Terms of Service

These Terms of Service ("Terms") apply to your use of the TOMODACHI website and the concierge, sourcing, purchasing, packing, and shipping services provided through TOMODACHI ("TOMODACHI," "we," "us," or "our").

By submitting a request, approving a quotation, making a payment, or otherwise using our services, you agree to these Terms together with our Refund & Cancellation Policy, Shipping Policy, Privacy Policy, and any specific terms stated in your quotation.

Please review these Terms before using our services.

1. About TOMODACHI

TOMODACHI is a Japan-based concierge service that helps customers locate, purchase, and receive Japanese products.

Our services may include:

• Concierge shopping

• Product sourcing and availability checks

• Event merchandise purchasing support

• Doujinshi and rare book sourcing

• Personalized product selection and curation

• Assistance understanding Japanese product listings, store information, and event announcements

• Packing and international shipping support

Products are generally sourced from independent Japanese retailers, marketplaces, creators, event vendors, or other third-party sellers.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, TOMODACHI is not the manufacturer, publisher, creator, organizer, or intellectual property owner of the products we source.

2. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old and legally able to enter into a contract to use TOMODACHI's purchasing services.

By using our services, you confirm that the information you provide is accurate and that your request complies with the laws and regulations applicable to you and your destination country.

3. How a Request Works

You may submit a request describing the item, series, character, artist, pairing, event, store, budget, or other preferences you are interested in.

Submitting a request does not create an obligation for TOMODACHI to purchase an item.

We will review the request and, where appropriate:

1. Check available options.

2. Confirm relevant item details.

3. Prepare a quotation.

4. Send the quotation to you for approval.

5. Proceed only after receiving the required confirmation and payment.

We will not intentionally purchase an item on your behalf before obtaining the required approval and payment unless we have separately agreed otherwise with you in writing.

4. Quotations

Quotations may include, as applicable:

• Item price

• Japanese domestic shipping

• TOMODACHI service or concierge fees

• Event-related fees

• Packing costs

• International shipping

• Other charges disclosed before confirmation

For eligible packages up to 2 kg, Standard International (Tracked) shipping rates are generally determined based on the destination and shipping weight, including packaging, and displayed at checkout.

If the final package exceeds the applicable weight or size limits, requires special handling or separate shipment, or is otherwise unsuitable for Standard International (Tracked), an alternative shipping method and additional shipping charge may apply. Any such additional charge will be communicated before international shipment.

If the seller changes the product price or other material purchase terms before we complete the purchase, we may ask for your approval before proceeding.

Quotations may also have a stated validity period because product availability, exchange rates, seller prices, and event conditions may change.

5. Payment

Payment must be completed using an available payment method specified by TOMODACHI.

We generally proceed with a purchase only after receiving the required payment.

You are responsible for reviewing the quotation carefully before payment.

Charges may be processed in a currency supported by our payment provider. Currency conversion rates and fees applied by your bank, card issuer, or payment provider are outside TOMODACHI's control.

6. Product Availability

Product availability is never guaranteed.

Items may:

• Sell out

• Be discontinued

• Become unavailable

• Be subject to purchase limits

• Change price

• Be cancelled by the seller

• Become unavailable due to marketplace, store, or event rules

If an item becomes unavailable before we successfully purchase it, we will notify you and handle any applicable refund in accordance with our Refund & Cancellation Policy.

7. Event Shopping

TOMODACHI may offer purchasing support for merchandise sold at events, conventions, exhibitions, pop-up stores, or similar locations in Japan.

Event merchandise is particularly subject to:

• Sell-outs

• Long queues

• Purchase limits

• Lottery systems

• Entry restrictions

• Schedule changes

• Event rules

• Unexpected cancellation or closure

Submitting and paying for an event-related request does not guarantee that the requested merchandise will be successfully obtained.

Any event-related service fee, mission fee, admission-related cost, transportation-related cost, or other non-refundable expense will be disclosed before payment where applicable.

Once event-related work has begun or a non-refundable cost has been incurred, the corresponding disclosed fee or cost may not be refundable to the extent permitted by applicable law.

8. Third-Party Sellers

TOMODACHI sources products from independent third-party sellers.

Third-party sellers may have their own:

• Sales terms

• Cancellation rules

• Return policies

• Product descriptions

• Condition grading standards

• Shipping schedules

Where relevant, those conditions may affect your request.

TOMODACHI will take reasonable care when selecting and communicating information from third-party sources, but we do not control the operation, inventory, policies, or conduct of independent sellers.

9. Product Condition and Authenticity

TOMODACHI will take reasonable care when sourcing products and may decline requests where we reasonably suspect an item is counterfeit, unlawful, or otherwise unsuitable for our service.

For pre-owned, rare, vintage, or collectible products, normal signs of age, storage, handling, or previous ownership may exist.

When condition information is available from the seller, we will endeavor to communicate material condition details before purchase.

Unless specifically included as part of an agreed service, TOMODACHI does not provide professional authentication, grading, appraisal, or valuation services.

10. Doujinshi, Books, and Fan-Created Works

TOMODACHI may assist customers in locating legally available doujinshi, books, art books, and other fan-created works through appropriate Japanese sources.

Availability depends on the individual work, seller, event, and applicable service restrictions.

TOMODACHI does not acquire intellectual property rights in any work merely by purchasing or shipping a physical copy.

Customers may not use TOMODACHI to request unauthorized reproduction, scanning, distribution, publication, or other infringement of copyrighted material.

11. Language Support

TOMODACHI may help customers understand information such as:

• Japanese product listings

• Seller information

• Product specifications

• Store information

• Event announcements

• Purchase instructions

Unless separately authorized by the applicable rights holder and expressly agreed by TOMODACHI, our standard Language Support service does not include producing or distributing full translations of copyrighted books, doujinshi, manga, or similar works.

12. Travel and Event Information

TOMODACHI may provide general information or recommendations concerning matters such as:

• Comiket admission

• Event access

• Hotels

• Transportation

• Local areas

• Travel preparation

Unless we expressly introduce a separate legally compliant service, TOMODACHI does not book accommodation or transportation on your behalf.

Customers are responsible for making and confirming their own travel arrangements.

13. Restricted and Prohibited Items

TOMODACHI may refuse any request that we reasonably determine is illegal, unsafe, restricted, prohibited, or incompatible with our service, payment provider, shipping provider, or destination-country requirements.

At this time, TOMODACHI does not handle sexually explicit adult products or other prohibited or age-restricted products that fall outside our service policy.

Other products may also be ineligible because of:

• Japanese law

• Destination-country law

• Customs restrictions

• Carrier restrictions

• Dangerous goods regulations

• Payment provider rules

• Marketplace or seller restrictions

International postal services also impose both worldwide and destination-specific restrictions on certain items.

If you are unsure whether an item is eligible, please contact us before confirming your request.

14. International Shipping

International shipping is governed by our Shipping Policy.

Shipping costs, available methods, delivery estimates, tracking, insurance, customs procedures, lost or damaged packages, and returned shipments may vary depending on the destination and carrier.

Delivery dates are estimates unless expressly stated otherwise.

15. Customs, Duties, and Import Requirements

You are responsible for ensuring that requested products may legally be imported into your destination country.

Customs duties, VAT/GST, import taxes, brokerage fees, customs clearance charges, or similar destination-country charges may apply.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, these charges are the responsibility of the customer.

In some countries or for certain shipping methods, applicable customs or carrier rules may require duties, taxes, or related charges to be paid before the package is dispatched from Japan. This may apply, for example, to certain shipments to the United States.

If advance payment is required, TOMODACHI will inform you of the applicable amount before shipment, and the customer will be responsible for paying that amount unless otherwise expressly agreed.

TOMODACHI will not intentionally falsify customs declarations, reduce declared values, or incorrectly declare commercial goods as gifts for the purpose of avoiding duties or taxes.

16. Cancellations, Returns, and Refunds

Cancellations, returns, and refunds are governed by our Refund & Cancellation Policy.

Because many items are sourced specifically for individual requests, cancellation may not be possible after TOMODACHI has purchased or committed to purchase an item, except where the customer has a mandatory right to cancel or return under applicable law.

Please contact us as soon as possible if you wish to change or cancel a request.

17. Customer Responsibilities

You agree to:

• Provide accurate contact, payment, and shipping information

• Review quotations and item details before approval

• Respond to requests for information when reasonably necessary

• Use the service only for lawful purposes

• Comply with applicable import and customs requirements

• Pay any charges you have expressly approved

• Avoid submitting requests for prohibited or restricted goods

You are responsible for correcting inaccurate information as soon as you become aware of it.

18. Refusal or Cancellation of a Request

TOMODACHI may refuse, pause, or cancel a request where reasonably necessary, including where:

• The requested item is unavailable

• The request appears unlawful or fraudulent

• The item is prohibited or restricted

• Payment cannot be verified

• The customer provides materially inaccurate information

• The request cannot reasonably be fulfilled

• Continuing the request would violate seller, event, carrier, payment provider, or legal requirements

If TOMODACHI cancels a request after payment, any refund will be handled according to our Refund & Cancellation Policy and any costs already properly incurred.

19. Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise stated, the TOMODACHI name, original website text, original graphics, branding, and other original materials created for this website are owned by or licensed to the operator of TOMODACHI.

Third-party product names, characters, artwork, trademarks, logos, event names, and other intellectual property belong to their respective owners.

Reference to a brand, product, event, store, creator, or other third party does not imply sponsorship, endorsement, partnership, or affiliation unless expressly stated.

20. Website Information

We try to keep the information on our website accurate and useful.

However, product availability, event details, shipping services, laws, customs requirements, seller policies, and other external information may change.

Where current information is important to your request, we may confirm the relevant details during the quotation process.

21. Service Interruptions

TOMODACHI may temporarily suspend or delay all or part of the service where reasonably necessary because of circumstances such as:

• System maintenance

• Illness or emergency

• Severe weather

• Natural disasters

• Event cancellation

• Transportation disruption

• Carrier interruption

• Payment or platform outages

• Government restrictions

• Other circumstances reasonably outside our control

Where possible, we will communicate material delays affecting an active paid request.

22. Responsibility for Loss

TOMODACHI is responsible for providing its services with reasonable care and in accordance with applicable law.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability where doing so would be prohibited by applicable law, including liability that cannot legally be excluded or limited under consumer protection law.

To the extent permitted by law, TOMODACHI is not responsible for losses caused solely by circumstances outside our reasonable control, including actions of independent sellers, customs authorities, event organizers, or shipping carriers, except where TOMODACHI itself has failed to exercise the care required by law.

23. Privacy

Personal information submitted through TOMODACHI will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

We may need to share necessary information with payment providers, sellers, shipping carriers, customs-related service providers, or other parties involved in fulfilling your request.

24. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in our services, operating procedures, laws, payment methods, shipping requirements, or other relevant circumstances.

The version applicable to an individual paid request will generally be the version in effect when the request was confirmed, unless a change is required by law or separately agreed with you.

25. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of Japan.

Nothing in these Terms is intended to deprive a consumer of mandatory protections that apply under the laws of their country or region where those protections cannot legally be waived.

Any dispute will be handled by a court having jurisdiction under applicable law.

26. Relationship With Other Policies

These Terms should be read together with:

• Refund & Cancellation Policy

• Shipping Policy

• Privacy Policy

• Any quotation or request-specific conditions agreed between you and TOMODACHI

If a quotation contains a specific condition that applies only to an individual request, that specific condition will apply to that request to the extent permitted by law.

27. Contact

If you have questions about these Terms or about whether a particular request is eligible for the TOMODACHI service, please contact us before confirming your request whenever possible.

The legal operator and required business information for TOMODACHI are provided in our Legal Notice / Specified Commercial Transactions Act disclosure.

Email: project.tomodachi.concierge@gmail.com