Trip to Japan thread

File: how to be cute during the travel .jpg (190KB, 726x735px) Image search: [Google]

190KB, 726x735px

Things on my list so far:
- Angelic Pretty, Innocent World, BtSSB shops (i don't know which one yet)
- drug stores for japanese and korean cosmetics
- comiket
- maid cafe (@home cafe probably)
- Ghibli museum
- Tashirojima (cat island)
- deers in Nara

> how to avoid drama

Ymmv about shopgirls. I had a great time in Laforet, but some other anons have said the shopgirls can be bitchy. Imo it helps if you go wearing jfash or just not looking like a slob, and maybe try using whatever japanese you know.

> cute places

I absolutely loved Swallowtail. I highly recommend going, or at least getting a dessert from the gift shop.


> comiket

BUY THE GUIDE BOOK. I managed to screw up and get a nonguide ticket because "how big can it be lol" and got lost.

I appreciate this thread! I checked /trv/ but its more male oriented, so people don't really answer about fashion/cute stuff but oh boy you better believe they can tell you where to get pussy.

I'm going in the winter and I'm looking for
foreigner friendly photo studios
I want to be dressed up in different fashions, however I'm very tall.

Wish I could help you more with looking for cute stuff OP, I'm going in a group of all guys (none of the female friends I invited can make it) who don't want to do any cute shit

I'll be damned if I'm not going clothes shopping though.

>>9522064
Thanks for advice!
Swallowtail looks amazing. I'll definitely go there.

>BUY THE GUIDE BOOK
Can I buy it 2-3 weeks before event at some conbini? I know that I can get it online, but I'd prefer to have paper form with me.

I don't know what you could do to cause drama in japan. Maybe if you are rude as fuck.
I didn't have any problem with shopgirls they were rather nice. Most were a bit akward because they didn't speak any english and I don't speak any japanese. One shopgirl that did stand out though was the AP shopgirl in Hiroshima. She was super nice and spoke english quite well, we chatted for a bit. It was fun.
For a nice place to visit I can recommend the castle gardens in himeji. The castle itself was a bit boring but the gardens were really beautiful.
A J-fashion related place to recommend would be of course takeshita dori. It's crammed and full of tourists but interesting to see.

Before I went a gull sent me a google doc from her trip that was super helpful. If you are reading this dear anon: thanks again for your docs. They really helped a lot.

>>9522073
/trv/ is cancer. No, I don't want to marry japanese girls / hire prostitutes / get wasted on my visit.

I hope that you'll have an amazing trip, anon. Have you already started planning?

>>9522085

I've been learning Japanese for 2 years but I'm pretty sure that it's not enough. I'm planning my travel with google doc as well. I'll try to post it here when I'm done.

I moved to Japan a couple months ago so I'm in the same boat kinda. But do visit SWIMMER shops if you can before they start closing down.

Also curry here is so delicious.

File: perfectweebtrip.png (73KB, 865x535px) Image search: [Google]

73KB, 865x535px

>>9522112
>Have you already started planning?
I've got a long ass list of cool things in japan in a google doc, things are still being added but we have discussions refining what we want to do once a month. there's currently 95 things on the list, and each person is expected to vote on what they want.

I'd share it with you but don't want to chance this thing getting edited, I can offer good suggestions though, but sadly not really good "girly" ones.
Flight tickets are bought and everything, and everything will be solidified about 3 months before- when reservations start opening up.

>>9522121
If you're going to hiroshima,okonomiyaki there is the best kind.

>summer
It gon be real hot, just warning you

>>9522121
I thought the Imperial Palace was only open to the public in January?

I highly recommend Q-pot cafe!! The one in Harajuku off of Omotesando is their flagship store and cafe. The cafe is a little expensive (but less than Swallowtail I believe) but the desserts are amazing and adorable! The staff also has an English menu(if you need it!) and are very friendly to foreigners! And pictures inside the cafe are allowed. It's a bit busy during weekends so i recommend going during the week!
Now sure what month you are coming however once the Sailor moon cafe event starts you have to make a reservation! (But I think the Sailor moon collab event is only July?)

>>9522121
You can make a new doc and just lock the editing options in order to share.

File: IMG_9689.jpg (3MB, 4032x3024px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 4032x3024px

I just got back from being there for a month two weeks ago. I'm merely a jfash wearer, not lolita, but I still checked out the stores when I came across them. I thought they would only be on Takeshita-dori in Harajuku but it seemed like there was a Baby or AP on every mall I went into.
I wasn't wearing lolita and the shopgirls weren't rude to me or whatever. Not attentive but who cares.
Lots of japanese itas with no poof in Takeshita-dori so if you plan to wear it doesn't take much to not look awful. Paris Kids there is the best store for cute fun accessories I found. There are so many stores though so just put aside a day for Takeshita-dori if you're a heavy jfash shopper like me.

hidden gem stores:
>Village Vanguard, like Urban Outfitters but a million times better
>ThreeStar in Kyoto, fuckin amazing thrift store especially if you like mori-like or hipstery stuff
>Book Off Plus in Namba, the third floor has used clothes dirt-cheap. There's also Kinji in Amemuro there in Osaka but I like BookOffPlus better.

as for hidden gems in regards to site-seeing, check out Giou-ji if you plan to go to Arashiyama in Kyoto. Also Ueno Park in Tokyo. It's not really a hidden gem but I think it gets overlooked because "it's just a park".
Nara is def worth it. I thought you had to coax the deer out with food but they're actually just standing around in the crowds and used to a million hands touching them.

Also, idk about now but when I was there few natives were wearing shorts. No one walked around in tshirts and that kind of "comfy" clothes. The teenagers are different from eachother but college girls all wear the same white baggy blouse tucked in to a long flirt skirt or gouchos. The conformity in this collectivist society was real.
Also regarding clothes, public seating like benches are basically nonexistent so keep that in mind when you pick your outfits.

File: IMG_6743.jpg (2MB, 4032x3024px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 4032x3024px

>>9522186
>retarded sideways upload
sage

Maison de Julietta photo studio
Seraphim shop
Kera and Atelier Pierrot shops

There used to be a gothloli tumblr with a tag for places. It was all over the world but mostly in Tokyo. I can't find the url anymore, I think it's deleted or moved, anyone know what I mean?

>>9522186
Fun fact about the deer in Nara: If you bow in front of them they will bow as well.

>>9522055
Get your Ghibli Museum ticket ASAP. You probably won't be able to buy it there unless you go through a travel agency.

>>9522081
You can get the guide at the event. However, you don't get the guides at combini; you get them at anime shops like animate or toranoana. Also Comiket is free to enter and there are no "tickets"

File: ClON4aoVYAQAfg7.jpg (125KB, 1200x899px) Image search: [Google]

125KB, 1200x899px

I live in Tokyo, so I have a few recommendations.

>lolita-related shops
- Grand Bazaar in Shimokitazawa for secondhand lolita + Vivienne Westwood-stuff. Doesn't have the biggest selection but worth visiting. I recommend Shimokitazawa anyway, there's a lot of second-hand shops.
- Closet Child

>cute places & hidden gems
These are mostly cafes
- Honey mi Honey cafe and store in Harajuku/Omotesando, it's cute and pink.
- Aoyama Flower Market Tea House in Harajuku/Omotesando, combines a flower shop and a cafe.
- Caroline Diner near Harajuku/Omotesando, charming American-style diner with cute stuff and a photobooth.
- Namja Town in Ikebukuro, wonderful indoor theme park with food and nice interior.
- SWEET TWIST in Shimokitazawa, a pink cafe.
- New York Cupcakes in Shimokitazawa, the name says it all.
- Ladurée cafe in Ginza.
- Campus Toy & Cafe in Jimbocho, combines a cafe and a retro toyshop.
- Pink Holiday in Yokohama, a Barbie-themed cafe. Haven't visited, but looks nice.

>nice views
If you want to see Tokyo's skyline from an observatory, check out a couple free ones: Shinjuku Governmental Building and Carrot Tower. There's no need to pay for view when you can see it for free (unless you want to go really high up, in which case just go to Tokyo Sky Tree)

>how to avoid drama
Shopgirls are generally nice, but will most likely be even nicer towards you if you wear something from their brand or at least a style that fits the store (so when shopping for lolita, dress in lolita too).
Don't be loud or obnoxious on public, just be respectful and you'll do fine.

>other things I should know
- Takeshita-dori is pretty shitty, don't waste too much time in there. Explore Ura-Harajuku and the backstreets to find interesting stuff.
- If you're into fujoshit-stuff and buying doujinshi, smaller doujinshi-events are worth visiting. Check http://www.akaboo.jp/ and http://www.youyou.co.jp/index.html for listings of smaller events.

I am also traveling to Japan this upcoming summer! And I think I know the anon you mentioned >>9522085 because she gave me all her Google docs too, they were super handy.

I am pretty knee deep in planning myself but one of my favorite things is that you can make a Google map and mark all your places down on it. It's made planning where and when I'm going to do things a ton easier. I'm also taking suggestions on where to go!

>>9522064
I read a review online somewhere that made it sound like Swallowtail is only really nice if yoh speak Japanese. I only know some small stuff, like the type of things I might use to navigate but I don't think I could carry a conversation. What was your experience like? Do you speak Japanese?

>>9522294
I speak so-so japanese, and the biggest difference is that the waiters won't stop to talk to you as much. In general, they will do their best to accomodate you, but depending on the level of english of the waiter in particular/your japanese, you might get the feeling that they are unsure of how to proceed. Use your common sense and don't ask them to explain the ingredients of the menu, for example.

Worse case scenario you'll get the head waiter helping out your regular waiter, since his english is pretty good.

>>9522121
Can you make a new doc to share with us seagulls?

File: japan trip.jpg (40KB, 541x288px) Image search: [Google]

40KB, 541x288px

Thanks for recommendations! I'll put them on my map and try to not get broke on my first day in Tokyo.
I'm going there August and I'm prepared to face high temperature and humidity. Worst case scenario I'm going to spend more time outside of central Tokyo. Persona 5 taught me that I can only expect hot nights and torrential rain during this time of year.

>>9522121
I was looking into yukatas as well and the best options seems to be renting them. If you'll buy one, you have to find someone to put it on you and it's not that easy. Renting is about 4000¥ per try. The best place for that is Kyoto.

>>9522186
Deers are so cute! I'll be staying near Ueno Park so I'll definitively check it.

>>9522207
Unfortunately I can't buy tickets for Ghibli until 10th of the July. I hope that I won't miss it.

>>9522249
Thank you, anon! Most of this place looks really amazing. I was thinking about checking Takeshita-dori anyway, but I'll check backstreets as well.

>>9522186
>Lots of japanese itas with no poof in Takeshita-dori
That's just how lolitas dress in Japan. Petticoats are reserved for big events and most people put them on once they get to where they are going.

>>9522705
Well they were limp-haired and ita otherwise, just shopping around not in groups. That's new info to me though.

File: Screenshot_20170616-170453.jpg (914KB, 1423x1418px) Image search: [Google]

914KB, 1423x1418px

Does anyone have advice on getting nails done or how to book appointments in Japan?

>>9522729
Lolitas here tend to treat it more as their daily wardrobe, so they usually just wear their natural hair and don't have a lot of poof. There's also less emphasis on everything having to match exactly. Even shop girls can be spotted with no petticoat and wearing black shoes with a sweet coord.

>>9522190
nayrt but man idk why I get so excited seeing the closet child store front considering I've never been there. Thanks for sharing. Sage for sperging

>>9522816
When I visited Japan I noticed that most Japanese girls styled/curled their hair daily - why don't lolitas?

here's my list currently- created by me and guy1
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1CSQ1wCSLwwxfFJA_rlalhno0PI3f2blmfPSRrCbObUY/edit#gid=0


this list was made before we decided what season to go
a lot of things are left out because it just wouldn't be fun without another girl.
I have to add all the square enix cafes too.
I hope this helps

>>9522775
beauty.hotpepper.jp

>>9522055
>Cat Island

Just a heads up it's kinda cute but since the cats are still a bunch of strays a lot of them are sickly and it's kind of sad. Also this is off on Sendai which is pretty far away from everything else you're talking about.

>>9522855
Maybe some people don't have hair that holds a style? Curls that are done with rollers and tons of hair spray don't last longer than 30 minutes on me. I am not spending 1-2 hours on something so shortlived. Braids turn ratty and frizzy on me too, even with a generous smoothing serum fml

File: Hey-game-08-600x399.jpg (68KB, 600x399px) Image search: [Google]

68KB, 600x399px

Fun tip. A lot of arcades with a purikura floor rent out cosplay for 100 yen for photobooth use.

>>9522536
Prices for yukata range from like 2000 yen to 40,000 yen. They're quite easy to find and are really affordable, depending on where you shop. If you want a nice and affordable yukata to take home, I recommend flea markets (Harajuku, Yoyogi-Kouen), Uniqlo, or Ito-Yokado. If you're looking for something fancier, go to department stores. Most yukata people wear at festivals are the cotton ones that are less than 5000 yen.

>>9522951
good to know! thanks!
any notable arcades that do this?

>>9522941
Same. Especially running around in Japan when it's generally super humid/rainy.

File: dear god the eyes.jpg (91KB, 884x960px) Image search: [Google]

91KB, 884x960px

>>9523006
I think most major arcade chains will have it. I saw it all over the place but hte only one I tried it at was a Taito in Hiroshima. My Japanese friend really wanted to try it and I was super embarassed and tried to make the excuse of "They won't have a costume with a 100cm bust! and the attendant flipped right to the catalog page with Love Love maid costumes with 100cm busts exactly and I was like well crap no choice then.

>>9523025
do they have mens stuff?

>>9523041
I think so. It was a lot of generic stuff like Naruto, One Piece, some Vocaloid, AoT etc.

Has anyone here ever been to bunny island or a rabbit cafe?

>>9523064
Both. It wasn't anything like those videos with a literal stampede of rabbits coming after people but there were a lot. I'd recommend it if you happen to be near Osaka or Kobe anyway because the trains take a while to get there. Don't get more than one bag of feed from the little tourist shack you'll probably have more than enough. There's not much to do there. There's a resort, a poison gas museum, and a little nature center. Don't plan to be there too long.

Rabbit cafes are a bit of a toss up. The one I went to was Usagi-to Cafe in Nagoya. It wasn't one that I was looking for where you eat food and have a rabbit for company. You paid for a certain amount of time in a rabbit area where there might be 8 rabbits in hutches and they let a couple out. How much they'll want to play is a bit of a toss up. I don't think I'd do it again there. I'd see if there's one a little off the beaten path and make sure it has the experience you're looking for.

File: tumblr_n4g3fqWG4x1qcgzvno2_r1_1280.png (727KB, 900x900px) Image search: [Google]

727KB, 900x900px

>>9523175

File: tumblr_n4g3fqWG4x1qcgzvno3_r1_1280.png (654KB, 900x900px) Image search: [Google]

654KB, 900x900px

>>9523179

File: tumblr_n4g3fqWG4x1qcgzvno4_r1_1280.png (553KB, 900x900px) Image search: [Google]

553KB, 900x900px

>>9523182

File: tumblr_n4g3fqWG4x1qcgzvno5_r1_1280.png (602KB, 900x900px) Image search: [Google]

602KB, 900x900px

>>9523183

>>9523185

File: tumblr_n4g3fqWG4x1qcgzvno6_r1_1280.png (623KB, 900x900px) Image search: [Google]

623KB, 900x900px

>>9523193

File: tumblr_n4g3fqWG4x1qcgzvno7_r1_1280.png (610KB, 900x900px) Image search: [Google]

610KB, 900x900px

>>9523195

I would appreciate it in advance if a few kind anons could answer some noob questions.

My company is giving free airfare roundtrip to Japan, so my main expenses would be food, lodging, and entertainment. For anons who've been to Japan or live there: how much should I be saving up? Are we talking a couple grand, or higher? I imagine Japan as being an expensive place.
Say if I was interested in the activities listed >>9523195, >>9523196, >>9523179, and >>9523175, what should be my savings goal? How much did you save versus what actually happened? Were you more orientated to shopping, or sight-seeing? Or both?

Last question. How the fuck do you navigate? Are there signs in English? Also, what about your phones? Do you have to buy a special plan for international service so you can make calls, texts. and gps if need be? I'm being realistic when I say I probably won't know Japanese very well by the time I go, so I'm a bit nervous about getting lost or being unable to navigate the transportation everywhere.

>>9522868
That's very helpful. Thank you!

>>9523202
Isn´t too difficult to put on yukata by oneself?

>>9523202
I think it´s impossible to get a japanese number without being a resident. The best options are renting phone (if you are staying for less than 2 weeks) or international skype number.
You can get internet via mobile router and it can be delivered to the airport or your hotel/hostel (although some of them have their own for your use).

>>9523202
If you use the Google maps app you can get offline maps for when you can't access Wi-Fi and don't want to incur extra charges. Saved my ass abroad.

>>9523202
I don't know where in Japan you're planning to go, but if you're in Tokyo and other big cities there's english signs all over the place. Menus, transportation, etc. For my phone I got pocket wifi and used that to communicate and to look things up (very useful for navigating the train system as well). I definitely recommend it.

>>9523202
I live in Japan and it's pretty simple to navigate. Most of the important road signs are in English as well as using Google Maps. I suggest downloading the app Hyperdia (if you get an international option for your phone plan, that is. it does help) to get around via railways. If you're lost or look confused, usually a local will come up to you and help you- they're extremely nice, surprisingly to foreigners. They'll also help you if you ask them too.

As for shopping, I would save up at least a couple grand. Everything adds up after a while, especially if you're shopping around for J-fashion clothes.

>>9522249
Ura-Harajuku?

>>9522294
Swallowtail's services can still be enjoyed depending on your waiter. If you get a chance to check it out, if possible try to get Iyori. I had him for my visit and all of our interactions were in English.

I'll be visit Tokyo for the second time in November and my bf asked me to find some cool clubs and bars, especially in Ginza. I just know some in Harajuku and Shibuya and nothing else... can somebody help me?

>>9524176
*that "be" shouldn't be there ugh

>>9524176
you'd probably have more luck in /trv/ for that specific questions

>>9524180
Okay, thank you anyway, anon!

>>9523756
it's just a different part of the same district. Takeshita dori is a single street yet most people think it's the 'only part' of harajuku to visit, despite la foret being closer to the central crossing, the smaller indie shops on the side streets, and ura-harajuku.

Shove it into google, it's less tourist-y and still has some decent shops.

tl;dr if you visit harajuku, don't spend all your time in takeshita dori there are better places that are less crowded elsewhere.

>>9523202
as someone who went to japan for a 2 week university course + moving in september I'll try and help.

For stuff + food in tokyo I spent around 70,000 yen. I can't really help you with accommodation but look at air b n b and stuff to help you find some cheap places. I was definitely more shopping based, so if you're not interested in that then probably less. But it really does depend on what exactly you want to do, how long you're staying, how much you'll be travelling around tokyo whilst you''re there. The one thing to keep in mind is that you can eat extremely cheap, like 1,000 yen a day cheap.

Signs are sometimes in english, sometimes not. Trains can be hard to navigate when you want to get off, as the comms usually only announce in japanese so try and look at the walls of the outside of the station was they write it in english there. I'd recomend downloading the google translate app to your phone, as it has a function of being able to translate written kanji.

Phone wise, you need a japanese bank account to get one. Instead, pick up a portable wifi and make calls over the internet, or suck it up and pay international fees, no real way to get around this.

>>9523202
If you are going to travel around a lot in Japan I recommend looking into getting JR Rail pass. It's a flatrate pass for foreigners for all of JR public transprotaion all over Japan. There are a few exceptions (two kinds of shinkansen) but we saved a lot of money by having this. However it's only useful when you are travelling a lot with JR transportation.
For getting around in the city you might want to get an Pasmo or suica card or something similar. It's a card you can load up with cash and use it to pay for your tickets for every transportion that isn't JR. That saves struggeling with the ticket machines and it automaticly books the right amount. It works in most citys, we only found that it didn't work in the tram in hiroshima. You can even pay with it in combinis and at most vending machines.

File: IMG_6842.jpg (2MB, 4032x3024px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 4032x3024px

>>9524188
Yeah but how's the prices in comparison though, people like Takeshita because outside some brands it's cheap fast fashion.
Pic related is the osomatsu popup shop off the Omotesando side iirc of takeshita that I saw in April, idk if it's still there
>>9524194
Or get a SIM card. $40 for 2.4 GBs, lasted me over a month.
>>9524281
The cards also pay for some arcade games lol

>>9523202
>what should be my savings goal?
A lot of that stuff is free. The biggest costs will be how much you plan to buy, and if you're going to visit any theme parks (USJ is pretty expensive). I can easily spend a couple grand if I only go shopping, but more touristy stuff ends up being cheaper since most sightseeing places are free or less than 1000 yen for admission.

>>9523202
Oops, hit enter too early >>9526226

>How the fuck do you navigate? Are there signs in English?
Google maps works well. Like someone else said Hyperdia is great for figuring out the best train routes. Most signs are in English in Tokyo. The Google translate app has real time translation so you can use that when there's no english.

>Also, what about your phones? Do you have to buy a special plan for international service so you can make calls, texts. and gps if need be?
It's not really worth it to buy an international plan if you don't already have it covered by your carrier. You should pick up a pre-paid sim card or pocket wi-fi at the airport when you arrive. Just plan to use a messaging app to talk to people instead of texting. If you need to call somewhere just buy some credit on Skype.

>>9522113
Coco's?

is $5,000 reasonable for a shopper who wants to spend 2 weeks there?
I want to see tourist attractions, shop, and I don't mind staying in really cheap hotels.

>>9526258
Should be plenty unless you are planning to shop at Comme Des Garçons or something like that. I personally find it difficult to spend $5000 in a month in Tokyo.

>>9526276
I should clarify that you could easily waste that on an Airbnb, but if you book early enough you can find nice places for cheap. Especially if you don't mind walking 10 minutes or so to the train stop.

>>9526258
That should be more than enough. I spend 2k in a week going balls out with my shopping, eating and going out.

Jesus how do you gulls go through thousands of dollars on shopping in such a short time? Are you replacing your wardrobe three times over? If you're talking brand that's more understandable but even then that's a lot of clothes.
I took only one thousand and got plenty, just stuffed my suitcases to the brim. I thrifted a lot though.

>>9526258
forgot to mention this includes transportation (flights, JR passes) i'm happy to hear your answers

>>9526401
>If you're talking brand

I mean, it seems kind of pointless to go shopping in japan and buy off brand, doesn't it?

Either way, a lot of ooak stuff is on the pricier end, too. You can easily spend hundreds of dollars in a fashion event in accesories alone.

>>9526401
Peeps are buying brand and likely don't want to bother spending a bunch of time in the secondhand shops to find specific items.

Like I'm going to visit a few thrift stores, but for lolita/axes femme/conomi uniforms etc I'm just going to go to the stores. I'll also probably buy some Jane Marple, and one full outfit plus other stuff will add up quick.

>>9526408
I meant lolita brand as opposed to like lowrys farm or wego.

>>9526426
Wego is fast fashion and therefore offbrand.

>>9526413
I went to conomi and got a cardigan for $60 and I went to axes femme and got a top for $35. It's not that expensive...but even then I found axes femme tops at Kinji in Osaka for $7. There was a Baby JSK at BookOffPlus (I'm anon >>9522186) for $50. Idk I guess I like walking around, seeing street life and less traveled paths hunting for cheap gems.

>>9526401

It depends on what you're buying, doesn't it? The other anon above mentioned Comme des Garcons, which isn't exactly "thriftstore burando" tier. I imagine there's other folks who go nuts buying some expensive specialty item, like a Mana fan bringing back a Jeune Fille, or an otaku bringing back suitcases of rare figures or a chef bringing back a specialty sushi knife, or something.

As for lolitas, if you're rich enough to drop that much money on a single shopping trip, you're probably rich enough to thriftstore-shop CC and yja from home. Far more likely these girls are shelling out $$$ for a makeover at Maison de Julietta, followed by tea at Laduree, and then attending a brand tea party at Tokyo Marriott, with the latest release that they bought the day before, and then they'll make sure to snag all of the LaForet exclusives for bragging rights, before flying home.

>>9526555
What, why would girls who have the $$$ to spend, spend it at Maison? I know I'd just take my own rare pieces and/or wear the latest release

>>9526560

So wear the latest rare pieces to Maison and request the girls work around that, I don't think they have a rule against that.

You're still thinking too middle class. Any physical thing you want, you can ship it. Even in-store goods can be obtained with an in-store SS. What you can't ship is the experience, what you can't have shipped, is a photo of yourself in front of the same background Misako also posed for, plus bragging rights, and you get to tell everyone how your source of whatever info is the girls who gave you a makeover told you x, y and z are totally in/out/what every lolita does/does not do.

Are there better things to spend money on? Sure. But these girls already bought most of them. Why would you cut Maison out of the itinerary when it looks fun and money isn't a problem?

File: 1455053198139.png (167KB, 1080x899px) Image search: [Google]

167KB, 1080x899px

>This summer

prepare to melt my friend. Shit is hot as balls already and its only June. Im pretty darn far west and dont know some of the other cities as well as my own, but I'll try and help.

>Good shops
In the big cities every brand has at least one (generally more) shops in the city so check those out. Also check out some second hand shops, they tend to have some really cute lightly used cute stuff.

>cute places
Harder to say, cities are cities generally. If you want cute look for cafe's and shops that'll cater to that as the natural decor of Tokyo and other major cities is pretty urban obviously.

>Nice views
Ok hit the big ones obviously, the Fushimi Inari is amazingly great. Otherwise honestly I like to find a cafe or something along a river if I can and enjoy the sights. Theres a nice little outdoor cafe in Harunjuku, I had a lot of fun having a soda and a muffin and people watching and enjoying the occasional Jfash that wandered by.

>Hidden Gems
again going to rec the second hand shops. Dont think tourists go to them as often.

>How to avoid Drama
Dont be an asshole and dont be an asshole gaijin. You'll most def be fine in the big cities honestly.

>Other things I should know
Like I said back for super hot weather, its intense right now. And Japan is a pretty cash based society. So be prepared to use cash for most purchases. Tokyo isnt as bad for this but you'll run into this in a lot of smaller shops. Speaking of cash, easiest way is bring your debit card, notify your bank, and just get money out at the 7/11.

Have fun!

>>9526577
>in store SS
wait what
how common are those?

>>9522536
They were already sold out until August when I bought mine a month ago. They sell out like as soon as they go up for sale.

>>9526624
what kind of question is this? they exist and they've existed from the moment we started using shopping services, but they aren't popular now because they are more expensive.

>>9526560
>>9526577
Why would you go there at all if you're not going to change into something pretty you don't own?

File: CIMG1227.jpg (622KB, 1547x705px) Image search: [Google]

622KB, 1547x705px

>>9526577
I don't get this thing about Maison de Julietta. I went for lolita and the only thing I did was shop and go to Disneyland. I don't like Misako and I don't like to take pictures in lolita. I just want to collect rare pieces and hunt for bargains at thrift stores.

>>9526401
1 main piece at AP is 300 dollars. Most of the main pieces worth buying at closet child are 120 and up. A lot of the popular AP items are at or over retail. You buy 4-5 main pieces, some blouses, a couple pairs of shoes, and a handful of jewelry. That's 2000 dollars gone easy.

I'm confused at all the people in the thread saying a few grand is enough. Do you mean only for lolita related shopping?

When I went I also bought
>make-up
>OTC drugs
>bath bombs
>stockings
>snacks
>condiments
>souvenirs
>stationary
>shampoo
>laundry tablets
>perfume
>home goods
>gifts
>tea
>eyedrops
>books
>second hand games
>second hand clothes

That's not even including the cost of subway passes, Shinkansen, Airbnbs, entrance tickets, meals, snacks, and drinks. We also spent a lot on knick-knacks like playing gachapon, purikura, arcades, and the like. I traveled with my boyfriend, we stayed in Airbnbs, bought rail passes, and ate a lot of conbini and famiresu food. It's just that doing all the tourist shit uses up a lot of money very fast compared to just living there normally. Disneyland 3 day pass $350, Kobe beef dinner $250, Tokyo to Kyoto Shinkansen $300, sushi at Tsukiji $200. It adds up quick.

Some tips tho
Sky tree is overrated and costs 1500 yen for admission. Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is free and wonderful. It's close to Shinjuku central park and Kumamoto shrine which is also great and free. Get a point card at CC, especially if you're travelling in a group. It'll fill up real quick and give you great discounts. Also check back at different CCs for new stock.

>pic related
All my non-lolita shopping

>>9526685
Misako just promotes it I think, it's the same idea as the kimono make-overs except with lolita

>>9526685
Ot but may I ask you where you had the Kobe beef dinner? I want to try it!

>>9526685
>Disneyland 3 day pass $350, Kobe beef dinner $250, Tokyo to Kyoto Shinkansen $300, sushi at Tsukiji $200

Yeah I didn't do any of that besides the Shinkansen. I would go to all the places like Sensoji or Yoyogi to sightsee which are basically free.

>>9522207
>>9522536
In case Ghibli doesn't pan out, the Osamu Tezuka museum is also fabulous. I have not been personally but friends say many great things. It is located in Takarazuka, if that's not too out of the way for your travel.

>>9526685
>>OTC drugs
Like what?

File: beef.jpg (158KB, 800x600px) Image search: [Google]

158KB, 800x600px

>>9526692
See, I see that stuff as something for tourists to do. Like a kimono aficionado wouldn't go to a 5000 yen kimono rental shop in Kyoto. They'd know the shops have shitty cheap rental kimonos for tourists. They'd bring their own, buy pieces there to match, and maybe hire a professional kitsuke to learn from. It's the weaboo anime nerd types who would go for that. Like I was in CC Harajuku and these bumbling tourists came in, all mousey haired Americans in beanies and canvas backpacks and anime badges. One girl in some hot-topic get-up was like "oh lolita fashion I've heard about this". Then they fucked around the store talking about their favourite lolitas in anime and touched all the merchandise, before reading a price tag and freaking out and leaving. Thank god the Shinjuku CC is a secret haven. No dirty tourists and better selection.

>>9526693
I stayed in Kyoto with a friend, so we got the 3-day Kansai Thru-pass and went to Kobe for the day. It's a great deal. We went to Kobe, Osaka, Fushimi Iinari, and Nara. You can ride on all non-JR lines and city buses and metro as well. We ate at Steakland, which is right next to the station. It was great, they had all these certificates and everything is cooked on a teppan. It was hot and greasy as hell but it was winter so that was great. We got the most expensive set with grilled seafood starters, salad, soup, a choice of bread or rice (free refills), wine, and dessert and coffee. Service was excellent and food was good. Next time we're going to Matsusaka.

>pic related

How hot is it really?
I'm going next summer around early June. I'd go late May but i don't want to skip one of the only conventions I go to in a year. I know it's humid and I've gotten some experience with that because of where I live but does anyone have an average number for an early June day?
Also if it is hot, what is appropriate to wear? I don't have big boobs or anything but I'm scared that if I dress for the weather I'll stand out? (Inb4 hurr durr you'll stand out already stupid gajin, I mean that will I look disrespectful?)

File: drugstore.jpg (345KB, 1000x750px) Image search: [Google]

345KB, 1000x750px

>>9526725
>>9526725
EVA, their brand of ibuprofen that's really effective. Colac, these stool softening pills that help you poop and relieve bloating (fucking love these). All kinds of super minty eye-drops, for computer use and contacts. It's difficult to find minty eye-drops in my country. Compression stockings to reduce leg bloating. Medicinal bath soaks. DHC lipbalm. Mentholatum's AD cream, a skin cream for super dry skin with lidocane and urea in it. Ryukakusan, sore-throat medicine. Anti-hay fever face masks, sprays and medication.

I also bought a ton of skincare. Face sheets are super cheap, pure hyaluronic acid, Mentholatum CC vitamin C serum, Biore water essence, eyelash serum, so much. They have these fucking pink pills that make you exude rose fragrance through your skin. I love I hate how garlic and onion odours stay in your body and make you stink and repeat forever. Those pills stop it, and if I take 4 my boyfriend says it smells amazing. Like my natural body scent plus a flowery fragrance. Circle lenses, super natural super comfortable. Cooling menthol spray for your clothes in the summer.

When I go into a drugstore I can be in there for 3 hours, shopping. There's so much amazing shit. I even held myself back. You have to be able to read Japanese pretty well though, since most stuff isn't labelled in English at all.

>pic related

>>9522868
Thank you so much!

>>9526754
I live in Japan.
The rainy season is in June, for about 2 weeks or so. It usually starts within the first few days of the month, although it came late this year, and will rain almost nonstop during this time. The good news is it cools things down a bit until summer truly hits (the high temperature for tomorrow where I live is forecasted to be 26).
After rainy season (and possibly right before), you can expect temperatures in the mid to high 30s with very high humidity.

>>9526770
I thought you meant receational drugs but that does sound amazing

>>9526754
Oh, and to answer your question about clothing: cleavage is frowned upon and usually shoulders too, but open-shoulder tops are really trendy right now so it's not that bad. Girls here layer a lot and wear UV blocking tops and tights, but really, no one cares much what a foreigner wears as long as boobs aren't hanging out.

Sage for double post.

>>9526798
You know OTC means over the counter right.

>>9526827
Yes

>>9526796

Oh, upon hearing this I'll see if I can squeeze in some time mid may or else I'll probably go in July since I just don't want to go out while it's super rainy.
Sorry if I sound dumb but I just expected rain season to be during spring since that's when most of our rain happens in Canada. Thank you for your response though, and I guess I'm glad for once that I don't have big boobs since most shirts will look modest on me.

>>9526401
>>9526290 is me. I don't even wear lolita anymore but i wear things like listen flavor and galaxxxy. I don't buy most things throughout the year and spend it all it 1 or 2 chunks depending on how many times i go in the year. Last time i spent about $800 in LF, a few hundred in random shoe stores, animu figures, etc. It's not hard to spend that much money if you're buying brand new things at brand stores. But like i said i wouldn't say my spending is average, i do go all out because i don't spend much on fashion the rest of the year because I'd rather get it all there in person. I fill 2 checked pieces of luggage and a carry on.

>>9526403
Well it depends. Where are you flying from? That makes a big difference. Are you planning on just staying in Tokyo? Airbnbs will likely be the cheapest route for accommodations but start looking early, a lot of places book up quickly.

>>9527066
You go to Japan multiple times a year? Where do you live? My "going all out" was the thousand I brought that included fashion and toys and stuff lol and I only buy dirt-cheap thrift clothes for myself in the U.S. Different incomes I suppose

Also I only went to the Harajuku LF and it was so tiny, I can't imagine spending that much there. There must be other stores around, huh?

>>9526920
Canada doesn't have a rainy season...like places that have one literally have a month or 2 of rain all the time, and they typically are in places that don't have the full length of the 4 seasons, especially lacking winter it seems. Spring is just spring in Canada.

>>9527100
I've been going 1-2 times a year the past few years. I live in az so it's not bad to get to la or San Diego to fly out cheap. I think all the other listen flavor shops shut down, i did spend that in the harajuku shop. I own almost everything they released from last year that i wanted. I bought a lot of tops, 2 skirts, socks, a bunch of accessories. They suprisingly cram a lot of stuff in that tiny shop.

>>9527116
How are you able to get so much vacation time from work? That's amazing.

>>9527142
Don't most people get like at least 2 weeks a year off?

>>9527144
>eurofag
>30 days off paid

Taxes might be harsh over here but damn I wouldn't want to trade

>>9527154
I get 3 weeks with rollover and they add extra days every year. With benefits. And I get my money. But that's definitely not the norm in America

>>9527100
Kera shops carry a lot of Listen Flavor clothing as well.

>>9526645
forgive me for being retarded, I assumed an in store SS was someone who would just ship any items you bought to your house (even internationally) . I've never heard of that before

If anyone is interested, Daiba was a hidden gem full of cool weeb shit and techy type stuff. You have to take a different rail line to get there, but it's really cool and they have a big ferris wheel with a great view of mt. fuji.

>>9526685
I'm gong in July for 13 days and taking ~$4000 AUD, we'll round to 335,000 yen ($3000 US).

Is this enough gulls? There aren't many, if any new releases i want - and i've already paid for JR pass, airbnb, travel insurance. The total known cost of any of the admitted attractions (e.g. disneyland, hotel near disneyland, museums, etc.) so far is 25,500 yen leaving me 310,000 yen purely for spending on food, cute cafes and shopping.

I just got back from Japan last month and it was fantastic. Transportation took up a lot more of my budget than I expected and it was hot as hell, but I loved every minute of it.

The Ghibli museum is well worth it if you can get tickets. I booked a little under three months in advanced and got the last ticket available for the time I was in the country.

My "hidden gem" was Nakano Broadway. Multiple floors of 90% Mandarake stores. If you're looking for merch from older series, this is the place to go. I wanted figures from CLAMP's Tsubasa and I finally found them there.

My highlight of Kyoto was Fushimi Inari. Very crowded but gorgeous. Some people were disappointed by the shrine at the summit, but it's a place of worship not an amusement park so whatever.

Next time I go I want to go to more cities than just Kyoto and Tokyo. Felt like I missed out by limiting myself to just those two.

>>9527257
That's about triple what I took for food, merch, and transportation so unless you go absolutely insane, I think you're set. Saging for double post.

>>9527259
Seconding, fushimi inari is a must-do.

File: 13336103_1013934818660576_4913539037132286594_n.jpg (184KB, 960x960px) Image search: [Google]

184KB, 960x960px

Check Artism.jp for dates / locations for their markets, also DesignFesta. If you're lucky to be in town when either are happening, I definitely recommend checking them out - great for shopping and style-watching.

>>9522073
Not sure what you're looking for with photo studios but HacoStadium Cosset (at least the one in Ikebukuro) is fine with foreigners signing up for a membership and using their studio space. Bring your passport and a receipt for the hotel you're staying at (to function as "proof of address while in Japan).

>>9523064
Bunny Island, you can stay overnight (there's a hotel on the island) which is nice if you want a chill evening, because there is NOTHING to do once the sun sets. Bring cabbage instead of rabbit feed if you can, the rabbits like it way better. The rabbits fight among themselves sometimes over territory / good feeding spots, so the ones by the hotel entrance especially were a bit battle-scarred. If you want to wear lolita, pick something sturdy and washable, the rabbits have sharp claws and can easily snag clothes as they climb on you to eat, but it's totally worth it for the Disney Princess feels. (pic related)

>>9523202
Pocket wifi rentals are the way to go. Get one and you can use your phone as GPS with Google Maps to navigate, and Google Translate to understand signs and communicate with sales clerks, waiters, etc.

>>9526647
My point was exactly that if you were rich, you wouldn't need to go there to get dressed and made up since you could do it all anyway with rare and expensive pieces that you own. You would probably already have any dress you wanted

>>9527259
Nakano Broadway is fantastic and a great rainy-day option!

I'd recommend checking out Osaka next time if you can manage it: amazing food, friendly people and a great nightlife scene (bar-hopping in the Dotonbori area is so fun).

>>9527251
SS usually refers to shopping service which means someone who goes and shops for you (which also usually includes shipping). Maybe you're confusing it with shipping service? That's common in Japan where you can get things you bought shipped home so you don't have to carry it on the train. Never heard of any service offering to ship things you physically bought yourself to your home internationally though.

>>9527259
>my "hidden gem" was Nakano Broadway
I thought that was a pretty well known spot? Either way, definitely a must see place if you're a collector or love weeby stuff.

File: 5266085466_d43174cfa9_b.jpg (162KB, 800x534px) Image search: [Google]

162KB, 800x534px

>>9527259
>My highlight of Kyoto was Fushimi Inari. Very crowded but gorgeous. Some people were disappointed by the shrine at the summit, but it's a place of worship not an amusement park so whatever.

Go in the late afternoon and walk back down at night. It's less crowded and it's very well lit and probably one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.

>>9527307
Yeah, I figured it might be well known to others, hence the quotation marks. Hidden to me because I'd never heard of it until the day I went.

>>9527337
That sounds amazing. I'll do that next time.

>>9524339
Can you expand on getting a SIM card? Where would you buy one? I'm sorry I'm a bit new to travel.

>>9527069
round trip flight for me will be 800, and I want to go to osaka and kyoto

>>9527364
I stayed at an Airbnb in Osaka and just took the trains and subways to travel the Kansai area. Kyoto is really close to Osaka.

I took the bullet train for Nagoya and Tokyo.

File: Screen Shot 2017-06-20 at 7.08.05 PM.png (938KB, 1014x674px) Image search: [Google]

938KB, 1014x674px

>>9527259
seconding fushimi inari if you're in kyoto. I really recommend if you're going to to summit to take the back trail. We've hiked it a few times and only met people a handful of times which was a really nice contrast to how busy the rest of the shrine was.

If you're more in Tokyo but like nature I really recommend going to Enoshima. It was a huge highlight of my trip earlier this year and while it was busy, it wasn't crowded. They have some caves you can get into which are really cool, but just doing the hike to the coast was really wonderful (and you have lots of local snack options!)

How easy is it to send stuff at the post offices in Japan back to your home country while on a holiday? What information or documents would you need to supply, if any?

File: IMG_7915.jpg (4MB, 4032x3024px) Image search: [Google]

4MB, 4032x3024px

>>9527352
Np this was my first time abroad or without my parents anywhere so I get you. There are basically SIM card vending machines around the airport. you put in your yen and grab the card before the door to the a slot it's in closes. In Narita, on the machine I used anyway, there were laminated instruction packets on the side of the machine as well as paper clips for changing your existing card to your new Japanese one. I couldn't get mine to work on these instructions though so I just used the one on the package of the card. Then you're connected to docomo service, can't text or call (I couldn't anyway, that might depend on your provider idk) but you can iMessage and use apps and maps and stuff using the amount of data on the card you bought.

This was Narita which makes me want to mention how English-unfriendly I thought it was. I am conversational enough in Japanese to navigate it but my friend would have been so lost if I weren't there. KIX was pretty good though. >>9527368
The back trails were the best! I saw such old torii and bigass millipedes and land crabs. But the stone path was slippery with moss and whatever since people didn't walk on it much.

File: IMG_8653.jpg (2MB, 4032x3024px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 4032x3024px

>>9527364
Peep Ebisu Hotel right by Shin Sekai in Osaka. So cheap and so good.
Must go to Osaka porn stores too

>>9527380
Narita did seem pretty English-unfriendly. A nice pilot helped me find me way to where I needed to go. Honestly it's better to just go straight from the airport train station into Tokyo.

Has anyone gone to the Izu Peninsula? I think i wanna go there for my next trip but want to hear people's experiences there.

>>9527378

Easy peasy. You need a cardboard box, but the post office sells them. There's usually a pen on a counter that you can borrow as well. The EMS shipping form is in English (I haven't seen the airmail form).

Do bring cash, I've had 50-50 luck with some post offices having an ATM I could withdraw cash from, the post office itself does not accept card. If you don't speak Japanese, try to use a post office in some tourist place that's used to foreigners, and save a photo of the EMS form on your phone or something so you can show it to the staff (if they don't speak English).

>>9527112
You have clearly never been to Vancouver.
Every season is the rainy season.

>>9527582
how the hell can you find tourist friendly post offices

>>9527289
Cabbage and lettuce is bad for rabbits though

>>9527378
Easy, ask for box and say EMS. Any place can figure it out from there

>>9527294
I think it could still be fun if you change into a completely different substyle. Some people just love being made up and having their hair done by others too.

>>9527602
Nayrt but going to the post office is pretty easy without knowing Japanese. You can even pull out the google translate app if you need to. EMS forms are usually outside of the counter and are labeled EMS. That's the word they use in Japanese so it's easy to ask for one if you don't see it. Just saying EMS and gesturing is usually enough. For boxes you'll normally have to ask the person working for since you have to pay for them, but you can also find boxes at Daiso or for free near the front of the grocery store. If you decide to get them at the post office the word for box is also the same in Japanese, just pronounced with a Japanese accent "bokkusu".

Grab a hiragana/katakana learning app and get that down solid but you aren't going to need much for your language besides arigato gozaimasu, sumimasen, and kudasai. Sometimes broken English worked better than my three semesters of Japanese I learned in high school. Also people are going to want to practice their English with you a lot. I never saw a happier man than the cashier I complimented at a 7-11 for his pretty good English.

>>9527607
Cabbage is fine in moderation (too much can give them gas, but you're not feeding a ton to any one rabbit anyway). Iceberg lettuce is bad, but romaine is fine.

Basic point is that the rabbits are much more excited by natural food than pellets.

>>9522073
if your friends aren't willing to do some of the stuff you want to do, they're not very good friends. you're going along with what they want, they should do the same for you.

>>9528133
This may shock you but its possible to be friends with someone who doesnt have the same exact interests as you

fushimi inari just outside of kyoto is beautiful, but its going to be a tiring climb especially in august. tenryuji is also quite pretty, but i was there in february, so there might be even more pretty things there

>>9528303
It's not at all about having the same interests, but not wanting to do something with your friend because it's too girly is immature, and kind of mean.

Random tip for traveling on a special trip. Bring a deodorant or perfume that you've never used before and start using it on the trip. The memory art of the brain is very close to the scent sensors therefor smells are tied strongly to memory. I started using a new deodorant during my honeymoon in Japan and the scent always takes me back there.

>>9528337
They would, but they'd look miserable the entire time, to the point where I'd rather do some things alone than have them come with me.- why force my friend to spend money on something they'd hate?
They want me to go places where I feel the same way, but we respect eachother's interests. this isn't going to be my only trip, and I look forward to going with my female friends the next time

>>9528386
looking miserable is also dickish. just saying. whatever, have fun.

>>9528451
>looking miserable is also dickish
I agree. and desu they're not my friends, but my bf's friends. 0 of my own friends are going and it sucks.

>no one wants to go to a theme park with me since they find them boring
stupid spoiled southern cali kids who are board of theme parks since they went to so many socal ones growing up

>>9528451
>>9528475
Both of you sound insufferable, jfc.

>>9528585
If we're being completely honest here, you don't sound like a pleasure to be around yourself.

>>9527602

You have the adjectives paired to the wrong noun.

You start with "tourist place that's used to foreigners".

Then find a post office in that "tourist place that's used to foreigners".

You don't start with "A post office that's used to foreigners" and then search for the "Tourist place".

>>9527859
>people are going to want to practice their English with you a lot.

I feel like this is a fucking myth or I don't look white enough. I live here now and never have this happen.

>>9528973

Same, desu. Instead of people wanting to practice English, I get japanese people asking whether I speak japanese and when I answer back with "a little", they take it as a sign of me being proficient.

>>9528982
>>9528973
Same.
>Do you speak Japanese?
>A little
>Cue barrage of quickly spoken Japanese that I can't begin to decipher

>>9528973
>>9528982
>>9528984
I'm super white and I've had both ends of the spectrum. My pronunciation of the few Japanese words I know is really good so this is a signal of fluency for them.

>>9522085
I had a few people give me stink eye and say stuff like 'who does this bitch think she is?!' When shop staff went ott with the complements and desu, borderline ass licking to get a sale. It was really embarrassing, I just wanted to enjoy myself and didn't went to be some 'special foreigner' asshole.

I also had a semi bad experience with maiko henshin, again when the staff were being a bit ott with the praise, two girls also doing henshin were saying really mean things about me in Japanese and laughing at me for not understanding the full getting unchanged/ washing off makeup process. I felt like I was back in high school, it was ridiculous.

I also met some really wonderful people and had an amazing conversation with a couple of old dudes at the Shishiiwa Observatory.

Unfortunately I now know enough Japanese to pick up when people are saying mean stuff under their breath, it happens quite a lot. On the flip side, you can hear the nice things too.

Japanese people say shit about other people under their breath A LOT in my experience, and sometimes blatantly if they think you can't understand.

Eh, swings and roundabouts I guess.

File: Saionji_(10).png (108KB, 960x560px) Image search: [Google]

108KB, 960x560px

>>9529688
Japan is weird socially because the general consensus is that you be as polite as possible and avoid conflict at all costs. So that when people do start bullying, no one really understands how to step in and stop them. So they just go unchecked. It's kind of why Saionji in DR2 is such a bullying piece of shit and no one stops her.

Speaking of shitty kimono places. A friend went to a kimono rental place in Kyoto and one of their group members sat cross-legged on the floor in her outfit because there was no where else to sit and wait for the rest of the group. The owner yelled at her to get her ass off the floor and I quote "If you were one of my students I would beat you for that!"

Authentic cultural experience desu

>>9528973
I agree. It's like pulling teeth to get people to speak English even if their English is better than your Japanese.

>>9529749
Well. That was pretty shitty of them to 1) sit on the floor 2) sit cross legged in Japan 3) sit cross legged in Japan in a borrowed outfit

>>9529761
...shit, sit cross-legged in Japan in a borrowed outfit on the floor

sage

>>9529761
oh shit is it not okay to sit with your legs crossed in japan? excuse my disgusting murrica'ness

I've been watching a lot of Japan vlogs on youtube in prep for my trip and one thing that's baffling me is how many people complain about how expensive it is there when so far?? From what you guys and the internet tell me?? It seems pretty reasonable??

>>9529902
Double question marks??

The flight to get there can be a lot depending on where you are coming from. Japan has a lot of luxury venues and restaurants that have earned it a reputation for being expensive. Also the train tickets are considered expensive compared to other train systems around the world, but it runs very efficiently. But as long as you're staying in reasonable hotels / AirBnB / hostels and eat at cheaper places it's no different from visiting other countries.

>>9529902
Ooh, my best friend complained about this to me.
Like most youtube vlogs simply go to the most expensive places and don't even bother to look where to get something cheap. I think a few even got around by driving in a taxi instead of the metro. Of course it's gonna be expensive that way.

>>9529902
First of all, please don't write like that. You reek of tumblr.

Second, it really depends on the prices of your own country. I can get good food in my own country for like $2, and rent for a 3 story house goes for about a $1500.

>>9529841

Nah, cross legged is fine. If you're sitting on one of those floor cushions, just demonstrate a bit of struggle and the Japanese will quickly forgive you for being unable to sit with your legs together.

It's sitting on bare floor that's low brow as fuck, and when you're doing it in a borrowed outfit, in someone else's shop, cross-legged in kimono no less (it looks uncouth as fuck), that is several layers of nope.

>>9530044
A good substitute for the seiza is just getting into the position then shifting both your legs to one side so they stay closed but you're not sitting right on your legs.

>>9522249
i would like to visit pink holiday, but is there anything else you can recommend me in yokohama?

A question for people who've been to Comiket before - I know the best thing to do is buy the catalog in advance and plan out which tables you want to visit before getting there, but how easy is it to figure out from the catalog which tables will have what you want? I'm interested mostly in buying doujinshi for my favourite character pairings, but I don't know the names of any circles or artists. (I'm going to the winter one in December. My Japanese is only about N5 level, if that makes a difference to navigating the catalog.)

>>9530771
Pretty sure it's just circle names in the book. The only other thing to go off of is there's different theme days and areas like yaoi and yuri. All you can really do is go search for your favorite series or characters on pixiv and see if anyone is selling at that comiket. A lot of circles post previews of the first couple pages on pixiv

>>9530771
Adding to what the other anon said.

Just check pixiv for what you want. Seriously, I've never bought the catalog. It's a brick, you don't want that weighing down your bags unless you want it for the novelty or something.

On pixiv search for "-series name- C92/C93". C92 being the tag for this summer comiket, C93 for winter. You can search for character or pairings at comiket in the same way.

If you just want to do some general browsing use the online catalog:
https://webcatalog.circle.ms/

Because I tend to only go for one series, I just draw a quick sketch of the area I'm headed for and note the table number & use different colored markers for how bad I want shit.

If this is your first time going and you don't care about getting the newest books from popular circles or just want the experience, don't bother arriving at 10 or earlier, get there sometime between 11 -12. The lines are gone by then, and you can just walk right on in. Remember if you plan to cosplay you have to register/change on site & you can't arrive in cosplay and all.

>>9530817
>>9531346

Thanks for the advice! I had a go at using the online catalog, the thumbnails for each table are actually pretty helpful with figuring out what pairings they're going to have.

This might be a dumb question, but is there any way to tell which circles are the big popular ones that are going to sell out quickly? (I'm not too worried because most of my fandoms seem to only have a couple of tables, unlike the giant sections dedicated to Gundam or Yuri on Ice...)

>>9531663
The rule of thumb is if it's at the edge of the room, it's a big circle. Line up's begin outside for those circles, not inside.

File: decc97687696523d002bc48ef5c0ef11.jpg (320KB, 600x411px) Image search: [Google]

320KB, 600x411px

Could you recommend me good drugstores around Tokyo? I want to buy some japanese make up and beauty products that are hard to get outside the Japan.

>>9532881
Ainz&tulpe. There's a nice one in harajuku near meijijingumae

File: u0wymbwsags8m9quq0df.jpg (333KB, 640x480px) Image search: [Google]

333KB, 640x480px

If you sew at all or do any DIY I hear Nippori is the place to be. They have like 30 fabric stores in a few city blocks.

Make sure you get the map. It comes in English too.

File: 6647.png (308KB, 639x340px) Image search: [Google]

308KB, 639x340px

>>9526770

Ok, I need to go shopping with you. You know all the good shit I've never heard of.
Rose pills....wtf Japan. I kinda want to try it.

>>9527364
>round trip flight for me will be 800


I'm looking at $1100 for my trip. Where are you flying in from? I'd like to save some money if I can. But if you're just closer to Japan than I am then I know it's just proximity.

>>9540190
That seems rather expensive. Are you in a major us city or elsewhere? A tip: sign up for this email service called Scott's cheap flights. A lot of people recommend it and they do send out really good deals. You can't specify Japan only flights but the few months I've been signed up they've alerted me about a few really good deals from big us cities to Japan. Like $400-500 good.

>>9540190
Search around a little more like >>9540214 said if you're flying from the US. Use hipmunk and Google flight alerts and wait for things to come up and maybe adjust your dates for a better price if you can. That being said don't be tempted by the insanely cheap prices if you flight through a Chinese airline and have to stay overnight. You have to pay for the hotel and Chinese airlines are no fun. I managed to find a straight round flight from LAX to Narita for $500 through Air Phillipines. However I booked well in advance and am going in late fall which is an off season.

>>9540214
I'm near Atlanta. I signed up. Thank you so much for the tip. I hope it pans out. Have you seen any ATL > JPN appear on there?

>>9540223

I'll do that. I plan on traveling in mid-sept to early oct.

Again thank you both.

Anyone have recommendations for a ryokan?
There were a few I was looking at, like in Hokane, and also one really nice one in shikoku but that one is a bit too out of the way for the amount of time I'll be in Japan.

>>9543841
Do you mean Hakone? Most of the ones in Hakone-Yumoto are quite nice

>>9543841
Just pick something with a good review that's close to a station for easy transit. Hakone is a an onsen resort city they have ryokan for days.

>>9543700
I've only been signed up for a month or two. The last deal to Tokyo i saw included DC and nyc for ~$580. Not atlanta but the east coast does get deals occasionally too.

anyone ever get an airbnb in japan before? how was it?

>>9548094
Yup, used airbnb for my last trip. Well worth it. It's so much cheaper than the vast majority of hotels plus you generally get a lot more space. You can often rent entire apartments for the same price as a small business hotel room.

If you want to go the really budget route, a private room in shared accommodation (often with a shared bathroom) can be a little as 20 USD per night.

If you've got a bit more cash, some of the themed apartments are super cute or just ultra cool. There are video game themed places, hello kitty, gothic style - all sorts!

Be sure to start looking as early as possible, the down side is these places get snapped up really quick, especially in some of the prime locations.

>>9548094
>>9548380

I'm totally doing AnB when I go. We did it on a trip to Savannah and it was excellent.

I looked it up a few days ago and I can spend a whole week in Osaka in a full apt for the cost of a day or so in a hotel.

Airbnb is great for Japan because you can get the full weeb wet dream living for cheap. Sleep on futon, use a Japanese style bath in private and walk to the convince store. Keep an eye out for locations that have a portable wifi you can carry with you during the day.

>>9548380
>themed places
how do I find these themed places? google? Airbnb's search system kind of sucks

>>9548094
I used one for my trip back in April. It was a small apartment for $750 for 10 nights, split between me and a friend. My only advice for a Tokyo airbnb is pick a location as close to the main subway lines as possible. I expected my place to be closer to Shinjuku station, but it was a little off the beaten path.
Otherwise I'd definitely recommend it; its cheaper and makes you feel more immersed!

if anyone has pictures of their trip or pictures of hauls from their trips I would love you so much if you posted them

>>9549537
Maybe check outs some blogs and vlogs of Japan travelers. I know a couple have come up on Sharla's channel

File: 12909536_10153570818905840_5650322254916062148_o.jpg (97KB, 1265x949px) Image search: [Google]

97KB, 1265x949px

>>9550972
I didn't buy a lot last time but I was really happen to win these from UFO catchers. But then I had to pack them and drag them across the country which was no picnic.

Requesting people's closetchild experiences. What was good or bad about the ones you went to?

>>9556809
Harajuku had a couple of good deals, but I think the stock must go quickly there since it's such a popular area for alt fashion. Shinjuku was my favourite and where I spent the most time. Only popped into Ikekuburo quickly, and don't really remember whether it was particularly good.

>>9526798
In defense of this anon some countries have otc of the things we(usa) consider drugs and some of us use recreationally. Its weird. We are suppose to be anti drug but have higher doses hidden away, you guys are suppose to be heathens but can only get small doses otc.

>>9548094
For those who stay in Airbnbs, how do you chose which to pick? I wish someone would make a blog or list of the best ones based on location/city. There's so many options and it's difficult to choose.

>>9522121
What's the website you have linked for finding love hotels?

>>9522868
>>9560435
They posted the spreadsheet

>>9560381
My usual checklist is

>Price
I'm not rich enough yet to really splurge on Japan I stay under $80 a night for two people

>close to a train station
or just very close to the part of the city I would want as my home base. If I'm in Tokyo I stay near Akiba, in Osaka then I stay near Nipponbashi and in Hiroshima I'm close to Dotonbori street.

>a place where you don't need to meet the owner to get your keys and stuff. Every place I've stayed at has sent me a pdf that shows me how to get from the train station to the place and then get the key from the mailbox. The reviews will tell you if the place does that. It tends to come up the most with hosts that have multiple properties.

>portable wifi
Saves you from having to rent a sim card or router from an agency

>Close to a convenience stores
A necessity to weebs who want the full experience.

>First floor

>Bonus weeb shit like traditional bath, futon/tatami sleeping areas

>>9560381
I think the reason that people haven't is because best is so subjective depending on your requirements.

For my airbnb my 5 most important criteria were location, price, English speaking host, pocket wifi and easy check in.

>>9562944
>>9562962


What is this pocket/ portable wifi thing? What does it have to do with AirBnB?

I thought I carried the pocket wifi around with me and not the host.

>>9562944
First floor is really undesirable in Japan

>>9563370
Means that you get a pocket wifi included in the room rental

>>9563380

oh thank you for clearing up my wifi question. I had no idea.

>>9563380
>First floor is really undesirable in Japan

How come?

>>9563971
Noisy, easy to break in/get your laundry stolen, more bugs (cockroach, centipede, ants, etc), less airflow

>>9522988

I bought a yukata and obi for about $20 from Chicago in Harajuku

>>9528382
i always do this!! perfect for any special event really, it makes it so easy to treasure the memory

>>9564112
damn, how nice is it though?

>>9569839
Not that anon, but I was just there today and they're all used so the quality is pretty nice for their price. From what I saw though the yukata and the obi ranged from 2000-3000¥ individually, but they had a buy two items for 20% off deal.

I read half of the thread before giving up, but if you like cats I recommend going to either MOCHA Shibuya or MOCHA Harajuku! It's one of the cuter cat cafes.

Reissue Cafe is my favorite cafes. It's right off Takeshita Dori. It's hard to find so look for it on the street view in Google maps. They specialize in 2D and 3D latte art. Just show them a photo of what you want drawn. The lattes were pretty expensive but worth it for the art that's drawn.

I also recommend Nishimura Fruit Parlour. It's right next to Shibuya 109. The parfaits there are so beautiful and delicious. Don't dress like a hobo like I did. I went here by chance because I wanted to eat a parfait before I left Japan. The area was a little dirty but as I walked up to the second floor to the shop, the handrail became gold and the steps turned into marble.

As for tip? Learn how to write your name in either katakana or hiragana for restaurants and cafes that require a sign in sheet. Have fun!

Have any of you been to Alice on wednesday?

>>9529902
It's the most expensive compared to other Asian countries. For instance I was in South Korea for two weeks and now in Japan, the trains, food and even convenience store prices are much higher. Hurts a little more because I got a really shitty exchange rate here compared to Korea (78 yen to 1 aud, 833 won to 1 aud).
I don't mind too much though since I brought money to burn essentially, and saved up forever to go on this trip.

>>9570683
Yep! It was very cute. Lots of photo opportunities if that's your thing. Some of the merch is worth checking out if you're info Alice and wonderland. It isn't that far of a walk outside of harajuku. Plus it's on the way to qpot sort of.

File: maxresdefault.jpg (74KB, 1498x878px) Image search: [Google]

74KB, 1498x878px

Thanks for having this thread, gulls! I gathered a lot so far, but gonna ask a few more things here.

I'm visiting late December to mid January. Any chances of snow? Will it be cold af?

My plan so far is doing Tokyo (5-6 days) - Osaka (2-3 days, visiting Kyoto) - Tokyo (7 days). I will be with the bf during Tokyo1 and Osaka, then on my own staying with a family in an Airbnb. He just wants to "go to Japan" but honestly has no idea of what it is or what he wants to do. Any recommendation for someone who's not really a weeb and not into JFashion so I don't kill him?

What do people do for NYE? I'm thinking countdown but also some kind of dinner tradition and things afterwards. Any super cool partying spot? Or is it more experience worthy to do the classic temple thing?

For the bf's last night I'd rather stay at a love hotel because is just a single night in Tokyo and I have always wanted to visit one anyways. Any recommendation?

How's the quality of the food at Swallowtail? I'd love to get the experience but I like food a lot and if it's not particularly good I'd rather just have tea and some cake.

Is there any indie lolita spots to catch cool stuff? I'm thinking Strawberry Decadence, Vierge Vampur...

As I'm going to Kyoto, is it better to shop for second hand yukata/kimono in there or should I just do Tokyo? If going to a temple for New Year, I'd also like to wear kimono. How much can a decent whole set cost?

>>9573080
>Any chances of snow?
Yes. It's slim but yes.
>Will it be cold af?
What you consider cold is subjective. It can be anywhere between 0 (cold) - 15 (considered a warm, unusual day). Expect it around 10s, and dip to 0 at night.
>Any recommendation for someone who's not really a weeb
The first few days you can travel together to look at typical tourists stuff and locations. After your partner gets used to the subway system, they can find themselves checking stuff out alone. If not, any good partner could sacrifice a day to check out the stuff their partner likes, this case being fashion and anime.

>As I'm going to Kyoto, is it better to shop for second hand yukata/kimono in there or should I just do Tokyo?
You will find some in Kyoto, but if you're just there for yukata then go to asakusa in Tokyo. Kyoto will be more.. Official? I can tell that this isn't a hobby/fashion for you, and you just want the novelty of owning a yukata. Kyoto is a treasure for people who want to wear kimono every day, or are willing to dump money into a few sets. If anything, getting a yukata at asakusa may be cheaper since people always think Kyoto = kimono.
1/2

>>9573109
2/2
If you want to dive into this realm. I recommend buying a yukata from asakusa. A friend of mine bought an entire set (yukata, obi, shoes, bag, accessory) for ~$80. It's was super cute, modern, new, and pink.

When it comes to kimono, there are a lot of parts to it and it becomes expensive very quickly. Not only that, but if you are inexperienced it will be had dressing yourself. I recommend paying someone for a kimono rental instead. There are many places that will loan you a kimono, dress you, and do your hair, and let you go to a temple. However, since it's new years, these services may get booked up quickly, or charge a premium. So look into it today, sooner the better.

End of spoon feed

>>9573115
>>9574080

Thanks a bunch, anon <3 That was super insightful!

I am indeed not familiar with traditional Japanese garments yet. Being on the bigger side, I've never felt confident enough to buy anything online! I will probably hit Asakusa early during the trip and. I am going to Kyoto anyways because castles and food, but will keep an eye open and a budget set in case I come across something.

As for my bf, he is happy to be dragged around, but I would feel guilty if all his trip were Lolita and weeb related. I think I will look for a couple of museums (he likes samurai and medieval-like stuff!), arcades and a dog cafe maybe :)

Thanks a bunch again!

>>9573080
>NYE
New Years is a family event, there really aren't parties or a big countdown. Lots of people visit shrines to give a prayer. It'll be insanely crowded

>Swallowtail
Food is ok. Is difficult to get a reservation. They're very strict about rules. No photography, no using your phone, no touching your bag, can't pour your own tea, can't go to toilet by yourself. If you don't speak Japanese, there are some staff that speak basic English, but the level of formality and therefor the experience suffer.

>Indie brand
Masion de Juliette (photo studio in basement of Laforet) sells a small selection of indie brands. Atelier Pierrot and Dangerous Nude (2 locations) do as well. If you really want indie brand you need to go to a event like Artism, Design Festa, etc

>Weather
Cold but usually dry. Wear a coat that can easily be removed

>>9573080
The only thing that will be worth it around NYE is fukubukuro or lucky bags. Pretty much every store and franchise has one for sale around this time. Check youtube videos for a better idea of what's in them

>>9573080
>swallowtail
The food is ok but the tea and desserts are heaven sent. Ikebukuro was really far from my commute but I actually used to go all the way there just for the gift shop.

>>9573696
How long in advance do you need to reserve for? I've been trying to figure it out since I leave in 4 months

>>9573700
iirc, reservations open at midnight two weeks prior to the date and spots open up irregularly due to cancellations. Solo spots go fast so you should probably glue yourself to your computer/phone two weeks before, get any date during your trip, and cancel that one if you happen to get another, better, reservation.

>>9573696
>The food is ok but the tea and desserts are heaven sent

I find this to be true for most theme cafes in Japan. Don't get me started on Kawaii Monster Cafe.

>>9573710
Are you Jillian? Because i can't think of anyone else that would like the garishly colored oil-based cream piles KMC tries to call food

>>9573710
get started

>>9574205
Kek, Jillian. I just started watching her vlogs.

And unrelated to that, but the yukata shopping talk; I'd like to buy a trendy/modernish kinda set, like in Kimono Hime or so, but have no idea where to look, if anyone does?

>>9574289
I'd say there's more traditional than modern.
Watch this video from 2:42 onward. They visit a more modern shop for yukata. They have cat print yukata and bright colours. Summer is optimal time to shop for yukata.
https://youtu.be/MUxEzF6tf6c

They had a lace obi as well, pretty cool. As mentioned in the video. Buying everything at one store will get pricey. For accessories like the Velcro belt and the soft tulle, you might as well buy it for half the price at rakuten.

File: gay-cat-turtleneck.png (244KB, 384x480px) Image search: [Google]

244KB, 384x480px

Does anyone know a place where I can get old nanchatte/ uniform items?

I have a bunch of sweaters that I want to pair with plaid skirts.

>>9576237

I don't know about old but Japanology covered nanchette in one of their programs.


Look here at the 17:05 mark. It has a store and you can see the name.

https://youtu.be/Xratt7cs1dE

So I bought a LOT of stuff and I'm afraid that my luggage might exceed the airline's weight restrictions, but my airbnb doesn't have a scale. Are there places that have scales for public/free use?

>>9576461
The only places that immediately come to mind are hospitals and sento and bringing luggage to either is really weird.

File: TT08_520x400.jpg (11KB, 520x400px) Image search: [Google]

11KB, 520x400px

>>9576461
You might be able to buy a travel scale. Maybe at Don Quixote or a Duty Free place

>>9522055
>>9522940
Yeah, the cats there don't receive medical treatment. They're a bunch of strays that wander around.

I do recommend fox village and rabbit island, though. The animals are taken care of and seem to be pretty friendly.

Fox village: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92wtDKCtOiU

Rabbit island: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k6oN9zSHeM

There's also this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bXJ6PxSlBs

and this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sBtVUik_SU

>>9574289
Every department store has a Yukata store right now. If you want nicer ones (read more expensive) go to nicer department stores. If you want cheap go to ALTA or something.

>mfw I just bought a new obi and it was 6200円

>>9522054
I've just bought plane tickets to go to Japan next May/June; any interesting events apart from Design Festa ?

Does anyone know of any good Vintage clothing stores in Japan?
Thrifting over there seems exciting.

>>9579798
It's all marked up stuff from foreign countries, US & Europe. Stained ripped peignoir? $100 at Virgin Mary
Koenji and Shimokitazawa are most popular for vintage stores

>>9579798
Off the top of my head; Grimoire, Kinji and Chicago (?). Lots of nice thrift shops in Shimokitazawa

>>9579798
Just go to Shimokitazawa, here are some good blogs to read about thrifting.
http://www.annikavictoria.com/blog/2016/12/15/thrifting-in-tokyo-1-shimokitazawa-guide

http://www.annikavictoria.com/blog/2017/1/1/thrifting-in-tokyo-2-harajuku-guide-map

How is airbnb in japan?

>>9584548
It's great, most japanese people who are on airbnb speak english and a lot of them give pocket wifi as courtesy.

>>9579806
I wonder what my luck would be if I sold my old clothes in Japan lol

>>9579812
Thanks!

>>9584679
>pocket wifi
are you serious?

>>9576237
Conomi will sell new, but for used, check the usual thrift stores.

>>9584548
I used it when I was staying over night in Nara, it went perfectly.

What stores can I go to get cute face masks besides Swimmer?

>>9590584
Even the generic 100 yen shop has cute (disposable) facemasks with Hello Kitty/My Melody/Little Twin Stars. There's a lot selling on Takeshita in the tourist trap shops and disposables can be found in any pharmacy/100 yen store.

What's cool to do in and around Sendai?

>>9592619
They had Tanabata recently, it's the best time to visit.
I only spent a day there, but we ate gyuutan (cow tongue, it's actually really good) and visited the fox village. It's hard getting there but they're really cute although not very playful.

>>9526743
Ok so Matsusaka was amazing but ugh a wasted opportunity when I went. My friend and I stumbled in there super tired and worn out without realizing what it was and we didnt have the money set aside for it. What we did get was so good though and the waiters were so nice. Next time I will be prepared to drop the appropriate dough!

>>9585464
>are you serious?

Not sure if this is questioning wtf pocket wifi is or whether Airbnb places have it included in rental.

Pocket wifi is going to be somewhat essential if you're carrying around laptops or tablets and want to reliably connect to the internet anywhere, since open and free wifi is much rarer in Japan that in other countries. If you just have a phone you can always get a cheap sim with a plan valid for however long you're staying (one week min. from what I saw in one store), but if your phone isn't compatible you're going to need something to help you use Google maps.

Yes, some Airbnb places have a pocket wifi that renters can take out with them. It'll be mentioned in the listing.

This thread has been so helpful in planning out specific places to eat and visit, thanks gulls! I'm going with two friends (not J-fash people, but at least a bit weeby) and it's all of our first times being out of the USA.

We're getting pretty set on where we want to go and lots of other arrangements, but what I'm a bit lost on is flights. We plan to go in May since that seems like the best weather, what week probably being determined by flight cost, and while I will definetly subscribe to the places suggested earlier is there a time of year that's best for getting cheap flights? A certain amount of time before you go? Winter holidays? Also, many places online suggest trying to get tickets to Haneda instead of Narita, but that seems much less common, do flights to Haneda ever pop up for less than $1000? And I'm guessing it's a no brainer that one-way tickets to extend this week to a Friday-Sunday is way more expensive, or would I be wrong on that?

Sorry for being such a flight newbie, never been on one before and it's turning out to be the most confusing part of the process, and being the most expensive we want to be careful.

File: 7EF5E77D-5B59-4CE4-A237-BB4E8B49E7B3-4668-0000059414D68152.jpg (194KB, 1024x731px) Image search: [Google]

194KB, 1024x731px

What's the average price for a meal at one of those "kawaii" cafes (e.g. Sanrio character, Sailor Moon, etc.)? Main dish + drink + dessert. I'm planning for my trip next year and want to budget accordingly for food/drink (though admittedly we'll only hit up 1-2 of these places max.)

>>9593284
My flight to Haneda was just under at 850, it depends on the time you book! Super far on advance is surprisingly more than moderately in advance sometimes.

>>9593284
I flew from Syd, and got tickets for about 860 ish, from Syd to Haneda. So defs doable. Use skyscanner to see cheap weeks and dates. March and November seem to be off peak seasons.

>>9593490
they usually have the menu on their website. Example Pompompurin cafe: http://pompom.createrestaurants.com/jp/menu.html. Or wait until closer to your arrival date and see whats on their seasonal menu. Follow them on SM to see when they release their seasonal stuff.

>>9593284
The first week of May is Golden Week, it's a peak travel time. End of March is spring break, and April is cherry blossom season, also high travel times - flight prices will be high.
The very cheapest time seems to be mid-Jan to mid-Feb

>>9593529
I'm looking for tickets out of CDG right now, and the prices to go in Feb 2018 and June 2018 are almost the same. I would have expected summer fares to be way higher.

>>9593534
Thanks!

>>9593490
A meal will be upwards of 1000 yen, drink 300-800 if its a fancy big milkshake or something and the desert maybe 500-600 yen, you're looking at 2,000+ for a full cute meal. Only except would be say, the robot restaurant or kawaii monster cafe or other super touristy novelty places.

You could optionally just visit the cafe for a drink or desert, and eat somewhere cheaper, or have you and a friend split the deserts or giant milkshakes etc. which is what i did to save some money and not stuff myself (the meals are often really decent sizes, plus almost always contain rice which is very filling).

>>9593529
>>9593534
Awesome, glad to hear! We're not coming from an important airport (CVG Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, only closeby kinda major airport) so I hope we can find a good deal. And yeah, that lines up with what my coworkers who have flown said, they suggested we start looking after 6 months before we go.

>>9593540
We're definitely dodging Golden Week, we just decided on May because when we looked up average temperatures, precipitation, and sunlight hours it seemed the far out winner. I'm hoping prices will be okay for mid to late May.

>>9522054
Just don't pull a pixielocke

File: tumblr_mb2tnzpIwD1r7kr84o1_250.gif (39KB, 250x180px) Image search: [Google]

39KB, 250x180px

I already have my trip 90% planned out, but I do have a couple of questions that I felt were better asked here than in /trv/.

>Are there any cool places to meet and hang out with female locals?
All of my mates have great stories of befriending randoms and salarymen in restaurants, karaoke bars, etc; But every time I hear about this happening, it's to men. I heard about girls-only cafes and in particular a gyaru club here on /cgl/ once, but does anybody have more info?

>What kind of bag is going to be most practical for shopping?
Right now I'm packing all of my electronics and important items in my compartment hiking backpack, as that will be my carry-on luggage, and that'll probably stay it's primary use while I'm there.
I know that I'm going to need a decent bag to take to themeparks, but I also want something that I can put my shopping in when I hit up Tokyo. Was thinking of just grabbing a medium-sized backpack?

>>9594429
I would take a small suitcase

>>9594430
I'm not gonna lug a suitcase around to do shopping every day, anon.. Obviously I'm taking a big suitcase with me, I just want something to carry around day-to-day.

>>9594429
What a wonderful world in Sendai. It's Jojo's themed cafe&bar but it's almost female only. I really had wonderful time there.

File: 004.jpg (396KB, 1500x1000px) Image search: [Google]

396KB, 1500x1000px

>>9594431
Most shoppers use totes or little rolling bags. Depends on how much you're buying and if you really want to carry it all day or just pull it.

For anons who have been, what's the policy for trying things on? Did you have any problems with anything? I'm a giant gaijin (5'9") and I know what styles/brands work for me, but if I walk into Liz Lisa am I going to be assumed to be one of those awful tourists who is gonna try on the tiniest item in the store and cry that it doesn't fit?

>>9594569
I'd assume that if you wear the garments of the brand you're shopping from (or at least one of the styles they cater to) you won't look like a clueless tourist.

>>9573080
A lot of things are closed around New Years. We went to a couple temples and it was neat to see them all decked out for the holiday.

My friends and I just sort of wandered downtown Osaka on New Years and had an amazing time. Lots of drunk young people who were super excited to meet Americans (it helped that we had a group of 11 with 4 blond people and 3 people over 6 ft tall. We stuck out a lot.)

>>9594569
Some shops don't let you try on tops. The staff will probably judge if an item will fit you or not. Be sure to remove your shoes and use a face cover (looks like pillowcase, put it on over your head, long part covers your face).

Any advice on going to comiket? I know the summer one is going on now, but I'm planning to attend in winter. I know to get the catalog and find artists booth #s on twitter/pixiv

>>9595154
Don't stand in the massive line in the morning unless you want to get one of the really popular items.

>>9594563
No they don't. No one does that but chinese tourists, that picture is during new year sales when people by fkb by the dozen.

>>9594429
All stores will give you their own bag and seal it for you, at least major brand stores, so just bring a small handbag for necessities like phone, purse, suica etc.

>>9595154
Don't dress like an ita please, saw a girl walking around in a hot topic style Totoro outfit today and it was pure cringe.

Any chance any gulls would recommend catching a rakugo performance? I don't speak enough of the language but I'd love to experience it at least once.

Sorry its not exactly /cgl, but I could cosplay from the Showa Rakugo anime it would be lol.

>>9596593
>*recommend WHERE to catch

>>9594563
No, they don't at all. Stores will give you bags and seal it with tape. No one carries around totes or anything, only tourists do.

>>9595426
>>9596969
Okay cool; Thanks anons! I guess it's a weird thing for me because I don't carry around a handbag while at home to begin with - I'm a "keys and wallet in the pocket" kind of person.

I guess having multiple plastic bags is fine, because I'm staying right near Shibuya station anyway. Can just duck back and drop stuff off.

File: 3044575_orig.jpg (175KB, 640x427px) Image search: [Google]

175KB, 640x427px

So.... a little off tangent, but I was wondering if gulls can recommend Japanese snacks? Things that can keep at room temperature (so I can ship it).

I threw a purchase of sakuraebi into my Tenso order, but now I'm thinking I don't really want to risk shipping my dress with some dried shrimp, even if it's probably packed in layers of packaging. So... now I'm shipping two boxes from Japan because I don't want rotting shrimp in my burando, and I'm going to fill one of them with weird Japanese food, because I'd rather pay $50 for shipping a bigger box of goodies than $25 for a small tiny little packet of dried shrimp.

Suggestions for other foods? I'm kind of unimaginative and only added waramochi flour and kinako powder so far.

>>9598723
Don't know if this counts but recently my mom requested some weird Japanese Kit Kats like the wasabi and pumpkin kind. I live in a part of the US with a decent amount of Japanese sweets and grocery stores but had zero luck finding anything besides green tea and raspberry. So when I go in October I'm stocking up on those.

Anyone know any good thrift stores around Tokyo (aside from Closet Child)? I'm kind of hoping I can hit one up to get some cheap items before buying at full prices at Liz Lisa and other such stores, which I'll certainly do but I hear great things about Japanese thrift stores.

When are all the new years sales, mainly for lolita? I'm thinking of going this winter, but can only go for a week or so and want to time it so that I can shop.

>>9598723
Green tea chocolates, maybe? IDK about where you live but the only brands we get here are kit kat and Meltykiss, which are both among the shittiest available IMO.

I don't know the names of the other brands though...but when family have been they brought me back some that were nicer.

>>9599404
Please read the rest of the thread.
>>9579812

>>9599490
... New years.

>>9528382
I do that with music, I'll make a playlist of songs I haven't listened to much so that they remind me of the trip

File: F067BAED-B425-448D-B234-3306E9BC9F57-739-000000973346EFF0.gif (955KB, 300x162px) Image search: [Google]

955KB, 300x162px

Alright, are July and August that unbearably hot and humid that I should try going in December? I'm originally from Texas, so hot/humid isn't new. But I'd like to wear lolita for most of my trip.
>tfw dream times of the year to go are Sakura Season or October, but I'm a teacher.

>>9599490
Sometimes they extended well into the end of January and beginning of February.

>>9601061
Don't do it, it's awful. I would rather bundle up in December/January instead.

>>9601061
>tfw I can only study abroad during summer
It sucks, but I'm curious, what types of non loli fashion is cute and popular in Nipland during the terrible,humid summer?

>>9601061
Sakura season is worth seeing at least once but keep in mind all the popular tourist spots will be PACKED. I feel like I wasted a day on my last trip trying to navigate Kyoto with in the middle of the season.

>>9601061
Hmm, okay. My friend in Osaka said as much, but she had never lived an anywhere hot before so I wasnt sure if she was exaggerating or not. Thanks, anon.

>>9601189
Yeah, I can imagine! I think we'll shoot for December 2018. It'll be a long time before I can take a holiday outside of summer/winter break.

>>9601193
Problem with heat in Japan is that for a country that is big on appliances and electronics there are a lot of homes and apartments without central cooling. It's a lot of fans and a single AC unit in the corner of the living room.

>>9601204
I live in Europe so I'm used to no A/C! But yeah, dealing with packed trains and busy streets with all those layers...eesh. The only reasons we might try to shoot for summer are to go to festivals and wear yukata (SO is really pumped to wear yukata for some reason.) But Japan in the winter sounds positively adorable with all the Christmas decorations and the possibility to wear several cute layers.

File: mikutrain.jpg (99KB, 450x292px) Image search: [Google]

99KB, 450x292px

hey, so, I'm moving to Tokyo on an exchange program with my university.
i can't afford to buy out an entire phone. does anyone know a good place I can get a used phone?
also looking for the best places to buy cheap house things, like bed sheets, appliances, and such.
finally, i am vegan, I was wondering if there are any vegan markets or amazing vegan places in Tokyo worth checking out!

>>9602093
>finally, i am vegan, I was wondering if there are any vegan markets or amazing vegan places in Tokyo worth checking out!

I'm vegetarian, and I used happycow to find places. As a general rule, most indian places will have vegetaria/vegan options - there's an excellent buffet in Ginza (but it has Ginza prices...), for example.

>>9602093
>used phone
Can be bought like new from Akihabara - don't forget to get a SIM-free one. Also, get a Wireless Gate chip and not a contract from a company, those are minimum of 2 years and nobody calls you anyway. They available in Akihabara as well, in Yodobashi.
>house stuff
For small things like bowls and plates, 100 yen stores. For toasters, microwaves and such, Hard Off.

However, I do strongly recommend you stay in a student's house and not rent an apartment. It's cheaper and you already have all the kitchen appliances in a shared kitchen. Even shared bathrooms are a mostly a good thing, because you don't have to clean them.

>veganism
This is tricky. Most places use fish in their sauce and won't tell you when you ask if they have meat. I know there's a vegan café near Harajuku but I forgot the name.

File: Screenshot_20160419-185522.png (1MB, 1080x1920px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 1080x1920px

>>9526770
fucking alllfooooort<3
actually my haul was similar, with the bambi series (olive) and four packs of sunscreen. i ended up buying the box size babyish packs and a ton more gift-boxed cookies and candy than you did, though. your pile looked a lot healthier til i saw the cigarettes lol. any reason you got them there?

also i recommend to anyone to go for gashapon they like. $3 seems like a lot to drop on trinkets til you end up with all the glowing mushroom magnets for a fraction of the online price.

>>9602093
>Vegan
RIP you. There's plenty of vegetarian and pescatarian options, but vegan's much harder for reasons mentioned above.

>>9602093
Definitely check out T's Tantan for vegan ramen. It's inside Tokyo Station so kind of hard to find, but so worth it.

Before going anywhere, make sure you have your food options planned out. Vegan places exist, especially in trendy shopping areas, but it's not really possible to walk into a restaurant and ask them for a vegan meal. I tried ordering a salad at one place without bacon pieces in it and they were like, "well, it's already in there sooo...." And some places are straight up impossible. We stayed in a traditional hotel and I pretty much had to suck it up and accept there was fish in stuff, because you get dinner and breakfast there. And if you want to visit cute themed cafes it might also be hard. But if you're mostly shopping in like, shibuya, harajuku, shinjuku, etc, there are health food vegan places because it's trendy. Like the other anon said, Happy Cow is a lifesaver!

>>9600001
The sales aren't going to be only on the 1st anon, don't be an idiot.

>>9602093
Don't expect to just walk into any restaurant and request vegan stuff, that's not going to happen. But, there is no shortage of vegan places and vegan friendly places in Tokyo. You can look up restaurants on Happy Cow, Vegewel, and Vegenavi, there are also a ton of vegan markets as well. You can even get Tofurky products in Tokyo now.

One of my favorite vegan restaurants in the Tokyo area is Olu Olu cafe. The Ain Soph chain of restaurants is also worth checking out. Theres 2 in Shinjuku, one in Ginza, and one in Ikebukuro.

>>9602891
That place is great. I am always able to find it by remembering it's in the Keiyo Street area near the Shinkansen. T's Restaurant in Jiyugaoka is also great. They serve some ramen, but offer a more expansive menu.

>>9602891
>cute themed cafes
I forgot to add in >>9603456 that the Kawaii Monster Cafe can do a vegan dish if you really want to check out a themed cafe. I haven't heard of any others so far that do vegan food. There is a maid cafe that introduced vegan ramen though this past summer.

>>9603462
If you're going to Kawaii Monster Cafe go for the weird deserts, their normal food isn't worth the price.

>>9522055
Ghibli Museum tickets sell out fucking fast so you may have to buy them at a huge markup from a tour company

>>9603618
They require that you buy a drink and an entree (on top of the entrance fee), so you have to get something if you go. The table next to me tried to just order dessert and the waitress was trying to explain to them that it didn't count.

Anyone living in Japan want to be friends?

Been here for five years now...

>>9522055
Wanna piggyback on this and suggest trying a cafe other than @home. They're the busiest and most popular but that also means that they're the most crowded, expensive, non-maid staff are extremely aggressive and you don't necessarily get as much personal attention from the girls. I also think they prioritize looks more than any other cafe which is obviously nice in some ways but some times translates into the girls not really being great performers...

I had a great experience at one of the Maidreamins in Akihabara. The girls were slightly less cute but spent more time talking to me and performing and just being over the top animated in general.

>>9603883
Curious, what do you do anon? I want to move to japan (am American) but don't really want to do the english teaching thing and definitely am not model/youtuber material.

My brother is an ALT in a small town and I'm jealous of him, but I know he gets paid shit and only sleeps like 4-5 hours a night.

I would consider english teaching if I knew I could segue into another job within a couple years... I have a specialized career in the US but I dont know if I could transition that overseas either.

I'm planning my trip and this thread has been very helpful, so thank you!

I do have 2 questions:
1. Do you have any recommendations for Maid Cafes? How was your experience? Did they speak some English? We're a bunch of girls not looking to get some action, we just want to visit one since, well, why not.

2. Do you know of any good stationary stores? Notebooks, washi tape, pens, etc. It seems we'll be in Tokyo and Kyoto, but we're not settled on it yet.

Looking for a good Kyoto Hotel, but they all seem expensive af.
I might just suck at looking though.
anyone know of any good/decently priced ones?

File: maxresdefault.jpg (60KB, 360x203px) Image search: [Google]

60KB, 360x203px

I'm moving to Japan this fall due to my husband's work transfer. Since it's such short notice, I don't think I can get my own work visa until we've landed. I'd like to work full time instead of the permitted 28 hours part time work allowed for dependent visas since wages are kind of low in Japan.

For those in Japan now, what jobs or industries are you currently working in? I am a designer by trade with a BA degree and 6 years of experience in fashion and licensing. I'll be hitting up my contacts but I'm curious if there are other designers here -who are not fluent in Japanese- that were able to get a design-related job. I don't plan on teaching English and am not a social media buff. We will be living in Tokyo and I'm also a Lolita.

>>9608897
AirBnB

>>9609200
I posted this in TRV as well but I'm tasked to find sleeping arrangements for my travel group of 6 people. here is what I have to find:

>everyone must have their own seperate room
>no hostels
>no airbnb
>no capsule hotels

hell.

>>9609209
Then go to AirBnB and look up a nice place that is basically a hotel. Kyoto has a ton of options for renting out an entire ryokan through AirBnB.