People in Japan help me out

[burgerkingdiamond]

I live in the USA but I will be in Japan for 16 days this January for work. I'll be in Sasebo, which is on the Island of Kyushu. Unfortunately I don't think I'll get to spend anytime in Tokyo besides being in the Airport for a couple of hours. This sucks since I would really love to go to Akihabara... Anyway, I've never been to Japan before but I figure that it shouldn't be too hard to find an arcade nearby. Are there any good ones near Sasebo, or on Kyushu? On the weekend I would be able to travel by train if it wasn't TOO far away. Thanks!!!

[burgerkingdiamond]

hmm, I don't even see Sasebo on the map of Kyushu, so I don't know if anyone will even know it. But I think its about a 2 hour bus drive from Fukuoka, which Google is telling me is the bigges city on Kyushu

[SamIAm]

I live in Fukuoka city. Although I haven't found any arcades worth mentioning yet, there is a halfway decent used game store in Tenjin (the center part of Fukuoka, where you will come if you ride the bus or Nishitetsu train line). Is that something you're interested in as well?

[burgerkingdiamond]

I live in Fukuoka city. Although I haven't found any arcades worth mentioning yet, there is a halfway decent used game store in Tenjin (the center part of Fukuoka, where you will come if you ride the bus or Nishitetsu train line). Is that something you're interested in as well?

yeah I would definitely like to go to a place like that. I hope I don't spend too much money though. Seriously, that could be a problem

[originalz]

Sasebo is in Nagasaki.

There's plenty of great arcades in Fukuoka, I go there every once in awhile for business and never have a problem finding shit to do. Famicom house is a good place for retro games! Still, won't be very conveinent for you to run back and forth between the prefectures.

Can't vouch for these Sasebo arcades, but they're probably pretty decent if they're listed on this site:

http://www.ge-sen.com/am/s2_list_42_%BA ... D%BB%D4_1/

[burgerkingdiamond]

Sasebo is in Nagasaki.

There's plenty of great arcades in Fukuoka, I go there every once in awhile for business and never have a problem finding shit to do. Famicom house is a good place for retro games! Still, won't be very conveinent for you to run back and forth between the prefectures.

Can't vouch for these Sasebo arcades, but they're probably pretty decent if they're listed on this site:

http://www.ge-sen.com/am/s2_list_42_%BA ... D%BB%D4_1/

thanks for the link but I don't know ANY japanese... I envy those people who have the motivation to learn such a tough language. If I were to learn another language it would probably be Vietnamese so I could talk to my girlfriend and her parents (she speaks english or course but they only do a little).

[originalz]

Here are maps to three different arcades in Sasebo:

http://maps.google.co.jp/maps?q=33.1907 ... &z=16&om=1 (closest station is Ainora)

http://maps.google.co.jp/maps?q=33.1460 ... &z=16&om=1 (closest station is Daito)

http://www.wideleisure.co.jp/info/searc ... o_map.html (seems to be between Daito and Hiu)

With any luck, these should be a good starting point.

[Stealthlurker]

Sasebo... Virginia... just wondering, are you in the military? Navy?

Just curious.


.

[Sandlegs]

Are you in the tobacco industry? when i think of virginia and north carolina i think of tobacco

[burgerkingdiamond]

Sasebo... Virginia... just wondering, are you in the military? Navy?

Just curious.


.

I work for the DOD as an engineer. Just graduated college back in May.

[burgerkingdiamond]

Here are maps to three different arcades in Sasebo:

http://maps.google.co.jp/maps?q=33.1907 ... &z=16&om=1 (closest station is Ainora)

http://maps.google.co.jp/maps?q=33.1460 ... &z=16&om=1 (closest station is Daito)

http://www.wideleisure.co.jp/info/searc ... o_map.html (seems to be between Daito and Hiu)

With any luck, these should be a good starting point.

thanks for the links. do you know any way to make them readable in English? Also, is the Tokyo scum blog yours? It's pretty good. Interesting even though I really didn't understand anything of what it was about. The only Jap stuff I'm into is shmups pretty much. So all of the other Jap culture insanity is completely foreign to me.

[originalz]

Here are maps to three different arcades in Sasebo:

http://maps.google.co.jp/maps?q=33.1907 ... &z=16&om=1 (closest station is Ainora)

http://maps.google.co.jp/maps?q=33.1460 ... &z=16&om=1 (closest station is Daito)

http://www.wideleisure.co.jp/info/searc ... o_map.html (seems to be between Daito and Hiu)

With any luck, these should be a good starting point.

thanks for the links. do you know any way to make them readable in English? Also, is the Tokyo scum blog yours? It's pretty good. Interesting even though I really didn't understand anything of what it was about. The only Jap stuff I'm into is shmups pretty much. So all of the other Jap culture insanity is completely foreign to me.

Yeah, I help run the site. Heh, I wouldn't expect many people to really understand it, most of what we write is related to underground counter-culture and such.

Anyway, it looks like if you change the URL to be maps.google.com instead of maps.google.co.jp, it changes some of the landmarks to English. That's probably as good as you're going to get. Most important thing is the station name, though. Once you get off at the right place, just have a copy of the map with you and follow it to the destination. Addresses are kind of weird in Japan, so it's difficult to give detailed directions unless you have a GPS on you.

[greg]

I stayed in Sasebo for a night once. It was the only place in Japan I've encountered overt racism directed at me. It wasn't a total dump, because there were some redeeming qualities. Decent burger joints, but that won't be of any concern since you're coming from the USA. Check out a cool toy shop called Wai Wai Boueki in the main shopping arcade if you're into that sort of thing.

[Equites]

I stayed in Sasebo for a night once. It was the only place in Japan I've encountered overt racism directed at me.

Why what happened dude? I spent a week in Tokyo and never came across any kind of racism and discrimination.

[greg]

Why what happened dude? I spent a week in Tokyo and never came across any kind of racism and discrimination.

Dude, I spent two years in Japan and never experienced any racism or discrimination until I visited Sasebo. My wife and I were walking down the shotengai (covered shopping arcade street blocked to traffic). Some old man, who looked old enough to have lived during the war and possibly could have even been a Japanese soldier, said to my wife as he passed by, "Omae wa Nihonjin ka? Baka!" Translation: "You're Japanese, huh? Idiot!" I'm sure that the only reason was because Sasebo is a military town. I saw firsthand how the military numbskulls behaved on the streets of that town, and I was only there for one night. I can't blame the locals for having prejudiced views towards Americans when their only examples of Americans behave like children, running around, shouting at each other from down the streets. It may be viewed as friendly behavior by them, but for Japanese culture, you just don't behave like that. I don't know if there is any history of crime and rape by the military in Sasebo.

If you want to read my whole experience with Sasebo, go here http://stevethefish.net/life/life017.htm Do a CTRL+F for Sasebo if you don't want to read about our trip to Nagasaki and skip down to the Sasebo part.

Anyhow, shouldn't this topic be in the off-topic forum rather than the main shmups forum?

[burgerkingdiamond]

Why what happened dude? I spent a week in Tokyo and never came across any kind of racism and discrimination.

Dude, I spent two years in Japan and never experienced any racism or discrimination until I visited Sasebo. My wife and I were walking down the shotengai (covered shopping arcade street blocked to traffic). Some old man, who looked old enough to have lived during the war and possibly could have even been a Japanese soldier, said to my wife as he passed by, "Omae wa Nihonjin ka? Baka!" Translation: "You're Japanese, huh? Idiot!" I'm sure that the only reason was because Sasebo is a military town. I saw firsthand how the military numbskulls behaved on the streets of that town, and I was only there for one night. I can't blame the locals for having prejudiced views towards Americans when their only examples of Americans behave like children, running around, shouting at each other from down the streets. It may be viewed as friendly behavior by them, but for Japanese culture, you just don't behave like that. I don't know if there is any history of crime and rape by the military in Sasebo.

If you want to read my whole experience with Sasebo, go here http://stevethefish.net/life/life017.htm Do a CTRL+F for Sasebo if you don't want to read about our trip to Nagasaki and skip down to the Sasebo part.

Anyhow, shouldn't this topic be in the off-topic forum rather than the main shmups forum?

hey man, yeah it should be in off topic. I guess it slipped my mind when I made the original post. If a mod can move it that would be cool. As for the racism thing, some of the guys I work with that have been to Sasebo have told me the same thing. They say that overall it's not a bad place, but that there are certain bars/restaurants that don't really want Americans to come in. It's definitely because of the young guys in the Navy that are over there and get drunk and obnoxious. Btw, I'm not in the military, I'm a civilian engineer. I'm still looking forward to it though. Even though I'll be working 10 hours a day, I'm going to try and find as much cool stuff to check out as I can, and eat as much sushi as I can.

[originalz]

I stayed in Sasebo for a night once. It was the only place in Japan I've encountered overt racism directed at me.

Why what happened dude? I spent a week in Tokyo and never came across any kind of racism and discrimination.

Hahahaha, I don't mean to sound like a dick, but I find it really cute that you think a one-week visit to Tokyo (likely only visiting major districts) is at all representative of life as a foreigner here.

Hell, sometimes they don't even try to hide it. Try listening to some of those loudspeakers that are so common in front of a station, especially Akihabara on the weekend. For some reason all of the racists tend to conjugate there. I really want to interview some of those guys and poke holes through their arguments.

Still, for the most part, you won't deal with it in your daily life. I've had a few bad experiences, but I'm sure it's nothing compared to what minorities have to go through in western countries.

[rancor]

Try listening to some of those loudspeakers that are so common in front of a station, especially Akihabara on the weekend.

I like to smile like an idiot and wave when the nationalists in the black vans go speeding by. They never wave back..

[kemical]

OT, but I wouldn't be happy with other countries setting up military bases here in the US....

[burgerkingdiamond]

OT, but I wouldn't be happy with other countries setting up military bases here in the US....

Kinda goes without saying. I guess its leftover from WWII though.

[DragonInstall]

Just have to make sure they don't try to pull something shifty you know.

If you ever played splinter cell chaos theory.. you'd understand everything.

[TrevHead (TVR)]

OT, but I wouldn't be happy with other countries setting up military bases here in the US....

Kinda goes without saying. I guess its leftover from WWII though.

I dont know the political history over there but I dont have much of a problem with allowing a close ally the use of military bases in my country for aslong as we have the same goals on a worldwide stage. (rather that then the UK becoming part of an European Army like those in Brussels want). The Japanese should be gratefull for the way the US bankrolled them after WW2 (and unlike US loans to the UK no dodgy loans where given that did more damage then good).

Anyway enough about history the main point I wanted to make was how diffenrent life in Japan appears to be from the romantic view that many western gamers and anime lovers have. Ive never been to Japan but ive allways had an intrest in the place been that so many cool things came from there, and thought that it would be a cool place to live in. However the bits of info ive come across been on the net is that life in Japan for any foreigner is anything but the dream many westerns see it.
With adults expected to have no life expect for the company they work for, working 12 hours a day and getting paid for 9. The fact that an adult who watches anime or plays games at home is thought as shamefull. Then theres the xenophobia to foreigners, the ID card shit and police brutality who use it to force a confession from the suspect (no wonder Japan has such a low crime rate and a high conviction rate).

Not that im saying that Japan is a evil country / culture, no every where in the world has good points and bad points, its just not the mecca so many westerners think it is

[Koa Zo]

... Btw, I'm not in the military, I'm a civilian engineer. I'm still looking forward to it though. Even though I'll be working 10 hours a day, I'm going to try and find as much cool stuff to check out as I can, and eat as much sushi as I can.

Huh. A friend of mine is a civilian engineer for the Navy and he too left for a job in Japan today. I wonder if you guys are working together?...
If you cross paths with a guy named Randy from the Philly area tell him "Ozone" says what-up!

[burgerkingdiamond]

... Btw, I'm not in the military, I'm a civilian engineer. I'm still looking forward to it though. Even though I'll be working 10 hours a day, I'm going to try and find as much cool stuff to check out as I can, and eat as much sushi as I can.

Huh. A friend of mine is a civilian engineer for the Navy and he too left for a job in Japan today. I wonder if you guys are working together?...
If you cross paths with a guy named Randy from the Philly area tell him "Ozone" says what-up!

No way! I'll keep an eye out.

[dcharlie]

Originalz, had a few incidents where Japanese people were overtly racist - on each occasion it was from someone elderly. Seems to be a bit of a pattern.

[HeLGeN-X]

Wow, I find it strange someone from here is going to Sasebo. Are you in the Navy? I am actually not in any service, but I lived in Sasebo for a year with my wife and son because she is from there. There's not many places in Sasebo to go for gaming to be honest. You will have to go to Fukuoka, but if you want a place which may still have Dodonpachi Daioujou, there's an arcade called Ami Para (Amusement Paradise - アミ－パラ） close to a place called Jusco if you are close to the navy base in navy town (where the long arcade (in terms of mall) is), you can take a straight bus to it. There's no other shmup games available that I know of in the city as long as I lived there. If you want a hobby game shop, there is one just behind Jusco that is one of the only true hobby shops, they HAD Ketsui Death Label for DS but sold out of it often. In Ami Para, there was like a legend in DDPDOJ, he could 1CC the game at any given moment I was there, they also had a shmup test game, aside from that and fighters, not much else. There's not many arcades around there.

Now if you go to Fukuoka on the train in Haiki station line to Hakata (Fukuoka), it cost $45 round trip (￥４、１００）. Once you get off, it will only take like an iPod touch or an iPhone to find it, but just some questions away to find Tenjin GIGO (Taito Arcade) which has Ketsui, DDPDOJ, King of Fighters shmup and a couple of older shmups, as well as a lot of new fighters, that's the best arcade.

If you are into competitive fighter play, check out Monkey House with a quick Google search. I am a bit too busy to do it for you, but since I know you will be thirsty for games, you could find it easy, just make sure it's Japanese google.

I hope I could help, if you need to know anything else about Sasebo like drinking spots, cafe's, English speaking zones, skate parks, let me know.

I am moving to Fukuoka next year before summer so if you go back, you'll have a homey there.

[burgerkingdiamond]

Wow, I find it strange someone from here is going to Sasebo. Are you in the Navy? I am actually not in any service, but I lived in Sasebo for a year with my wife and son because she is from there. There's not many places in Sasebo to go for gaming to be honest. You will have to go to Fukuoka, but if you want a place which may still have Dodonpachi Daioujou, there's an arcade called Ami Para (Amusement Paradise - アミ－パラ） close to a place called Jusco if you are close to the navy base in navy town (where the long arcade (in terms of mall) is), you can take a straight bus to it. There's no other shmup games available that I know of in the city as long as I lived there. If you want a hobby game shop, there is one just behind Jusco that is one of the only true hobby shops, they HAD Ketsui Death Label for DS but sold out of it often. In Ami Para, there was like a legend in DDPDOJ, he could 1CC the game at any given moment I was there, they also had a shmup test game, aside from that and fighters, not much else. There's not many arcades around there.

Now if you go to Fukuoka on the train in Haiki station line to Hakata (Fukuoka), it cost $45 round trip (￥４、１００）. Once you get off, it will only take like an iPod touch or an iPhone to find it, but just some questions away to find Tenjin GIGO (Taito Arcade) which has Ketsui, DDPDOJ, King of Fighters shmup and a couple of older shmups, as well as a lot of new fighters, that's the best arcade.

If you are into competitive fighter play, check out Monkey House with a quick Google search. I am a bit too busy to do it for you, but since I know you will be thirsty for games, you could find it easy, just make sure it's Japanese google.

I hope I could help, if you need to know anything else about Sasebo like drinking spots, cafe's, English speaking zones, skate parks, let me know.

I am moving to Fukuoka next year before summer so if you go back, you'll have a homey there.

Thanks dude. I'll be working on a ship on the base. But I'm not in the military.
I'll be in Fukuoka on the last night of my trip. I don't know how much time I'll have to spend there though. I might be able to make it to an arcade.
Theres a skate park around Sasebo??? I didn't even think of bringing my board, but I'd interested to know what's there. If it sounds good maybe I'll bring it.

[Koa Zo]

No way, you skate?!
I hope you do run into my friend. Hes an early FDR skater. Would def be good times. Though i dont think he brings his board either. Hes more into surfing when he eorks overseas.

Ill try to email him n find out if hes in the same the same port.

[rancor]

Get OUT!! Who knew that skaters and shmups went together so well?! I do too, but I'm in Tokyo. Sell skateboards here as well:

http://www.sk8tokyo.com/

As far as I know user "iluvmonsters" skates and plays shmups as well.. Would be epic if we somehow could all get together.. That would be a helluva day...

- Sorry - back on topic now.

[StarCreator]

I asked a friend who lives in the area. This is what he had to say:

"There is a Taito Station in Tenjin, and yes, they have plenty of shmups. There is also Round One, which is next to Taito Station. There is an arcade on the top floor of Yodobashi Camera in Hakata and that place has shmups as well. There is also another Taito Station in Yoshizuka, but the selection of games there isn't as good. Those are the ones I usually frequent."