Hey Bargainers/Forum users,
I am traveling to Japan soon and want to know if I can take some medicinal honey with me, as a gift.
I only have carry-on baggage, so i'm not sure if it will count going through screening, as it is 320g (well over 100ml).
Has anyone else done this? Does honey classify as a liquid? Does the fact that it has fancy medical information (not just honey facts) consider it something else? And ultimately will i get through?
can't you just put it in your luggage?
That's how I do it, I always take heaps of honey in my booked luggage to friends overseas when I travel.
Sure you can, if she fits. Shrink her.
Jokes aside, if going with a partner perhaps split it, but AFAIK they have removed the liquids restrictions - at least in UK and USA I'm pretty sure. Maybe it was just having them in a clear ziplock bag as I recall reading about the introduction of better X-ray machines that can discern materials etc.
Ask a travel agent or the airline.
Anyhow if it's Manuka Honey from NZ, I wouldn't be surprised if Japan was on to that stuff way before us. They're crazy for those kinds of things.
Could look into buying it there, but hey it's cool to bring a local product with you and give it to them straight away, but that's a Vegemite and Tim Tam deal.
AFAIK Australia doesn't actually make any Manuka Honey, it's a Kiwi thing, so technically not really local. But can pretend Australia and NZ are kind of best mates and what is theirs is ours too. We have visa-less entry stuff now.
Honey, in terms of airport security, is classified as liquid. Think body lotion, tooth paste…they are all 'liquid'.
How about put the honey into 4 separate smaller container? You can fit 4 100ml containers in a ziplock bag.
Or… If it is medicinal honey, can you get a doctor's certificate for the honey. I believe medicine is exempt from the restriction.
Yeah good luck finding a doctor who will give you a medical certificate for honey. I don't think he would be able to sign the form from laughing so hard.
Gotta love the blithe ignorance of the young…any experienced doctor will tell you that honey is an excellent topical wound dressing due to the inherent antimicrobial properties. Just because something is old school, doesn't mean that it is no longer clinically effective.
yeah I am sure it is a lot better than ACTUAL MEDICAL TREATMENTS. Why not get your dog to piss on a wound, I heard that is sterile too.
@thorton82: I personally know surgeons who will prescribe honey for lingering post-op wound infections mate…yes, they'll try mainstream meds first of course, but if these prove ineffective, they're smart enough to switch back to tried & true methods.
How about this tip though, why don't you go off & do a little research on the topic, just so you don't continue to embarrass yourself by demonstrating how little you actually know.
Awesome anecdotal evidence there Stew, you sure proved your point well. Do you want me to give it a go?
I personally know dentists who recommend consuming dog urine for wisdom teeth recovery. True story I swear.
@thorton82: Like I said mate, just stop being a dick & go do some research for yourself…and if you can find some evidence to refute what I've said about the properties of honey, then I'm happy to read that too.
If not, well I suppose you can keep drinking your fave dog urine… ;)
Stew, you are the one peddling the bullshit, not me pal. Perhaps your own words might be prophetic? Mean time, Ill take Savlon over Kapalano.
@thorton82: Capalano? I guess Kapalano is the counterfeit version from Asia, no wonder it's not working.
Actually raw/unprocessed is what you need so Capalano wouldn't work best.
I got two jars of kaya jam confiscated at Changi, and that's less liquid like than honey. It was Yakun toast too, they probably ate it >:(
Why go to Japan with carry on only? The shopping there even for just groceries is amazing. I've taken tim tams, gourmet jams etc on the way there no problem in checked baggage.
FYI I went in May on Air Asia. Lots of people got stung (rightly) by ANA check in staff who did the D7 check in for trying to take mountains of stuff as carry on. Staff even went down the queue picking up all the carry on bags too to check weight. Guy in front of me had to pay I think 8000 JPY to check in his carry on bag. So the saving can disappear quickly if you aren't careful…
Yes i take 8kg with me, and that includes a decent sized duffle bag for the 20kg coming home. I wouldnt want to carry a lot of luggage the whole time, only on the way back. Cheers for the tip
While it might cost more, there are duty free stores airside that sell honey, although this may not be medicinal.
But it depends on how you are going to Japan. Direct or via KL/Hong Kong if so you will fall foul of the overseas regulations of the transit country.
If it is that important buy the smallest check in luggage available and pack it in box. You will then be able to take more. I do assume you have checked it's allowed into Japan. But if you are planning on buying things in Japan and coming back with luggage, taking it in a bag would be more sensible, that bag can be a backpack.
There is some requirement for Honey to meet Japan's Food Sanitation Law for the product to be allowed in.
From that I would assume as long as it's a commercial branded product it's probably ok. A label from a local homeopath might not be.
Also medicinal products are only available for personal use, so saying its medicinal honey could be an issue if someone in customs in Japan decided to be obstructionist
There are quantity restrictions on the import of medicine and cosmetics.
(e.g., for pharmaceutical products: amount for use for a period of 2 months; quasi-drugs: amount for use for a period of 2 months; cosmetics: 24 applications) Web-site of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare *Click here for details. http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/topics/import/index.html
Yeah this is bush honey bought from Byron Bay. Vallentines. I'll take it with me to the doctors and see if he'll get me something to get through on. I just need to get through airport security at GC (direct to narita), without having to open it, or have it thrown out because it is over 100ml and yes, a liquid.
Cheers all for the stories of confiscation so far! Trust in OzBargainers
Doctor laughed at me and said no way ahhahaa
re-gifting it to someone else… Thanks all
http://travelsecure.infrastructure.gov.au/international/lags…
dammit, seconds after i post this.
Has anyone taken honey overseas before, and lived to tell the tale?