How We Packed a Japanese Garden Yukimi Stone Lantern for UPS Shipping

This time, we shipped a Yukimi Stone Lantern from Japan to a customer in the United States by UPS.

A Yukimi Stone Lantern is one of the classic stone lantern styles used in a Japanese garden. Even though this is a compact lantern, it is made of real stone. During international shipping, impact can concentrate on corners, edges, legs, and rounded areas, which may cause chips or scratches if the parts are not packed carefully.

This Yukimi Stone Lantern measures 9.84 in / 25.0 cm long, 10.04 in / 25.5 cm wide, and 9.84 in / 25.0 cm high. For UPS shipping, the first parcel weighed 17.64 lb / 4.0 kg, and the second parcel weighed 8.38 lb / 3.8 kg, for a total shipping weight of 26.02 lb / 7.8 kg.

If all stone parts are forced into one box, the parts may touch each other inside the package, or too much weight may be concentrated in a single box. For this shipment, we packed the roof piece and top ball separately from the base piece and shipped the lantern from Japan to the United States as two separate UPS parcels.

We also shared packing photos with the customer before shipment. When buying a stone item from overseas, customers naturally want to know how it is packed. By recording the actual packing process, we help reduce that concern before the package leaves Japan.

Shipment Details

Item	Yukimi Stone Lantern
Size	9.84 in / 25.0 cm long, 10.04 in / 25.5 cm wide, 9.84 in / 25.0 cm high
Shipping weight	Parcel 1: 17.64 lb / 4.0 kg; Parcel 2: 8.38 lb / 3.8 kg; total: 26.02 lb / 7.8 kg
Destination	United States
Shipped from	Japan
Carrier	UPS
Shipping method	Two separate parcels
Tracking	Each parcel had its own tracking number
Photos shared with customer	Packing photos were sent before shipment
Packing policy	The roof piece, top ball, and base piece were protected separately and fixed so they would not move inside the boxes

Import duties, taxes, customs fees, and other local charges may be billed to the buyer according to the import rules of the destination country.

Packing Process

Packing the Roof Piece and Top Ball

Roof piece and top ball of a Yukimi Stone Lantern being checked before packing — First, we checked the roof piece and top ball on newspaper. The roof piece is one of the most visible parts of a Japanese garden stone lantern. Since impact can easily reach the outer edge during shipping, we checked the surface, corners, and rounded areas before packing.

Roof piece and top ball of a Yukimi Stone Lantern wrapped with newspaper before packing — The roof piece and top ball were wrapped with newspaper and temporarily secured with tape. Wrapping the stone with paper first helps keep the surface from touching bubble wrap or cardboard directly. The small top ball is also rounded, so it needs to be protected so it will not shift.

Roof piece of a Yukimi Stone Lantern protected with bubble wrap and cardboard — After wrapping the roof piece with paper, we covered it with bubble wrap and supported the outside with cardboard. Because the roof piece has a wide, rounded shape, pressure can concentrate on one point if it moves inside the box. We used both bubble wrap and cardboard to protect it according to its shape.

Protected roof piece of a Yukimi Stone Lantern placed inside a cardboard box — The protected roof piece was placed inside a cardboard box. We arranged bubble wrap and cardboard around it so the stone part would not hit the walls of the box directly. International parcels are not always kept upright, so it is important to keep the contents from moving inside the box.

Packing the Base Piece

Base piece of a Yukimi Stone Lantern being checked before packing — Next, we checked the base piece of the Yukimi Stone Lantern. This part has real stone thickness, and impact can concentrate on the legs and corners. Before packing, we checked the surface, corners, recessed areas, and contact points to decide where extra protection was needed.

Base piece of a Yukimi Stone Lantern wrapped with bubble wrap and secured with tape — The base piece was wrapped with bubble wrap and secured with tape. Corners and legs on stone parts can be scratched or chipped during shipping, so we wrapped the entire part and fixed the protective material so it would not shift.

Bubble-wrapped base piece of a Yukimi Stone Lantern prepared with cardboard before boxing — The bubble-wrapped base piece was prepared with cardboard before being placed into the box. Because stone items are heavy, the part should not press directly against the walls of the box. Additional cardboard helps support the surrounding area.

Base piece of a Yukimi Stone Lantern placed inside a cardboard box — The base piece was placed inside the cardboard box. Bubble wrap and cardboard were used inside the box to keep the stone part from moving. If too much empty space is left inside the box, the contents may shift during shipping, so internal fixation is an important step.

Outer box for the base piece of a Yukimi Stone Lantern sealed and reinforced with tape and stretch film — The outer box was closed, sealed with tape, and reinforced with stretch film. For heavy stone items, it is important to reinforce not only the top of the box, but also the sides and bottom. Stretch film also helps protect the box from rubbing, dirt, moisture, and tape peeling during transit.

Final Condition Before UPS Shipment

Two parcels prepared for UPS shipping from Japan to the United States containing a Yukimi Stone Lantern — Finally, the two boxes were prepared for UPS shipment. The outer boxes were wrapped with stretch film, and FRAGILE / HANDLE WITH CARE labels and international shipping documents were attached. This Yukimi Stone Lantern was shipped from Japan to a customer in the United States as two separate parcels.

Why We Shipped It as Two Parcels

A Yukimi Stone Lantern is made from multiple stone parts.

Stone is a hard material. If stone parts touch each other during shipping, impact can concentrate on one point and may cause chips or scratches.

For this reason, we did not force parts with different shapes and weights into one box. Instead, we packed the roof piece and top ball separately from the base piece.

Shipping the lantern as two parcels helps reduce the weight in each box and makes it easier to fix each stone part securely inside the package.

Keeping the Parts from Moving Inside the Boxes

During international shipping, a box does not always stay in the same position.

It may be turned sideways or come into contact with other parcels during pickup, sorting, air transport, customs clearance, and local delivery.

For that reason, we did not leave unnecessary empty space inside the boxes. We used bubble wrap, cardboard, packing tape, and stretch film to keep the stone parts from moving.

Reinforcing the Bottom of the Boxes with Hot Glue

When shipping stone items, it is not enough to protect the product itself. The strength of the box also matters.

For this shipment, we reinforced the bottom of the cardboard boxes with hot glue to help prevent the bottom from opening under the weight of the stone.

Even a small Yukimi Stone Lantern is much heavier than an ordinary household item. If the bottom of the box becomes weak during transit, it can lead to damage or loss. Reinforcing the box bottom is an important part of our packing process.

Shipped from Japan to the United States by UPS

This Yukimi Stone Lantern was packed in Japan and shipped to a customer in the United States by UPS.

For customers overseas, one of the biggest concerns when buying a stone item from Japan is simple: “Will it arrive safely?”

Our store records the actual packing process with photos and shares those photos with the customer before shipment.

Even for a compact Japanese garden stone lantern, we check the shape, weight, and vulnerable areas of each part before packing it for international shipping.

Packing Materials Used

Paper	Used to protect the stone surface before applying other packing materials.
Bubble wrap	Used to wrap each stone part and reduce impact during shipping.
Cardboard pieces	Used to support corners, sides, and empty spaces inside the box.
Cardboard boxes	Used as the outer boxes for each stone part.
Hot glue	Used to bond and reinforce the bottom of the cardboard boxes so they do not open under weight.
Packing tape	Used to secure protective materials and seal the boxes.
Stretch film	Used to reinforce the outside of the boxes and help protect them from moisture and rubbing.
UPS international shipping documents	Attached as required for customs clearance and international delivery.
FRAGILE label	Used as a handling notice so the parcel can be recognized as a fragile item.

Delivering a Japanese Garden Yukimi Stone Lantern Overseas

A Yukimi Stone Lantern adds quiet depth and character to a Japanese garden.

Even when the lantern is compact, it still has the real weight of stone, so careful packing is essential for overseas shipping.

For this shipment, we checked the shape, weight, and vulnerable areas of each part, packed the lantern carefully, and shipped it from Japan to the United States by UPS.

Our store records the packing process so overseas customers can better understand how Japanese garden stone lanterns are prepared for international delivery.

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Written on: June 7, 2026 (JST)

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How We Packed a Japanese Garden Yukimi Stone Lantern for UPS Shipping from Japan to the United States

Shipment Details