Can I bring spices?

I will be living in Japan for a year. Will I have trouble bringing spices through immigration?

If you're going to bring normal amount of spices (not huge amount which may be regarded as commercial use), it should be OK.
But what kind of spices are you planning to bring?
Unless it is something very special, it may not worthwhile to bring - many kind of spices are available in Japan.

I think it works like most other contries. They will need to be dried, in a sealed well labeled container and could be subject to inspection. However, I did see many spices availbe while i was there. Yes, they were pricey, but it might be easier then explaining what's in the jars/baggies...

You don't say which spices, and more importantly, where in Japan you will be. If you are in the sticks, selection can be very limited. They are also what keeps you from going broke instead of spending all your money eating out. If you can give more info, maybe someone here can answer and save you some money......

I have bought things like cardamom pods back from India okay. You are not supposed to bring plant products in but I am not sure if this applies to spices. It should be well-packaged and clearly labelled to avoid hassles.

I will be living in a major city.

I am not aware of which spices are or are not available in Japan. I assume spices not commonly used in Japan would be much harder to find. I would rather not go on a hunt for hard-to-find spices if I can just bring them myself, especially since I speak very little Japanese.

It would be great to bring the dried spices I have at home (15+ store boughten and labeled smaller spice jars) and not spend the $100-200+ it would cost to replace all of these.

I understand I might be questioned about them, they could be confiscated, or I might get through security without them ever noticing, but I think it's worth the risk as long as they are not considered "illegal" to bring into the country. I just want to make sure I won't get arrested for bringing them in =)

If anyone can offer advice who has had experience bringing spices into the country, knows someone who has, or can provide a link to find out whether I can bring them into the country, I would really appreciate that.

Thanks