Shipping policy

Effective Date: September 5, 2026

Minato Market provides local delivery and local pickup for eligible customers in the San Francisco Bay Area. Because our seafood and specialty products are sourced from Japan based on each week’s customer orders, our fulfillment schedule may differ from that of a traditional grocery store or nationwide shipping service.

Weekly Order and Delivery Schedule

Our typical weekly schedule is:

  • Saturday at 4:59 PM Pacific Time — Whole Fish & Uni Pre-Order Cutoff
    Orders for whole fish and uni must be placed by this cutoff to qualify for the upcoming Friday delivery. Orders placed after the cutoff will generally be scheduled for the following Friday.

  • Wednesday at 11:59 PM Pacific Time — All Other Products Order Cutoff
    Orders for other eligible products must be placed by this cutoff to qualify for the upcoming Friday delivery. Orders placed after the cutoff will generally be scheduled for the following Friday.

  • Friday Afternoon — Fresh Seafood Delivery
    Local deliveries are generally made on Friday afternoon. Actual delivery timing may vary depending on route, traffic, product arrival, and other operational factors.

The delivery or pickup date shown at checkout, in your order confirmation, or in a separate notification will apply to your order.

If a product has a different cutoff date, delivery date, or preorder schedule stated on its product page or at checkout, the schedule shown for that specific product or order will apply.

Local Delivery Area

Local delivery is available only to eligible ZIP codes within our designated San Francisco Bay Area delivery zone.

Delivery eligibility is determined by the delivery address entered at checkout. If an address is outside our current service area, the local delivery option may not appear.

Delivery fees, if applicable, will be displayed at checkout before payment is completed.

Delivery Windows

Delivery times are provided as estimated windows and are not guaranteed appointment times.

Routes may be affected by traffic, weather, airline schedules, customs clearance, inspections, product arrival times, or other circumstances outside our control. We will make reasonable efforts to notify customers of significant delays or schedule changes.

Please make sure the phone number and email address associated with your order are accurate so that we or the driver can contact you if necessary.

Receiving Your Order

Unless the order specifically includes authorization for an unattended drop-off, the driver will attempt to hand the order directly to the customer or another person at the delivery address.

Customers must provide all information needed to complete delivery, including, when applicable:

  • Gate codes

  • Call box numbers

  • Apartment or suite numbers

  • Building access instructions

  • Parking or entrance instructions

  • Any authorized drop-off instructions

Please enter this information in the Gate Code & Delivery Instructions section during checkout or in your order notes.

Unattended Drop-Offs

An order will only be left unattended when the customer has specifically requested or authorized a drop-off.

By requesting an unattended drop-off, the customer accepts responsibility for the order once it has been left at the instructed location.

Minato Market is not responsible for theft, loss, tampering, pests, weather exposure, building access issues, spoilage, temperature changes, or damage that occurs after an order has been delivered according to the customer’s drop-off instructions.

Customers should retrieve delivered seafood immediately and place all refrigerated or frozen products into appropriate cold storage as soon as possible.

Failed Delivery Attempts

If no one is available to receive the order and the customer has not authorized a drop-off, the driver may attempt to contact the customer using the phone number provided with the order.

Delivery may be considered unsuccessful when:

  • The delivery address is incorrect or incomplete.

  • Required gate or building access information was not provided.

  • The customer cannot be reached.

  • No one is available to receive the order.

  • The driver cannot safely access the delivery location.

Because our products are perishable, redelivery is not guaranteed. Additional delivery fees may apply, and an unsuccessful delivery caused by incorrect information, unavailable access, or the customer’s absence may not qualify for a refund.

Address or Delivery Instruction Changes

Customers are responsible for reviewing the delivery address and instructions before submitting an order.

Please contact us as soon as possible if a correction is needed. Address changes are not guaranteed after the applicable product cutoff or after delivery routes have been created.

Changing an address to a different city or delivery zone may result in an additional fee or may not be possible.

Local Pickup

When local pickup is available, the pickup location, date, and instructions will be provided in the order confirmation or pickup notification.

Customers should wait until they receive confirmation that the order is ready before arriving.

Orders must be collected during the stated pickup window. Because the products are perishable and may be sourced specifically for each customer, orders that are not collected on time may not qualify for a refund.

Product Availability and Import Delays

Our products are sourced from Japan and may be affected by supplier availability, seafood auction results, airline schedules, customs clearance, inspections, weather conditions, and other import-related circumstances.

If an item becomes unavailable or cannot arrive in acceptable condition, Minato Market may:

  • Delay the affected item or order.

  • Offer an alternative when appropriate.

  • Cancel and refund the unavailable item.

  • Cancel and refund the affected order.

We will contact the customer when a material change is required.

Order Changes and Cancellations

Because many products are sourced specifically based on confirmed customer orders, cancellations or order changes are not guaranteed after the applicable order cutoff.

For whole fish and uni, the applicable cutoff is generally Saturday at 4:59 PM Pacific Time.

For all other products, the applicable cutoff is generally Wednesday at 11:59 PM Pacific Time.

Please review our Refund and Cancellation Policy for additional information regarding cancellations, returns, refunds, and perishable products.

Inspecting Your Delivery

Customers should inspect their order immediately upon receipt.

If an item appears to be missing, incorrect, damaged, or in unacceptable condition, please contact us as soon as possible and provide:

  • Your order number

  • A description of the issue

  • Clear photographs of the item

  • Photographs of the packaging and product label

  • The approximate time the order was received

Do not discard the product or packaging before contacting us, as photographs and additional information may be required to evaluate the issue.

Reports made long after delivery may be difficult to verify, particularly when the product has not been refrigerated, frozen, or handled properly after delivery.

Nationwide Shipping

Unless a product page or checkout option specifically states otherwise, Minato Market does not currently offer nationwide parcel shipping through carriers such as UPS, FedEx, or USPS.

Orders placed through our website are limited to the delivery and pickup options shown at checkout.

Contact Us

For questions regarding delivery eligibility, an existing order, delivery instructions, or a reported issue, please contact us through our website’s Contact page or reply directly to your order confirmation email.