Tsuba are considered as "essential parts of weapons" in Belgium.

[Kantaro]

 

I bought a Tsuba from Japan and I live in Belgium. (seller used JP Post)

When I was tracking the parcel yesterday I saw it was send back to Japan the day it arrived in Belgium!

A bit puzzled I informed with my Belgian local postoffice and they told me the Parcel was rejected because the name  "Tsuba /guard sword" was mentioned.

It seems it was considered as "an essential part of a weapon" and send back without even opening.

Maybe it was just caused by incompetent staffpeople who make bad decisions or they use a new software which screens the documents on keywords?

No, they told me they just followed the instructions of the Law.

 

Wonder if other members had problems with "Tsuba Guard Sword"?

I read about the problems in the UK but was not expecting "Tsuba problems".

 

It feels as the net is closing...maybe I better start to collect rainbow unicorns or are they too sharp?

 

 

Send a parcel | What can't I send? | bpost

 

What can't I send

The current postal legislation forbids the sending of letters or parcels, both within Belgium or abroad, with the following contents:

1. Dangerous goods:

Dangerous objects are objects that, due to their shape, nature or packaging, can be dangerous for people or can damage other shipments, the equipment of bpost, or the goods of third-parties (including parcels). Some daily objects also cannot be sent with the post. These include lighters, perfume, manicure products, glue, paint, flammable liquids, spray cans, deodorants under pressure, hair dye and lithium batteries.

There is a specific exception for lithium batteries. Read all about it in this overview. It also includes an overview of all dangerous goods.

2. Prohibited items:

• Drugs, narcotics and psychotropic substances
• Weapons, essential parts of weapons and ammunition, imitation firearms, knives, swords, daggers and any other sharp or cutting object
• Objects, texts or general substances of which the import, export, production, circulation, distribution, use, possession, sale or transport are forbidden by law
• Objects that include statements that contravene public order or common decency 
• Shipments that mention forbidden destinations or contain forbidden goods according to commercial law
• Shipments that contain counterfeit goods
• Coins, banknotes and bearer bonds (exception: personal cheques with a maximum value of €500 per parcel and a basic guarantee)
• Jewellery (exception: costume jewellery that does not contain gold, silver or gemstones, is not worth more than €500 per parcel and has a basic guarantee), works of art and collections or other valuable materials, including animal pelts
• Parcels whose value is more than €5,000 

Some countries impose additional restrictions. Check the exceptions for China, Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Portugal, Luxembourg, Spain and Switzerland.

[Brian]

Antique Japanese art metalwork disc.

[Spartancrest]

I describe tsuba as sword ornaments and have no trouble with customs here in Australia. I would almost guarantee most customs people would have no idea what a "tsuba" was so I avoid using the word because they might want to find out! 

"essential parts of weapons" I guess that customs might think you are bringing in weapons in pieces to reassemble? I see people do that with gun parts.  I suggest you change the description to something like "iron coaster" or "Chinese belt buckle" They were often misidentified that way in the past.

[Kantaro]

Mumble, they propable think i am assembling a sword of mass destruction with an Invincibility Tsuba...

 

[Curran]

2 hours ago, Brian said:

Antique Japanese art metalwork disc.

 What Brian said.

The Customs People don't have either time or ability to think.  If labeled "XYZ" and the system says "XYZ is bad", you're out and there is very little chance human face to face logic will change it these days.

 

In conclusion:   control how it is labelled when sent.

When tsuba mailing to shinsa in Japan.... don't call them sword guards. Do as Brian said.

...and apparently Belgium is the same way.

 

I love that Sweden is fine with swords and you can say most anything with it sailing through. Even the USA isn't that relaxed. Mention of 'sword' with declared value, and your chances of it disappearing in LAX or Chicago customs gets much higher.

[Deez77]

Fwiw, I always use "iron decoration (no battery)" when having tsuba mailed. 

 

Damon

[Alex A]

Wow, cant believe we are now discussing how to get tsuba passed customs.

 

Strange times.

[zanilu]

I always use "Metal Craft" to avoid any misunderstanding and deflect overzealous custom reaction...

 

Regards

Luca

[Alex A]

Think id go with something similar.

 

Japanese iron artwork metal craft,

 

Japanese copper artwork metal craft.

 

Ps, From recent experience i heard about with a Japanese dealer. You really need to make every effort to get things done the way you want, otherwise they go autopilot and do everything the same way they have always done.

[kissakai]

I use decorative metalwork - works for me

 

[Steves87]

This is all very interesting. For Australia, you don't really have any troubles in any state (except Victoria) for swords or sword related things, until the value exceeds 1000aud. Once that limit is exceeded, automatic GST is not taken out, and it has to go through a customs evaluation.

Where the tricky stuff comes in, is in what the item is described as. Weapons, antiques, art, furniture, fittings, and "parts" all have different meanings to different assesors, AND importantly, different rates of tax! I still have not looked into it 100% but it seems that antiques are exempt or have lower tariffs, but art does not.... so, "antique art" then causes an issue for the assessor.

I have spent considerable time on the phone to customs regarding the items and their classifications. One time they asked me to provide referenced evidence for a package of three Tsuba, I did and I paid the lower fees (very helpful assessor), but also, I worked out it would have been cheaper to pay three lots of postage than the combined postage and customs/tax/quarantine fees!! 

[Alex A]

Perhaps for old Tosho tsuba, something like "XXL large old industrial washer"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Spartancrest]

18 hours ago, Alex A said:

Wow, cant believe we are now discussing how to get tsuba passed customs.

I have had a few tsuba coming from Hiroshima and more recently Fukushima - does customs get a Geiger counter out for inspections? 

[DoTanuki yokai]

I think they only check the whole freight for radiation not single packages when there is nothing suspicious.

I know they did it after the Fukushima accident but im not sure if they still do it.

[DirkO]

FWIW - I've frequently imported tsuba via JP Post / EMS, who partners with BPost in Belgium. In think the word 'sword' did you in, I've always used 'tsuba' or just 'Japanese antique'. Last import was a few months ago, so it would surprise me if things changed in the meantime.

[davel]

Never mention the words weapons/swords or it will be returned to sender and you might get a police visit later on :/

 

Since 2023 it's forbidden to buy any kind of weapons through the internet (as a private person).

 

Quote from DKBUZA (dutch):

 

Voortaan (sinds 31/12/2022) is het verboden om:

- te kopen per postorder of via internet, van:

o wapens (alle wapens, zie voor een indicatieve definitie punt 3.4. Omzendbrief van 25/10/2011 over de toepassing van de wapenwetgeving)

o losse onderdelen aan de wettelijke proef onderworpen (zie artikel 1, 5° KB 10/3/2022: “5° onderdeel onderworpen aan de proef: origineel onderdeel of identiek vervangstuk, ontworpen voor een vuurwapen, essentieel voor de werking ervan, onderworpen aan sterke mechanische belastingen bij het schieten en opgenomen in het kader van het <reglement> van de Overeenkomst of in bijlage 1 bij dit besluit”, d.i. dus het frame, de loop, de trommel van revolvers, het sluitstuk en de slede van pistolen, de sluit- en grendelstukken en de bascule).

[Kantaro]

I am still amazed and puzzled they consider Tsuba as "essential parts of weapons"...someone should educate the LAW makers...mumble.

[Tsuba gardener]

On 8/8/2024 at 12:05 PM, Kantaro said:

 

I bought a Tsuba from Japan and I live in Belgium. (seller used JP Post)

When I was tracking the parcel yesterday I saw it was send back to Japan the day it arrived in Belgium!

A bit puzzled I informed with my Belgian local postoffice and they told me the Parcel was rejected because the name  "Tsuba /guard sword" was mentioned.

It seems it was considered as "an essential part of a weapon" and send back without even opening.

Maybe it was just caused by incompetent staffpeople who make bad decisions or they use a new software which screens the documents on keywords?

No, they told me they just followed the instructions of the Law.

 

Wonder if other members had problems with "Tsuba Guard Sword"?

I read about the problems in the UK but was not expecting "Tsuba problems".

 

It feels as the net is closing...maybe I better start to collect rainbow unicorns or are they too sharp?

 

 

Send a parcel | What can't I send? | bpost

 

What can't I send

The current postal legislation forbids the sending of letters or parcels, both within Belgium or abroad, with the following contents:

1. Dangerous goods:

Dangerous objects are objects that, due to their shape, nature or packaging, can be dangerous for people or can damage other shipments, the equipment of bpost, or the goods of third-parties (including parcels). Some daily objects also cannot be sent with the post. These include lighters, perfume, manicure products, glue, paint, flammable liquids, spray cans, deodorants under pressure, hair dye and lithium batteries.

There is a specific exception for lithium batteries. Read all about it in this overview. It also includes an overview of all dangerous goods.

2. Prohibited items:

• Drugs, narcotics and psychotropic substances
• Weapons, essential parts of weapons and ammunition, imitation firearms, knives, swords, daggers and any other sharp or cutting object
• Objects, texts or general substances of which the import, export, production, circulation, distribution, use, possession, sale or transport are forbidden by law
• Objects that include statements that contravene public order or common decency 
• Shipments that mention forbidden destinations or contain forbidden goods according to commercial law
• Shipments that contain counterfeit goods
• Coins, banknotes and bearer bonds (exception: personal cheques with a maximum value of €500 per parcel and a basic guarantee)
• Jewellery (exception: costume jewellery that does not contain gold, silver or gemstones, is not worth more than €500 per parcel and has a basic guarantee), works of art and collections or other valuable materials, including animal pelts
• Parcels whose value is more than €5,000 

Some countries impose additional restrictions. Check the exceptions for China, Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Portugal, Luxembourg, Spain and Switzerland.

 

[Brian]

Ridiculous. I would be sending extremely angry emails as high up as I can go...as per that last case. There is ZERO reason to reject this. Tsuba are collected in their own right, and not as essential part of a sword at all. The sword functions fine without it. It is no more a part of a weapon as a silk sword bag is. You should really kick up a stink. And of course next time, antique decorative Japanese metalwork disc....

[Tsuba gardener]

Good day Kantaro, Just read your post as l was going to message on a similar subject. 

 

I have experienced various problems from Customs, 2 which are current. But to reply to your post, antiques have exceptions, which means they are less stringent than for modern items. Items abroad are required to have commodity codes, and antiques have 2 depending on their approximate age, over 100 years or over 250 years (clarify with the requirements relating to the country you are importing from). Commodity codes are important as antiques attract a %5 tax compared to %20 for newer goods. The sender needs to include an invoice detailing what each individual item is  made for, made of and approximate date with commodity codes and whether there is a requirement for additional certificates or restrictions.

 

I believe many custom departments are inhouse within the relevant parcel courier and may not be aware of the regulations. 

 

So in my case l have had a DHL parcel containing kozuka from Denmark returned to Sender because it was deemed it required an over 21 signature. Noone contacted me before returning the parcel. I had to explain that they were handles only, no blades and l am (well over ) 21.

 

A tsuba parcel I'm still waiting on from Australia apparently was sent without an invoice. Parcel Force required an invoice, description, dates and commodity codes. If the issue isn't fully rectified it will be returned within 28 days of Parcel Force receiving it.

 

Another DHL delivery from a Swiss auction house was incorrectly charged at %20 VAT even with an invoice, made worst by DHL quoting it was an approximate charge. I am awaiting confirmation from either DHL or Customs.

 

I have also had Customs queries regarding the value of orders, one from Denmark was sent back to seller who clarified the value, one from Japan was clarified before it could be sent back. 

 

I also had a tanto confiscated 7 years ago because Customs didn't know it was an antique. I got compensated for that one. I spoke to an understanding representative who told me that Customs has been taken over by private companies staffed by inexperienced people.

 

Hopefully your issue will be sorted soon if it hasn't already.

 

Neil Bolden 

 

 

[Kantaro]

Thanks for your reply Neil,

 

Unfortunantly the antique codes, even today seem not to be known by Belgian customs at all...100 or even more than 250 years old always seem to be 25-30% costs/VAT.

They seem not able to learn.  I even wonder why Japan still asks to put these codes on the parcel.

 

"Sword fittings", as description, even a tsuba or a silk bag or a copper seppa or a piece of wood or a piece of rope, identified by this name are send back the same day they arrive in Belgium.

 

One of my parcels from Japan was lost at the Belgian customs for more than 40 days and only was recovered by miracle after a complaint with BEpost and JPpost.

 

Nobody seems to be able to educate them and nobody cares.

 

This is unfair and ridiculous indeed and this is why I am maybe going to get another hobby.

 

Kind regards.

[ROKUJURO]

Tsuba /guard sword is not correct and might lead to wrong assumptions of the customs what it might be.

TSUBA/sword guard or TSUBA/hand-guard would be another thing in my opinion. And of course the customs tariff numbers of these items are very helpful in identifying the contents of a parcel from Japan. 

[Robert S]

4 hours ago, Tsuba gardener said:

Good day Kantaro, Just read your post as l was going to message on a similar subject. 

 

I have experienced various problems from Customs, 2 which are current...

 

 

What a gargantuan mess, Neil.  Unbelievable.  We don't have those problems (yet) in Canada, fingers crossed.

[DirkO]

Again, I've never had issues importing tsuba. 2 purchases in December arrived without any problem. I stated harmonized tariff 9706 as usual and also paid the reduced import fee (6% or 9%, I always forget which one it is). Currently have another one in transit, should arrive in a week or so after the usual delay.

[kissakai]

I always describe them as ornamental metal work

There is never any mention or sword or nihonto

 

[Iekatsu]

I do the same, any mention of swords will have the package flagged for sure.