if you had 10 days in Tokyo...

[naturaljax]

and you could go to one shop everyday you were there, what would those 10 be?

I'll be there for 14 days starting June 26, so I'm trying to see where I should hit up.

I've been there twice before, so I pretty much know where you'll be talk about, so just let me know the most essential spots in Tokyo.

I been rappin' for about 17 years..

I don't write my stuff anymore,

I just kick it from my head you know what I'm sayin I can do that.

No disrespect... but that's how I am.

[dismalfuture]

I'm thinking about hitting up Tokyo in the near future when I get some time too, but I won't have 2 weeks, unfortunately. Thinking about going the same time as you, been a few months for me since I was there.

I know your one-shop-a-day thing is probably hypothetical, but whenever I do Tokyo the first thing I do is hop out at Shibuya and make my way up to Aoyama-dori and hang a left at Omotesando. I start at that Subway, pass LVMH and the much-loathed and hyped Omotesando Hills, and walk all the way up to Harajuku station, and then cross the street and go back down again for a quick jaunt at things to look at, stopping by Kiddy Land to look at the toys. Omotesando main drag is for boutique brands, big coin. If you're into Commes De Garcons or those sorts of things you can take a right instead of the left off Aoyama dori and head down into Minami-Aoyama for a bit before goig back towards Harajuku. The Prada building by Herzog and de Meuron is a real sight to behold at dusk, the merchandise inside not so much so, but it's worth the extra few steps.

If I'm in a serious shopping mood I will center on that 4-way intersection at Meiji-dori and Omotesando where you have the Gap, Lotteria, and Condomania, and then start picking through the backstreets around there. For Harajuku, You would probably be most interested interested in Stussy Harajuku Chapt, Soph, United Arrows Blue Label, Murasaki Sports, etc.

From there, you can go back down Meiji-dori back towards Shibuya station and pass a bunch of shops. Levi's, Paul Smith, Burberry Black Label a couple steps off Meiji-dori, Urban Research, Hysteric Glamour, United Arrows, Billy's and ABC-Mart, etc. Mainstream-y stores with enough coin to front a Meiji-dori location.

Once back to Shibuya going back down Meiji-dori, hang another right til you walk under the train tracks and then see Q-Front right in front of you, go right and walk up there, and you can hop into Marui and Parco. Loft if you're interested in Japanese style home-furnishings, it's kinda fun. Marui carries most of the big brands so you could save a little time if forgoing the sightseeing. United Arrows is up there, as is Nano Universe, Ships, Beams right behind Marui (you could probably kill and hr or two just in Beams), etc. A little tucked away from Marui towards Harajuku direction you will find American Rag Cie, Beams Tokyo, Journal Standard, Made in World, etc.

109 for gawking at gyaruzu, maybe HMV or Tower for some tunes, and then you've pretty much dusted Shibuya/Harajuku/Aoyama/Omotesando off in one huge walk as for shopping. Food, different story.

Get back on the train at Shibuya and go to Shinjuku; the smaller Kinokuniya bookstore facing Mitsukoshi or the main on the opposite end of the station is a must, the Commes multi-plex, a run through Kabuki-Cho ad Nishi-Shinjuku during more moderate hours. I think they opened a Barney's New York down there, but that is serious money. You have your Isetan and Odakyu and I think another Marui up there. If you're into electronics a quick run through a Sakuraya or Bic or Yodobashi in Shinjuku will suffice. Takashimaya Times Square has a Tokyu Hands in the basement and then all manners of food and shopping inside, which could kill some time for you too.

Ikebukuro I never found too interesting, but perhaps you might. I don't know much in the way of what's up there though.

Ginza, eh, I don't hang around Ginza too much but I am gonna stop by once next time to go to the 45rpm in Ginza, though there are 45rpm stores everywhere.

People used to be all over Akihabara for electronics but now that Sakuraya and Bic stomped them price-wise, Akihabara became kind of redundant. I guess if you want to go find real Anime nerds or stuff like that, you can check that out in Akihabara, but it's a long trip from the Shibuya side to see stuff like that.

Another place I never went to much before but will go to now is Ueno, after reading all the good things about the jeans up there.

I guess if

[naturaljax]

goddamn hahahahaha.

that's a pretty damn good layout of Shibuya thanks!

Shibuya's one place I've yet to check out, so I'm excited.

anyone else got anything to add?

I been rappin' for about 17 years..

I don't write my stuff anymore,

I just kick it from my head you know what I'm sayin I can do that.

No disrespect... but that's how I am.

[naturaljax]

bump 'cause this trip is coming up!

I been rappin' for about 17 years..

I don't write my stuff anymore,

I just kick it from my head you know what I'm sayin I can do that.

No disrespect... but that's how I am.

[poly800rock]

Quote:

goddamn hahahahaha.

that's a pretty damn good layout of Shibuya thanks!

Shibuya's one place I've yet to check out, so I'm excited.

anyone else got anything to add?

--- Original message by naturaljax on Jun 5, 2006 04:57 PM

you've been to tokyo twice before and never been to shibuya? whoa..

you can see lots/little in 10 days it all depends on actually what you want done. This is what I did..

I spent the 1st 2 days just kind of getting lost (on purpose) in Shibuya/Harajuku area and picking up things I wanted. If you go out at night, I went out at night, what no one seems to tell you here is that subways close at 12AM, and the trains don't run till 5AM again, so if you go out and don't want to spend an arm and a leg on a cab ride home, you just go big all night...which kind of kills your days....I went out till like 8 am 2 days in a row, a good like 8 hours of solid drinking and basically collapsed..woke up in the late afternoon....so leave a few days for that if you want....I did no temples and such as that stuff is fairly boring to me now...Ueno is awesome for jean/sneakers....def go there if you're interested....akihabara for electronics...or read above, i guess it's cheaper elsewhere....It all kind of depends also on where you stay. I stayed at Guess T House as reccommended on this forum which is in Abazu Juban, close to Roponggi..(ugh) but close to Shinjuku, Shibuya...the first time I stayed out in Minowa which is close to Ueno...so that also influences where you go...

.basically, just post what you are looking for and you will get a response of best places in the neighborhood you'll need to go....I mean..I went for shopping and partying, not like visiting temples and fully understanding japanese culture....and I had a great time on the places I gave above.

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZtriggerkid

[Guest Fade to Black]

I'm gonna be in Tokyo from June 29th to July 3rd, pretty short period...so i'm focusing on just Japanese brands since European clothes are so expensive there...so for shops probably Number (N)ine, Loveless (the concept of the store sounds very interesting, gotta make a stop there), Yohji Yamamoto, 45 RPM, maybe go to some department stores like Isetan...but I'll have to check out Lift for the Altieri, CCP, etc. and I'll probably drop by Dior as well.

[Seething Tortoise]

I'd be in Akihibara most of the time buying games stuff Then I'd think, God damn, why didn't I go to the other districts and get some Japanese brands' clothing for cheaper than you'd get in the West.

[imisssefler]

don't forget to nosh on some fugu

[poly800rock]

Quote:

don't forget to nosh on some fugu

--- Original message by imisssefler on Jun 15, 2006 01:58 PM

i had no idea where to find it, how much is it by the way?

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZtriggerkid

[englandmj7]

Don't find it, it doesn't matter how much it is......you don't want to try it.

It is certainly not expensive by any means.

[greentea]

dont forget to hit up the love hotels.

[MJNevin]

I'de drink sake all day, smoke dope, and just generally party witht he fine japanese girls. For 10 days.

Courtesy of Matthew the Weekend Nevin

Edited by MJNevin on Jun 15, 2006 at 06:35 PM

[greentea]

Quote:

I'de drink sake all day, smoke dope, and just generally party witht he fine japanese girls. For 10 days.

--- Original message by MJNevin on Jun 15, 2006 06:35 PM

amen, brotha.

[poly800rock]

Quote:

Quote:

I'de drink sake all day, smoke dope, and just generally party witht he fine japanese girls. For 10 days.

--- Original message by MJNevin on Jun 15, 2006 06:35 PM

amen, brotha.

--- Original message by greentea on Jun 15, 2006 07:25 PM

i third that minus the smoking dope

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZtriggerkid