The thing is that you’ve won the auction and paid for the car. Now it needs to make the journey from Japan to the UK but how does that actually happen?

There are multiple ways to ship a car  different routes, methods, and delivery times. The choice you make affects both your cost and how long you wait.

At Nobuko Japan, we’ve shipped over 500 cars using every major method. In this post, we break down the three main shipping options, the typical sea routes, and real delivery timelines.

Two Main Shipping Methods

There are two choices, RoRo or Container.

Method 1: RoRo (Roll-on / Roll-off)

It's the most common shipping car method from Japan to UK.

Your car drives onto the ship at Yokohama port. It is secured on a car deck. At the UK port, someone drives it off.

Pros:

Cheapest option (£1,200 – £1,800)

Faster loading and unloading

No crane or special equipment needed

Cons:

Car is exposed on open decks (salt air, weather)

Cannot ship personal items inside the car

Lower security (more cars, less individual attention)

Best for: Standard cars, budget-conscious buyers, most personal imports.

Method 2: Container Shipping (20ft or 40ft)

Your car is driven into a steel shipping container. The container is sealed and loaded onto a cargo ship.

Pros:

Full protection from weather and salt

You can ship personal items inside the car

Higher security (sealed container)

Cons:

More expensive (£2,500 – £4,000

Slower (containers wait for consolidation)

Requires professional lashing and securing

Best for: Classic cars, luxury vehicles, or buyers shipping household goods with the car.

Direct advice from Nobuko Japan: RoRo is the right choice for 95% of our customers. It is cheaper, faster, and perfectly safe. You must choose container if you have a rare, valuable car or need to ship extra items.

Comparison Table – RoRo vs Container

The Actual Sea Routes from Japan to UK

Ships do not run straight along. They abide by known shipping routes.

Route 1- Suez Canal Route (Normal)

It is the most frequented way to car ship between Japan and UK.

Routing: Yokohama (Japan) - South China Sea - Singapore (refuel) - Indian Ocean - Suez Canal (Egypt) - Mediterranean - Gibraltar - Atlantic - Southampton or Liverpool (UK).

Distance: ~12,000 nautical miles

Sailing time: 28–32 days

Port stops: 2-4 (Singapore, Dubai, Rotterdam)

Benefit: Quicker and less expensive than the other one.

Risk: Suez Canal is closed (occurred in 2021 with Ever Given). Add 2-3 weeks in case this occurs.

Route 2: Cape of Good Hope Route (Alternative)

When the Suez Canal is congested or very costly, vessels circumnavigate Africa.

Routing: Yokohama to Indian Ocean to Around Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) to Up Atlantic coast to UK.

Distance: ~15,000 nautical miles

Sailing time: 40–50 days

Port stops: 3–5

Advantage: No canal fees. No risk of Suez closure.

Disadvantage: Much slower. Rougher seas around South Africa.

When is this used? Only when Suez is blocked or during peak season when canal slots are full.

Route 3: Panama Canal Route (Very Rare)

Some ships go the other way around the world.

Path: Yokohama → Pacific Ocean → Panama Canal → Atlantic → UK

Distance: ~14,000 nautical miles

Sailing time: 35–45 days

Why almost no one uses this: It is longer, more expensive, and Panama has its own delays. Only used for ships heading to US West Coast first.

Nobuko Japan default: We use the Suez Canal route. It is the fastest and most reliable for UK-bound cars.

Major Ports – Japan Side

Your car leaves from one of these two ports.

Yokohama Port (80% of shipments)

Location: Near Tokyo

Largest export port for cars in Japan

Frequent sailings to UK (3–4 per month)

Nobuko Japan preferred port

Nagoya Port (20% of shipments)

Location: Central Japan

Smaller but efficient

Fewer direct UK sailings (1–2 per month)

Better for cars sourced from Osaka or Nagoya auctions

Which port is better? Yokohama. More ships mean less waiting.

Major Ports – UK Side

Your car arrives at one of these two ports.

Southampton (70% of arrivals)

Location: South coast of England

Largest car import port in the UK

Excellent connections to London, South East, and Midlands

Faster customs clearance (more staff)

Liverpool (30% of arrivals)

Location: North West England

Good for Northern Ireland, Scotland, and North England

Smaller but efficient

Slower customs clearance (fewer staff)

Which port is better? Southampton for speed. Liverpool for convenience if you live in the North.

Nobuko Japan tip: We let you choose. We can route your car to either port based on your address.

Real Delivery Times by Method

Real example from Nobuko Japan:

A Toyota Alphard shipped RoRo via Suez. Ocean transit: 33 days. Total from auction win to customer driveway: 9 weeks.

A Nissan GT-R shipped in a shared container. Ocean transit: 42 days. Total time: 12 weeks.

The lesson: RoRo via Suez is almost always faster and cheaper.

Experience Section 

Real Example: Customer Chose the Wrong Method – Paid More and Waited Longer

A UK customer bought a 2018 Honda Stepwagon through another exporter and was convinced to use a 20ft container, supposedly for “better protection.”

The container cost £3,200 versus £1,500 for Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo). It waited 12 days to fill, then sailed via the longer Cape route due to Suez congestion. Transit took 47 days. Total time from auction to UK driveway: 16 weeks, with £400 port fees.

The same car shipped RoRo with Nobuko Japan would have cost £1,500 and arrived in 9 weeks.

Lesson: RoRo is usually smarter for standard cars. We recommend the best method, no upselling.

Can You Ship Personal Items Inside the Car?

This is a common question.

RoRo: No. RoRo: No. Bringing personal stuff is not allowed. Shipping lines check each car prior to loading and in case they detect any belongings, they can either take away or sometimes refuse shipment.

Container: Yes. It is possible to pack the car and the container with personal belongings; house goods, tools, spares, etc., but never dangerous products, such as batteries, fuel, and gas canisters.

Price: There is no price difference between adding personal consignments of up to 500kg; it is calculated on the basis of space and not weight.

Nobuko Japan tip: Moving to the UK or shipping extra items? Choose a container. Just the car? RoRo is the smarter choice.

Which Shipping Line Does Nobuko Japan Use?

We work with three major lines:

All three are Japanese-owned and have excellent safety records. We choose the next available vessel to minimise your wait time.

Conclusion

Shipping a car from Japan to UK comes down to two choices. RoRo costs £1,200–£1,800 and takes 8-10 weeks via the Suez Canal. Container costs £2,500–£4,000 and takes 10-14 weeks.

For most cars, RoRo is the smarter pick since it is faster, cheaper, and perfectly safe. Only choose a container for classic, luxury, or multi-car shipments.

Moreover, the Suez route is fastest. and the Cape route is a slow backup. Nobuko Japan has shipped over 500 cars. We recommend honestly, no upsells. Just the right method for your car and budget. Contact Nobuko Japan today, get the right shipping method from day one.