Bachi in airport security

General
#1

Does anyone know anything about carrying bachi through airport security, specifically LAX or Dulles in Washington D.C.?

(Dulles is usually a lot stricter than L.A. I never worry about getting home from D.C., but getting TO D.C. from L.A. scares me. They could carry a rocket launcher in their coat and LAX would miss it, LOL)

I would like to take my shamisen to D.C. with me, but I worry about putting my expensive bachi in my check-in - things have a tendency to go missing from your bags as they go through LAX. (Grrr … my favorite shoes last year!)

#2

Are there any Shamisen players that you are going to meet with in DC, because I’m sure they could let you borrow a Bachi while you there. If not, do you have any cheaper Bachi you won’t mind losing? You might have to be willing to improvise Kouta style if that’s the only thing you can resort to.

#3

I was thinking of that, David. I might take my nagauta and my cheap plastic bachi that I dropped, lol.

#4

I’ve never had any problem putting my bachi in my checked luggage. Actually, I always put it in my checked luggage cuz I worry that the pointed tips would cause problems if I tried to bring it in my carry on.

Anyway, I usually just stuff in between layers of clothes to give it some padding, and it’s been fine after multiple, multiple trips across the world. This is with the little sheathe, too, of course.

#5

Lorraine it sounds like incredible bad luck if someone stole your stuff. I’ve never heard of anyone who got their stuff stolen. If you worry you put some tape parts around the seam and see if they have been removed when you retrieve the bag.

Besides, I find it hard to believe that someone would steal a spatula! :slight_smile:

#6

I’ve always put my bach in my carryon, both on flight from the US to Japan and within Japan, and never had any problems! In fact the only place they have needed to look at it was on a domestic flight from Sapporo to Tokyo. After showing them the accompanying shamisen nobody minded! I even got a few complements!

#7

Mid flights-to-Japan now; currently in LAX. Have yet to ever have a problem with carrying a bachi on me. In fact, I’ve never checked any of my shamisen related goods. I don’t trust putting any of it below…

#8

The excite??! Wish I was on my way to Japan now as well. Instead I’m home troubleshooting my gf’s computer :frowning:

#9

Awesome - 11 hours ago? - my flight is in 10 hours, so I’ll attempt it with a wooden bachi and my nagauta. I don’t want to travel with my tsugaru.

Thanks Adrian! I’m with Karl, wish I was going to Japan as well! Lucky - do good - I’ll be back home to watch you guys in Hirosaki. I’ll be cheering you on through the computer.

#10

Karl - yes, I guess I was lucky to only get my pretty shoes stolen! But, I have never put anything expensive in check-in anyway. There was a whole ring of luggage thieves that worked at LAX. They were caught, fired, and arrested last summer, but I still worry about my checked-in baggage.

I never even put costume jewelry in check-in - just clothes, toiletries, etc. It’s incredible what the thieves at LAX got away with - laptops (WHAT MORON PUTS A LAPTOP IN A CHECK-IN???), phones, expensive jewelry, designer clothing, etc. They probably thought my shoes were designer - they were Manolo Blanik knock-offs. (20 bucks, LOL - but STILL my FAVORITE shoes!)

What a good boyfriend. I was messing with iTunes the other day and nearly drop kicked my PC through my picture window because of it - the driver had uninstalled itself … grrrrr. >(

#11

By the way - thanks to everyone who responded. :slight_smile: Bon Voyage, everyone!

#12

If you’re really worried about your bachi-containing checked luggage getting lost or stolen, you could always try packing a gun.

No, really: http://lifehacker.com/5448014

#13

Interesting article, thanks, Luke! I couldn’t be sure if it was satirical or not. Thanks to Adrienne, I just put my nagauta and wooden bachi in my carry-on and walked through like I owned the place. No one in L.A. said a word. We’ll see what happens with Dulles! L.A. Is the most LAX (hahaha, see what I did there?) in security - Dulles is very very strict! Hrrm, does this say something about actors (LA) vs politicians (Dulles)? Anyhow, trip halfway done, and the first half went fine, AND I had my shamisen to enjoy in DC, thanks to everyone’s advice! XOXO

#14

Just make sure you don’t lose your Shamisen. Nagauta Shamisens are THE Multipurpose Shamisen. Seriously. They are not limited to just Nagauta Haha

#15

So … Yup, I was right. They stopped me in Dulles. What concerned them was the lead weight in the middle of the handle. But I smiled pretty and was charming and they let it through. whew

they let EVERYTHING through in LA. You could get a bazooka through the checkpoints there …

#16

I carry my Martin Backpacker in my home-made case all over the place and Denver has the only airport security that looked twice.

The TSA scanner dude in SFO wanted to take it out and play it.
Imgur

A shamisen does look more lethal than a Backpacker guitar, which looks like a canoe paddle, so who knows?

#17

Ooh, that is a VERY COOL guitar!

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