Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I might be going to Japan (specifically Tokyo) over spring break and I will prbably be bringing my army

just in general what is gaming like over there and I do not speak japanese.

PS. im only 14 so i get ruled out of a bunch of clubs

OK, let me start by saying Tokyo is a great, mind blowing city. I would not recommend bringing your army, esp if you're 14, esp if you don't speak Japanese, esp if it's your first time. There's way too much else you can be doing there, go buy the Lonely Planet guide for Japan or the city book for Tokyo and you can fill your days. Besides the weight and volume of an army makes it impractical to carry.

But if that's what you want to do...

I was there last summer. Getting around by train is OK, the subway is massive and confusing but the signs are in English.

On the streets it can be hard to get around, esp without Japanese so make sure you get good maps.

There is a GW store at Nakano station west of Tokyo on the JR line (at least there was in 2007, I didn't go last time). The same building also houses Mandrake, the largest used model/manga/toy shop in Japan. Go there even if you don't bring your army.

Yellow Submarine is a chain that carries GW stuff, they are a few around Tokyo, I know there's one in Shibuya, and there's a smaller branch of Mandrake. you can google both.

Go to Shibuya. It's the electronics/manga/video game/toy mecca of Japan. Even if you don't bring an army go there for at least half a day of wandering. There's a maid cafe on every corner heaps of cool stuff and it's just great to wander and take pictures.

Oh and go to Kyoto too. Kyoto is great. Go to Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyomizu temple, the Kinkakuji...

Oh and Nara! Nara is awesome! Go there!

@#$% 40k, see Japan.

well ive been to tokyo before ( i enjoy taggin along on my dad's trips) 2 weeks there where some of the best ive had but htanks for the great info!

If you can get out to Kyoto and Nara take the chance, it's 3-4 hours by bullet train.

Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Go to Shibuya. It's the electronics/manga/video game/toy mecca of Japan. Even if you don't bring an army go there for at least half a day of wandering. There's a maid cafe on every corner heaps of cool stuff and it's just great to wander and take pictures.

Don't you mean Akihabara? I mean, shibuya's where all the ganguro hang out pretending to dance.

http://www.palmit.com/assets/images/shibuya.jpg

Speak as japanese,YES BRING YOUR ARMY!!!!

In Tokyo,there is 5 official gamesworkshop hobby center.
You can play there.
But yeah,compare to other country,Wargamer is very few.
So,go hobby center straight might cause "oh no! there is no men to play with!"
So,you better phone call to shop and ask "Is there any planned match?"
Dont be afraid,hobby center stuff can speak English(at least tho).

I recommend go and play around Tokyo.
Akihabara is good for traveler. Shibuya is....for japanese.Its where buy cloth and....clothes. I think there is no fun for traveler.
If you have time,go Kyoto.
But no time & you want see temples? Go Kamakura. Its 30-1hour from Tokyo and Lot temples are there.

Perhaps,In spring,I have a lot spare time.
If you contact me,I can guide you around Tokyo and Kamakura(not Kyoto. I have no money to go there.).
My pronounce is not so good. But at least can do communicate


I had played 40K against English Speaker player. So if you are 40K player,I can play with you of course.
But I have no Fantasy battle army :(

agnosto wrote:

Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Go to Shibuya. It's the electronics/manga/video game/toy mecca of Japan. Even if you don't bring an army go there for at least half a day of wandering. There's a maid cafe on every corner heaps of cool stuff and it's just great to wander and take pictures.

Don't you mean Akihabara? I mean, shibuya's where all the ganguro hang out pretending to dance.

http://www.palmit.com/assets/images/shibuya.jpg

Y'know you might be right. I'm a Kansai fellow, I pretty much rediscover Tokyo each time.

モッターくん　オレも３月ぐらい東京行く。GWの店多くなた見たい。

Kid_Kyoto wrote:
モッターくん　オレも３月ぐらい東京行く。GWの店多くなた見たい。

素晴らしい!来る時連絡くれれば一緒に遊べると思う！

軍隊持ってほしいけど仕事で行くからたぶん無理。

ガルフレンッドもおこるかもしらない。

でもたぶんGrey Knightの５００ポイントできる。。。

かんがいる。

Hey where's 月犬-ちゃんand Kill Krazy, a Japan thread just doesn't feel right without them.

Kid_Kyoto wrote:軍隊持ってほしいけど仕事で行くからたぶん無理。

ガルフレンッドもおこるかもしらない。

でもたぶんGrey Knightの５００ポイントできる。。。

かんがいる。

Hey where's 月犬-ちゃんand Kill Krazy, a Japan thread just doesn't feel right without them.

Ah,Cool.
Anyway even with out army,feel free contact me

I just came from a trip to Tokyo/Yokosuka and love every minute of it. If you love military history hop a train to Yokosuka and visited the Mikasa- she's a 100 year old pre-dreadnought. (the thing that came before battleships)

Akihibara is a ton of fun, between the goods and the eye candy it's the place to go.

And eat the 7-11 food, the steamed buns are excellent, especially the red bean paste ones.

Also, to really get around use the train. Can't recommend it enough, it's the only way to see the area.

Why you want to go to Tokyo guys?

Come to Kansai it´s better and more fun .

M.

Screw Honshu, go to Kyushu. Miyazaki rules. Inaka for the win!

Nah seriously, Kyoto/Osaka is a way better trip than Tokyo.

If you have to go to Tokyo, be sure and get to Harajuku, which is definitely my favourite part of Tokyo.

Last time I was there was 20 months ago, and I picked up a second-hand PS3 for £120 in Akihabara when they were stil £400 in the UK, so take some spare cash if you have any and head out console shopping.

Fifty wrote:

Nah seriously, Kyoto/Osaka is a way better trip than Tokyo.

Sadly I agree.
Tokyo is not for trip. For shopping, see Massive amount of Japanese and large buildings. Its like Sci-Fi movie. Too many people! haha

Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Oh and Nara! Nara is awesome! Go there!

@#$% 40k, see Japan.

Just one off topic tip , when you visit Nara ,dont touch any of the deers there ,last time I got flea from one of them -_-!

ED209 wrote:

Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Oh and Nara! Nara is awesome! Go there!

@#$% 40k, see Japan.

Just one off topic tip , when you visit Nara ,dont touch any of the deers there ,last time I got flea from one of them -_-!

Yeah yeah.....But everywhere in this universe,dont touch any of the deer in wild. ;p
And also,Dont feed them.

hehe i made that mistake when i went to nara (thats wer all the deer are really friendly and dont run away right?)

but my dad has business in Tokyo and thus ill be sitting there but thanks for the help guys!

One time when I was in Nara the deer tried to pinch a melon pan right out of my coat pocket.


I am in the UK now and probably won't be back to Tokyo until a family wedding in May.


Here are some ideas:


Get yourself a Pasmo card. It’s a credit card size pass which lets you go on all the Metro and trains in and around Tokyo by just touching it to the pad on the ticket barrier. Really convenient for not buying a ticket every time you travel. You can also use it to pay for small goods in the shops inside stations.

You charge it in advance with minimum 1,000 yen. The ticket machines all change to English if you press a button on the screen.


Shinjuku
Kind of a collection of different aspects of Japan within a fairly small area.

There are lots of big camera, electronics and model/toy shops on the west side of the Odakyu Line station.

The Kabukicho district on the east side is sadly only for 18+ age visitors!

There are several big department stores including the huge Takashimaya Times Square which also contains a massive branch of Tokyu Hands DIY shop. That's on the south side.

The business district has a number of high-rise buildings including the Tokyo Metropolitan Government twin towers. You can go to the top (61st floor or something) on an express elevator and see Mount Fuji on a clear day. The Park Hyatt Hotel has a fantastic view from the New York Bar and Grill, which was featured in “Lost in Translation”.

Shinjuku-Gyoen is a large public park where there are lots of cherry trees and stuff.


Shibuya
Lots of colourful nightlife, not suitable for a 14-year old. Worth visiting briefly to see the main Shibuya pedestrian crossing overlooked by massive video displays.


Yoyogi-koen/Omotesando/Harajuku
This is all within walking distance. You can visit Meiji-Jingu shrine – IMO it’s not that impressive but the Empress’s Fishing Pond is well worth a visit. Takeshita Dori is a fashion centre for the trendy teenagers. Yoyogi Park is great to visit at the weekend. Omotesando is all about shopping and there are quite a few restaurants and cafes in the back streets. Also Kiddy Land which is Tokyo’s Hamleys.


Akihabara
Used to be an electronics paradise though these days it is becoming a somewhat self-obsessed Otaku paradise. Go there for maid cafes and anime/game related stuff. The arcade of small electronics stores near the station is interesting to see the variety of stuff on sale, including old style valves for amplifiers for “Audio maniacs”.


Roppongi
Stay clear of the nightlife there. It’s not suitable for a youngster.

Roppongi Hills is an interesting modern “town within a town”. It contains a couple of museums and restaurants and a 360 degrees viewing gallery at about the 65th floor.


Tokyo Mid Town
Another modern shopping development quite close to Roppongi. It has several museums, lots of shopping and eating and a small, modern Japanese style garden.


Warhammer and Wargames
I’ve never been to a GW shop or wargames shop in Japan. Sadly I haven’t had the time to find one.


Guides and Maps

I prefer the Time Out book rather than Lonely Planet.

This is a good pocket map -- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Streetwise-Tokyo-Map-Laminated-Folding/dp/1931257116/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264680964&sr=8-1 -- I know you can get it in the USA because it is an American publication.

You also need a train map. I just bought a new one which I got in Japan so I’ll give the ISBN later when I get home.

Alternatively get the Kodansha Bilingual Atlas of Tokyo.


Outside Tokyo

You can’t go wrong with Kyoto. You need two or three days there because of the length of journey but that will get you completely “templed out” so I don’t advise a longer stay on your first trip.

Nara can be done as a side trip from Kyoto. It is only about 15 miles away. Nara is like a very small Kyoto, it feels more like a country town. The main attractions are the Great Buddha and its hall. There is a nice park and a bunch of other temples and shrines which you can get around by bus or taxi.

Kamakura is easily done as a day trip from Tokyo. It has a number of interesting temples and walking around the town is fun. It has a different atmosphere to Tokyo, much more laid back and quite small town but pretty cool IMO.

If you want to try a traditional “onsen” (Japanese bath house) I would recommend a day trip or overnight trip to the Hakone area.

Kilkrazy wrote:One time when I was in Nara the deer tried to pinch a melon pan right out of my coat pocket.


I am in the UK now and probably won't be back to Tokyo until a family wedding in May.


Here are some ideas:


Get yourself a Pasmo card. It’s a credit card size pass which lets you go on all the Metro and trains in and around Tokyo by just touching it to the pad on the ticket barrier. Really convenient for not buying a ticket every time you travel. You can also use it to pay for small goods in the shops inside stations.

You charge it in advance with minimum 1,000 yen. The ticket machines all change to English if you press a button on the screen.


Shinjuku
Kind of a collection of different aspects of Japan within a fairly small area.

There are lots of big camera, electronics and model/toy shops on the west side of the Odakyu Line station.

The Kabukicho district on the east side is sadly only for 18+ age visitors!

There are several big department stores including the huge Takashimaya Times Square which also contains a massive branch of Tokyu Hands DIY shop. That's on the south side.

The business district has a number of high-rise buildings including the Tokyo Metropolitan Government twin towers. You can go to the top (61st floor or something) on an express elevator and see Mount Fuji on a clear day. The Park Hyatt Hotel has a fantastic view from the New York Bar and Grill, which was featured in “Lost in Translation”.

Shinjuku-Gyoen is a large public park where there are lots of cherry trees and stuff.


Shibuya
Lots of colourful nightlife, not suitable for a 14-year old. Worth visiting briefly to see the main Shibuya pedestrian crossing overlooked by massive video displays.


Yoyogi-koen/Omotesando/Harajuku
This is all within walking distance. You can visit Meiji-Jingu shrine – IMO it’s not that impressive but the Empress’s Fishing Pond is well worth a visit. Takeshita Dori is a fashion centre for the trendy teenagers. Yoyogi Park is great to visit at the weekend. Omotesando is all about shopping and there are quite a few restaurants and cafes in the back streets. Also Kiddy Land which is Tokyo’s Hamleys.


Akihabara
Used to be an electronics paradise though these days it is becoming a somewhat self-obsessed Otaku paradise. Go there for maid cafes and anime/game related stuff. The arcade of small electronics stores near the station is interesting to see the variety of stuff on sale, including old style valves for amplifiers for “Audio maniacs”.


Roppongi
Stay clear of the nightlife there. It’s not suitable for a youngster.

Roppongi Hills is an interesting modern “town within a town”. It contains a couple of museums and restaurants and a 360 degrees viewing gallery at about the 65th floor.


Tokyo Mid Town
Another modern shopping development quite close to Roppongi. It has several museums, lots of shopping and eating and a small, modern Japanese style garden.


Warhammer and Wargames
I’ve never been to a GW shop or wargames shop in Japan. Sadly I haven’t had the time to find one.


Guides and Maps

I prefer the Time Out book rather than Lonely Planet.

This is a good pocket map -- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Streetwise-Tokyo-Map-Laminated-Folding/dp/1931257116/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264680964&sr=8-1 -- I know you can get it in the USA because it is an American publication.

You also need a train map. I just bought a new one which I got in Japan so I’ll give the ISBN later when I get home.

Alternatively get the Kodansha Bilingual Atlas of Tokyo.


Outside Tokyo

You can’t go wrong with Kyoto. You need two or three days there because of the length of journey but that will get you completely “templed out” so I don’t advise a longer stay on your first trip.

Nara can be done as a side trip from Kyoto. It is only about 15 miles away. Nara is like a very small Kyoto, it feels more like a country town. The main attractions are the Great Buddha and its hall. There is a nice park and a bunch of other temples and shrines which you can get around by bus or taxi.

Kamakura is easily done as a day trip from Tokyo. It has a number of interesting temples and walking around the town is fun. It has a different atmosphere to Tokyo, much more laid back and quite small town but pretty cool IMO.

If you want to try a traditional “onsen” (Japanese bath house) I would recommend a day trip or overnight trip to the Hakone area.

Perfect guide. And PASMO RULEZ!

Also,Asakusa is good to vist. Especially to get souvenirs.

Listen to Kill Krazy he knows what he's talking about.

One other place I'd recommend (with a caution) is Yasukuni Shrine.

Yasukuni is a shrine to the war god, it has a memorial museum to all Japanese soldiers who've died. The museum is filled with artifacts from the samurai era through to the Sino Japanese and Russo Japanese war to WWII. Very interesting stuff, things you won't see anywhere else like a Ohka (a kamikaze rocket-powered glider http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohka).

Now the caution. It is run by right-wing zealots who think Japan was completely justified in WWII and want to bring back the old days. They whitewash the rape of Nanjing, they claim that Gandi (!!) was inspired by Japan, that WWII was just about ending colonialism... The politics are just horrible.

But go anyway, not just for the military history angle but to see just how right wing Japan thinks and how WWII Japan thought.

Wow, guys... who knew there would be such great advice about crap to do in Japan on Dakka of all places! LoL I'm going to be getting my History Education degree in a year from now and I've always wanted to go to Japan (I might be going in a year for my honeymoon with my current fiancee :3 ) and all this insider info is just great! I know I'm not the OP, but thanks tons!

Kid_Kyoto wrote:Listen to Kill Krazy he knows what he's talking about.

One other place I'd recommend (with a caution) is Yasukuni Shrine.

Yasukuni is a shrine to the war god, it has a memorial museum to all Japanese soldiers who've died. The museum is filled with artifacts from the samurai era through to the Sino Japanese and Russo Japanese war to WWII. Very interesting stuff, things you won't see anywhere else like a Ohka (a kamikaze rocket-powered glider http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohka).

Now the caution. It is run by right-wing zealots who think Japan was completely justified in WWII and want to bring back the old days. They whitewash the rape of Nanjing, they claim that Gandi (!!) was inspired by Japan, that WWII was just about ending colonialism... The politics are just horrible.

But go anyway, not just for the military history angle but to see just how right wing Japan thinks and how WWII Japan thought.

There was a little of that on the Mikasa, which made it very entertaining. It wasn't about WWII but rather the Russo-Japanese War. Lemme explain, they have the last pre-dreadnoguht in existence (built by the English Vickers company), it was the flagship for the Japanese fleet in their defeat of Russia which in and of itself makes the ship important but they felt the need to pump it up more. For example, and I quote one of the museum placards, "The victory over the Russians was important because it proved a non-white race could beat a white race, because of this victory even black people in America recieved more civil rights." The Japanese victory over Russia: Paving the Way for African-American Civil Rights

Oh and back on topic, you have to pilot a Gundam! In the arcades there's these Gundam cockpits and you fight other players from around Japan, even if you're not into the anime it's fun!

IILeiBlazeII wrote:Wow, guys... who knew there would be such great advice about crap to do in Japan on Dakka of all places! LoL I'm going to be getting my History Education degree in a year from now and I've always wanted to go to Japan (I might be going in a year for my honeymoon with my current fiancee :3 ) and all this insider info is just great! I know I'm not the OP, but thanks tons!

You might want to check out the JET program

http://www.jetprogramme.org/

1-3 years teaching English in Japan. That's how I went.

Kid Kyoto is on the money, Jet program is a great idea I had a bunch of friends do it after college a few years back.

Napalm wrote: "The victory over the Russians was important because it proved a non-white race could beat a white race, because of this victory even black people in America recieved more civil rights." The Japanese victory over Russia: Paving the Way for African-American Civil Rights

This is the Japanese right's favorite talking point. Their narrative is that Japanese militarism was directed against Western colonizers and liberated Asia and inspired decolonialization worldwide.

They of course ignore anything that happened before (Haiti, South America), that Japan had colonies (Korea, Taiwan) and just how many Chinese they killed while liberating them.

One image I remember from Yasukuni was a movie showing Japanese troops entering Nanjing while Chinese waved Japanese flags. Then they cut away cause that's all you need to know about Nanjing...

Like I said, totally repulsive but worth seeing to understand how they think.

Actually I:m on the JET programme now, living in Kobe.

There's a small contingent of 40k players on the programme itself, or at least there is now. This time next year 3 of the 4 of us will be gone.

And I agree with Kid Kyoto. Kansai for the win.

How hard is it to get into the JET programme?

Napalm wrote:How hard is it to get into the JET programme?

Well they took me so it can't be that hard.

After I finished the program I did hiring interviews for it. For me the most important thing was finding people who had experience teaching and wanted to teach. People with a vague or even a strong desire to go to Japan are a dime a dozen, I needed people who wanted to do the work.

So I'd recommend besides studying Japan and Japanese volunteer to do some ESL tutoring to get a bit of teaching experience and make sure it's something you like doing before signing up to do it for a year.

Feth 40k go to a love hotel.

Napalm wrote:How hard is it to get into the JET programme?

Very although exactly how competitive it is varies from place to place. A disproportionate amount of South African and Carribean applicants get jobs because every country is allocated a set number of spaces to fill and these countries have less applicants overall compared to the States or the U.K.

Mostly you need the following

- a degree
- a desire to go to Japan
- any previous experience with teaching or desire to teach
- reasonably decent grammar, spelling and vocabulary. Don't worry if you have a strong accent but your written English needs to be accurate (you will be teaching it)
- knowledge of your home country's culture (you are a cultural ambassador, one of the questions they will ask you will be "do you think you can accurately represent American culture")
- lots of enthusiasm and "genkiness"

The application process is an application form with a set of questions and an essay. This is where most people get chucked because if you get the questions wrong they don't look twice. Try and keep in mind that they want people who want to teach, are enthusiastic and have a lot to offer the programme.

After that there is an English ability test (which is a doddle) and an interview which is looking for the same things as the application but is slightly more relaxed.

BTW Kid Kyoto where exactly where you placed on the programme?