Bizarre question!

[mad pierrot]

What is the best way to get a large, edged weapon out of Japan?













I'm serious, any comments appreciated!

 

[Jack]

i keep mine in my trousers, and when i get searched i just smile, hehe
im sure if you encase it customs will see it as being purely for storage purposes.

 

[Index]

Good question. Expecting trouble on the way out? Try getting a fake certificate if its an antique.

 

[Jack]

Are we talking a sword? hmm....i think you can go down to customs and receive an export notification, which allows it to be transported or better yet have it fedex'd.

 

[Minxie]

If you are flying out of Narita, you will have a really hard time getting through, but then again you might not. I took back a small katana. When I bought it the guy told me it was a "paper cutter" or an envelope opener, but the tip of the blade was so sharp it could slice open your finger. That made it through customs, and the x-ray machine etc, but 2 lighters I had bought at a local 100Yen shop didn't... but I do know that if they find anything that is "dangerous", they take it away. I don't know 100% if they ship it to you anyway because my boss had the same problem, and she's never seen her knife since.

Best bet, ship it... don't bring it on the plane or put it in your luggage...

good luck

 

[jeisan]

yeah mail it to yourself, thats how my friends mom got all kinds of things out of russia, though the crazier things had to be sent on a slow boat from china, i guess regulations are more lax on cargo ships than airplanes.

 

[Mandylion]

If it is a reproduction, try mailing it to yourself, but check all the regs first on both sides. You don't want your item taken because Japan said it was okay but country X said it wasn't.

If you have the real article, you will need to get special export papers (so I hear).

Spend some time lurking at Sword Forum International I'm sure this topic has come up many times.

 

[Sensuikan San]

I would also look at the possible problems of getting it in to wherever it's going ...! (The U.S.?)

Just a thought ...

ﾆ淡ﾆ停?｡ﾆ停?

 

[DoctorP]

Use a shipping company, not just the mail service. Have it packed professionally (ie Black Cat) and if you study any martial arts, get a statement from your instructor stating that it is either a training instrument, or an award. Pack a copy of this letter with the instrument and keep a copy for yourself.

 

[mad pierrot]

Thank you all !

For the good replies. It's actually not for me but for a friend of mine who is seriously into Kendo just bought a live blade to train with, and as it was pretty damn expensive I'm sure he doesn't want to leave it in Japan when he goes home.

It's also heavy as hell. Dude has forearms like Christmas hams.