The I'm going to Japan thread - http://www.mmcafe.com/ Forums


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IkariDC
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"The I'm going to Japan thread" , posted Mon 30 Mar 04:25post reply

Yup, so I'm finally doing a trip to Japan. We didn't plan it in advance, but Sensenic and I are going to be there almost at the same time.

So, this is a question for the people in the know, which and where are the best arcades and shops for buying videogames in Tokyo? I'd like to play that new whipping Akumajou arcade, and the latest beatmania IIDX installment. As for videogames, I'm looking for places where you can get good deals on retro systems like famicom, famicom disk system, mega drive, game boy, GBA, super famicom and pc engine. Not so retro systems like PSX and PS2 are in my agenda too.

I'm also looking for game music CDs and CDs from japanese bands and artists.

I think I've got the cultural side of Japan covered, but if you know any amusing place worth checking, don't hesitate and post about it. Places for going out at night are welcome too.






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Maou
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"Re(1):The you're going to Japan thread" , posted Mon 30 Mar 09:30post reply

Games and arcades:

Shibuya is always a fun place to hang out, both for food and arcades and so on. Mandarake is there, and it's huge store o' comics with a reasonably large collection of used games.

Akihabara I'm sure you know...though last time I spent a day there, I didn't find as many older games as I would've wanted, so I wouldn't prioritize it. Then again, people really like Super Potato for used games there.

People seem to dig the 8-Bit Cafe in Shinjuku lately.

And even though I really don't like Kotaku, you can probably get a few good stores in English off of this list.

Going out:

Takada No Baba is a great, tasty place surrounding Waseda, one of my fave places to hang out. If you go down the main street towards Waseda, "Malabar" on the right makes the best Indian food and naan I have ever eaten. Fun place for yakitori with friends, too.

Shibuya's always a blast.

Shinjuku is good for weirder people and good Thai food if you venture upstairs to shops not on the ground level.





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nobinobita
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"Re(1):The I'm going to Japan thread" , posted Mon 30 Mar 11:09post reply

quote:

I'm also looking for game music CDs and CDs from japanese bands and artists.

I think I've got the cultural side of Japan covered, but if you know any amusing place worth checking, don't hesitate and post about it. Places for going out at night are welcome too.



Look out for any Book Offs. They always have random stuff for really cheap.

As for more fan oriented stuff, games, comics toys etc, I've heard that you can get much better deals outside of Tokyo. So while you're adventuring around the areas with more of the classic older culture, keep an eye out for game and comic shops and the like. You can get some incredible deals out in the sticks, especially on the older systems (so I'm told by my bud with family in Yokohama).

Good luck!





Maou
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"Re(2):The I'm going to Japan thread" , posted Mon 30 Mar 12:10post reply

Nobi's right...I remember talking with Brandon here earlier about legendary black "treasure warehouses" we've both found far outside of Tokyo. We both had different ones we'd been to...huge, two-story warehouses with endless isles of books, obscure games, hobbyist stuff (fishing stuff, mock rifles, everything), often at okay prices but always full. Mine's far out in Isesaki, Gunma, should you feel like a country stroll.





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Iggy
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"Re(2):The you're going to Japan thread" , posted Mon 30 Mar 16:17post reply

quote:
Then again, people really like Super Potato for used games there.
People love to get ripped off their asses because hey, it's Akiba.

Really, Akiba has been spoiled by the hordes of tourists. There's not many interesting deals remaining there.





Maou
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"Re(3):The you're going to Japan thread" , posted Mon 30 Mar 16:22post reply

quote:
Then again, people really like Super Potato for used games there. People love to get ripped off their asses because hey, it's Akiba.

Really, Akiba has been spoiled by the hordes of tourists. There's not many interesting deals remaining there.

Yeah, I really do get the same. I've had massive gaps between times I bother to go (like, 2000 and 2006), and the difference in quality of loot (like, lots versus none) was major.





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Professor
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"Re(1):The I'm going to Japan thread" , posted Mon 30 Mar 18:26:post reply

That's brave considering the current strength of the yen. You'll probably want to make every second of your trip worthwhile!


The Hey arcade in the main street of Akihabara is pretty big. Club Sega in Shinjuku and Ikebukuro are large as well. You're more than likely to pass by them during your tour around Tokyo.


Treasure hunting for games can be fun, and you might enjoy swinging around some stores that you find during your tour around Japan. But don't go too out of your way or it'll exhaust you, both time-wise and... money wise, if you're not traveling with a JR Rail Pass.

As for the city, Akihabara and Nakano's Broadway mall are well known locations for games. They're like a one-stop location for all your subcultural needs.



If you want to see the city's bright lights, the observatory from Tokyo Tower or City Hall at night isn't too bad.





[this message was edited by Professor on Mon 30 Mar 19:11]

Hagen de Merak
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"Re(1):The I'm going to Japan thread" , posted Mon 30 Mar 23:48post reply

quote:
Yup, so I'm finally doing a trip to Japan. We didn't plan it in advance, but Sensenic and I are going to be there almost at the same time.

So, this is a question for the people in the know, which and where are the best arcades and shops for buying videogames in Tokyo? I'd like to play that new whipping Akumajou arcade, and the latest beatmania IIDX installment. As for videogames, I'm looking for places where you can get good deals on retro systems like famicom, famicom disk system, mega drive, game boy, GBA, super famicom and pc engine. Not so retro systems like PSX and PS2 are in my agenda too.

I'm also looking for game music CDs and CDs from japanese bands and artists.

I think I've got the cultural side of Japan covered, but if you know any amusing place worth checking, don't hesitate and post about it. Places for going out at night are welcome too.



Don't know about japan, but if you go to mexico you can chill at the airport





karasu99
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"Re(2):The I'm going to Japan thread" , posted Tue 31 Mar 03:36post reply

quote:
That's brave considering the current strength of the yen. You'll probably want to make every second of your trip worthwhile!



Hum! I hadn't thought of that myself. My wife and I have been discussing taking a bigger trip sometime soon, and I guess now that you mention it, Japan should be stricken from the list for the time being.

Even though I'm not personally going, can anyone recommend a location for buying some of the older Gamest/Enterbrain mooks? Newer stuff can be found online, but the older ones are only rarely seen. I suppose this is still technically on-topic.





IkariDC
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"Re(3):The I'm going to Japan thread" , posted Thu 2 Apr 06:15post reply

Thanks for the replies and the suggestions! Of course I was thinking of visiting Akiba (even if it's not what it used to be) and Nakano Broadway.

I've got a JR pass for my first week there, my trip is going to be like this: Nagoya -> Kyoto -> Hiroshima -> Miyazaki -> Tokyo. I'd like to go to Yokohama, and I'm going to Takasaki to a concert, so even if there are hidden treasures out there, I won't have time to search for that. I can only spend time wondering around while in Tokyo.





exodus
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"Re(4):The I'm going to Japan thread" , posted Fri 3 Apr 13:36post reply

I'm going to finland.
what do I win





IkariDC
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"Re(5):The I'm going to Japan thread" , posted Sat 4 Apr 05:10post reply

quote:
I'm going to finland.
what do I win



Hey, I'm stopping over Helsinki for about 45 min.
What did you win, I want some too.





nobinobita
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"Re(6):The I'm going to Japan thread" , posted Sat 4 Apr 09:05post reply

quote:
I'm going to finland.
what do I win


Hey, I'm stopping over Helsinki for about 45 min.
What did you win, I want some too.



Here's your prize.





Professor
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"Re(4):The I'm going to Japan thread" , posted Sat 4 Apr 11:14:post reply

quote:
Thanks for the replies and the suggestions! Of course I was thinking of visiting Akiba (even if it's not what it used to be) and Nakano Broadway.

I've got a JR pass for my first week there, my trip is going to be like this: Nagoya -> Kyoto -> Hiroshima -> Miyazaki -> Tokyo. I'd like to go to Yokohama, and I'm going to Takasaki to a concert, so even if there are hidden treasures out there, I won't have time to search for that. I can only spend time wondering around while in Tokyo.



How long do you have in Tokyo? You should check out the tourist attractions like Harajuku and Asakusa if you want the full experience. Everyone seems to love Kitty Land.


Cripes I didn't reset my avatar! Now I've got 4 nipples





[this message was edited by Professor on Sat 4 Apr 11:16]

exodus
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"Re(7):The I'm going to Japan thread" , posted Sat 4 Apr 12:34post reply

quote:

Here's your prize.



I'll cherish it forever.
IkariDC, I think I may get some drunken finnish people, that seems to be the way of it.





Sensenic
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"Re(3):The I went to Japan thread" , posted Wed 15 Apr 19:29post reply

Well, I didn't post anything here during my visit, but I certainly put to good use many of the info from here, so thanks a lot everybody. And Ikari too for making it in the first place.

For an uninformed noob like me, this thread served as mana for really wonderful places, such as the Hey arcade (I got to play Buriki One!), Super Potato or Nakano Broadway.

quote:

People love to get ripped off their asses because hey, it's Akiba.



I certainly did!

I must say, the game I was looking for, I found only one copy in SP.
I don't know if I was ripped off for it, but then again that is also what being a tourist is about, after all.





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IkariDC
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"Re(4):The I went to Japan thread" , posted Tue 21 Apr 04:23post reply

quote:

How long do you have in Tokyo? You should check out the tourist attractions like Harajuku and Asakusa if you want the full experience. Everyone seems to love Kitty Land.



I just returned home this very morning. Yeah, I saw Harajuku and Asakusa. You meant Kiddy Land? I was there too, but there was nothing for me there.

quote:
Well, I didn't post anything here during my visit, but I certainly put to good use many of the info from here, so thanks a lot everybody. And Ikari too for making it in the first place.

For an uninformed noob like me, this thread served as mana for really wonderful places, such as the Hey arcade (I got to play Buriki One!), Super Potato or Nakano Broadway.


People love to get ripped off their asses because hey, it's Akiba.


I certainly did!

I must say, the game I was looking for, I found only one copy in SP.
I don't know if I was ripped off for it, but then again that is also what being a tourist is about, after all.



Super Potato and Nakano Broadway were awesome! I found everything I needed there, and on Retro Game at Akiba too. Maybe I wasn't looking for anything obscure, but I thought that Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari on PCE was rare. It turned out that more than rare, it was pricey.

What I wasn't ready for was the huge discovery of the Book Off stores. I spent hours there and bought an insane amount of CDs, at the end of the trip I amassed 8 kilos worth of CDs. At this point, I didn't have enough space in my luggage so I had to sent all that by EMS. Now, that was a rip off!

Buriki One? Nice! I played Nekketsu Kouha Kuniokun on the last floor of Super Potato, I own it on PS2, but it felt great playing the real thing in the right environment. I almost got first in the ranking, too bad that I didn't play it in a long time.





Ikari Loona
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"Re(5):The I went to Japan thread" , posted Tue 21 Apr 18:43post reply

I found about the 1/1 scale model of the original Gundam they're building in Tokyo in July to celebrate the franchise's 30th anniversary, and now I feel rather tempted to go there, since my birthday, the goddamn 30th too, will be around that time - the maturity of trying to manage a trip to a foreign coutry for the absolutely manchildish attitude of going to see a giant robot, f*** yeah!

I always figured a trip I'd make to Japan might be to Osaka since I'm such an SNK fanboy, but this looks reasonable... I wonders if there's some list of arcades in Tokyo with Buriki One in them...





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