Shipping Ramen to the USA
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: YYC - soon to be 東京
Programs: AC Prestige, Marriott Silver, Hyatt Gold, Hertz #1 Gold, Radisson Gold Elite, HHonors
Posts: 1,830
I will be in Japan for 5 weeks starting March 13, and needed to know if there is anything I need to know about shipping Japanese ramen packets to the USA via Japan Post? I would like to send several samples of Japanese Ramen packets to a friend in the USA to sample and try out.
Thank you in advance!
Sanosuke!
Thank you in advance!
Sanosuke!
#2
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Central California
Programs: Former UA Premex, now dirt
Posts: 6,531
It is probably a lot easier and cheaper to just order some from one of the on-line Japanese groceries like www.maruwa.com .
#3
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist


Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 18,251
The Japanese markets in Northern California carry what's called "quality ramen" in packets in their refrigerated section. This is probably what you are referring to and it's pretty good. You might have whoever you are shipping to check out Asian grocery stores in their area to see if that's also the case where you were planning to ship as it might not be necessary.
#4




Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: TYO / WAS / NYC
Programs: American Express got a hit man lookin' for me
Posts: 5,257
It may be difficult to ship. I once tried to send some chewing gum to my niece in the US, and the FedEx girl in Tokyo told me I needed a special license to ship "anything that goes in your mouth."
If you run into the same kind of trouble, you could try wrapping it very well and declaring it as something else (books work, since you get media rate). Illegal, of course, but not many alternatives besides your pockets...
If you run into the same kind of trouble, you could try wrapping it very well and declaring it as something else (books work, since you get media rate). Illegal, of course, but not many alternatives besides your pockets...
#5


Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: UA/HH/Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,613
I know that back during the Salt Lake Olympics a Japanese friend of a friend who was visiting and had brought curry mix, etc. had all food that contained any form of beef broth taken away at the ag inspection because of BSE fears. Admittedly that was some time ago, and the BSE hoopla seems to have died down a bit, but you may want to do a little research into that.
#6
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: EWR
Programs: UA (former CO), TrueBlue, Etc.
Posts: 291
You're better off going to your local (or online) Japanese/Asian grocery and ordering the "fresh" or "refrigerated" ramen there. Shipping food is really difficult (my friends had to discard even potato chips) although I think the Yokohama Ramen Museum has a special "Send To USA" package, but I'm not sure.

