Moving to Japan in a few months. What can I do NOW to prepare?

[Guest jmatsu]

I don't see the point. If a friend said "lets go vist Tokyo" would you hang out around Tokyo-eki? I mean, Shibuya isn't limited to its station, it goes all the way to Sendgaya in that direction...

i don't know if you saw my edit, but the point i am trying to make is that no one (except for your "hip-jp friends" and geographically corret) would casually refer to stuff on omotesando dori as shibuya (so what if it's in shibuya-ku). they would say shit like "i work in omotesando." it's not a big deal. it's just one of those local nuances.

the original writer suggested kiddy land.. if taken literally someone not knowing tokyo is going to either end up at shibuya station or the shinminami guchi. this is why everyone (or at least everyone i know) refers to the kiddyland area not as shibuya. i used to work right by prada, and everyone of my neighborr/coworkers would agree...

[2000dB]

i don't know if you saw my edit, but the point i am trying to make is that no one (except for your "hip-jp friends" and geographically corret) would casually refer to stuff on omotesando dori as shibuya (so what if it's in shibuya-ku). they would say shit like "i work in omotesando." it's not a big deal. it's just one of those local nuances.

the original writer suggested kiddy land.. someone not knowing tokyo is going to either end up at shibuya station or the shinminami guchi. this is why everyone (or at least everyone i know) refers to the kiddyland area not as shibuya. i used to work right by prada, and everyone of my neighborr/coworkers would agree...

BTW, the hip jp friends was a joke... I'm not sure there's any such thing anyway.

As to how to call it, you can call them both, and both are acceptable, they're just not the same thing (shibuya being the ward, omotesando being the neighborhood).

I'm not trying to pick a fight either, just bored. BTW, isnt the Prada store in Aoyama?

[herpsky]

let me bump this and ask... are there any Hookah bars in Tokyo?

That would be awesome if there were.

there's one in shimokitazawa

i passed by the joint once

it's called shisha

[Guest jmatsu]

BTW, the hip jp friends was a joke... I'm not sure there's any such thing anyway.

As to how to call it, you can call them both, and both are acceptable, they're just not the same thing (shibuya being the ward, omotesando being the neighborhood).

I'm not trying to pick a fight either, just bored. BTW, isnt the Prada store in Aoyama?

yeah i know it's in shibuya-ku.

i would say that prada is def aoyama, because that is what the location is referred too as. prada aoyama. so was my office, next to grave full of cats, but the only station is omotesando. maybe i could have walked it from nishiazabu, but it's too far. c'mon there isn't much difference when thinking of the geopraphics and social connotations of aoyama and omotesando. for my internal navigator they're basically the same.

[herpsky]

BTW, the hip jp friends was a joke... I'm not sure there's any such thing anyway.

As to how to call it, you can call them both, and both are acceptable, they're just not the same thing (shibuya being the ward, omotesando being the neighborhood).

I'm not trying to pick a fight either, just bored. BTW, isnt the Prada store in Aoyama?

yeah

tokyo is a city-state

within tokyo, there are 23 wards.

shibuya is a ward (shibuya-ku). however, the area near shibuya train station = I call shibuya.

beams shibuya, ragtag, and etc = Udagawacho

love hotels = maruyamacho

nepenthes = shibuya

omotesando is a neighborhood. the address (city) is Jingumae.

loveless, cdg, leclairer, adelaide, and all the other good shit = minami aoyama

[prima]

there's one in shimokitazawa

i passed by the joint once

it's called shisha

fuck hookah. just buy some boss coffee, chill with your friends and slay some stoges

[herpsky]

honestly

there's not much to see in shibuya, IMO

[2000dB]

yeah i know it's in shibuya-ku.

i would say that prada is def in aoyama, because that is what the location is referred too as. prada aoyama. so was my office, next to grave full of cats, but the only station is omotesando. maybe i could have walked it from nishiazabu, but it's too far. c'mon there isn't much difference when thinking of the geopraphics and social connotations of aoyama and omotesando. for my internal navigator they're basically the same.

I don't know, in my mind (as well as maps), you'd refer to aoyama after aoyama dori and omotesando before. Sure, it's Omotesando station, but that doesn't really matter as I said before.

Anyway, are you still in Japan? I assume you are...

[naturaljax]

this is actually a good question. i have not heard of any. there has to be at least one. i'll find it. if not, i'll make it.

Jmatsu, do it! I'll definitely hit that up next time I'm there if there is one. They're so fun, a great atmosphere for friends. It'd be a great alternative to fucking karaoke every night.

[herpsky]

hookah is a fad in japan. if you are a college student in the us, it's not as exciting.

[herpsky]

I don't know, in my mind (as well as maps), you'd refer to aoyama after aoyama dori and omotesando before. Sure, it's Omotesando station, but that doesn't really matter as I said before.

Anyway, are you still in Japan? I assume you are...

second that

[2000dB]

yeah

tokyo is a city-state

within tokyo, there are 23 wards.

shibuya is a ward (shibuya-ku). however, the area near shibuya train station = I call shibuya.

beams shibuya, ragtag, and etc = Udagawacho

love hotels = maruyamacho

nepenthes = shibuya

omotesando is a neighborhood. the address (city) is Jingumae.

loveless, cdg, leclairer, adelaide, and all the other good shit = minami aoyama

Yeah, I agree with you, but jmatsu said " okay, you got me on official geographic logistics (whoever decided on the actual adresses is dumb when you actually think of the closest koban and eki ...)"

Anyway, I doubt anyone is taking this whole debate seriously as we all know that addresses in Tokyo are not the easiest things.

[2000dB]

honestly

there's not much to see in shibuya, IMO

Shibuya is quite boring and the girls are kinda wack there. There's some ok stores but not many IMO.

[herpsky]

agreed. noone really refers to the actual city.

e.g. i'm going to head porter in harajuku to beat up some HK resellers

that store is kinda crazy.

one minute it's full of people. you wait for a couple of minutes and the store is empty.

[2000dB]

agreed. noone really refers to the actual city.

e.g. i'm going to head porter in harajuku to beat up some HK resellers

that store is kinda crazy.

one minute it's full of people. you wait for a couple of minutes and the store is empty.

seriously! the HK tourists are so annoying there. They strom the stores 50 at a time.

[Guest jmatsu]

I don't know, in my mind (as well as maps), you'd refer to aoyama after aoyama dori and omotesando before. Sure, it's Omotesando station, but that doesn't really matter as I said before.

Anyway, are you still in Japan? I assume you are...

you're totally right, but besides the local station across from fai and starbucks (i can't recall the name) and that one other one, when i explained to someone how to get to prada/cdg/minami aoyama i just say come to omotesando. my old office was by nezubijutsukan. i'm not going to tell anyone to get off at that one eki in aoyama(?)because it's hella far.

i will be going back to japan in appox one week if i take care of my biz.

[mizanation]

yeah that stuff is confusing with the names of dori, eki, ku, etc...

[herpsky]

i wish japan adopted the american street name + number rule.

that's one of the most efficient features of the US.

the street address convention

[Pandemonium]

NY street names are hella confusing for me... with the numbers and stuff.

[so-so]

This thread turned into a geographic debate in no time.

Shibuya sucks but you can do worse.

[djrajio]

i wish japan adopted the american street name + number rule.

that's one of the most efficient features of the US.

the street address convention

I like the chaos. It tends to keep away all the touristy foreigners that tend to fuck shit up i..e Roppongi Dori. Plus, its fun getting lost and finding those hole-in-the-wall gems that only like 3 people in Tokyo actually know about...

[herpsky]

I like the chaos. It tends to keep away all the touristy foreigners that tend to fuck shit up i..e Roppongi Dori. Plus, its fun getting lost and finding those hole-in-the-wall gems that only like 3 people in Tokyo actually know about...

True.

I found quite a few "unexploited" gems in nakameguro / yutenji last month.

The area near ELT has some really interesting shops...

On weekdays, there are basically no tourists / shoppers around there.

My parents are moving to nakameguro soon. That'll be exciting.

[Guest jmatsu]

i feel the same as rajio depending on my situation. there's been times where i've been confused as fuck when trying to find some impossible adress.

for the benefit of soudune (or whoever is moving to tko), 2000db is accurate as far as the converstation of omotensando being shibuya-ku, while aoyama is minato-ku. it's confusing, my point wasn't to argue logisitics with him, but to explain how i (and others), would navigate for efficiency's sake (especially in the case of kiddyland).

i would also like to mention that kiddyland is not the greatest toyshop in tokyo. the name should be taken literally, because the toys are not of the designer-persuasion, they are infact for kids.

[Guest jmatsu]

True.

I found quite a few "unexploited" gems in nakameguro / yutenji last month.

The area near ELT has some really interesting shops...

On weekdays, there are basically no tourists / shoppers around there.

My parents are moving to nakameguro soon. That'll be exciting.

if your parents move to nakameguro, you're set! as you know it's just so convenient. yutenji is like what...2 stops away from shibuya, right? one stop from daikanyama?

[Chicken]

i wish japan adopted the american street name + number rule.

that's one of the most efficient features of the US.

the street address convention

funny, i was just thinking of the opposite the other day. living in nyc, the subway stops have names that make no sense. why is there a broadway stop in queens? that's like arbitrarily calling shibuya the "246 station" or something. i love the fact that all the sectors of tokyo are divided up by stations.

although, i do have to admit, the numeric breakdowns of the blocks don't make any sense in tokyo and it's a bitch to locate places all the time. but i guess that's why the mobile gps system is way more advanced there than here, too.

i would also like to mention that kiddyland is not the greatest toyshop in tokyo. the name should be taken literally, because the toys are not of the designer-persuasion, they are infact for kids.

it's crazy but isn't akihabara a better place to hunt for toys now?

[Guest jmatsu]

it's crazy but isn't akihabara a better place to hunt for toys now?

apparently so. all i can say is maid cafe.

some guy just mentioned in a earlier comment that kiddyland was the greatest toystore or something...

[Chicken]

akiba = otaku capital

kiddyland used to be THE place to look for toys. when i have visitors from outside the country, i still take them there. but after the explosion of akihabara, it's almost faster to take people there and have them look at electronics at the same time.

i still haven't been to a meido kissa myself, though.

[thomas_highstreet]

otakus are the new fashionistas

[englandmj7]

Not that it's of any consequence at all, but I found the Tokyo subway system to be 100x more navigable than the NYC one........

[Guest jmatsu]

Not that it's of any consequence at all, but I found the Tokyo subway system to be 100x more navigable than the NYC one........

that's interesting, because from a nonjapanese friend's perspective it is not necessarily that easy. he often complained that not every station's maps were available in english. i do know what fuckin station he was at though!