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Going to Japan (What Should I Buy/Do While I am there?)

C

CoachKevin

Member
I am heading to Japan from December 13-23 for vacation and I will be budgeting about $1000 of spending money for games and other tech stuff.

So far on my list I have:

- Famicom Console
- Super Famicom Console
- Game Boy Pocket Light (backlit GBP)
- Super Back to the Future II (SFC)
- 5-10 other SFC games that a non Japanese speaking person can play and enjoy, hopefully some stuff that I can't find in the US.
- 10-15 Famicom games (again that don't have tons of text)
- 10-20 Gameboy games (bless there being no region lock)
- Bunch of toys from the capsule machines
- Other random games that catch my eye and make me say, "that looks cool enough that it might be worth playing."

Yeah, I know it is a lot, but this is going to be my first, of hopefully yearly trips to Tokyo (and the surrounding parts of Japan) and I plan to ship most of it back with UPS/DHL.

So what am I missing or are there other game related things I must do while I am out there? (Please note I don't like anime, maids, or cosplay type stuff). Thanks!
 
the androgyne

the androgyne

Member
Well the good news is you can probably pick up all that and more from a single store and for a lot less than 1k :)
You need to get more extravagant, you won't believe what you can find around the place!
Some vintage Game & Watch's will churn through your budget quickly...
 
A

Apenheul

Member
If you're into modding fightsticks, visit Mak Japan (in Akihabara, Tokyo) and get some nice Sanwa/Seimitsu parts.
 
C

Clott

Member
So jelly, spend some money on clothes, they have some amazing stuff. I went almost 2 years ago, I had planned on making yearly trips as well I have just been super busy since. I hope to make it back in 2012.
 
T

Tailzo

Member
CoachKevin said:
So what am I missing or are there other game related things I must do while I am out there? (Please note I don't like anime, maids, or cosplay type stuff). Thanks!
Click to expand...
I'd try to find Shenmue I. I never played it in Japanese. I have no idea wether you're a Shenmue fan or not though ;)
 
B

Blablurn

Member
one of the things i bought was the 20 years collection of metal gear solid. even though it was used i was smiling big time. grabed it immidiately and left!!! soooo goood.

japan is really one of a kind in terms of old games and stuff like this. i hated myself for not buying the box when it came out but now i have it, fuck yeah.
 
O

OldJadedGamer

Banned
Important note: Take a very large suitcase but only fill it half full so you have room to bring the stuff back. US customs won't care cause it's a bunch of old and used video game stuff.

When I went I stocked up on Saturn stuff to sell on eBay. Black light guns (the orange ones were sold in the US), Virtual On Sticks, back up ram carts, and the such. That stuff is super cheap over there but get really good collector prices over here. I got 5X the money back on my auctions than what I spent.
 
D

Dunan

Member
Where in Japan will you be? If you're coming to Akihabara,
and can get past the increasing amount of moe-related anime kitsch that seems to be taking over
, you'll be in gamer heaven, as there are streets full of stores stocking games and concoles old and new.

Used book stores can also be surprisingly good places to find stuff. The "Book-Off" chain, huge in the Kyoto area and getting bigger in Tokyo too, is always well-stocked with both used games and used consoles, but their real strength is game guidebooks. One of the reason I was thinking of selling my old Ultimanias is that I know I can walk into one of those stores and easily find the more common ones for half the cover price (Y750-800 or so) or cheaper.

If you're walking down the street and see one of these, stop in. You won't regret it. In Kyoto, I've been to the ones on Sanjo ("3rd Avenue") and out west near Arashiyama and can vouch for their selection -- I grabbed the FFXII Collector's Edition soundtrack for just Y1650!

Another thing you can try and do is grab stuff cheap off Yahoo Auctions.jp. Very few Japanese Yahoo Auctions people will ship overseas for some reason, so if you have a Japanese address to pick stuff up at, have it shipped there. I love using Yahoo for obscure games and books that you can't find in stores. I snagged the impossible-to-find Sigma Harmonics guidebook for Y500 plus shipping and the massive End of Eternity (Resonance of Fate) perfect guide for about Y1200.

Same deal for Amazon.co.jp. Like the SFC? How about Bahamut Lagoon for 11 yen (351 yen shipped) ? People don't have room for all these consoles so the older stuff gets sold off. Grab it!

Oh, and don't forget to take in some of the beautiful and scenic places that have nothing to do with gaming. There's so much to see that you could move here, travel all your life, and still be looking forward to more.
 
R

Ratba

Unconfirmed Member
If you come to Osaka hit up Super Potato, A-Too and Big Tiger(? sorry never go in there... can't remember the name for the life of me). You'll find everything you need and more. They are all on the same strip since Den-Den town is pretty tiny compared to Akiba, for better or worse.
 
F

Fox_Mulder

Rockefellers. Skull and Bones. Microsoft. Al Qaeda. A Cabal of Bankers. The melting point of steel. What do these things have in common? Wake up sheeple, the landfill wasn't even REAL!
Eat along streets
 
D

discoalucard

i am a butthurt babby that can only drool in wonder at shiney objects
CoachKevin said:
I just recently got a Saturn, I should have mentioned I need the 4MB Ram Card and some games. What will I need for the region block? A gameshark or something should work right?
Click to expand...

They sell converter/RAM cart all-in-one combos, those should serve you well. Otherwise it's a bit of a pain. You're screwed for one game, The King of Fighters '95, since it uses its own ROM cart, but everything else should work fine.
 
K

Kobun Heat

Member
If you're going to do two days in Akihabara, do your best to not buy anything on day one. Or at least hit up all of the major used-game stores and price-check everything first, then go back to the stores where things were cheapest. You will be surprised at how prices can vary from store to store.
 
C

Clott

Member
People are gonna think it a joke but, try the Mcdonalds there, it's the best I have had!! And track down the best ramen places.
 
R

Razlo

Member
Akihabara is truly awesome. While you're there you need to go to SuperPotato to get old cool Japanese games, soundtracks and play in the arcade. There are multiple arcades in Akihabara too, so you should check those. Go to a meat bowl place and get a beef bowl or some katsu while you're there. Also, below Cospa is this awesome store that is floor to ceiling with just capsule machines to buy capsule toys. It even has an "adult" section.

Also, I went to 3 maid cafes with my wife, it was a lot of fun.
 
the androgyne

the androgyne

Member
Clott said:
People are gonna think it a joke but, try the Mcdonalds there, it's the best I have had!! And track down the best ramen places.
Click to expand...

Alternatively try out Beckers near the station for some awesome burgers!
 
D

Dunan

Member
Clott said:
People are gonna think it a joke but, try the Mcdonalds there, it's the best I have had!! And track down the best ramen places.
Click to expand...

I literally did a double-take the first time I entered a Japanese McDonalds. The uniforms were so classy-looking that the women would have passed for employees of a bank or a travel agent. Everyone had impeccable manners and the entire experience was a huge step up from the McD's I was used to in the US.

(They've since changed to a more high-school-ish look in general but a few stores have returned to pouring on the class.)

McDonald's might be the single biggest positive culture shock I experienced when coming to Japan. The efficiency of the trains is already legendary; the professionalism of people like department store staff is too. Fast food was something I hadn't even thought about, and was a surprisingly great experience!
 
D

Dunan

Member
the androgyne said:
Alternatively try out Beckers near the station for some awesome burgers!
Click to expand...

If we're going to get into a burger debate, my votes go to Mos Burger and Freshness Burger. Freshness (are they nationwide?) has all kinds of obscure sauces (think Worcestershire and Jamaican Jerk and green Tabasco) that you don't see anywhere else!
 
C

CoachKevin

Member
Keep it coming guys! Thanks for all of the suggestions and protips. December can not come soon enough. Especially when you are posting street views from Google:

akistreet.jpg
 
Andrefpvs

Andrefpvs

Member
CoachKevin said:
Keep it coming guys! Thanks for all of the suggestions and protips. December can not come soon enough. Especially when you are posting street views from Google:

akistreet.jpg
Click to expand...

This is awesome, can I have the exact link for this location, please?
 
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