Has anyone here ever tried to make it through customs with videos before?

[CitY of MicA]

Silly question, but have any members ever tried to enter your native countries (I most curious about the U.S.) with videos you bought on a trip? I'm going to Japan and was kind of curious to hear if anyone had ever attempted this. Thanx in advance for your responses.

 

[tkrexx]

Hey, Mica Man! I've gotten videos in and out of the Philippines and Japan. Customs may take the video cassette out of the box and shake it to see if it rattles, explodes, sheds dope, etc. but no one has ever viewed my vids for the sake of international safety. The X-ray gizmo they run your luggage thru will assure them there is no danger, and that is their main concern. Hey, you're a tourist, and tourists shoot videos! Of course, I think the most vids I ever carried was 5, so if you're thinking of 20 or so, they may be a wee bit curious. Customs is usually too busy minding safety and smuggling to worry about people with deviant hobbies. (As they should be.) If you manage to purchase some TickleJapan vids and don't want to be embarrassed at the customs check-out stand, just put the cassette in a plain video box and MAIL the T.J. box home, or mail the tapes themselves. Call them "Gifts" on the postal customs forms. I don't believe you will be breaking or even bending ANY laws bringing TK tapes home, even if you shoot them yourself.

Also as a side note, you'll find EVERYTHING in Japan is at least twice as expensive as it is here. Get used to eating squid on your pizza, cabbage on your $10.00 Big Mac instead of lettuce, and avoid the beautifully artful fish dishes. They can literally kill you if they are not prepared correctly. And since you are going in the summer, I guarantee you will get alot of neck exercises in...You're gonna look like Goldberg when you get home!

You enjoy yourself in Nippon, my Brother, and SHOOT SOME TK VIDS!!!

Rxx

 

[Limeoutsider]

When I went to Paris, on the way home to the US, all the customs (or whatever he was) agent asked me was if I had any food (which almost landed me in the security officice, but thats another story). and they didnt look in my bags at all. I would be careful, however, as your chaperones wanred us not to buy DVDs or vidoes in Europe duie to the different operating systems

 

[Phineas]

as far as I can recall, Customs didn't look twice at our luggage when we stayed over in Tokyo on our way to Shanghai. We didn't have to even open the suitcases on the way home, either. They ask you if you have anything to declare, and that's generally it.

'course, I haven't flown international since before 9/11 so all of this may have changed.

 

[CitY of MicA]

thanx guys

Thanx so much- that was all very helpful and relevant information. I'm the type of person who feels the need to declare everything. Hopefully it won't get me in trouble!

I don't think the videos in Japan are any different from those here in the states, buy I know the DVDs have different regions. I hope I have time to pick some up. To complicate matters, Japanese addresses are more than a little bit confusing!

I have to be discreet about where I'm looking Rxx, but I just may experience a case of whiplash! Thanx for the kind sentiments- I'll tell you about the trip when I return.

 

[Phineas]

don't worry about staring, MicA. If the Japanese are anything like their Chinese counterparts, not only will people be staring at *you*, but they won't be the least bit subtle about it.

'course, it may be different in Tokyo, they get a lot more foreigners than Xuzhou. I didn't get gawked at as much in Shanghai or Beijing... just panhandled.