atm Posted July 16 Report Posted July 16 For those who have done it recently, I am curious about the process of exporting a sword through Narita airport as you leave Japan. Obviously, the export permit has to be approved in advance. How hard was the actual airport experience, especially with zero language skills? Quote
Lexvdjagt Posted July 16 Report Posted July 16 Hello Adam, Having exported swords twice this year from Narita personally, I can share the following process: You will receive the export permit in paper form from the dealer you purchased the sword from. This will include printed images of the blade in question. At Narita, walk up to the check-in desk and inform the staff that you want to check in a Japanese sword (they might not believe you at first, as many tourists export fake swords that require no permit). Show them your paperwork if needed; otherwise, they will simply call a customs officer to inspect the blade. The customs officer will arrive and verify that everything is in order. On one occasion, they even tested my blade with a magnet to check if it was real. After that, the police will be called. When I exported a sword from Narita in April, five officers arrived. Please don’t be alarmed—they often speak some English (or at least one of them does). The police will inspect the blade or blades more thoroughly. Last time, I was also questioned about my visa, intent, and dealer information. I would recommend having your dealer’s phone number on hand. If everything checks out, a staff member will accompany you to the oversized luggage department for a final scan of the sword case as you check it in. Lastly, please don’t worry—these are kind people, often simply surprised that a Westerner has taken such an interest in their culture. (In April, the police even wanted to take a few photos for themselves!) Make sure to use a strong, hard case for the blade when exporting to minimize the risk of damage. Some dealers in Japan can arrange this for you Greetings, Lex 7 1 Quote
atm Posted July 16 Author Report Posted July 16 Thank you very much, Lex. This is extremely helpful and exactly what I needed. How long did the entire process take for you? 1 Quote
Lexvdjagt Posted July 16 Report Posted July 16 19 minutes ago, atm said: Thank you very much, Lex. This is extremely helpful and exactly what I needed. How long did the entire process take for you? About an hour. Greetings, Lex 1 Quote
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