Top 10 Stores In Akihabara
July 30, 2008
The first thing a true otaku geek will ask you after your trip to Japan is what you got at Akihabara, Tokyo’s famed electronic district. If you want to be not just hip but totally with it, you’ll respond with short form followed by downplaying the whole deal. Something like “Yeah, I checked out Akiba. They had some cool stuff but I think they survive on a lot of hype. Some of that junk I could find in the States for way less. I did however pick up this kick-ass glass CD.”
Now, at $800, you better be able to pull out that glass CD if you mention it.
Here’s the truth about Akiharaba: It’s overwhelming, especially if you can’t read Japanese and are disoriented anyway, and there’s a lot of megaphone barking outside the stores. Everything as priced is too expensive, but dickering is like a Japanese pastime. If you’re good at the game, you can get a good deal—until they pretend they don’t speak English anymore. Some say maps are useless in Akihabara and that’s no problem because the idea is to get lost in electronics heaven. But let’s get real. Most people have other things to do when they’re in Tokyo.
Here are the top ten stores to check out while you’re there. Browse, buy, move on to other things before you get sucked into the maze. And remember, if you’re not near your hotel, anything you buy, you’ll have to tote around Tokyo the rest of the day.
1. Yodobashi Camera. Just opened 2005. Turn east, look for the giant 9-story building devoted to nothing but electronics.
2. Super Potato. Just so you can say you’ve been there. The Japanese have a thing for weird potato pairings; there’s a grocery store called “I am Potato,” which is hilarious to any native English speaker. Lots of Nintendo and Sega, for the vintage game lover.
3. Laox. There are eleven stores just in Akiba under this ownership, each of them specializing in something different like computers, watches, cameras, etc. You likely want the Duty Free store. Asobit City is popular with gamers.
4. Akky. Three stores, specializing in bound-for-overseas electronics—in case you’d rather not have the Japanese version of Windows and Microsoft Office on your new PC (and you don’t, instead of paper clip, there’s a dolphin that squeaks at you!).
5. Yamada Denki-Labi. Right across from the train station, you can’t miss it. Computers and weird household accessories.
6. Sofmap. 16 stores, one of them has a duty free floor. If you can locate store number one, that’s the one with the duty free stuff.
7. Ishimaru Denki. Ten stores, some for electronic equipment, some for computers, some for music, movies, and games.
8. Media Land. Arguably the best video game store on Earth, according to the Otaku Genki Manual. Ten floors and ten dollars cheaper than rivals.
9. Book Off. First for a picture in front of yet another stupid English name, second for the second-hand junk found high above a sort of Starbucks. (Warning. Japanese coffee is usually awful. If you can find a Starbucks, love it, cherish it.)
10. Yellow Submarine. For obvious reasons, but also because the building it’s in—Kitazawa Building—has every repressed child’s sweet dreams inside. Robots, figurines, Manga and comics. Just keep climbing floors, you’ll see.
Top 10 Phrases You’ll Need In Tokyo
March 7, 2008
1.Domo arigato gozaimasu (Thank you so much) – The people in Tokyo are surprisingly friendly and helpful for such a big city place. And it’s not hard to find somebody who speaks English really. But everybody needs to know how to say “thanks,” right? A simple thanks is “domo.” A slight more respectful “Thank you” is “Arigato.” Save the full phrase for when you really, really mean it. Tip: Domo is also “hi” and “bye” It’s more of an acknowledgment than a thanks.
2.Doko desu-ka…(Where is…) — Best pronunciation: doh-koh dess-ka. Begin the question with the object of the question. For example: Where is the toilet? = Toilet-wa doko desu-ka? Btw, “toilet” is pronounced toh-ee-ray, and roll the “r” just a little bit, almost as if it’s an “L.”
3.Kudesai (Please) – Self-explanatory; use where appropriate. Or after extra-gaijin requests like asking for a fork: Kudesai, Foku-wa arimasuka? (Ah-ree-mas-kah). Literally: Please, fork is there? Japanese = talking like Yoda.
4.Gomenesai (I’m sorry) – When you step on somebody’s foot on the subway. (Also useful if you accidentally stroll in to a Yakuza joint.)
5.Daijobu (That’s okay) – When somebody apologizes to you, which may be unlikely.
6.Nama birru hitatsu (One draft beer) – The Japanese number system is crazy. There are different words for numbers, depending on whether you are numbering cylindrical things or flat things or bottles or rabbits or birds or fish…on and on and on. When ordering beer, stick with “hitatsu,” which is for bottles of beer. “Nama” means “raw” or “draft,” which really comes out of big bottle usually anyway. If you want two beers, the number is “futatsu.” Three is “mitsu.” Any more than that, just hold up the appropriate number of fingers and smile. They’ll get it. Tell them whether you want Sapporo, Asahi, or Kirin. They usually have Bud and/or Bud Light, and sometimes even Heinekin.
7.Nan-sai desu-ka (How old are you?) — This could come in handy. Age of consent is typically 20, so watch yourself. The word for “20” is “ni-ju,” or 2 x 10, so any age that begins in “ni-ju…” is fair game. Do not confuse it with ju-ni, or 10 plus 2.
8.Kimochi (Feels good) – Not for you to say, but to understand. If an attractive girl tugs on your arm and uses this word repeatedly, she is likely one of many different kinds of prostitutes—or a legitimate masseuse. Proceed at your own risk. If she says “Sen zuri,” she’s definitely a prostitute.
9.Ikura? (How much?) — This is in no way related to #8. You will need this for other things, too, you perv. If you ask in Japanese, though, be prepared to get a Japanese answer. The best way to handle this is to know your general numbers, ich, ni, san, shi, go…et cetera.
10.Shitsurei (Excuse me) – That’s pronounced sheets-oo-ray, potty mouth. (Though you can have fun with them by asking them to use the word “city,” hardee-har-har.) It’s a polite word, used mostly if you are interrupting someone or getting a strangers attention. If more casual or feel you are even footing with someone, “chotto,” works well, too. For example, you might ask a ni-ju sai woman “Chotto, chotto. Opai-pabu-wa, doko desu-ka?” Just kidding. Don’t ask that. If so, you just asked where the nudie-bar is.
Bonus: When leaving a restaurant, it’s traditional to bow a little to hosts and say “Go chiso sama desushita!” — go-chee-soh-sah-mah-desh-tah. It means, literally, “It was a feast!” A nice way of thanking them for their hard work.
Top 10 Shopping center in Tokyo
November 22, 2007
1. Daiso -100 Yen Shop
Location : (Found across Japan)
100 Yen shops have been around since the dawn of time in Japan and are commonly found in some shopping areas. The shop provides a huge range of products from gardening, stationery, kitchen, clothing, electronics, tools, all for 105 Yen a piece (100 Yen plus 5 percent consumption tax). Despite the cheap prices, the quality of the products is acceptable. Cheap one-price stores are popular in Japan and now spreading to Thailand and other Asian countries.
2. Shibuya 109 Building
Location : 2-29-1 Dogenzaka Shibuya-ku
Telephone : 03-3477-5111
Shibuya is the coolest area in a maze of small alley for shopping in Tokyo. Hundreds of trendy stores, variety hip clothing boutiques and accessories are widely found. The place is always packed with crazy shoppers, most of them are teens dressing in platform boots, a miniskirt, copious amounts of makeup and hair coloring in different styles. Also they wear cosplay (costume play) resembling cartoon anime characters and punk musicians. Shibuya 109 building is very popular and is the center point for young people, catering Japanese teenagers’ unique taste.
3. Takeshita-dori
Location : Jingu-mae 1-chome, Shibuya-ku Tokyo
Located conveniently opposite Harajuku Station, Takeshita-dori allures a crowd of young fashionable people especially young Tokyoite. A number of cutting-edge boutiques are lavishly lined along Takeshita-dori, which gets the place cluttered with local and tourists particularly those who visit Tokyo on a school trip. This is the place for small idol goods and trendy clothes and designer accessories.
4. Omotesando
Omotesando is considered one of the top three most popular areas of town in Tokyo and known as the upscale shopping area providing big-name brand outlets. Not only international brand clothing boutiques range from Louis Vuitton, Chanel to Gucci that featured in Omotesando, but also excellent café, restaurants and toy store Kiddyland are presented. Omotesando is tree-lined avenue and the place of world fashion consumption.
5. Ginza
Ginza is the most exclusive and expensive shopping area in Japan. The famous downtown of Japan, which is located in Chou-Ku, appears neon signs that color the dull atmosphere at night. There are numerous spacious department stores, Wako and Miatsukoshi are two of the most famous along with Superb restaurants and gorgeous photo galleries. Ginza is Japanese’s symbol of elegance.
6. Oriental Bazaar
Location : 5-9-13 Jingumae Tokyo, 13 150-0001
Telephone : +81 (0)3 3400 3933
Oriental Bazaar is one of the most famous Japanese souvenir shops which is really famous among tourists in search of typical Japanese souvenirs. The four-storey place, which appears to be a traditional Japanese temple building, is notably one of the best places to buy affordable and beautiful, second-hand original kimonos. The bazaar satisfies your needs on buying gifts and souvenirs back home.
7. LaForet Harajuku
Location : 1-11-6 JingumaeShibuya-kuTokyo
Telephone : 03-3475-0411
LaForet Harajuku is a cutting-edge shopping complex with the LaForet Museum located on the top floor. The seven-floor shopping complex features a number of fashion boutiques which is a local landmark and shops, while the museum has hosted a wide range of events offering visitors opportunities to enjoy art and entertainment. The teen fashion mega store is known for its big summer bargain sales in July.
8. Kinokuniya
Location : 3-17-7 shinjuku - shinjuku-ku - tokyo 160-0022
Telephone : +81 3 33540131
Kinokuniya is one Tokyo’s largest bookshops near the Time Square Shopping center south exit of Shinjuku Station. The immense bookstore devotes its majority area for English books, however, it’s a comprehensive bookshop with magazines, books on Japan, dictionaries and textbooks for students of Japanese, and novels. Come Indulge yourself in the world of edutainment.
9. Isetan
Location : 3-14-1 Shinjuku Tokyo, 13 160-0022
Telephone : +81 (0)3 3352 1111
Considered the oldest and largest department store in Tokyo, Isetan features many stores of contemporary and fashionable clothing boutique while a great kimono section along with all the traditional accessories are also provided. Isetan also stocks a special range of women’s clothing (Clover Shop) and men’s wear (Supermale) in slightly larger sizes for those not quite petite enough for the standard Japanese range. Many branches were launched in many Asian countries.
10. Kiddy Land
Location : 6-1-9 Jingumae Tokyo, 13 150-0001
Telephone : +81 (0)3 3409 3431
From Hello Kitty, Barbie, Disney to Spider man are all featured in Kiddy Land, the paradise of all kids, but do not be embarrassed to enter the store if you are no longer a kid, you can’t resist the temptation from Kiddy Land. The six-floor toy store is one of the most famous in Tokyo where a wonderful range of toys can be excessively found, leaving the fantastic shop far from a snorefest.
