Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Hi Everyone,

 

I exchanged emails briefly with Curran upon his return to eastern USA. I personally have always found jet lag worst coming back from Japan then going to Japan from the USA. Going to Japan I was always able to sleep off the effects of the jet lag. I really hope to make it to DTI sometime in the very near future as it looks like a lot of fun. Thanks also to everyone able to post pictures of the event and Japan in general during their trip. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had the pleasure of attending the DTI this year. There were some really incredible fittings and swords on display and for sale, as always. One dealer must have had 40-50 yari and pole arms for sale, most complete with poles. There were a lot of matchlocks for sale, but they seemed to be priced fairly high compared to what one can normally purchase them for in the U.S. They had some great large bore guns. This year my family and a couple of good friends went with me to Japan for the first time, so I played "tour guide." As such, I was only able to attend the DTI the last day from about 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., but I was still able to pick up some very reasonably priced items. I purchased two yari complete with poles, one for $800, and another for $400. The dealers were definitely willing to discount their asking prices the last day. The $800 yari was originally priced at $1,200. One does not need a ton of money (though it could certainly help) to purchase some nice things to add to ones collection from the DTI.

 

For those members who have not yet had the opportunity to make a trip over to Japan, I would highly recommend it, along with a rail pass (what a bargain!). One can easily take a number of one day trips away from Tokyo and see such great places as Matsumoto Castle, Himeji Castle, Nikko, Hakone-Fuji, and Kyoto, hit some flea markets, and see many places in and around Tokyo in just a mere 7-9 day trip. Thanks to all of the NMB members who posted pictures of this year's DTI. It was great seeing them. Great to see Robert Hughes and some other NMB members at the DTI as well. I have added a couple of pictures I took at the show.

 

Regards,

Bill E. Sheehan (Yoshimichi)

post-2388-1419694911099_thumb.jpg

post-2388-14196949113251_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bill,

Was there any problem bringing a yari with pole back with you? No problems with the airlines and the length?

Unless the blades were long enough to need torokusho and the whole export process of course. Are they being sent later?

 

Brian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A former British Airways pilot who flew the Narita/Heathrow route regularly, told me how he managed to fit a Yari diagonally into the cockpit on a return flight one time. (Among other things including a Nihonto, etc.)

 

Incidentally after you guys posted photographs I realized that this has to be good advertising for the DTI and so I recommended suggesting lifting the ban to some dealers today.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Brian:

 

No problem at all with the airlines bringing the poles back to the U.S. I flew on United Airlines through SFO from Chico, CA. The pole lengths were about 52 inches each without the blade. I suppose it might be a problem with a 7' or 8' pole, but I haven't tried that (yet). I obtained a square packing box from the hotel and some packing tape, and fashioned a three-sided long shipping tube out of it (Western "Origami"). The box was 400 yen, and the hotel supplied the tape and scissors for free, and even made a string carry handle for the box. I took some extra luggage tags over with me, and I through one on the yari box. The overall length of the box, when packed, was about 60 inches long by about 8 inches wide on alll three sides. I usually take a small role of the smaller bubble wrap and a roll of strapping tape with me in my check in bag when I travel to Japan, knowing that I will be buying something. The two dealers at the show wrapped the poles for me in paper and bubble wrap at no cost right at the DTI. The yari poles just had to be checked in at the oversized luggage counter at Narita Airport. They arrived safely at SFO without damage. I had to then recheck them at SFO for the SFO to Chico leg of the flight, and they arrives with no problem in Chico as well, along with my other checked luggage. It's nice to be able to purchase something and bring it back with you on the return trip. The yari blades were both under 5.50 inches in length, so I just threw those into my check in suit case wrapped in bubble wrap. No problems whatsoever going through customs on either end. I brought back a smaller jumonji yari with pole the same way two years ago that I purchased at the DTI for about $450. The dealer for the jumonji yari packed the yari pole up in a box for me to take on the plane at no cost on that occasion. The dealers have been extremely willing and happy to help package things up. There are usually two or three shorter poled yaris for sale at the DTI each year. I suppose one could probably bring back a yumi or arrows, or koshirae this way as well.

 

Does anyone know if one can purchase a matchlock in Japan and bring it back with them, or do those also have to go through a clearance/waiting period process in Japan before they can leave the country, like swords?

 

Regards,

Bill E. Sheehan (Yoshimichi)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jean: Yes, I knew his English was superb, but I still expected Maurice Chevalier. A lifelong friend who is a dual US/French citizen has never lost his accent, perhaps to pick up the girls.

When Jean bust out with Parliament English instead of 'parlement' Frenglish, had to give him a second look and wonder if he'd lead a second life as a listening spy, the ears of the French government.

 

Speaking of the English gents: It was a pleasure to finally meet Mr. Paul Martin and talk with him a little bit. There was a very beautiful O-tanto that went up Saturday afternoon at a price just a baby's breath above where I would have been breaking the piggy bank for it. It would have been ideal to employ Paul to help obtain it, but it sold very very fast.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This thread is quite old. Please consider starting a new thread rather than reviving this one, unless your post is really relevant and adds to the topic..

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...