Any problems w/ customs on Vodka?

[dragojin]

I'm flying out from Seattle to Japan tomorrow afternoon 09/16/04 and before I leave I wanted to buy some Vodka. I heard Japanese are fond of Russian Vodka (i'm originally from Russia). Does anyone know of any problems with customs and bringing in via suitcase or carrying on Vodka into Japan? What are the restrictions?

[Ketou]

You are allowed 3 bottles of alcohol up to 760ml. Anything over that and you may have to pay duty on them.
I don't actually remember anyone I know saying they were fond of Russian vodka though. Maybe up in the northern parts? Not too sure on that one.

# Alcohol: 3 bottles up to 760ml each.
# Tobacco: 400 cigarettes, or 100 cigars, or 500g other tobacco products
# Perfume: 2 oz.
# Money: 1 million yen worth (regardless of form or currency)
# Others: Up to 200,000 yen value (items under 10,000 yen aren't counted)

[tetsujin gaijin]

I brought a bottle of scotch thru Japanese customs last year without any problems. If you stick with 3 bottles or under you should be cool.

[cstaylor]

Paying the duty is no problem at all. I regularly bring back a couple cases of wine when I go home to California, and I just tell them what it is and pay the duty.

[mr. sparkle]

Just don't bring any o' the killa' green. I had a dog sniffin' my bags and a smiling inspector saying, "Excuse me prease...."

First time that happened!

[Taro Toporific]

Just don't bring any o' the killa' green. I had a dog sniffin' my bags and a smiling inspector saying, "Excuse me prease...."

Ahhhh, the smell of San Fran.....

BTW: It seems the Japanese tariff on hard liquor is 25.2 yen per liter.

Tariff-free tequila flow from Mexico to Japan under FTA
The Japan Times,Sept 16
GUADALAJARA, Mexico (Kyodo)--Mexico's tequila industry is expecting a sudden surge in shipments to Japan when the tariff of 25.2 yen per liter is completely removed under a Mexico-Japan free-trade pact that takes effect April 1 ...
... In return for protecting genuine tequila, Japan has asked Mexico to accept imports of three Japanese liquors only from regions that have been government designated.
"Just as Mexicans enjoy sake, so the Japanese could enjoy our tequila," Orendain said.
Currently, one of its original brands, El Jimador, costs around $25 per bottle in Japan, and "the price can be reduced to $19.20, but we don't sell a cheap taste," the 47-year-old Aceves said.

[mr. sparkle]

Just don't bring any o' the killa' green. I had a dog sniffin' my bags and a smiling inspector saying, "Excuse me prease...."

Ahhhh, the smell of San Fran.....

All killa' no filla'

Currently, one of its original brands, El Jimador, costs around $25 per bottle in Japan, and "the price can be reduced to $19.20, but we don't sell a cheap taste," the 47-year-old Aceves said.

I know the perfect spokesman:

Senor Roberto Rodriguez Pongi as played by my old next door neighbor, performance artist:
Guillermo Gomez Pena
(what? no EnYe?)


Guillermo Gomez Pena

[Charles]

My advice: don't bother. I brought two bottles of scotch as presents, one of them was a bottle of 21-year-old Royal Salute with a tax stamp bearing the date 1975 (I found that bottle around 1985, I've been hoarding it for years, people tell me the empty bottle alone is worth ~$200). I took exceptional packaging precautions, but both bottles got smashed by the airline baggage-handling gorillas.

It is never a good sign when your suitcase comes down the baggage ramp wrapped in a plastic bag. And besides, bringing alcohol to Japan is like bringing coals to Newcastle.

[mr. sparkle]

Yeah. That happened to me before too. Except it was red wine and it stained all my clothes!

I learned my lesson. Now I carry on all my booze.

On the last trip 2 bottles of vodka for me and Rob to do Steve's Olympic Drinkin' Game and to mix up some U-hi's.