Author Topic: The Japan Thread (Read 233186 times)

Beezy · « **Reply #660 on:** March 08, 2018, 12:45:48 AM »

Quote from: chronovore on March 07, 2018, 07:17:06 PM

Beezy, thanks for being understanding. I felt miserable about this.

Lol its okay. I've learned and accepted a long time ago that plans aren't guaranteed to happen. Don't stress it.

Quote from: Bebpo on March 07, 2018, 07:37:38 PM

I found one with available March tickets but they want $132

I'd rather put that $132 towards food and drinks.

chronovore · « **Reply #661 on:** March 12, 2018, 05:14:16 AM »

Beezy, I'm gonna hit you up in PMs with my deets. Hopefully you're ready or en route already!

Beezy · « **Reply #662 on:** March 13, 2018, 01:15:45 PM »

Quote from: chronovore on March 12, 2018, 05:14:16 AM

Beezy, I'm gonna hit you up in PMs with my deets. Hopefully you're ready or en route already!

I'm here now. Traveling to Osaka tomorrow. Do you wanna meet then or another day?

chronovore · « **Reply #663 on:** March 13, 2018, 09:08:23 PM »

Quote from: Beezy on March 13, 2018, 01:15:45 PM

Quote from: chronovore on March 12, 2018, 05:14:16 AM
Beezy, I'm gonna hit you up in PMs with my deets. Hopefully you're ready or en route already!
I'm here now. Traveling to Osaka tomorrow. Do you wanna meet then or another day?

Oh, cool. Osaka is my stomping grounds, so that'll be great. I've got tomorrow free for now. What time did you want to meet?

Any specific stuff you're wanting to do in Osaka?

You've got a PM with my personal contact details. I don't have any for you yet.

Beezy · « **Reply #664 on:** March 14, 2018, 02:09:27 AM »

My first night in Shinjuku was way more eventful than I expected.

Me and my friend were walking towards Golden Gai from our Airbnb when I spotted an arcade. We explored both floors just to see what they had and on our way out these 3 girls (one from London, one from Scotland, one Japanese) saw how amazed we were by the arcade and got us to play Mario Kart with them (I won). Then we got some beer at a 7-11, went to the batting cages, played each other in Taiko Drum Master, did karaoke in a bar at the entrance to Golden Gai, went to like 3 other bars, separated from the girls, my friend fell in love with a bartender and set up a date with her, and then finally we got ramen at Ichiran that made me sad when I had no more left. I like it here.

Bebpo · « **Reply #665 on:** March 14, 2018, 02:13:45 AM »

That sounds amazing!

chronovore · « **Reply #666 on:** March 14, 2018, 02:31:47 AM »

BEEZY IS DOING IT CORRECTLY.

Mr. Gundam · « **Reply #667 on:** March 14, 2018, 03:07:19 PM »

Don't try to accidentally end up in a fight with some dudes in a Yakuza bar.

HardcoreRetro · « **Reply #668 on:** March 14, 2018, 03:11:24 PM »

He could at least try this.

Mr. Gundam · « **Reply #669 on:** March 14, 2018, 03:12:54 PM »

Ha. We almost ended up in a fight with some dudes in a Kabukicho bar funneling money for the Yakuza in 2010, but fortunately Cormac stepped in smoothed things out.

Beezy · « **Reply #670 on:** March 14, 2018, 05:12:13 PM »

Lol. Last night we walked down a street near Dotonbori that we were pretty sure was run by Yakuza. Guys in suits standing around every block, not that many pedestrians, and it was eerily quiet the whole way through.

We accidentally ended up at Dotonbori btw. My friend needed a charger for his MacBook so we went to the closest Apple store then just wandered around and ended up there. The whole time I was like "what is this place? Where the fuck are we?!"

bork · « **Reply #671 on:** March 14, 2018, 05:26:15 PM »

Quote from: Beezy on March 14, 2018, 05:12:13 PM

Lol. Last night we walked down a street near Dotonbori that we were pretty sure was run by Yakuza. Guys in suits standing around every block, not that many pedestrians, and it was eerily quiet the whole way through.

You'll see yakuza (or hosts, don't get 'em confused!) around but it's not like they're just going to randomly start messing with you.

Quote from: Beezy on March 14, 2018, 05:12:13 PM

We accidentally ended up at Dotonbori btw. My friend needed a charger for his MacBook so we went to the closest Apple store then just wandered around and ended up there. The whole time I was like "what is this place? Where the fuck are we?!"

That happened to me once in Tokyo. I think it was Ikebukuro. Left the hotel to go get some food (I saw a Subway and went apeshit since I hadn't had that in like two years at that point) and got lost going back. Got approached by a woman asking if I wanted sex and declined. I turned back to walk in the other direction (it was a pretty shady area) and she sees me and comes running up to see if I changed my mind. At this point I started messing with her and was like "FOR FREE!???" and she wasn't liking it. It then hit me that standing around in a not so friendly looking area laughing at a hooker was probably a bad idea and I could see people looking at me from a distance. Got my ass outta there but I guess if shit went down I would have been all right-- had my trusty foot long sammich ready to lay the smackdown with.

Mr. Gundam · « **Reply #672 on:** March 14, 2018, 05:53:58 PM »

Yeah, yakuza don't show an interest in foreigners. We just ran into a drunk dude on the train who bumped into us and got pissed and wanted to fight. He just happened to end up at the same bar. Ended up buying him a round and everything was all good. Super cheap beers and gyoza since it was a front for money laundering.

Valkyrie · « **Reply #673 on:** March 14, 2018, 06:38:10 PM »

Also had my experience with a direct yakuza encounter, during my first Japan trip when out drinking with some friends from IRC.

We had wandered somewhere kinda rural/empty trying to find an open bar, so I walked up to two well-dressed men across the street, who I thought were bouncers and asked them for directions in English. Luckily my friend (JP travel expert) knew better, so he rushed after me, grabbed my arm and insisted we'd walk away without saying anything. He still gives me shit for it, and the story he tells everyone is "how Valkyrie nearly got us killed by yakuza".

The yakuza seemed kinda dismissive so I just assumed they didn't understand English. I think they just wanted us to go away. But after living in Japan for so many years afterwards, I definitely know now they were not hosts. It's a fun memory.

chronovore · « **Reply #674 on:** March 14, 2018, 08:34:14 PM »

Quote from: Mr. Gundam on March 14, 2018, 03:12:54 PM

Ha. We almost ended up in a fight with some dudes in a Kabukicho bar funneling money for the Yakuza in 2010, but fortunately Cormac stepped in smoothed things out.

This is a story I'd like to hear.

Also, Cormacaroni smoothing things out is OOC.

bork · « **Reply #675 on:** March 14, 2018, 10:15:25 PM »

LOL, I remember Cormac getting so drunk that he was fighting with DCharlie and at one point was crawling around barking like a dog.

chronovore · « **Reply #676 on:** March 15, 2018, 07:50:28 PM »

Met IRL Beezy and he's even cooler than Bore Beezy. His friend, Senpai Charles was pretty awesome, too.

The only shocking moment was when they thought a balding, 50-year-old caucasian would know where the exciting nightlife is in Osaka.

Beezy, lemme know if it's OK with you and Senpai to post a couple pics here.

Quote from: bork on March 14, 2018, 10:15:25 PM

LOL, I remember Cormac getting so drunk that he was fighting with DCharlie and at one point was crawling around barking like a dog.

See?

OOC.

Mr. Gundam · « **Reply #677 on:** March 15, 2018, 08:20:10 PM »

I love balding 50-year old caucasians. My idea of nightlife is a place with good beer and a table.

chronovore · « **Reply #678 on:** March 15, 2018, 09:55:29 PM »

Quote from: Mr. Gundam on March 15, 2018, 08:20:10 PM

I love balding 50-year old caucasians. My idea of nightlife is a place with good beer and a table.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

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Beezy · « **Reply #679 on:** March 16, 2018, 12:26:31 AM »

Senpai Charles.

Sure, post whatever pics you want.

chronovore · « **Reply #680 on:** March 16, 2018, 01:31:30 AM »

I'll drop them in the POST YOUR NUDE PIC thread.

kingv · « **Reply #681 on:** March 16, 2018, 05:38:40 PM »

So do Yakuza in Japan where wave caps at night?

Because I’ve been playing a lot of yakuza games lately, and a lot of the characters have waves in their hair that look like they do.

Dojima? Clearly wears a wave cap to sleep.

That dude that always calls nishiki boss-man and then bitches him around, also wears a wave cap.

Is this like an actual thing?

chronovore · « **Reply #682 on:** March 18, 2018, 07:59:30 PM »

What the fuck is a wave cap?

team filler · « **Reply #683 on:** March 18, 2018, 08:01:50 PM »

Quote from: chronovore on March 18, 2018, 07:59:30 PM

What the fuck is a wave cap?

Mr. Gundam · « **Reply #684 on:** March 18, 2018, 08:14:26 PM »

Yeah, gonna show my age and whiteness too. What's a wave cap?

bork · « **Reply #685 on:** March 18, 2018, 08:34:00 PM »

I don't think it's your age...

spoiler (click to show/hide)

I didn't know they called these wave caps either- Just say "stocking cap."

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chronovore · « **Reply #686 on:** March 18, 2018, 08:47:40 PM »

And those things show up in the Yakuza games?

Beezy · « **Reply #687 on:** March 18, 2018, 10:19:04 PM »

They're worn so you can get waves in your hair, so... wave caps.

Durags are mostly worn by black men for the same reason. Waves aren't extremely popular anymore though and you're assumed to be a gangster/hoodlum if you wear one of these, so you no longer see them in public much.

chronovore · « **Reply #688 on:** March 18, 2018, 10:28:34 PM »

I guess Kingv is proposing that the permed hair of Yakuza is actually them using wave caps to control their naturally curly hair?

kingv · « **Reply #689 on:** March 19, 2018, 02:47:18 AM »

So they get perms? What kind of guy gets a perm?

Some people claim that a wave cap will also work on straight hair. I’ve never tried it so can’t really confirm one way or another.

chronovore · « **Reply #690 on:** March 19, 2018, 04:46:45 AM »

Quote from: kingv on March 19, 2018, 02:47:18 AM

So they get perms? What kind of guy gets a perm?

Some people claim that a wave cap will also work on straight hair. I’ve never tried it so can’t really confirm one way or another.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punch_perm

kingv · « **Reply #691 on:** March 19, 2018, 08:58:43 AM »

I guess I finally have a name for Norman Osbornes hair

Beezy · « **Reply #692 on:** March 23, 2018, 10:55:31 PM »

He doesn't post here anymore, but I met up with Cormac yesterday in Roppongi. Really cool guy. If I have time, I might hang out with him again this weekend. Japan Bore has been great to me.

chronovore · « **Reply #693 on:** March 25, 2018, 06:20:31 AM »

Quote from: Beezy on March 23, 2018, 10:55:31 PM

He doesn't post here anymore, but I met up with Cormac yesterday in Roppongi. Really cool guy. If I have time, I might hang out with him again this weekend. Japan Bore has been great to me.

Yeah, Cormac is a great guy. With my impending move to Tokyo, he says he’s going to drink so much with me that my wife forces me to move back to Osaka. LOL

Bebpo · « **Reply #694 on:** March 27, 2018, 03:03:36 AM »

With all the Yakuza talk earlier, wanna add that me & Duckroll ran into Japanese Yakuza on vacation (or drug deal) in Macau. We were hanging out at this one spot and Duckroll wanted me to take photos of him with some stairs behind him, only the direction he was standing was the same direction as a group of 4 Japanese guys (speaking Japanese) hanging out and smoking in their mid-20s; a couple in short sleeves with full tattoos showing down their arms and the other two in full wolfwood from Trigun “cool” black suits & sunglasses.

I thought that was a bad idea constantly taking pictures that could have been misconstrued as taking pictures of them and they were looking at us kind of funny, but afterwards when I told Duckroll about it (who hadn’t noticed) he just went “hey, Yakuza need vacations too”

bork · « **Reply #695 on:** March 27, 2018, 07:33:15 AM »

Rush Hour 4 starring Bebpo and Duckroll

tiesto · « **Reply #696 on:** April 07, 2018, 03:50:55 PM »

Just booked my plane ticket and am working with a tour company to put together an itinerary! Really excited, my first time to Japan, which is of course a place I've dreamed about going ever since I was little. Going to Tokyo/Hakone/Kyoto/Osaka and doing a mixture of weeb stuff, hip nightlife stuff, TGS, and traditional stuff.

chronovore · « **Reply #697 on:** April 07, 2018, 07:14:02 PM »

Quote from: tiesto on April 07, 2018, 03:50:55 PM

Just booked my plane ticket and am working with a tour company to put together an itinerary! Really excited, my first time to Japan, which is of course a place I've dreamed about going ever since I was little. Going to Tokyo/Hakone/Kyoto/Osaka and doing a mixture of weeb stuff, hip nightlife stuff, TGS, and traditional stuff.

Hit me up in PMs if you’d be up for a beer.

Bebpo · « **Reply #698 on:** April 07, 2018, 10:27:45 PM »

Quote from: tiesto on April 07, 2018, 03:50:55 PM

Just booked my plane ticket and am working with a tour company to put together an itinerary! Really excited, my first time to Japan, which is of course a place I've dreamed about going ever since I was little. Going to Tokyo/Hakone/Kyoto/Osaka and doing a mixture of weeb stuff, hip nightlife stuff, TGS, and traditional stuff.

I honestly am really surprised you haven't been to Japan before. You're like more into Japanese stuff than me! And you travel!

Mr. Gundam · « **Reply #699 on:** April 08, 2018, 04:43:02 PM »

Tour company? C'mon man, you're better than that.

Beezy · « **Reply #700 on:** May 04, 2018, 09:49:24 AM »

You mean Gundam Base in Odaiba? Yes, that was one of the highlights of my trip.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/egY8CZCu7r4pvUCn8

Bebpo · « **Reply #701 on:** May 04, 2018, 03:25:02 PM »

Love the lighting on it. I've only seen the Gundam statues during the day. The blue lighting inside the thrusters is

Mr. Gundam · « **Reply #702 on:** May 04, 2018, 04:33:51 PM »

Unicorn is gonna be up for a while, right? Heading back in November and would love to get a picture of my daughter and I in front of it.

Gundam Base doesn't sound nearly as cool as Gundam Front was in that same spot. It was more of a museum with less focus on selling model kits and they showed exclusive shorts there on the dome screen. When I was there in 2014 they had a special exhibition on the history of Gundam side story games and manga.

tiesto · « **Reply #703 on:** May 04, 2018, 07:06:30 PM »

Quote from: chronovore on April 07, 2018, 07:14:02 PM

Quote from: tiesto on April 07, 2018, 03:50:55 PM
Just booked my plane ticket and am working with a tour company to put together an itinerary! Really excited, my first time to Japan, which is of course a place I've dreamed about going ever since I was little. Going to Tokyo/Hakone/Kyoto/Osaka and doing a mixture of weeb stuff, hip nightlife stuff, TGS, and traditional stuff.

Hit me up in PMs if you’d be up for a beer.

Absolutely! By the time I get there will you have moved to Tokyo?

Quote from: Mr. Gundam on April 08, 2018, 04:43:02 PM

Tour company? C'mon man, you're better than that.

I put together most of the itinerary myself (with some assistance and recs from coworkers), but the tour company is handling all of the booking/tickets/train passes/etc. because I hate doing that kinda stuff

I've got a private tourguide for one day in Tokyo, and a private tourguide for Kyoto... it's not like I'll be going with a huge group of people so don't worry!

Quote from: Bebpo on April 07, 2018, 10:27:45 PM

I honestly am really surprised you haven't been to Japan before. You're like more into Japanese stuff than me! And you travel!

Yeah, a lot of it was because I was in a LTR, or between jobs, or didn't have enough cash (since buying a house). Last year was the year I finally swore I'd go, but then I had another layoff which put a dent into those plans...

Beezy · « **Reply #704 on:** May 05, 2018, 03:13:47 AM »

Quote from: Mr. Gundam on May 04, 2018, 04:33:51 PM

Unicorn is gonna be up for a while, right? Heading back in November and would love to get a picture of my daughter and I in front of it.

Gundam Base doesn't sound nearly as cool as Gundam Front was in that same spot. It was more of a museum with less focus on selling model kits and they showed exclusive shorts there on the dome screen. When I was there in 2014 they had a special exhibition on the history of Gundam side story games and manga.

Gundam Base is still really cool if you have any interest in gunpla and if you want to see any tourney winning builds up close.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/dBowntTmZsRqW5ND9

https://photos.app.goo.gl/nE9MiNHciG5pW38d6

https://photos.app.goo.gl/LJg4GEkkXAVzVsGD7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/u80I8u0NlE9yWbfc2

https://photos.app.goo.gl/PPl4gkXbnpVOGvtm2

https://photos.app.goo.gl/9UFYgFrTjcQ8hDkp2

chronovore · « **Reply #705 on:** May 05, 2018, 03:32:01 AM »

Quote from: tiesto on May 04, 2018, 07:06:30 PM

Quote from: chronovore on April 07, 2018, 07:14:02 PM
Quote from: tiesto on April 07, 2018, 03:50:55 PM
Just booked my plane ticket and am working with a tour company to put together an itinerary! Really excited, my first time to Japan, which is of course a place I've dreamed about going ever since I was little. Going to Tokyo/Hakone/Kyoto/Osaka and doing a mixture of weeb stuff, hip nightlife stuff, TGS, and traditional stuff.

Hit me up in PMs if you’d be up for a beer.

Absolutely! By the time I get there will you have moved to Tokyo?

Moved three weeks ago. Happen to be in Osaka again for Golden Week, but in all likelihood I’ll be in Tokyo at least until April 2019.

chronovore · « **Reply #706 on:** June 25, 2018, 10:37:11 AM »

https://twitter.com/joriojorijori/status/1010778855118856193

Rufus · « **Reply #707 on:** June 25, 2018, 10:59:16 AM »

woops

bork · « **Reply #708 on:** June 25, 2018, 11:20:35 AM »

Tweet says it's the Terminator!

T-Short · « **Reply #709 on:** June 25, 2018, 01:52:02 PM »

Was really confused by the chinese license plates in those pics, but then I realised that the first pic is not related to the second two at all. 🤔

bork · « **Reply #710 on:** June 25, 2018, 04:09:45 PM »

Holy shit, he walked across the ocean floor to China. T-800 confirmed!

Mr. Gundam · « **Reply #711 on:** June 25, 2018, 04:57:44 PM »

Damn that AirBNB "regulation" bullshit has made lodging in Japan way harder and more expensive to book now.

Beezy · « **Reply #712 on:** June 25, 2018, 08:29:17 PM »

Quote from: Mr. Gundam on June 25, 2018, 04:57:44 PM

Damn that AirBNB "regulation" bullshit has made lodging in Japan way harder and more expensive to book now.

What's this about now?

bork · « **Reply #713 on:** June 25, 2018, 09:09:01 PM »

Quote from: Beezy on June 25, 2018, 08:29:17 PM

Quote from: Mr. Gundam on June 25, 2018, 04:57:44 PM
Damn that AirBNB "regulation" bullshit has made lodging in Japan way harder and more expensive to book now.
What's this about now?

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Sharing-Economy/Airbnb-removes-80-of-Japan-home-share-listings
https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Sharing-Economy/Airbnb-exodus-spawns-business-boom-in-Japan

Quote

As of spring, more than 62,000 properties in Japan were available on the website of the world's largest home-share operator. The number has since plummeted nearly 80% to about 13,800.

Without a specific law on the books, prospective hosts had been required to obtain either a permit under the hotel law or certification in a special economic zone, such as Tokyo's Ota Ward. But many homeowners had obtained neither, leaving them in a legal gray zone.

Quote

In early June, Airbnb stopped listing properties that lacked official permits or had not registered confirmation codes from local governments as required under the new law, and listings plunged to about 13,800 -- roughly 80% below the peak. By June 15, the count had recovered to about 27,000 as some owners received confirmation keys and re-registered. But the company is still working to purge illegal listings, it was revealed Thursday, and probably has removed several thousand more in the last week after the Japan Tourism Agency asked it to look into the matter. Many owners are believed to have quit during this period.

Plenty of cheap business hotels out there still.

Mr. Gundam · « **Reply #714 on:** June 26, 2018, 10:48:16 PM »

We’re bringing Addie with us so we’d love to have something a little more roomy and in a neighborhood we love like Yanaka. We loved the apartments we rented in Namba and Sangenjaya last time.
Oh well, maybe things will change.

Just booked flights for November 17-27th!!!

toku · « **Reply #715 on:** June 26, 2018, 11:53:30 PM »

any of you kind enough to tell me what this hashtag is about? I'm scrolling down its TL looking like

https://twitter.com/hashtag/ロボと人の対比構図が見てみたい?src=hash

chronovore · « **Reply #716 on:** June 27, 2018, 01:13:31 AM »

Quote from: toku on June 26, 2018, 11:53:30 PM

any of you kind enough to tell me what this hashtag is about? I'm scrolling down its TL looking like

https://twitter.com/hashtag/ロボと人の対比構図が見てみたい?src=hash

Robo-to-hito - Robots and humans
no - possessive particle
taihi-kouzu - comparitive composition
ga - subject particle, kinda
Mitemitai - want to see, want to try

~"I want to look at images of robots and humans showing their comparative size."

toku · « **Reply #717 on:** June 27, 2018, 01:55:28 AM »

Mr. Gundam · « **Reply #718 on:** June 27, 2018, 11:13:07 AM »

Chrono,

We're thinking of 2-3 days down in Kyoto and then the rest up in Tokyo with one full day for Addie at Tokyo DisneySea and then the rest in the city. And a shot of her and I in front of the Unicorn Gundam on Odaiba. I'm not excited or anything.

We'll be there for Labor Thanksgiving Day. Is everything shut down?

Also, it is really hard finding anything about kids being allowed at breweries/craft beer places (think we'll be in Kyoto on a weekend so I can hit Kyoto Brewing while down there). I might have to just sneak out on my own for quick beers if necessary, but I'd love to know one way or another.

chronovore · « **Reply #719 on:** June 27, 2018, 06:46:02 PM »

"I'm not excited or anything."

I don't think Labor Thanksgiving Day is particularly fiercely observed, so you'll be able to visit most stuff. (…he said as a fact, but which was only an educated guess.)

I'll be visiting a brewery here in Tokyo next week, Vector Brewing, and I'll ask about if kids are allowed. I'm pretty sure most brewpubs allow kids, the same way any izakaya allows children. It's only straight-up bars that would not welcome them, and I think that's less about laws and more about the type of environment they want to provide patrons. (Again, just an educated guess.)

News:

Author Topic: The Japan Thread (Read 233186 times)