MEENag

Correct. It’s 15% going forward, which sucks. I don’t think I would have done anything differently when selecting my first sword had I known about the tariffs. I really wanted to select it while on my first trip to Japan. I stayed well below the top of my budget with the sword I selected, so even with the added cost I’m still below my budget. If I add to my collection later, I’ll probably start looking closer to home.

Yes, I paid a 10% tariff, a broker fee, a .3464% merchandise fee to CBP (min ~$33), and a small fee based on value to use the brokers bond (~$20).

I believe it is just 15%, but I got that information from Google.

I thought I would share the story of how my first Nihonto delivery process went in case it might be helpful to someone. I went to Japan with my family for the first time in the middle of June this year. One of my goals for the trip was to select my first Nihonto while there. You can read more about that in the Nihonto forum under the thread “Question about Aoi listing”. I did select and purchase a sword from Aoi Art. Paid: 6/15 Export permit received: 7/19 Shipped via EMS: 7/20 Arrived in Chicago customs: 7/23 Letter from US customs with arrival notice dated: 7/28 I received that letter from customs on 8/5 The letter from customs said that since my package was valued over $2500 that it would need Formal Entry. I believe all packages will require similar processing in the future with Trump ending the de minimus exemption. The letter said that I could send the forms myself but that many choose to hire a customs broker due to the complexity of the process. I thought I would do it myself, but was quickly underwhelmed by the lack of helpful info on the internet. I thought I would take a couple of hours off of work to find a broker on that Wednesday (8/6), the day after receiving the letter. It ended up being an all day affair. I started on the CBP website with the list of approved brokers they have. Most of them seemed to cater to large companies but I made some calls that went nowhere and filled out some online forms for a couple that looked promising. One responded fairly quickly. I sent some info and asked some questions, including how much it would cost. They would answer my questions except for the ones about price so I stopped working with them after multiple attempts were ignored. I was getting frustrated trying to find someone to work with me so I consulted the internet. That lead me to some posts on Reddit that suggested eezyimports, which is a kind of DIY customs portal. I registered there and uploaded my info. I felt like I was making good progress but had a question. I worked with their online chat to resolve my issue and they eventually informed me they don’t work with postal packages. I next engaged with Clearit, a similar service where you upload your docs and an agent helps you through the process. I uploaded my forms and an agent contacted me a couple of hours later. Long story short, I spent 2 days going back and forth with the agent and had to abandon Clearit when they insisted I provide a USPS form that made no sense for my situation and was literally (in the original sense, kids) impossible for me to fill out. The agent was somewhere overseas and seemed to be following a template, but it didn’t apply to my situation. I was back to the point of cold calling customs brokers found via a Google search. By this time it was Friday and I was concerned with how long it was taking to get this process moving. Many fruitless calls later I finally had a broker answer that said this wasn’t something he normally handled but that he was willing to help. What a relief. He was very quick to get started once he received my paperwork. During this process is when I learned that I was going to get hit with tariffs. He said that it would be duty free because it was an antique but that the tariffs should apply. Since I had seen other people on NMB say they weren’t tariffed, I wanted to make sure he was correct, so I emailed US CBP at the address listed on the letter. They were quick to respond to multiple inquiries that we had and confirmed that the tariff would apply. From April to 8/7, the 10% tariff was supposed to apply. I think that they weren’t very strict about applying it because the whole thing was a confusing mess for a while. I read of several here who got through customs without tariffs, including one who posted in my other thread that he bought his more expensive sword from Aoi after me but got his export permit sooner, so it got to customs sooner. I was told by my broker that they got alerts about increased scrutiny starting the day my package processed. Lucky me. HTSCodes, if helpful to someone. 9706.10.0060 Antique over 250 years old 9706.90.0060. Antique over 100 years old 9903.01.25 IEEPA Reciprocal tariff 10%. The reciprocal 10% tariff was replaced by a 15% tariff as of 8/7. https://hts.usitc.gov/search?query=9706.10.00.60 There was one last hiccup that occupied us for a couple of days as we waited for an answer from Japan Post/Japan Airlines/USPS but it turned out to be a wild goose chase. As I mentioned, the broker did not normally handle this type of case so he was unfamiliar with processing items going through postal services (EMS/USPS). His software would not process the file without a Master Airway Bill(MAWB) associated with the delivery to customs. We went round and round trying to get it from Japan Post/EMS/USPS/ Japan Airlines/Aoi Art but to no avail. We finally emailed customs and they just said to use the tracking number (also known as the House Airway Bill (HAWB) for both HAWB and MAWB entries on the form and to leave out trailing characters on the MAWB if it was too long. With that info, the paperwork went through. After the fact, we learned that the MAWB is a commercial freight forwarding (UPS/FedEx) concept that doesn’t apply to postal service deliveries. I submitted my payment and fees/tariffs (almost$1k) to the broker and he forwarded the paperwork to Customs shortly thereafter on 8/12. The next day customs turned it over to the USPS at noon and I get home today on 8/14 to find that they had attempted delivery. I’ll go pick it up tomorrow and hope that all is well with the package. I’m not without concern, as one heartless poster on another thread put the idea of sticky fingers in the USPS in my head. Aoi Art was very responsive in my inquiries to them and participated in the wild goose chase without complaint, which I was thankful for. My broker said that he learned some things throughout this process that would make the process much smoother next time. I am very thankful to him for working with me. He was professional, extremely responsive and seemed of very high character in all of my interactions with him and would definitely recommend him if someone here needs this service. He works out of Texas, but can work with any port. He said that I could post his info here. I have no affiliation or monetary interest in doing so, I just want to help someone here. If you aren’t using him for a sword, tell him you heard about him on this sword forum so he knows the business is coming from his willingness to help me. James Shalda Licensed Customs Broker JAMES CB TX LLC https://jamescb.com Good luck to any of you going through this process. Jeff

I do not want to experience that!

No progress on gathering the info my customs broker needs to get my sword cleared. He needs the Master Air waybill MAWB for the shipment that included my package. A normal tracking number is also known as a House Air Waybill. The MAWB covers all of the packages/HAWBs that a freight forwarder includes in a particular cargo flight. In this case Japan Post/EMS contracted with Japan Airlines to carry freight and was issued a MAWB. I have contacted Japan Post and Japan Airlines to get the MAWB but received no response. I contacted Aoi Art and asked if they would inquire with Japan Post directly to try to get it and they did but whoever they talked to at Japan Post said that the tracking number is the only number. The struggle continues. I am, however, pleased with the post sale service from Aoi. As I’m typing this, I’m wondering why I haven’t tried to contact EMS directly…heading to EMS site.

Don’t scare me like that!

Hard to know, but my assumption is that customs staff was just passing through packages regardless of declared value. The tariffs have been 10% since April and went to 15% on 8/7.

It came through EMS/USPS. Maybe I’m just an unlucky one.

My first nihonto arrived at US customs on 7/23. I got a letter from US CBP on 8/5 saying that they had my package and that it required Formal Entry since it was valued over $2500. It has been a struggle ever since. I had trouble finding a customs broker that would work with me. I finally found one on Friday and he informed me I was not going to owe any duties, as expected, because it is an antique but the 10% Trump tariff would apply. I wasn’t convinced so I reached out to US Customs via the email address in my arrival letter and they confirmed that the 10% tariff does apply to antiques. After 8/7, it will be 15%. After the 10% tariff and customs brokers fees, I will be out around $1k over what I paid for my katana. Not ideal. That’s not the end of it though. I am still struggling to gather info required to get my package released from customs. I hope to get it resolved tomorrow so my package can finally make progress. I’ve seen other posters here saying they purchased a sword from the same seller as me within a few days of me for a higher price and their package sailed through US Customs without requiring formal entry and associated tariffs. I think it might just be the luck of the draw and I lost this time.

Mine is still sitting in customs in Chicago and requires Formal Entry paperwork since it is valued over $2500. How did you luck out and avoid this? It is a thoroughly confusing process and I think I have to hire a customs broker to get the paperwork right.

How long ago did yours come through customs? Before Trump reached the deal with Japan last week? Some AI generated info indicates that may replace IEEPA. If so, I’m hoping the art/antique exemption is back in effect. Also hoping I don’t hear anything from customs until next week, after 8/1 since that is when new deal with Japan starts… if it isn’t already ratified ( unclear right now).

So we are paying tariffs on antiques? I was hoping that was not going to be the case. My first nihonto is sitting in customs in Chicago.

Chiyozuru, the sword I bought as detailed earlier in this thread, received the export permit early this week and has entered the same time zone as me. It is in customs in Chicago, I live in Texas. It feels kind of weird that has been in Japan for 600 years and now it isn’t. I understand why some Japanese don’t like foreigners buying their swords, but I’m glad to have the opportunity.

It’s not as much fun when the dark cloud that is @Jacques is hovering over you. I kid, I kid.

That’s the one I was looking for, and the one GlassBucket just bought. Thanks Jussi!

I was just informed that my export permit was approved! It took 5 weeks. I expect it will be another 2 weeks before I receive it.

Thanks for all of the replies so far. There have been many quite interesting posts so far. My overall takeaway, and what I’ll relay to my wife, is that it is very unlikely my sword has ever seen real action. My friends, on the other hand, might get a “it’s pretty old, so you never know”. @George KN Here is my sword: https://sword-auction.com/en/product/27099/as24845-katana-mumeichiyozurunbthk-hozon-token/ I still haven’t received word that the export permit has been received so it is probably still at least 2 weeks away. The “Question about an Aoi listing” thread I started has some more details on my shopping journey.

GlassBucket, I was trying to find the listing/link for your sword that persists after the sale is complete so people can check it out and comment but I have failed so far. I started this thread to ask about that blade and ultimately decided against it after handling it in person because it was smaller than what I was expecting for my first blade. That’s a personal opinion. From the comments of much wiser people in this thread, it seems it is a fine option for a first sword if it feels right to you. It is a very old blade that probably started off on the smaller side and has seen many polishes, as most Kamakura blades probably have. Be happy with your purchase! Is yours really on its way to you? You made your purchase just after I made mine but I have yet to hear from Aoi that the export permit has been approved. Jeff

I recently bought my first nihonto and am waiting for delivery from Japan that should happen sometime in August. One question that comes up pretty quickly when talking to people (dudes) about my purchase is whether it has ever seen battle or blood. My wife (not a dude) is slightly concerned about bringing something into the house that might have death associated with it. Obviously I have no way of knowing such things unless it was a test cut blade, which was way out of budget even if I wanted it. I don’t want to romanticize death, but it is an interesting question to me. What percentage of blades, by era, were likely to have seen battle or blood over their life? It stands to reason that the older the blade, the more likely it saw battle since many (most?) were modified/shortened to meet the use case of each successive time period. Pre-Sengoku period blades seem to have had many opportunities for battle in my mind, but I am still learning about Japanese history. While Sengoku was the warring states period, I wonder how much of the country was actively battling using swords. I suspect it was still relatively rare overall. I’ve seen listings pointing out kirikomi as a selling point on a blade, but it seems more likely to me that such damage was completely unrelated to actual battle. Forgive my dumb question if it is one, or if it had been discussed before. Thanks! Jeff

@Jussi Ekholm you mentioned in my Aoi thread that you thought you had seen the blade I was asking about ( and eventually bought) offered before but without koshirae. You couldn’t access your db since you were on the road at the time. You were right, Chiyozuru line 4976. Hozon paper number matches. Koshirae not noted. Impressive.

As a new member here, I’ve noted several times in various threads where you mentioned having many records for previous swords that have been listed for sale. I thought to myself “I hope he shares this someday”. That day has come. Thank you for sharing your excellent work! I hope you can work on it for many more decades.

The original one from the first post was Kamakura. The one I bought was Nanbokucho, but it was posted later in the thread.

Interestingly, the Kamakura blade that I started this thread with seems to have sold. I believe it was first listed 5/28/2024, so it sat for over a year. I wonder if someone reading this thread made the purchase.

Thanks for the comments Jussi, especially on the koshirae and components. My wife, son (20), daughter (17) and I had a wonderful trip to Japan. It’s remarkable how clean and safe feeling everywhere we visited was. People on the street generally did not acknowledge your presence, but most everybody we dealt with at shops, restaurants, hotels, etc were very friendly. It makes you wonder what impression America gives to visitors. I know I had a poor impression of facilities and people during our layover at LAX when we returned. We packed a lot into our 12ish days, so I didn’t have a ton of time to research Echizen Rai other than few google search links to info here on NMB, so I am excited to learn more. Waiting 5-7 weeks for the sword to arrive feels like forever, but it gives me time to plan my display, though I have other projects ahead of that in the queue.