Canada is tougher than the US... yet still relatively easy if process is followed. We've done both import and export. -find out what restrictions there are at your first Port of Entry. Then the second Port of Entry/State reg's or however many times you land at a Port on the way home. If it is direct it is much easier. These restrictions will list disease's, pathogens, to species. Some States allow soil, some do not. Get a list of Indexed Viruses for the State. Apply for a Permit for the species allowed and the ones you will/might be importing. Consider having it sent after you return home based on what restrictions there are = how specific the State is. Find out which area, specifically you will be purchasing from. Cross match the Indexed Viruses, and the province with State you will be Importing from. Cross match the species and CIV' Certified Indexed Viruses. Specify the nurseries, and conditions of Import, bare-root, w. soil, sprayed with what? packaging requirements, contact the Port Inspection people. have inspection done in Japan, by agency, collect paperwork, pay them the 50$. Specify dates of arrival, make apptmnt with Agri Agency on US side. In Japan, note all particulars, address, Proprietor, what virus's on the plant, nemotodes allowed banned, etc, follow required procedure. Boxing/container, plastic bag, sprayed, reduced soil mass, no pot, --wire the rootball to the bottom of the box so it can be turned upside down or any direction. Make it easy to inspect. In between is also seasonal considrations.. in dormancy, reduce leaves/needles, wrap foliage in wet newspaper, and make sure the species is not sensitve to altitude. Import. Pay tariff. take home -pot, if bare root use -dust-dip cutting hormones on roots, place plastic bag over tree, leave air space, start cycling the tree's system. Use heat cable under pot, bring to 82F, Do not water use mist and foliar moisture then water sparingly second day, third... ensure that the tree remains moist on foliage and that the soil is beginning to dry out. One sparing watering is done to settle soil around the roots. Water with a slurry of willow roots put through blender - or use aspirin. No fertilizer. problem is that the vascular pressure differences that draw moisture through the tree have been disrupted, this system needs to be started up again. Remembering that trees grow by the difference of atmospheric pressure. remember that 60% of the ornamental species in the US are from Japan or China, normally via Japan. edzard

Yes, this is the Lynbrook #4724. I own this exact set as well. From looking at your pictures I am missing a couple of pieces that I didn't know about, so thank you for the post. If you look on the bottom of the coffee cups, the name of the collection and number is printed. I know I know your going to be thinking you did all that research and you had it there all along, I speak from experience. The pattern identification is only printed on the coffe cups. A little more history to you occupied china - These piece were stamped "occupied" during World War II while America occupied Japan. These products were made for export purposes. It was actually a law that the pieces had to be identified as "occupied". On some of the older piece, you may see were the occupied Japan stamp is a different color than the Noritake stamp, this is because the occupied stamp had to be added to pieces that were produced before the passing of the law. After the signing of the Peace Treaty, the law was demolished; therefore, the occupied stamp was no longer used. If your coffe cups do not have the "Lynbrook 4724 stamp" will you please let me know, because mine do and I would like to be certain that they are original pieces. Thank you

In the late 1960's there was a big controversy regarding some Japanese products, mostly cheap electronics, that were labeled "Made in USA". When the controversy first broke it was argued that the manufacturers had intentionally perpetrated a fraud, but it was later proved in court that after the war one of Japans coastal manufacturing cities had actually been renamed Usa, Japan and the products had been made in the City of USA, Japan. I remember the incident vividly because I personally had a 6 transistor AM pocket radio that was marked "Made in USA" in raised letters on the exterior of the plastic case but when you opened the battery compartment there was a paper label that said "Made in USA, Japan" For a short period after that many manufacturers in the US made a point of inserting periods between the letters so their labels read "Made in U.S.A."

I hope they are all right too....sending good thoughts for your family. My husband participated in a radio contest this past weekend. Usually there are lots of Japanese but this year, not many.......We are very worried about some of the usual participants ............