Your delivery slip says 宅配ボックス, but which door opens your parcel? First confirm that the parcel was actually left in the building locker. Then find the box number and the correct access method: a code on the slip, a code assigned to your apartment, a card or an app. The system depends on the building and carrier.
Words on the slip and locker
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 宅配ボックス | たくはいボックス (takuhai bokkusu) | Apartment parcel locker |
| 不在連絡票 | ふざいれんらくひょう (fuzai renraku-hyō) | Missed-delivery notice |
| ボックス番号・扉番号 | ボックスばんごう・とびらばんごう (bokkusu bangō / tobira bangō) | Locker or door number |
| 暗証番号 | あんしょうばんごう (anshō bangō) | PIN or access code |
| 荷物を取り出す・受け取る | にもつをとりだす・うけとる (nimotsu o toridasu / uketoru) | Take out / receive the parcel |
| 持ち戻り | もちもどり (mochimodori) | Carrier took the parcel back |
| 再配達 | さいはいたつ (saihaitatsu) | Redelivery |
| 管理会社・管理人 | かんりがいしゃ・かんりにん (kanri gaisha / kanrinin) | Management company / building manager |
Check where the parcel is
Look for a checked box or note saying 宅配ボックス and a door number. A missed-delivery slip can also mean 持ち戻り: the parcel is with the carrier and needs redelivery. Yamato says some parcels cannot go into a locker because of size, temperature control, payment on delivery, identity checks or lack of space, and it leaves a missed-delivery notice in such cases. See Yamato’s locker eligibility guide. If the carrier is Japan Post and the parcel was taken back, follow our Japan Post redelivery guide.
Take out the parcel
- Read the slip or building notification for the locker number and code. Keep the code private.
- At the locker, follow the instructions displayed on that model. Some systems use an individual PIN; others use a resident code, card or app. Do not assume the number printed on the slip is the only possible method.
- Take out the parcel and close the door as instructed. Panasonic’s COMBO-Maison resident manual, for example, tells users to close the door and confirm its receiving indicator. Other systems have different controls.
A useful distinction: Sagawa says the PIN is normally on its missed-delivery slip when its courier deposits a parcel in a locker. Panasonic says the PIN for its COMBO-Maison apartment model is set and managed by the building manager or owner. These are examples of different arrangements, so use your actual slip and building instructions. See Sagawa’s FAQ and Panasonic’s FAQ.
If the number is missing or the door will not open
If the delivery slip names a box but has no code, check any separate building notification, resident card or app. For a carrier-issued code, contact the carrier using its official tracking or contact channel; Sagawa specifically asks recipients to contact its local office when the slip or code is missing or incorrect. For a resident PIN or a locker fault, contact the building manager or the operator named on the locker. Give the box number and delivery date, but do not post your access code publicly. Do not force the door or try a neighboring box.
Useful Japanese phrases
- 荷物は宅配ボックスに入っていますか。 Nimotsu wa takuhai bokkusu ni haitte imasu ka. — Is the parcel in the locker?
- 暗証番号が不在票に書かれていません。 Anshō bangō ga fuzai-hyō ni kakarete imasen. — The PIN is not written on the slip.
- 何番のボックスですか。 Nan-ban no bokkusu desu ka. — Which locker number is it?
- 番号を入れても扉が開きません。 Bangō o irete mo tobira ga akimasen. — The door does not open even when I enter the number.
If you are new to the building, our move-in apartment checklist can help you record equipment and access details early.
