Getting a smoker in Japan

landarc said:

I would really consider a unit such as a Spicewine, the insulation and efficiency cannot be beat. Using Binchotan, even in Japan will not be cheap, a UDS runs through 10-12 pounds of charcoal for a typical cook. They are not insulated and during cold weather, will burn even more fuel. The insulated cabinets, of which there are many clones as well, are zero clearance units, that burn very little fuel, as little as 2 to 3 pounds and are very space efficient.

My experience with running a kitchen, is that you get as much as you spend, buy cheap equipment and you will fight it everyday, making cooking a chore. Buy good equipment and you can focus on your customers and food. If nothing else, search this forum for backwoods clone. You can have an experienced metal fabricator make one of these up very quickly.

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Thanks. Considering Spicewine has come in with a shipping cost under $800, I may have to SERIOUSLY consider that option.

StickyD said:

Also look into any customs, VAT and/or duties charged on importing goods from the USA, which will be added on top of the shipping fee. I can't speak for Japan, but in Europe you also need a business license and a custom's tax ID (connected to your businesses tax ID). This is free, but is a bureaucratic series of hoops.

As a small bar and restaurant owner myself, I can only agree with you on staying small and simple (for a 3 day op) until you have to inve$t in bigger and better equipment. Because of cash flow, we slowly built out our kitchen over a span of two years, and it's now pretty well suited to what the client-side demands of us. If we'd had a big loan and did the build out at the beginning, we'd be stuck with a kitchen that would not have been as efficient. Best of luck, it sounds like you're putting all the right thought into the process!

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Thank you for the advice and encouraging words.
Imports fees and taxes are something I'm aware of but know nothing about.
Spicewine's reasonable quote of $763 shipping on a medium vertical means I may have to do some research on them now. I already have the business license as I've been running a small English school for a few years but I doubt that would be a big deal anyways because the smoker size I want is a typical backyard unit for most people. I can just say it's for personal use.

Glad to hear that your business has seen growth and I hope that trend continues!

BBQ_MAFIA said:

You can't go wrong with a Spicewine.
The cooker is a beast and will out last all of us. Spicewine construction is top notch!
A medium is a fantastic size as it should cover your needs while it holds rock solid temps.
The unit will cook away for hours without having to be refueled allowing you to spend time taking
care of customers and other things like sleep!
I have attached a photo of my Large Spicewine with only 2 of its 4 racks loaded with Pork Butts.
I know you are not looking at a Large but I love this cooker and always want to share my pics of it.
Good luck with your business and finding the cooker that works for you.

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Dang! Now THAT'S a nice set of pics! Spicewine ought to coerce you into letting him use them on his website. Theirs are woefully small (hint hint). :wink:

Can't thank you and everyone else enough for the valuable input.
Right now I am strongly leaning towards one medium (for now) and one UDS next to it. Even though the UDS will command more of my time, it's important to keep in mind that I'm offering the folks over here not only good eats, but also a taste of American culture. I can do the longer cooks, i.e. butts and brisket, on the Spicewine, and do ribs, chicken, etc. on the drum.
Plus, as mentioned awhile back, using a UDS could open up some opportunities for side sales of units once people get hooked on the concept.

Cheers!

Well, it took longer than I had expected but the financing has come through and we are officially underway! Design plans have been finalized and we sign the construction contract this evening. Despite getting started nearly 2 months later than we originally hoped, we're still on target to complete renovations and be ready to throw a bash for Japan's opening World Cup match June 15th. There's a lot to do, not the least of which is get a smoker!

Unfortunately I'll be putting an order in at peak season (I presume) so I'm worried I may be looking at a minimum of 6-8 weeks to get one built and on its way here. Still haven't made a final decision on who to go with although Spicewine still has the lowest quoted shipping cost (sure hope that number still holds!). I'm pretty much decided on a cabinet style and am fairly sure I'll be happy with any of at least 3 or 4 manufacturers highly touted on here. It may come down to what's available when and how much to ship it. I've asked before but I'll put it out there again, if anyone has a unit ready or soon to be ready to go and can get it shipped to Japan for under $1K, I'm ready to pull the trigger.

I'll be posting our progress and look forward to continuing to hear your feedback. Thanks for the support!