Dealing with three item limit, Japan Post printed labels

Since the turn of the year I’ve returned to sending parcels of gifts back home for family member’s birthdays, after having had a bit of a posting hiatus due to the pandemic.

So then, I’ve been getting to grips with Japan Post's online system for preparing address and contents labels which you then print out at the post office. Is the system called Yupuri Touch (ゆうプリタッチ)? I’m not sure.

Anyway, I take the labels and parcel to the counter and let the staff deal with the rest. 

During my latest attempt to send a few bits as a birthday present back home I ran into a bit of uncertainty, which maybe I can help to clarify for others here. Or maybe not. 

With these Yupuri Touch labels you can only enter three items per package, which strikes me as being a bit useless. Now, you might be tempted to just say, “Well, just enter the main three items and don’t mention the rest.” A fair point. However, in recent years I’ve often felt like I’m under suspicion when sending stuff back home with Japan Post with the over-the-counter contents questions and then that form you have to fill-in to basically say that you’re not trying to send anything dangerous or illegal. 

So, anyway, there’s space only for three items. I had four - not including a letter and birthday card which I’ve long since learned to not mention, for reasons that I don’t think I’ll ever understand. 

I tried to sneak two items into one - tea and chocolate. The member of staff didn’t seem to have a problem with this. They also told me that if you do have a whole bunch of items in your parcel, then the procedure is to make labels with three of them, and then let staff know of the others when you hand over the parcel. At which point they’ll ask you to enter the extra items into the form pictured below. 

Seems like a fault in the system if you ask me, but maybe there’s a reasonable explanation behind the three-item-only labels.  Or you could just not mention them?  

I know there are others on here who have talked about the printed labels for Japan Post, so I’m sure a search will turn up more information around the system.

How have you been getting on with sending parcels home of late?