I’m heading to Japan next March…

[F4U57]

Where should I go to potentially find some decent ganes? I’m heading to Tokyo for a week then Osaka.

I’ve heard Akihabara is pretty much pilfered these days. But I’ll still like to visit Super Potato, Mandarake and Book/Hard Off where I can.

Going with my family so game and vinyl crate hunting will be on and off…

 

[Dr Shroom]

don't waste your time looking for fucking games, jesus...

 

[Burning Fight!!]

I had some text here but bottom line is don't bother with that too much, go to beep tho

 

[Dr. Jigglin]

Possibly the worst time ever to be doing that, those days are long gone. The locals are well and truly aware of the value of these things, even in remote areas I can attest are barren or overpriced.

In Osaka go check out this place in Kita,

Google Search

You will not be disappointed.

Then go check out my old long haired chain smoker mate at Fanny Mae

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[Neo Alec]

Find a big arcade that's still open. That's an experience. But yeah, I agree with others take in some sights, history and food.

 

[NeoSneth]

It used to be Hard-Off, but that was also a decade ago. Still good selection.
You'll still find plenty of deals, it's just not a gold mine. The good deals are mostly on the hardware side. Japan takes care of their stuff, so even stuff that is labeled as broken is rarely broken.

You may want to consider bringing some US exclusives over to trade. I've forgotten the ones they want, but I'm sure you can find a list.

 

[F4U57]

Thanks for the heads up. I’m not really looking for games but if there was something that caught my eye I might get it. I sold off all my collection years ago and went flash carts, but wouldn’t mind securing an AES if I found one.

Yeah any decent places to go just to check out and experience is what I’m keen to do. I’m well aware that pretty much everything has been snatched up though.

Hoping to find some decent LPs and CDs at Disk Union.

 

[Dr. Jigglin]

How are you getting from Tokyo to Osaka? Shinkansen I imagine? Take a day drip from Osaka to Kyoto (25mins) and visit the train museum there, kids will love it and you might too if you're a big nerd

 

[F4U57]

Yeah, bullet train.

Noted. I want to visit Kyoto at some point in the trip. Anywhere else in Kyoto that is worth checking out?

 

[Dr. Jigglin]

I would suggest the Gion district for it's old neighbourhoods but honestly it was just chaotic, you can't really enjoy it with 50 million people about. I would visit the Higashi Hongan-ji temple not far from the station, it's huge and free and most importantly just never really busy, a nice reprieve. Also the Kyoto Gyoen national garden, again it's huge and free, worth a visit. I didn't spend a huge amount of time there so I can't suggest much more but those would be good for a day of running around. Just prepare to walk a bit more there, busses are packed and the subway is a far cry from Tokyo or Osaka.

This might be a stretch goal but a 1.5hr train trip to Hiroshima from Osaka is definitely doable in a day, needless to say why you would want to visit but I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would.

 

[LoneSage]

Dunno your itinerary, but look into seeing if a Japan Rail Pass is worth it. You can only buy it outside Japan. Unlimited travel on trains and buses. For people who get it, it pays for itself and then some.

 

[Azra113]

buy used panties from vending machines


do it

 

[hitorkori]

was there 2016 last time at tokyo game show could have made money if took aes carts lol so prices now must be horrendus. if got kids hughly recommend nagashima spa lad awsome water park n theme rides the steeldragon coasters is insane rode it twice front seat too.
had japan rail pass & suica card so travel sorted nissan car museam also fun sake brewery so much to do have a good trip

 

[LoneSage]

if got kids hughly recommend nagashima

For kids, I think visiting Nara and having deer come up to you and chill right next to you would be a core memory for life.

 

[Dr. Jigglin]

was there 2016 last time at tokyo game show could have made money if took aes carts lol so prices now must be horrendus. if got kids hughly recommend nagashima spa lad awsome water park n theme rides the steeldragon coasters is insane rode it twice front seat too.
had japan rail pass & suica card so travel sorted nissan car museam also fun sake brewery so much to do have a good trip

Where did you learn english

 

[Taiso]

Where should I go to potentially find some decent ganes? I’m heading to Tokyo for a week then Osaka.

I’ve heard Akihabara is pretty much pilfered these days. But I’ll still like to visit Super Potato, Mandarake and Book/Hard Off where I can.

Going with my family so game and vinyl crate hunting will be on and off…

Don't buy anything collectible in Tokyo. Akiihabara is, as I've been told by my friends that live over there, ridiculously overpriced and a tourist trap.

I echo the sentiment that others have made here: go see something that you can only experience over there.

I mean....GO to Tokyo, for sure. But maybe figure out how to budget while you're there (if you haven't already done so).

I hear Osaka and Kyoto are very nice too.

If I were to go to Japan, I'd research some sites of historical importance and plan my trip around that stuff. Temples, palaces, grave sites, even battlefields from significant wars and so forth. I'd also experience some of the stuff that is uniquely Japanese, or which has a strong Japanese identity. I'm talking about eateries, festivals, hell....even a hostess club just to experience something culturally different.

I don't know if there is any baseball happening over there in February but I think it would be great fun to take in a game in Japan.

Definitely go to that KFC where they fished the Colonel Sanders statue out of the river.

 

[Dr. Jigglin]

Taiso should visit Tobita Shinchi.

 

[Pretty Amy]

Hoping to find some decent LPs and CDs at Disk Union.

A fellow connoisseur. They have quite a few locations in Tokyo and some are even genre specific. I am a particular fan of the Jazz location near Ochanomizu station. Tower Records in Shibuya is also worth checking out. They're 9 floors. They have some used stuff too.

Yeah, bullet train.

Noted. I want to visit Kyoto at some point in the trip. Anywhere else in Kyoto that is worth checking out?

Fushimi Inari Taisha. Climb up the whole way up the mountain (really just a tall hill). It's probably in the top 3 of everyone's list of stuff to do in Kyoto so it can be crowded. You can beat the crowd by hiking up after sunset. The mountain path is open 24-hours a day and lit up after dark. It's eerie and fun especially if you're lucky to have any monkeys or boars making noise just off the path.

Any other temples and shrines, I would look up the most popular ones and skip all of them and go see a bunch of others. There's thousands of temples and shrines and most are just empty all the time. For example, this one has a bunch of moss, no entrance free, and was really quiet when we visited:

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

maps.app.goo.gl

teamLab is also worth checking out. It's very much Instagram bait but actually cool. The newest and largest location is in Kyoto. You can get a good 2-3 hours out of it and only costs like $25 USD.

Try some yatsuhashi (cinnamon mochi). We picked some up along with some absolutely amazing coffee mochi here:

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[Taiso]

Taiso should visit Tobita Shinchi.

One of my friends went and saw Spirited Away when he was on the JET program (he lives there now with his Japanese wife and their three kids). The closest screening was in Osaka so he and his host family took a train into the city to see it.

When the movie was over and they were preparing to board the train to head back home, he noticed a man nearby sitting on a bench. He was asleep and had no pants. Other than that, completely normal. But no pants.

He asked the father of his host family what was wrong with the man.

The father plainly said 'that's just how people are in Osaka.'

Probably my favorite Scot story ever.

 

[100proof]

Yeah, as mentioned, don't waste your time buying games/nerd shit there. The prices are all equivalent of what you'd see online and everything's been picked pretty clean over the last twenty years by dumb nerds with the same idea. Plus you have to figure out how to get all that crap home. By all means, go to Super Potato or a Book/Off / Hard/Off if you want (I spent an hour plus at a Tower Records for similar nostalgia reasons) but don't waste your money and limited luggage space buying crap you'll likely never use.

Go to museums, eat as many unique things as you can stomach and just walk around the cities. Time wasted in Akiba consuming is better spent people watching and wandering in to random malls and generally taking in the things that are unique and interesting about a foreign country.

 

[herb]

I'd say if you still want to do something game related, just check out some arcades

 

[Zenimus]

If you like pinball machines Silver Ball Planet in Osaka is really cool.
https://www.google.com/maps/contrib/106342846090448605182/photos

 

[F4U57]

Thanks for the input, everyone, all that is really helpful.

 

[Dr. Jigglin]

Just make sure to eat at a CoCo Ichiban curry house, I'm sure there's better curry somewhere but these are everywhere and you'll love it.

 

[Taiso]

Stop by Diver City to see the giant Unicorn Gundam.

Even though the Unicorn Gundam is gay and for fags. It's still kinda cool to know it exists.

Rosemont, IL is getting a permanent Gundam Base that's opening later this month. I'm so hoping they put up a 1:1 Gramps out in front. It's still the best Gundam. Timeless. The jeans and t-shirt of mecha design. Never goes out of style.