Can I fly with Bachi? TSA safe?
So you're planning a trip overseas, or even just a trip to another part of the US, hoping to play some taiko during your time out exploring a new city. You have a beautiful pair of maibachi you'd love to bring along with you, but will airport security let you through with them?
The answer? Probably not...
Maibachi come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but most are pointed, strategically carved down to balance the weight, speed and bounce while drumming away on your favorite rhythm game.
While pointed Maibachi may look non-threatening to Taiko no Tatsujin players, from an outsiders perspective, they look dangerous, even from a glance.
A customer's story...
Back in the peak of summer, a customer of mine was getting ready for a trip out to Japan. They packed all the necessities they needed, with plans to spend time at the arcades. Earlier in the year they had just gotten a custom pair of bachi I finished for them, based on their favorite Neon Genesis Evangelion character. They had told me months in advance how excited they were to use these bachi in Japan, it was their plan all along to take them on this trip.
Unfortunately, once they passed the claustrophobic TSA checkpoint, the custom bachi were now being pulled out by an agent.
"Too pointy, these could impale someone"
Just like that, the custom EVA bachi had been seized and thrown away, never to be seen again.
"I miss my bachi :("
What about official bachi or house bachi?
Official maibachi and house bachi aren't carved to a sharp point and are certainly safer, but we start to cross into another line of territory that TSA could deem unsafe. When we compare official bachi and house bachi to TSA banned items list, we start to see a bit of a pattern.
| Batons, Truncheon, Nightstick, Billy Club, Billy Stick, Cosh, Lathi, Tactical Pen, Kubaton, Foam Toy Sword, Cricket Bat, Bowling Pin, Baseball Bat. [Source - https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/all] |
Anything long, with a handle, heavy and potentially swingable is banned onboard planes.
Conclusion...
Bachi and maibachi cannot be brought onto planes with carry-on bags.
The risk of TSA or other airport security confiscating bachi are quite high because of the the dangerous implications they inherit.
The only way to safely travel with bachi is using a paid checked-bag, where there is more leeway in items allowed, since it travels separately from you.
If you must use a carry-on bag, bring along your cheapest, most blunt pair of bachi that you don't mind potentially losing.