customs and gifts

I am going to Kochi Japan for Christmas to visit my daughter who is teaching school there. Will customs let me bring christmas gifts to her? Am I allowed to wrap them? Please let me know ASAP as I am leaving on Dec. 23rd, 2007 thank you...oh, I am from Victoria, BC Canada

you can bring gifts into Japan as long as they are not contraband items.

Do not wrap before you travel. Otherwise they will most likely be unwrapped at customs or security and you will have to wrap them again.

I wouldn't say most likely as the most likely scenario is that you will not be asked to open your bags by Customs. On the off chance that you do get asked to though, it is better not to have them wrapped.

I'm am more concerned about when she leaves Canada. Security there is the most likely place that they will be opened, not Japanese customs who are used to seeing wrapped omiyage.

Security checkpoints at the airports specifically tell you not to carry wrapped gifts in your carry-on luggage, and recommend bringing wrapping supplies to your final destination.

Good point. Travelling out of New Zealand hasn't yet reached the point where things like that are checked, all they do is x-ray our hand luggage still, so I didn't think of what might happen in Canada.