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Rank: Hammer Bros.
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"manuel" wrote:[size=18]EPISODE 2[/size]
Going to restaurants, the first thing I was positively surprised about is that you can get as much water you want for free.
In Germany you have to order and to pay for water. I don't know how it is in the US.
In Japan, water is free, refreshingly cold and quite delicious. :P
Really? That's strange that you have to pay. In England you get as many free jugs of water as you want in restaurants. In fact a barman once told me that that it is illegal to refuse people who ask for a free glass of tap water in bars and pubs (and probably restuarants too). When I went to Hong Kong we went to a restaurant where they gave you unlimited free green tea. There was a girl whos job it was to go around and make sure everyones cup was always full so you never ran out. It wasn't a particularly expensive restuarant so I got the feeling that was a normal custom in Hong Kong. I was definitely impressed! Hong Kong is also a great palce for pirate games and systems and other cheap electrical goods. Unfortunatly I was on my way to spending a few months in New Zealand so couldn't really buy anything. Anyhow this is a Japan thread so I'm going a bit off topic! :wink:
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Rank: Bowser
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That's no problem. HK isn't too off topic. :wink: I'd like to go shopping :P in HK, too.
In fact there are restaurants in Japan, too that serve you green tea for free.
What I heard is that you can get free tap water in German restaurants IF YOU ASK for it. And only if you ask.
In Japan most of the served water isn't just tap water, a place where I like to go serves very good water from a nearby well.
And you don't have to ask for it, they always come around and fill your glasses up.
That's a service I miss here in Germany. :cry:
May 16th...
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Rank: Koopa Paratroopa
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Yeah here in the US its free at most places... I cant imagine having to pay for water!
Come to my gaming forums! I also have downloadble movies music and more You must register for downloads http://www.nesandallgaming.tkor my hotwheels forums www.hotwheelscollector.tk~`Faille`~ Im drinking a mountain dew
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[size=18] Episode 3[/size] part 1This post is about how you find videogames in Japan. When you search for NES (=famicom), then you will have to search for used software. So I'll concentrate on shops and chains where they sell used stuff, but I'll also mention some other places. The place I love most is Book-off. I went there nearly every day. The name says book-off, so they mostly have books and comics. But they all have video games, DVDs, CDs, Laser Discs and more. You can make great finds there. I made a photo of my members card. )  Another place I loved was Famix. Famix like Famicom. : They are specialized on video games, but they also have DVDs. I saw some very interesting things there. My members card. :D  My stamp card there.  When you get the card full, you receive a 500Yen bonus.  My next members card is from a DVD shop called Limb. They also have CDs and games. Only new stuff, though. Limb shops are inside of "Best" electronic markets.   This is a used book chain. They also have games. Again my members card from there.  Another little used game and book shop I used to go.  And another one.  This one with the whale is a chain again. You should find it in the whole country. Books, CDs, DVDs, games. I found lots of Famicom stuff and a cyan Gamecube there. :)  Another little shop in my wife's hometown. My members card.  I used to have more members cards, but can't find them now. :( That's a pic of how a typical used bookstore looks like. Don't be afraid of bookstores. Most of them also sell games and stuff. So in most cases when you say bookstore, you also say gamestore. And most of them have huge prOn ( :wink: ) sections. Just for those interested. :P  That funny pic with the kneeling guy says "old books". Most likely they also have games.  That's how it looks inside. Cool, eh? And that's a small place.  The paradise for a gamer: MANDARAKE. You better bring your Platinum American Express. They sell the rarest thibgs in the world. I saw handhelds there for 1000 bucks and more. They most likely have EVERYTHING!  Look out for that sign, get inside the shop and make big eyes. Mandarake is a dream for gamers and collectors.  Thanks to ImageShack for Free Image HostingInteresting fact My Microsoft Word (TM) doesn't know the word "Playstation" or even "Gameboy", but of course it knows "Xbox". :wink: To be continued in Part 2 some time. Now I have earned me a short rest. :) Please feel free to ask any kind of questions and discuss about everything. :D
May 16th...
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Rank: Koopa Paratroopa
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Cool thread Manuel, i'd love to go there,the Japanese are so much further and have so much more to play. I'd buy all my games i'd really want and send them to Holland,the games there are much cheaper aren't they?
My NES collection so far...
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Rank: Bowser
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Thanks.
I'm glad you like it.
Games are really much cheaper in Japan. Even new ones. Consoles, too.
The DS costs about 14000Yen, that's about 100Euro. The official retail price for Europe is 149.99Euro. That's just ridiculous.
As for used Famicom games, they sell from 20Yen. Thats about 15 Euro cents or 20 US cents. Of course those are weird games nobody wants. The interesting games start from 100Yen. :wink: That's 1 US $. Ridiculously cheap.
You should get a plane ticket. The prices are quite low now. KLM often has specials, from what I saw last year they sell tickets to Japan from 520 Euro. That's really cheap.
May 16th...
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I couldn't help but post this pic. When I was in Japan, I was simply astonished when I saw this, so I took a picture (sorry about the quality, I didn't and still don't have a digital camera)...  It's a Tower Records... SEVEN STORIES TALL! I'm not sure if there are any that big in North America, but I was virtually in heaven when I saw that place! Like a little kid in a candy store! :) It was a bit pricey, but it's Tower Records.
http://robertlbryant.com
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Tower Records. The one I was always in didn't sell games. Perhaps they have games in the bigger ones.
And when that has astonished you... There are video game shops in Tokyo of the size of that Tower Records in your photo. 7,8, or even 10 stories full of games and stuff. :mrgreen:
The place for everyone to go is Akihabara district in Tokyo. I haven't been there myself ( :cry: ), but I plan to.
Akihabara is the "Electric Town". You get everything that has ever been invented there. EVERYTHING. 8) I need need need to go there. :twisted:
I hope there is a way I can get there this summer.
Of course I'd take lots of photos and post them here.
May 16th...
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"manuel" wrote:Tower Records. The one I was always in didn't sell games. Perhaps they have games in the bigger ones. Well, this one didn't sell any games, either. I saw the next to last pic you posted and was reminded of this pic. Back then I wasn't really into games, so I wasn't searching, either. I was mainly on the hunt for CD's not released over here. Lots of fun running around it, though! :D
http://robertlbryant.com
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Another neat little used game store chain.  At the time I'm trying to make a little vocabulary of games that might help in Japan. Just wait a little. As some people can't display Japanese, I'll make a graphic of it and post it here. My copy of Microsoft (c) (TM) Word (TM) now knows the words Gameboy and Playstation and Famicom. :wink:
May 16th...
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Well, folks, I made a little (yes, little :oops: ) vocabulary that might help people find used games in Japan. Basically look out for those words. I think most of them are self explaining. When there are questions, please ask. And also if you have requests (do you want to know another word in Japanese?) , post them. 
May 16th...
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:D :D :D
I now know my schedule of my next trip to Japan. 8)
Tickets are already reserved.
We (my wife and me) will leave Germany on July 17th with Emirates for Dubai and from there to Osaka.
We will return on 8th October.
Yeah, over 10 weeks in Japan. It will be great. :D
It costs quite much, but it's worth it. 727.54 Euro per person. That's around 973$. Thinking of the very long distance it's not too expensive, though. And the Emirates A340-500 has 500 entertainment channels, video on demand, 10inch monitors on every seat and in-built videogames... and that's in economy class! 8) I can't wait! :o
And still the best is: Free luggage is 35kilograms!
:twisted: How much games and stuff can I fit into my suitscase? :!: :?:
May 16th...
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Rank: Hammer Bros.
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Sounds like an excellent way to spend your summer! Do you know what games they have on board? When I flew with Singapore Airlines they had a bunch of SNES games. Now that's class!
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I don't know exactly, but from what I heard and read previously it's a selection of SNES games.
What games it may be, the flight will be fun I think. At least, my wife is there, too. :wink: :)
May 16th...
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Pick up some Famicom stuff while you're there! (I guess that's a given, huh?) I wish I could go to Japan once more. It was a blast! I'm sure you're anxiously awaiting the day! Have fun on the trip!
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OK, I've measured, and I'll be able to fit inside a suitcase if I can hold my breath and go without food for a few days I should be OK, can I go with you? :)
 
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When you're... let's say under 20 kilos it's ok. 8)
And you have to come to Germany. :P
By the way... what would be cheaper? Canada-Japan or Canada-Germany?
I'm sure it will be a great time. I'll post my finds and other stories in this thread here. And probably lots of pics, too.
I'm sure I'll get much interesting famicom stuff. And if I'm lucky a cheap Dreamcast and such.
Did I tell already?
My wife's grandpa is a Buddhist monk and has a neat little temple. We'll live there. :D We'll have to help a lot, i.e. cleaning every day or prepare festivals (yay, festivals!!). Grandma has cancer and her stomach was taken out completely, so she can't do much any more at the time. That's why we go to Japan for such a long time.
Who wants to see photos of the temple? (Please raise fingers) :)
May 16th...
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I'd like to see some photos of the temple. I did some work for a buddhist monk two summers ago, he was from vietnam though. He liked me because he said I was calm, and asked me to live there with him on several occasions. but the problem with that is, they don't eat meat, and don't have women... Luke - meat and women = not so calm anymore :P
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In Japan it's ok to have women. :P
It's just during the "training", in Japanese it's called "shugyo" 修行.
During that time you won't get meat or something.
But at my grandpa's house we always get very good meat. 100 grams of that cost over 10$!! Man and it's good.
Ok, then I'll search for some good pics and post them here the other day.
May 16th...
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