The Japan Trip Resource Thread!

[Tezuka]

Don't forget to pop into a bar called Gas Panic...Whuuaha, Whuhahaha, Wuahahahahahaha

Which 1?? Gaspanic 1 or Gaspanic 2 We were there and suddenly my mate started getting kissed by a girl who worked there,who was quite young

Its in Roppongi btw. You must buy a drink otherwise you cant stay (as per the signs on the wall)

1 bit of advice for Roppongi,keep your wits about you and ignore the black guys trying to get you into places

[Supergoal]

Hmm, I've had "Experiences" at the one in Roppongi and one in Shibuya. Yeah those africans trying to get you into the local titty club do my head in, espcially when one of them chased my right around Kabukicho! (James/TokyoChojin remember that?) hehehe

[suicidepirate]

Man, i was in Gas Panic recently for the IGN/Tokyopia pre-TGS party. What a ****-hole.

[JU!]

Can't belive i have been to Tokyo 4 times and never been in Gas panic. Hopefully in May-June time i will experince it . I'll remember to avoid the Africans there as i do in Harajuku as well.

[nietzschedancing]

Can't belive i have been to Tokyo 4 times and never been in Gas panic. Hopefully in May-June time i will experince it . I'll remember to avoid the Africans there as i do in Harajuku as well.

No idea if it's true, but I vaguely remeber reading that if you say "No thanks, I'm a devout Muslim/Catholic/Christian....etc." they leave you alone sharpish. Probably bollocks though.

[Jushin-Thunder-Liger]

Hmm, I've had "Experiences" at the one in Roppongi and one in Shibuya. Yeah those africans trying to get you into the local titty club do my head in, espcially when one of them chased my right around Kabukicho! (James/TokyoChojin remember that?) hehehe

3 French ****ers chased me all around Kabukicho last year, luckily my new Iranian friends i hade made that evening steped in and had a quiet word.

I knew learning a few basic words of Persian would come in useful someday, in fact it was gotten me out of a few scrapes in Roppongi over the years (and some cheap **** too)


Also, guys, lets not get racist, there are tonnes of realy cool Nigerian guys in Tokyo, not all of them are crimminals.

[Supergoal]

Nobody is getting racist here Jushin, I think Tezuka was just making his point and I followed it up with a past experience!

[Escape-To-88]

I'm off to Japan next year to teach for 5 months.
A bunch of us are flying into Osaka for March 27th, can anyone recommend a decent and CHEAP hotel for towards the end of March??? Will it be neccesary to book in advance or is March OK in Osaka?
Cheers

[atrus]

Woah. I'm back. Had such a good time! I think I managed to see a fair percentage of what Tokyo and the surrounding area had to offer, but the 10 days passed far too quickly! Heres a selection of what I got up to -

- Walked round MSR/PGR circuits! Love the Asakusa circuit for real!
- Went to the royal palace gardens, the palace gates, saw the Diet building.
- Took some pictures of Shibuya bus terminal and imagined what it would be like to graffiti up the place whilst listening to the JSR/JSRF soundtrack on my iPod.
- Shopping in Ginza, played PS3 in the Sony Building and walked up the musical stairs!
- Took a train to Nikko (128km north of Tokyo) and saw the shrines and temples nestled among the mountains - it's a bit like Gen Fu's stage in DoA4 - complete with wild Monkeys. Awesome.
- Although I certainly didn't go to buy games, I spent about 5 hours in Akihabara browsing. Bought the japanese 360 "Wood" faceplate - its great because it matches my Ikea tv bench.
- Climbed mount fuji (!) v. tiring.
- Went to Hakone, and went inside an active volcano - it has sulfur pouring out of the crater, bit of a smell!
- Went in ever single Club Sega I could find and played VF5 until someone challenged me - then I got beaten and left. Every time. My Jacky technique isn't as unstoppable as I thought.
- Shopping in Harajuku, well, browsing - kinda expensive.
- Visited the Meji-Jingu shrine and watched a shinto prayer ceremony (just got lucky)
- Saw some awesome buskers in Shinjuku, went up the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, and accidently walked through red light district and got a lot of friendly smiles from some pretty girls (!)
- Bought loads of drinks from vending machines, which was a bit like Shenmue.
- Went to the Tokyo-Edo Museum, and the national sumo stadium (which was next door).
- Went to Yokohama, saw some sights of PGR2 (!), went to Chinatown (largest Chinese community in Japan) and had some good food. Went up the Landmark Tower, tallest building in Japan, and allegedly has the fastest lifts (i reckon this record has been beaten), but for the record - 750ms-1.
- Took the monorail to Odaiba and went to the Panasonic bldg and Toyota showroom, went to the beach and finished that day with a trip to Sega's JOYPOLIS. Watched the sunset over Tokyo bay from the 46th floor of the Shiodome building.

Loads more really. Best holiday ever?? I think so. If I had stayed for longer, I probably would have gone to Disneyland, and counter balanced it with a couple of days in Osaka. I tried to do a nice mix of the cultural/historical, with the modern technological side of things. I mean, there isn't really anything in Akihabara that can't be bought on ebay or similar. I didn't spend ?600 to fly half way around the world to buy stuff that I could easily get on ebay.

When i'm over this jet lag - I will post a few tips for would-be travellers. Am hopefully gonna go back April 2008 for the cherry blossom season. Rock on.

[Bleeders]

Glad you had an awesome time mate, same here too!

Did you visit Harajuku/Yoyogi park on a Sunday? An experience in itself!

[Richard.John]

A friend suggested trip to Yoyogi just today. What is so good about Yoyogi park on Sundays?

[Bleeders]

Just go there mate... seriously.

We did and was easily one of the highlights.

[atrus]

Lol. I'm all curious now. I was climbing Mt Fuji on the only Sunday I was there, so I feel like I missed out. Although I'd like to know what was better than THAT view.

[Bleeders]

I've got a few photos at home, will get em' posted - and a couple short video clips as well!

Yoyogi Park on a Sunday is where the "Tribes" congregate, so you get to see the Cos Players, Tokyo Rockabilly's and my personal favourite, random bands lining the path alongside the park with their instruments busting out tunes.

Superb atmosphere, something you really appreciate and realise that it'd never occur over here.

[Bleeders]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BESQ_-biz5Q

The path outside Yoyogi Park on a Sunday... (the path is lined with bands!) ignore the missus tilting the camera towards the end, had no idea what she was bloody doing!