The Japan Trip Resource Thread!

[smallvillex]

I'd like to hear the answer to that too....

[dave heats]

Japjac, youd be surprised mate. the number of people ive spoken to who have moved here from tokyo is mind blowing. i find the animosity between the entire kansai region and tokyo quite amusing sometimes. the first four times i came to japan (staying for 3-4 weeks each time) i only went to tokyo, but coming to osaka has made me fall in love with japan all over again.
anyone reading this, who isnt sure about coming to Osaka, all i can say is, come here and experience it for yourself. its all about personal preference. personally, ive feel like ive found where i belong, and its a wonderful feeling. seriously.

i would say its better personally for games. but like darwock said earlier, its all relative. if you want retro games, then its definately osaka. for more modern stuff, its probably still osaka.
to be honest, when ive come to japan in the past, ive been primarily shopping for games whenever i got a spare moment. but nowadays, games arent my main priority. far from it infact, and japan has become a much more enjoyable place as a result...basically, im trying to say when youre here, look for more than the nearest retro game store. theres alot to experience.

[smallvillex]

Dave...it's a good thing you're there fella...

Brilliant advice...

[EJG1980]

I'm not going to Osaka, but I definitely plan to do more than just shop for games when I'm in Tokyo later this year

I've got the TGS and a walk around Akihabara to cover my gaming needs, the rest of the time I'll be trying to see as many different parts of Tokyo as I can fit in!

Anyway, once I've found some hugely discounted Xbox 360 games I'll basically be done as far as game shopping goes Hopefully the Japanese will still hate the 360 in September, should guarantee some nice bargains

[dave heats]

ive seen ridge on the 360 for under ?10... so im guessing they still hate the whole xbox thing? lol

[EJG1980]

Yup, as long as that hate keeps going until September, I'm happy Microsoft will make enough money from Europe and America anyway, they don't need Japan as well!

[Nakano]

Thanks for the advice Dave, you sound like you really enjoy Osaka, its a confidence booster for me!

[dave heats]

haha, i hope microsoft think that way too humanenergy mate to be fair, there is some store presence in some areas, but its largely ignored i guess. im completely out of touch with gaming, so i dont know if theres been any large releases over here, or how well they did at retail. but from a joe public perspective, ive seen one 360 advert on tv in 6/7 weeks. not that ive had much time to watch tv...woo.

[EJG1980]

From what I read, the actual launch did worse numbers than the original Xbox!

By the start of February the 360 was down to selling just under 4,000 units a week, while the likes of PS2 was still clocking in around 26,000 a week!

God knows what the sales figures are like now. Just seems as though Microsoft and Japan don't mix.

[smallvillex]

How much is the premium pack being sold for on the streets then?

[dave heats]

haha, amen to that.

actually, on a kind of related note, microsoft have got a frankly bewildering advertising campaign on JR trains at the moment, promoting their new Office software. Its basically photos of office workers in meetings, but theyre wearing dinosaur masks, and saying stuff like "wow, microsofts office can really help us!" etc etc. its brilliantly random. next time i see the posters ill take a pic and post it here.

[dave heats]

How much is the premium pack being sold for on the streets then?

not sure man, ill have a check for you. (i still need to go look for your other things) free time has been hard to find lately. tomorrow though i'll make time.

you wanna buy a 360 now too?! lol

[JAPJAC]

Each to there own. I found Osaka to be very minging, like how I imagined a Tokyo to be in the 60`s say. Backwards to say the least. Den Den Town was nice of course but not a patch on Akihabara. I would go as far as to say that it ain`t worth the 150 quid round trip to get there (from Tokyo). If it was 50 quid then yes. Think how much fun a ton and a half would get you in Tokyo (this is a holiday thread I assume as opposed to a residing thread). Tokyo is clearly where it`s at. All I know is that my Japan holiday was Tokyo only. Upon residing I went to Osaka and just think that I would of been gutted if I had wasted any valuable time and money there over Tokyo holiday making wise having known what I know now (is Japan still a once in a lifetime holiday destination? Dunno, in my day yes). You could spend 14 days in Tokyo and not touch it. Took me 2 years to cain it.

Maybe it depends on where you`re from originally dave heats. If you`re used to London and Tokyo say then Osaka may be a bit too `boring`??@

I`m not Japanese I don`t care, but Osaka is rubbish. The End.

[hobo]

haha, amen to that.

actually, on a kind of related note, microsoft have got a frankly bewildering advertising campaign on JR trains at the moment, promoting their new Office software. Its basically photos of office workers in meetings, but theyre wearing dinosaur masks, and saying stuff like "wow, microsofts office can really help us!" etc etc. its brilliantly random. next time i see the posters ill take a pic and post it here.

We got that ad over here too Dave, Waterloo station has loads of dino heads all over the main throughfare

[hobo]

In my two weeks I will be based in Tokyo. But intending to head to Osaka and the surrounding area for four days. My friend said we can visit Kyoto, Kobe, Nara and his girlfriend is from Osaka so hopefully she can sort cheap acommodation.

Another friend said to me Osaka's reigonal accent is the japanese equivalent of our Birmingham accent