Looking for a Gyuto - an alternate to a Mac Pro? - Page 3

Ah, yeah, sounds like a trip that makes me want to see Japan. My wife hated it there when she was about 22 but I think she'd be more willing to adventure now and I think it'd be a pretty cool place, given what I've heard. Can't wait for the pics!

Admittedly, I doubt I need a 10K for much of anything, but still...

Just a normal 5:25 am at Tsukiji's tuna auction:

At 6:05 am my first authentic nigirizushi were presented to me. My first sushi breakfast!

On to knife shops...

Tsukiji Masamoto shop inside the market:

One of the display cases at Masamoto-Sohonten in Azumabashi:

One wa-wall at the wonderful Kamata shop:

The master knife smith at Union Commerce polishing my new Masamoto KS 270 (I'm sorry, I was so excited that I forgot his name):

Deputy, what's the personal exemption limit for Canada? $400 for 48 hours? Hmmm... the way I can get to Tokyo I can get there and back for a day-trip (that actually takes closer to three and a half days).

Yep, $400. Up to $750 after 7 days. Let me know if you do plan on going again and we can maybe work something out. Or maybe I should just go myself!

Yeah, and if CKTG has them in stock already, there's a good chance they ordered their stock at a good wholesale price, and when the Yen was quite a bit lower (although I see that the Canadian dollar has surged against the yen -- about 3% -- since I did my CAD/JPY cash forex in Singapore last Friday). Grrr.

FWIW, I don't believe there are import duties on many made-in-Japan products entering Canada (tariffs on certain categories of goods are a different story), but what we really save with our Customs exemption is the sales taxes, which are really high in Canada. In Quebec, for example, we pay the Fed GST (5%) as well as the piggy-backed Provincial sales tax (9.5%), which adds 14.975% to anything you buy here, or import. For all intents and purposes, "duty free" for most Canadians means "sales tax free."

Yep, it's those pesky taxes that make things pricey to buy locally. I've still elected on occasion to support local business and contribute to the federal coffers...in BC we're (currently) in a Harmonized Sales Tax state (until the government finds their way to seeing the wishes of the absolutely moronic voting population who ousted it incorrectly because they're too stupid to understand the economic benefits for the province) of 12% (which I had to pay when I ordered from Paul's). If we order something internationally and it gets pulled into Customs upon entry, we pay a handling charge, HST, and whatever duties may apply. That's what makes ordering anything from JCK such an attractive concept, when compared with the competition.

That being said, I can't condone JCK's methods from a governmental economic strength standpoint.... Ah well, I got my stuff.