• corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      17
      ·
      2 months ago

      A friend of mine recounts how in 1988 he flew home from Japan with a high quality katana as carry-on. Wrapped in a beach towel.

      Remember there was a time before 2001 when Americans and everyone else flew differently, and there may be a number of katanas laying around from parents who traveled abroad and bought souvenirs and then tossed them in the attic without thinking.

      • Call me Lenny/Leni@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        2 months ago

        Even in a Japanese setting, I didn’t know you could just buy a katana out of nowhere and freely carry it around.

        • Björn Tantau@swg-empire.de
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          6
          ·
          2 months ago

          There were knife and souvenir shops in Spain that sold katanas. Don’t think they were sharp but I always wanted to have one when we went there on vacation. But they were too expensive. But we did get some shuriken, nunchakus (I got some padded ones because I was the younger child) and a butterfly knife.

        • RedditRefugee69@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          2 months ago

          It has to be an authentic samurai sword since they’re kid of a national treasure. If not, there’s specific rules about transporting it to and from your dojo and stuff.

          Source: got my shit help up in Japanese customs when I had a very NOT ahthentic katana in my household goods. Went 3 months without my stuff

    • TJDetweiler@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      2 months ago

      I’d reckon from his parents, but I never saw the incident myself. You know kids in high school though. Spread a rumour and it catches like wildfire. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was actually a machete.