Stores selling Transformers in Japan

[Firestorm]

There are two department stores atop Ikebukuro station (similar to the former Melbourne Daimaru). There's also a Bic Camera store which is known to stock Transformers at cheap sales prices.

Ikebukuro is now added to my list

This is a good thread! I will keep my eye on it, cos I'm looking at going to Japan later this year too!

Hope you have fun in Japan too

i'm heading down mar20 which is just less than 2 weeks to go so i'll post my trip reviews and hopefully i can find lots of shops to update this thread then although there's another one already created with the list of places to visit.

Wow, that's soon. Have fun Iceburn, I hope you find some really great shops
so there was already a thread about going to Japan?

oh, does anyone know if Odaiba is worth going to?

[iceburn]

so there was already a thread about going to Japan?

here you go:
http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=5534

[Lord_Zed]

That threads a bit more store focused, I though this one was for more general Japanese holiday discussion.

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

On a semi-related note, I've applied for the JET Program and hopefully will be off soon (should find out if/when/where I go in a week or so).
Trouble is, I need to take some medications into the country, which requires a Yakkan Shoumei import certificate. As part of that I need to send a return envelope with Japanese postage stamps (enough for a Japan to Perth mail) so I can get the certificate back, but I can't find any Japanese stamps anywhere. I've tried the Japanese embassy (I'm presently in Perth and hoping I can take off for the mid-April departure) but no dice and when I tried for a standard international reply-paid envelope the post office dude said they don't do them anymore. Does anyone know where - or even if - I can find some of these babies in Oz?

[Lord_Zed]

Well looks like I'm in the middle of the Japan trip crew with a trip planned in June, last time I did the tour thing and saw a lot of things but only briefly, This time mostly confining myself to Tokyo, so I can get a better look at it.

I heard there was an Akihabara equivalent in Osaka, I'll be sure to check it out.
We’d like to see all sorts of things cultural stuff (like Osaka castle) touristy (Tokyo tower) shopping (Akihabara) Nature (... umm yeah maybe some nature places too)

Use Gundam Simulators (if they still have those)

Osaka Castle is more of a museum than a castle, it's all new and shiny, with an elevator installed, it's still good though if you can't get to one of the old Castles. You can also pay a few yen and wear replica Samurai helmets.

On the culture side I recommend going to at least one traditional Japanese garden, and one Shrine or temple.

And I doubt the Gundam sim game has gone anywhere, I hear it's so popular you have to queue for it sometimes.

Ikebukuro is now added to my list

Wow, that's soon. Have fun Iceburn, I hope you find some really great shops
so there was already a thread about going to Japan?

oh, does anyone know if Odaiba is worth going to?

Odaiba is worth a look and has a number of attractions, including one of the worlds tallest ferris wheels, A Toyota exhibition haul where you can look at their products close up, a fancy arcade, a shopping center that mimics the look of Venice (with fake sky) and a miniature Statue of Liberty. It's not much chop for TF's, though there is a Toys r Us there. I went there on a Monday night when half the stuff was closed alas, it was also near deserted and kinda eerie actually.

Taking the Yurikamome monorail over the Rainbow Bridge is pretty cool too.

Are you just going to stay in Osaka or Tokyo? Cause there are quite a few places worth seeing outside of those cities, and the speed of the Shinkansen means they don't take that long to get to.

[iceburn]

That threads a bit more store focused, I though this one was for more general Japanese holiday discussion.

yeah agree but most places are mentioned there so he can take a reference and time to read if he didn't find it in the first place.

[GoktimusPrime]

In terms of ancient culture I'd recommend Kyoto and Nara. But there are small temples, shrines etc. everywhere in Japan.

And of course, the modern day Japanese shrine -- the Jidouhanbaiki (自動販売機: vending machines!) \(^O^)/

[Saintly]

Don't forget the Ghibli Museum if you are a fan of Ghibli

ps. that's in Tokyo and you do need to pre-book your ticket(s)

[Firestorm]

here you go:
http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=5534

After reading through that thread I am sure I will be able to find plenty of transformers to buy, thanks for showing me that thread Iceburn.
But as Lord Zed said this thread is more about general tourist/sightseeing places (as well as transformers shopping)

Well looks like I'm in the middle of the Japan trip crew with a trip planned in June, last time I did the tour thing and saw a lot of things but only briefly, This time mostly confining myself to Tokyo, so I can get a better look at it.

Have fun, hope you can find some cool stuff

Osaka Castle is more of a museum than a castle, it's all new and shiny, with an elevator installed, it's still good though if you can't get to one of the old Castles. You can also pay a few yen and wear replica Samurai helmets.

On the culture side I recommend going to at least one traditional Japanese garden, and one Shrine or temple.

Yeah we heard Osaka Castle was all modernised-museumified but we still wanna check it out, plus an old castle might be cool and a garden and shrine/temple

And I doubt the Gundam sim game has gone anywhere, I hear it's so popular you have to queue for it sometimes.

My friend is really into Gundam so he's really looking forward to playing the Gundam Sim, I don’t know much about Gundam but I think the Gundam sim still sounds cool

Odaiba is worth a look and has a number of attractions, including one of the worlds tallest ferris wheels, A Toyota exhibition haul where you can look at their products close up, a fancy arcade, a shopping center that mimics the look of Venice (with fake sky) and a miniature Statue of Liberty. It's not much chop for TF's, though there is a Toys r Us there. I went there on a Monday night when half the stuff was closed alas, it was also near deserted and kinda eerie actually.

Taking the Yurikamome monorail over the Rainbow Bridge is pretty cool too.

Hmm tall ferris wheel, Toyota stuff, statue of liberty, toys r us, monorail, eerie fake Venice ... I'm in Odaiba is added to my list

Are you just going to stay in Osaka or Tokyo? Cause there are quite a few places worth seeing outside of those cities, and the speed of the Shinkansen means they don't take that long to get to.

We will be over in Japan for about a month and so far we have decided to spend the first few days in Osaka, and the last 2 weeks or so in Tokyo, leaving about a week and a half in the middle for us to fill with staying in other parts of Japan, we just don’t know where else to go

In terms of ancient culture I'd recommend Kyoto and Nara. But there are small temples, shrines etc. everywhere in Japan.

And of course, the modern day Japanese shrine -- the Jidouhanbaiki (自動販売機: vending machines!) \(^O^)/

we probably will go to Kyoto at some point while we are staying in Tokyo.

Ah vending machines, greatest technological breakthrough ever ha-ha. Is it true that you can get almost anything out of a vending machine in Japan?

Don't forget the Ghibli Museum if you are a fan of Ghibli

ps. that's in Tokyo and you do need to pre-book your ticket(s)

The only Ghibli films I've seen are Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro, I don’t think we'll check out the Ghibli Museum, but it was a good suggestion

My list of things to do
Osaka (first few days)
Go to Osaka Castle
Go to Den Den Town
Unused Time (about a week and a half)
Tokyo (Last 2 weeks)
Go to Tokyo Disneyland
Go to Tokyo Tower
Karaoke
Use Gundam Simulators
Go to Shibuya (NEW)
Go to Kyoto (NEW)
Go to Ikebukuro (NEW)
Go to Odaiba (New)

[Saintly]

We visited Hakone/Lake Ashi for a couple of days when we went there. A nice area if you want to see Mt Fuji (from afar).

Kyoto is beautiful as well (streets are organised like Melbourne CBD). If you do visit Kyoto, stop by the Arashiyama area.

In terms of old castle, I think Nijo Castle in Kyoto retains a far bit (ie. not allow to use flash photography)