Shipping Swords to Japan

[Kajihei]

Dear Experienced Members,

 

I hope I am posting this in the right forum. If not, please forgive me.

 

I need an advice. A friend in USA is having a hard time shipping a katana to me.

 

First, he went to the post office to ship by EMS, as he had always done. The post office told him that they would not accept sword shipment to Japan because "Japan prohibits importation of weapons." The Post Office Manual does say that, although the post office supervisor took the liberty of interpreting this to include swords.

 

So, he took it to FedEx. They too told him that they will not ship swords to Japan, also citing their manual.

 

Any suggestions? Had any one tried UPS for shipping swords to Japan? I know DHL refuses to handle swords.

 

Thanking you in advance,

 

Kaji

[John A Stuart]

Hi Kaji, Why not use an agent that imports Nihonto for shinsa (it is Nihonto right?) like Moses or Bob. They are in the links section. John

[Guido]

Matsumoto-san, shipping Nihontô to Japan by private carrier is a really bad idea. The port of entry is Narita (airport), and you have to go there for a pre-Shinsa, and after that you have to attend Toroku-shinsa at Shinjuku. Using USPS is the smart choice, you only have to go once to the International Post Office nearest to you.

[Stephen]

id be more than glad to help, i go to a local post office and mark it Japanese Nihonto and they dont blink a eye, when ask if anything hazardous i tell them not unless your 17c Samurai and they just smile. I ship swords around the world. youd just need a address that will know what to do with the incoming sword.

[Ed]

I shipped a sword to Japan today via the USPS, as I have on numerous occasions, without difficulty.

 

If this sword is an antique and unless your friend barged up to the counter declaring he was in possession of a weapon, I don't know why he was denied.

 

Japan does not import weapons. However, they do allow the import of art and antiques.

 

Is the sword in question an antique ??

 

If it is a modern reproduction then the rules are different.