Originally Posted by
airportairplane
1) how are customs at KIX? Should I be prepared for a lot of questions?
2) is a carry on enough for 6 days in Japan?
3) As far as medicines, what is and isn't allowed? Are acetaminophen and ibuprofen allowed? It seems that medicine including pseudoephidrine or other "stimulants" isn't allowed (e.g. Sudafed, Vicks Inhalers), however if I bring the Sudafed that doesn't have pseudoephedrine (it has Phenylephrine HCl), is it going to be an issue because it still says Sudafed on the front?
4) is the weather that cold in Kyoto and Tokyo? I have jackets, layers, wool socks, boots etc but people are telling me it is going to be unbelievably cold. Does it snow in January?
(1) Customs is generally pretty easy. The only major caveat is their broad definition of stimulants and narcotics, which you have already apparently heard about.
I have only been stopped at customs once, and that was coming in from a few days in China with a small bag, which I guess might have triggered a smuggling profile somehow. I have never been stopped when coming in from the US.
One of my co-workers came back from South Africa carrying several pounds of meat and was stopped -- the customs inspector looked at the meat inside the suitcase, asked "Is this food?" and after he said "Yes," waved him right through.
(2) Probably OK if you're sticking to cities. You should have no trouble finding extra clothes, etc. if necessary, though it may be a challenge if you are particularly tall or big-boned.
(3) Given the fact that it could trip you up at customs, and that the public rules are not very clear, I wouldn't bring any potentially troublesome medication to Japan unless you need it in order to survive. Based on what I have read online, you CAN get deported or even end up in jail for possession of the wrong kind of Sudafed -- and if you have a cold or another condition, you can get OTC medicine from a drug store when you get here. That said, Tylenol is definitely OK (they sell it here, same brand name and everything).
(4) Comments on weather above are generally spot on. Kyoto is a bit colder and snowier than Tokyo IME. One thing to keep in mind is that you'll want warm inner wear as well as warm outer wear, because Japanese buildings can often have really crappy insulation.