Buying from Japan...Accuphase or Luxman what are the costs ? import duties etc

Bad idea if the gear breaks the USimporters will not touch a repair and your costs could be great nor will you be able to resell easily as your product is illegalally imported called a gray good buy used us products

I have imported a substantial amount of purchases from Japan using a Shopping Portal.

I have had a couple of experiences that were not ideal, but was handsomely reimbursed through insurance and also kept the goods with the transit damage, not such a bad place to be, as the insurance more than covered the small cost to return the items to their finest fettle.

The shopping Portals are great, I usually add 20% for their services for receiving goods and packing to make ready for next stage shipping.

There is usually a calculator to be used prior to bidding/buying to enter Package Size and Weight and get a next stage shipping quote.

Typically add 25% Import at your own Countries end and there is the Ball Park figures.

Shopping Portals Customer Service is a great help, you can request a oversized Box, which is doubled up to be very impact resistant, the oversized space can be requested to be filled with Large Air Pocket Bubble Wrap.

Speak to services in your own Country to see if assistance is at hand if a unwanted incident occurs, maybe a fragile part has detached from a circuit and is effecting Power On ?

You will need a 100V Power Supply for Electrical Goods

Didn't Accuphase change (reduce) their pricing structure in the US (perhaps due to the exchange rate?) I thought the mark up was going to be significantly (25%) lower in the States. With that in mind, support would be important. (I think it is the same distributor, as far as I know the company did not set up a US affiliate). 

Thanks for the input, dont think there is anything illegal about buying goods from Japan. I do know a step down transformer would be needed, and there is no warranty, same as buying used,, although the few that I have looked at offer a 60 day return, well thats a 2 month warranty in my book.

Most offer free shipping, has anyone bought one recently and what transformer was used, not saying I am going to do this just looking at all options, because the price difference is huge.

You need to be careful. Aside from all the scams that are going on, there's always a good chance that your package will get held up in customs. It can get held up for a long time. And if they decide to open the box for inspection, they don't not go easy.