Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

We are based in Minato-ku, Tokyo. We operate online only and do not have a physical brick-and-mortar walk-in store.

You can order our products via our E-Commerce website shopping cart or our WhatsApp shop page. Follow the on-screen instructions and provide accurate information when placing orders. We will confirm your order details by email or WhatsApp messages. Your order will be dispatched from one of our commercial warehouses via a selected delivery company direct to the address in your order.

Yes. WhatsApp messages via our WhatsApp shop page are treated as an order request. Your order is confirmed only after we confirm the item is in stock. The price, and delivery details will also be confirmed in the WhatsApp chat. Please keep a record of your confirmed order at all times.

If you are having difficulty using our website we can take the order manually in WhatsApp or by SMS text message. To keep a clear record and avoid errors we require the following steps:

Step 1) Check product details on our website https://platanosjapon.com/en/

Step 2) Send the details below:

  1. Product requested

  2. Delivery day requested

  3. Delivery time requested

  4. Customer name

  5. Telephone number

  6. Prefecture

  7. Postal code

  8. Complete and correct address

Once we receive this, we will process and confirm your order.

You can request arrival notifications from the product page or out-of-stock form. Alerts are sent by SMS text message and/or WhatsApp (please make sure you are registered and your mobile number is correct). Stock is limited, so we recommend ordering soon after you receive our notifications.

We send SMS notifications when new stock becomes available, but delivery is not always guaranteed. Messages may be blocked, delayed, or not delivered due to mobile carrier filtering, device settings, network coverage, roaming, or incorrect phone numbers.

Your WhatsApp settings (e.g., Disappearing Messages) may delete messages before you see them.

If you are expecting a notification and have not received one please contact us and we will get back to you with the latest updates.

All products are shipped at room temperature to avoid chilling damage or injury.
The minimum order is one box per order. The smallest box for both green and ripe plantains is 5 kilos. Refer to the product page for further details.
The number of plantains in each box can vary. Each box is weighed before dispatch. Boxes are sold by total weight including the box and not by a fixed piece count. Plantains naturally come in different sizes from shipment to shipment depending on the season. During colder months the fruit is smaller so can expect more units in the box. During the warmer months the fruit is bigger so can expect fewer units in the box.

In colder months, plantains experience higher dehydration than normal. They can naturally lose a small amount of moisture during storage and transit. Because of this, the delivered box weight may be slightly lower than the weight indicated. This is normal for fresh produce in cold, dry conditions and does not mean the order was short-packed.

For approximate units in each box visit the specific product page in the website https://platanosjapon.com/

Our plantains are imported from Central and South America, so availability can vary depending on harvest conditions, shipping schedules and geopolitics. In a perfect world we aim for a minimum of one container per month.

After a container arrives, sales don’t start right away. The shipment must first go through customs clearance, quarantine / inspection and quality checks at the warehouse.

Once everything is cleared and the fruit is ready, we open sales and notify customers (by SMS text message or WhatsApp messages for registered customers). We recommend ordering as soon as you get the SMS text notification. Ripe plantains are limited in stock and sell out very quickly. Reserve your box while stocks last.

No. During checkout we ask you to choose a delivery date and time slot. Please be available during that time. Delivery may be delayed due to address errors, heavy regional traffic, bad weather, or other unexpected issues. We thank you for your kind cooperation and patience in advance.
Please note the time slots available for both Kuroneko Yamato and Japan Post delivery services: 08:00–12:00 / 14:00–16:00 / 16:00–18:00 / 18:00–20:00 / 20:00–21:00
You can choose:
– Cash on delivery (COD) (selectable in the website cart and on WhatsApp)
– Credit card (online) in the website shopping cart
– Credit card at the point of delivery. Ask the delivery person.  Only available for Yamato Kuroneko delivery personnel. Not available for Japan Post deliveries.
The earliest delivery date is shown on the product page. Same-day dispatch / same-day delivery is not possible.

Kansai regions such as Kobe, Kyoto and Nara do not offer the early morning 08:00-12:00 time slot for example.

Okayama may experience delivery delays due to missed ferry connections.

Okinawa, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Hokkaido and remote islands require airfreight. Delays can occur due to adverse weather conditions or missed flights. These regions are marked (+2 days) to indicate that they require an extra day to deliver after the order is dispatched.

When we are aware of delays we will strive to send an SMS text message to the mobile phone number provided in the order.

Yamato Kuroneko is used for green deliveries. Kuroneko Yamato and/or Japan Post can be used for ripe deliveries.
Shipping is included free (¥0) for most customers in: Kanto / Chubu / Kansai regions.
Other regions require an additional shipping fee due to distance and requirement for air freight and/or ferries.
Prefectures marked (+2) in your order confirmation indicate that an additional day needs to be added to the delivery day displayed in the order.
Shipping fees by prefecture:
Free (¥0 included in the displayed price)
Aichi 愛知県 ¥0
Chiba 千葉県 ¥0
Fukui 福井県 ¥0
Gifu 岐阜県 ¥0
Gunma 群馬県 ¥0
Hyogo 兵庫県 ¥0
Ibaraki 茨城県 ¥0
Ishikawa 石川県 ¥0
Kanagawa 神奈川県 ¥0
Kyoto 京都府 ¥0
Mie 三重県 ¥0
Nagano 長野県 ¥0
Nara 奈良県 ¥0
Niigata 新潟県 ¥0
Osaka 大阪府 ¥0
Saitama 埼玉県 ¥0
Shiga 滋賀県 ¥0
Shizuoka 静岡県 ¥0
Tochigi 栃木県 ¥0
Tokyo 東京都 ¥0
Toyama 富山県 ¥0
Wakayama 和歌山県 ¥0
Yamanashi 山梨県 ¥0
¥500 per box
Akita 秋田県 ¥500
Aomori 青森県 ¥500
Fukushima 福島県 ¥500
Iwate 岩手県 ¥500
Miyagi 宮城県 ¥500
Yamagata 山形県 ¥500
¥700 per box
Ehime 愛媛県 ¥700
Fukuoka 福岡県 ¥700
Hiroshima 広島県 ¥700
Kagawa 香川県 ¥700
Kagoshima 鹿児島県 ¥700
Kochi 高知県 ¥700
Kumamoto 熊本県 ¥700
Miyazaki 宮崎県 ¥700
Nagasaki 長崎県 ¥700
Oita 大分県 ¥700
Okayama 岡山県 ¥700
Saga 佐賀県 ¥700
Shimane 島根県 ¥700
Tokushima 徳島県 ¥700
Tottori 鳥取県 ¥700
Yamaguchi 山口県 ¥700
¥1,000 per box
Hokkaido 北海道 ¥1,000
¥1,200 per box
Okinawa 沖縄県 ¥1,200
Check your mailbox for the missed-delivery ticket. Yamato Kuroneko is yellow. Japan Post is red.
Follow the instructions to request a new delivery as soon as possible. Please note that for same-day redelivery the request must be received by the delivery company before 17:00. If you need help, contact us and share the tracking number.
Important: Because the products are perishable, customers should receive the parcel as soon as possible after the first delivery attempt. If the box is held too long by the delivery company or returned to us we will not be able to send a new replacement.
To avoid missed deliveries, please double-check your address, phone number, and delivery preferences during the order process. Notify us if you find any discrepancy.
Please note that returned boxes create significant cost and waste. If your box is returned, deliveries will be paused until you contact us with a valid reason and we approve reactivation of your account.
Storage depends on seasonal conditions such as the temperature and relative humidity. Please follow the storage guidance in our Terms & Conditions.
Quick reference:
Consumption of green plantains is recommended within 7–10 days, and ripe plantains within 5 days. Storing green plantains in a cool (between 8-14°C), dry, and dark area, away from direct sunlight or heat sources is the simplest method for short-term preservation.
Storing plantains for too long can reduce their quality. Over time in cold climates, they will harden, develop dark skin blemishes, and become difficult to peel, and the pulp can lose its best texture and taste. For this reason, long-term storage is not recommended.
Yes, all prices include consumption tax of 8%.

At this time, we cannot deliver to U.S. military facilities (bases).

This includes any address that requires base access, special entry permits, military post handling, PSC boxes, or gate delivery. Even if the address looks like a normal Japanese address, carriers may still be unable to deliver if it is inside a restricted area.

To avoid cancelled orders, please use a standard civilian address in Japan (home, workplace, etc.). If you use a friend’s address, make sure they are expecting the delivery and if you chose cash on delivery, that they are ready to pay. We recommend credit card payment in these cases.

If we cannot process your order and you paid by credit card, we will refund the full amount via Stripe.

Our Okinawa shipping window is limited to the cooler months of November – March. This seasonal schedule protects the quality of the fruit from tropical heat during transit. Should you require delivery outside of this window, please contact us by SMS text or WhatsApp to discuss proceeding at your own discretion.
 
Please contact us within 48 hours of the delivery date/time you requested. Claims require clear photos (shipping label, box, inside of box, and affected fruit).
Claims made after 48 hours, or quality changes caused by missed delivery / customer storage conditions, are not covered. Please refer to our claims policy in our terms and conditions page.

Please message us immediately with both order details if you believe you placed a duplicate order.

To avoid confusion, please place your order only once either on the website or via WhatsApp (not both). If your first attempt had an error and you placed a second, correct order, contact us right away so we can cancel the incorrect one.

Duplicate orders create extra handling, shipping issues, and can lead to significant waste. Repeated misuse of this policy may result in cash on delivery option being removed for the account and, in serious cases, service termination.

No. Green and ripe plantains are warehoused, packed, and shipped from completely different facilities. They are only available in separate boxes. They require different handling and storage conditions to protect quality and reduce damage during delivery.
For ripe plantains please register your mobile number for stock availability SMS text and WhatsApp notifications. When stocks are available, if you would like both, please request one 5 kilos green box and one 5 kilos ripe box.
If a customer refuses a delivery that was correctly shipped according to the details in the order, we may switch future orders from cash on delivery to credit card only payment. In serious cases, we may choose to suspend and ultimately terminate service to the account.