japan :: tokyo :: general

[conqueror]

for anything longer than 3 weeks or so in tokyo, i'd recommend looking at a sharehouse/gaijin house. i stayed in one ran by greencourt in 2009 - most gaijin houses have a real bad rep (and deservingly so) but i found greencourt pretty decent and helpful. they have 3 houses from memory (shibuya, koenji and nakano) - i lived in the koenji one. i was meant to stay in japan for a year, but only ended up staying for a 3.5 months - even though i signed my lease, they let me break it and gave all my bond etc back (which is pretty amazing/rare for japan). although it is nowhere near as nice as a hotel, i would still recommend it for 2 months and most are pretty central. if you want more info, let me know. from memory my rent was 75,000 yen a month inc unlimited net and everything else (water/gas) but excluding electricity for whatever reason.

Edited February 2, 2012 by conqueror

[Helsja]

YO I WAS JUST ABOUT TO BOOK WITH THEM.... im coming to tokyo in april for 2 months

do you have any places in mind that could rock the shared house type living arrangements for comparable price?

I cant really recomend a place because that was the only hotel I stayed in while in Tokyo, It was my last stop in Japan and I was only there for four (non-refundable) nights..... I just didn't want anyone else to have a nasty hotel experience if they can avoid it.

Conqueror's suggestions sound pretty good.

[bentobox]

I'll be DJing tonight at the new club ESPRIT in Roppongi from 2AM. As always, guest list for all Superfuturians. PM me if you'd like to roll through.

Info: http://esprit-lounge.net/?p=624

Map: http://esprit-lounge.net/?page_id=56

[altemp]

wish i saw that earlier, was i roppongi last night with some friends with shit all to do.

other news, if anyone looking for some Beams+ stuff, final markdowns happened on fw2012 and there's still decent selection at the shibuya flagship. most stuff like 35-45% but some stuff looked like it was around 70% off.

[herpsky]

all items 70% off @ Acycle Ships Jet Blue

March 16 Confirmed launch collabo items @ Dover Street Market Ginza

-Chrome hearts x CdG

-A bathing ape x CdG Play

-Supreme x CdG Shirt

-MMJ x DSM GINZA

Shop in Shop

-Celine by Rei Kawakubo

-Adam Kimmel by Adam Kimmel

-Louis Vuitton Installation by Kim Jones

Edited February 6, 2012 by herpsky

[bentobox]

Back to DJ in Roppongi for afterhours on Friday the 10th. PM for guest list/details.

[altemp]

is there any other store like beams+/wjk/nanamica to check out while im here? kinda running out of ideas for stores to check out, but i really dont know enough to say ive exhausted every store i want to see.

[fals3]

is there any other store like beams+/wjk/nanamica to check out while im here? kinda running out of ideas for stores to check out, but i really dont know enough to say ive exhausted every store i want to see.

Kind of would need to know where you've been but you could check out the new mens-kan thing in Yurakucho (can't remember name but its right by the station. Have 90% of the fashiony stuff you see on here (WJK, WM, Undercover, Rick etc.).

Edited February 6, 2012 by fals3

[altemp]

been over most of shinjuku/shibuya, but more specfically the main stuff around omotesando dori, aoyama dori and meiji dori, daikanyama, that kind of thing. ive hit most of the department stores and flagships like porter, beams, lad musician, undercover, yohji, y-3, wm, etc in those areas. i guess i'm asking more what brands are exclusively in japan that are worth checking out in the price range of nanamica or wjk, so lower than UC or yohji (already spent way more there than i thought i would).

still got 2 weeks to kill so anywhere in tokyo is fine, im not really limited by time. havent been to yurakucho so i'll check that out.

[southofnonorth]

I will be in Tokyo from 12-28, spending the first half in Daikanyama and the second half in Harajuku,

can anyone reccomened any gigs/bars/clubs? I'm pretty open to most music genres....

[5-4=Unity]

Harajuku gets reeaalllly quiet after dark for the most part, daiknyama has lots of good spots though, check out the monthly calendar for UNIT, they have a pretty varied schedule.

[Enaml]

Hoping for a little bit of help / advice regarding phones.

I'm leaving for Tokyo next thursday for a little under 6 months (spending a semester studying abroad at Waseda and staying with a host family) and I'm trying to figure out what to do for a phone while there. I'd like to have SOME sort of data plan, so I can navigate using maps etc and access the internet when needed (I hear wifi is pretty spotty in Tokyo). A friend of mine offered to let me borrow his unlocked iphone 3gs, as apparently you can get prepaid data/mms/talk SIMs, based on this thread, and it seems that b-mobile is a decently-priced option if this is the case. Are there other alternatives to this that may be better-priced while still allowing for some data?

Might not be the best place to ask, but thought I'd give it a go anyway. Thanks in advance.

[insomnia]

i don't think you'll need navigation.. just sayin. get a pdf of the maps on your phone and do it the old fashioned way. maps in tokyo are really easy to read, i think.

friend of mine went the unlocked iphone 3gs + prepaid minutes route, but he didn't have a data plan as it wasn't really necessary. usually during your first week abroad some volunteer native student will take everyone out to buy phones if the program promotes it, so you could probably wait until then. i can't comment on the plans, as i went 4 months phoneless in tokyo.

but yeah bottom line i doubt you really need a data plan. whenever i got lost or needed directions i walked into a local yodobashi, apple store, or department store and just used the computers to search. asking locals is also not a bad option...

[cyberPUNK]

where to cop large condoms?

[conqueror]

if you have a japanese speaking friend (if not, i'm sure you'll make one pretty soon) - get them to sign you up with a pre-paid phone at softbank and top-up with credit when you need it.

[herpsky]

Hoping for a little bit of help / advice regarding phones.

I'm leaving for Tokyo next thursday for a little under 6 months (spending a semester studying abroad at Waseda and staying with a host family) and I'm trying to figure out what to do for a phone while there. I'd like to have SOME sort of data plan, so I can navigate using maps etc and access the internet when needed (I hear wifi is pretty spotty in Tokyo). A friend of mine offered to let me borrow his unlocked iphone 3gs, as apparently you can get prepaid data/mms/talk SIMs, based on this thread, and it seems that b-mobile is a decently-priced option if this is the case. Are there other alternatives to this that may be better-priced while still allowing for some data?

Might not be the best place to ask, but thought I'd give it a go anyway. Thanks in advance.

nihon tsushin's prepaid SIMs are the best. that's what i use.

you just need to have a physical address in japan to buy one. i usually get the 1gigabyte data-only card for 3500 yen. you get to use the 3g / hspda by docomo. it's so fast you'll wet your pants. the data only card works for me because i have a regular cell too.

they also offer "talking-SIM" that has both talking minutes and data.

http://www.bmobile.n...english/3g.html

Edited February 9, 2012 by herpsky

[malaujai]

Gonna spend a week in Tokyo in first week of April, flying into Narita from HK. Last time I came, I had a JR Pass and took the Narita Express train to Shinjuku (was staying with a friend). This time I'm staying at the Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku and saw someone mention their shuttle buses? I've heard traffic can get pretty bad when taking the bus... I'm gonna be arriving 6AM on a Wednesday and aiming to be at the airport by 4PM the day I leave... Will I have problems with traffic?

Alternately, I heard about some sort of deal with buying NEX tickets and getting a Suica card with 1500 yen on it or something like that...

[conqueror]

why would you even bother fucking around with a bus? just get the NEX and get off in shinjuku.

Edited February 9, 2012 by conqueror

[malaujai]

lol. well that answers my question

[herpsky]

i don't think every NEX train goes to shinjuku.

you might have to wait for a looooooooooooong time before you catch one that goes there

you can just take a NEX to shinagawa and take yamanote to shinjuku.

the advantage to taking the airport limousine bus (that's what they are called) is that they usually leave from major hotels and you don't have to worry about carrying luggage and climbing up and down the stairs. the downside is obviously the traffic.

[Playahater]

Herp's right, most of the time the NEX goes to Shinagawa or Tokyo, still much easier than the Limousine Bus. I took the Limo Bus the first time I visited and will absolutely never take it again.

Malaujai - grab the Suica + NEX deal when you arrive at Narita - ¥5,500 get you a return ticket on the NEX plus a ¥2,000 Suica card (¥500 is the deposit price and the ¥1,500 is your actual credit).

[z-axis]

Hoping for a little bit of help / advice regarding phones.

I'm leaving for Tokyo next thursday for a little under 6 months (spending a semester studying abroad at Waseda and staying with a host family) and I'm trying to figure out what to do for a phone while there. I'd like to have SOME sort of data plan, so I can navigate using maps etc and access the internet when needed (I hear wifi is pretty spotty in Tokyo). A friend of mine offered to let me borrow his unlocked iphone 3gs, as apparently you can get prepaid data/mms/talk SIMs, based on this thread, and it seems that b-mobile is a decently-priced option if this is the case. Are there other alternatives to this that may be better-priced while still allowing for some data?

Might not be the best place to ask, but thought I'd give it a go anyway. Thanks in advance.

I'd recommend gps - I wasted so much time here at first without it. For me this city is so disorientating, there's no solid landmarks you can fix on plus all the buildings look so similar.

If you need a number and a voice plan as well as data, b-mobile is your best option. Check this for a useful comparison of the different options. For around 4k I think they might still offer a rolling monthly sim-only iphone contract so you can cancel after 6 months no problem. Once you land, you can complete an online application form, you send them a hi-res photo of your gaijin card and after a week you get the sim.

[DaBestSpoona]

I took the airport limo because I had 2 suitcases with 130lbs of stuff my lady bought and a late afternoon flight so traffic wasnt a issue.

[boomtime8]

Hey I'm going to Tokyo for 9 days, and won't have a physical address to do a prepaid sim. Can you guys recommend any specific company to go with for a rental data only Sim? I'm going to use my unlocked iphone 3gs if that makes a difference.

Edited February 11, 2012 by boomtime8

[raddy]

Hey I'm going to Tokyo for 9 days, and won't have a physical address to do a prepaid sim. Can you guys recommend any specific company to go with for a rental data only Sim? I'm going to use my unlocked iphone 3gs if that makes a difference.

I've used JRC before -- they're pricey but pretty good.

[5-4=Unity]

Anyone been to a party @ Sound Museum Vision yet??

[1M]

just general tokyo advice:

Stay away from the Sakura House Hotel in Shinjuku.

That place is super filthy and you could find much better accomodations for your money.

Staff was rude. Sheets, carpet, and even walls were dirty.

/rant

ikebukuro one is decent for what it is

[boomtime8]

Freed up some cash and going to make the jump and snag a visvim 20L bag. Other than FIL can you guys recommend shops to swing in while Tokyo to see what models they have in stock?

[altemp]

isetan department store carries visvim. saw 3 different packs last time i was there (a week ago-ish).

[boomtime8]

thanks for your help I'll def swing by there and take a look