SAL is cheaper and slower, but it's not really _slow_ as such. EMS - which I also use from Japan quite regularly (for my eHobby stuff, mainly) averages about four days.

I find SAL represents a better trade off between cost and delay, but my eHobby source uses EMS, and it's not _that_ expensive and at the prices I am paying for the toys themselves, the overall price is good anyway.