Framed Poster, Unframed Poster, or Postcard: Which Should You Pick?

• It is a gift and it must look finished: framed poster with mat.
• You have a frame, or you want the biggest picture per dollar: matte or luster poster.
• You want to test the style cheaply, or send several: postcard.
• You want to print it your own way, or it is a last-minute gift: the digital file at USD 10.99, with nothing to ship.

• Framed poster with mat — 12x16 at USD 94 / JPY 16,800, or 18x24 at USD 138 / JPY 24,800. Black frame, cut mat, ready to hang out of the box.
• Matte poster — 8x10 at USD 21.99 / JPY 3,980, or 12x16 at USD 28.99 / JPY 5,180. Non-reflective surface, the safest choice behind glass.
• Luster poster — 8x10 at USD 24.99 / JPY 4,580, 12x16 at USD 30.99 / JPY 5,580, or 18x24 at USD 35.99 / JPY 6,480. Photo-lab finish with slightly deeper blacks and more surface sheen.
• Postcard — 4x6 at USD 6.99 / JPY 980. The only format with a bleed area, so the artwork runs to the edge.

All of them carry the same artwork from the same master file, and shipping is free on every one.

Choose matte if the print goes behind glass or hangs opposite a window, because a matte surface will not throw reflections back at you. Choose luster if the print stays unglazed or the image is dark and moody, because the luster surface holds deeper blacks and gives the image a photographic feel. Luster is also the only unframed paper we offer at 18x24, so it is the choice if you want a large picture without paying for a frame.

Production takes about 2 to 5 business days for every product. Transit after that depends on which facility makes it:

• Framed poster: about 8 to 10 days in the US, typically 14 to 16 days to Japan.
• Matte and luster posters: about 2 to 4 days in Japan, 4 to 6 days in the US.
• Postcard: about 3 to 6 days in the US, typically 8 to 11 days to Japan.

These are estimates and can vary by carrier and holidays. If you are buying for a dated occasion in Japan, the unframed posters have by far the most margin for error.

Unframed posters for Japan are printed within Japan, so no import duties apply. Framed posters and postcards reach Japan from our US facility, so duties may be charged to the recipient, though low-value orders are usually exempt. This is the one place where the cheapest item on the list, the postcard, is not automatically the simplest.

Yes. Any print order can add the same digital file for USD 5.49 instead of the USD 10.99 standalone price, which is the usual move when the print is a gift and you want to keep a copy. You can also order between 1 and 10 of the same item in a single order.