers, standalone lithium metal batteries, and power banks
Hazards
Classified the same as mobile power banks; can't ship on their own.
Exception: Batteries built into a product and up to 2 spare batteries per box are allowed.
Toys and early-learning products for children under 6
Hazards
Shipping is restricted under international air shipping rules.
Exception: Products marked for ages 6 and up can ship.
Large furniture and appliances
Hazards
Depending on size, international air shipping costs rise sharply, requiring a separate notice before you order.
Cockfighting blades
Hazards, knives and hooks attached to a rooster's legs
Blocked by carriers.
Credit cards, debit cards, transit cards, and all other card types
Hazards
Financial documents that are hard to compensate when lost.
Passports, exam tickets, vehicle registrations, and driver's licenses
Hazards
Identity documents that are hard to reissue.
Manuscripts, original drawings, master tapes, film, and other irreplaceable originals
Hazards
Can't be recovered if lost.
Engines, generators, lawn mowers, and motors with fuel inside
Hazards
Environmentally harmful and an air hazard.
Photographic flash bulbs
Hazards
Classified as an air hazard.
Seatbelt pretensioners, pyrotechnic safety devices, and asbestos
Hazards
Environmentally harmful and an air hazard.
Rental products
Policy
Rental items can't be handled because they aren't permanently owned.