Blam! I get to go to Japan!!!

DantesInferno · Post by **DantesInferno** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 5:13 pm

It will be for work..but I am going. It appears we are going to Toyota City to visit the Toyota Global Production Center, as well as the head office in Tokyo. We are going to make an effort to learn what improvements we can make in our own facilities back here. We had a consultant from Toyota come to our plants a couple weeks ago to see how Kaizen implementations were progressing..and to try and get us to work with with a Kan Ban system of parts handling. After seeing how we produced our product they thought it would be wise to see how and what they do to help us be more efficient and cost effective.

So me, two other machinists, and another manufacturing tech along with like..six engineers get to go and tour the facilities and the training center. The downside, I'm 30...and I am the youngest person going..by about ten years. Also..we manufacture office furniture, not cars, so even though manufacturing principles are supposedly similar, it will still be a challenge to try and adapt it. The upside..in the three weeks I am there, I will work eight days. So..I may take some time to do some sight seeing/game shopping. So for those who are familiar with Japan..what are some places I should go and or see while I am there? and..how is the public transportation situation. I will have a translator with me..so that will be helpful...thanks for any suggestions.

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 7:36 pm

Congrats. A friend of mine was actually the first gaijin to work in that Toyota branch. He got his doctorate from MIT though, so he's kind of hot shit.

uwfan · Post by **uwfan** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 9:56 pm

you lucky bastard!

seriously, im jealous... have fun.

TWITCHDOCTOR · Post by **TWITCHDOCTOR** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 11:28 pm

Why not try and schedule a mini Shmupmeet while you there?
Speaking of which, is Eight-one still around?

Ord · Post by **Ord** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 1:35 am

Am i right in thinking that throughout the 3 weeks that you are there you only actually work 8 days? If this is so, the first thing you should do is try and get a JR rail card. 7 or 10 day pass. This will save you on a LOT of money. It might even be cheaperif you pre book one in America. This alows you transport in any JR line and also experience the Shinkasen (bullet train), which is fantastic fun!
When i was there i checked out Hiroshima(beautiful), Nara(one time capital of Japan & home to some stunning temples), Kyoto ( city of temples & Astro Boy) & Tokyo.
Definnatly visit Hey arcade in Akihbara and when you play Ibara think of us at shmups and give us your opinions.

Japan really is a nice country.

Super Laydock · Post by **Super Laydock** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 1:41 am

TWITCHDOCTOR wrote:Why not try and schedule a mini Shmupmeet while you there?
Speaking of which, is Eight-one still around?

Yeah, could be fun!
When exactly are you going? I myself am aiming to go during the first weeks of october...which might be too late

In any case I envy your work situation: getting paid for going over there is something like a dream to me...

IlMrm · Post by **IlMrm** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 7:27 am

Yeah, the JR Pass is a must. What the pass does is it allows you unlimited rides on JR trains, buses, etc. Plus you can reserve seats for free too. There's different kinds of passes, depending on the region you plan to visit. I got the pass that allows me to go all over Japan. I got the 14 day pass for $400 something US dollars. I saved a lot of money since I wind up riding about $1500 dollars worth of JR transportation.

The JR Pass voucher has to be purchased outside of Japan, and once in Japan, you can go to a JR office(one in every train station), and exchange it for the real pass. You must present your passport with the temporary visitor/tourist stamp on it to exchange it. Don't lose your pass!

The bullet trains kick ass. They are fast, clean, and futuristic looking. The snack carts that comes down the aisle are pretty cool. I get the only thing there I recognized - Coca Cola.

I also went to Nara. Great place, impressive temples as Ord mentioned. From Tokyo, places of interest/tourist destinations are Yokohama, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Nagoya, since they are all pretty closed by and can get there quick by the bullet train. Osaka and Tokyo are similar. There's arcades like every other block. Those UFO catcher games are damn addicting.

Have fun in Japan, especially in Akihabara. Don't forget to go to the second floor of HEY!. It is heaven on Earth.

TWITCHDOCTOR · Post by **TWITCHDOCTOR** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 7:53 am

See? I told ya, you should have been playing Tokyo Extreme Racer...that way you could just rent a car, and you would already be familar with the Tokyo highway system!

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 9:09 am

Yeha, but Toyota city is balls far from Tokyo.... 2-3 hours prolly. Something tells me on the weekends, he's going to get a cultural tour of the city from some peon at the branch he's visiting.

Stormwatch · Post by **Stormwatch** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 3:24 pm

Remember to buy many copies of Radiant Silvergun and other Japan-only rarez, to sell them with huge profit when you come back!

DantesInferno · Post by **DantesInferno** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 5:28 pm

Thanks for all the info! I am leaving in three weeks from today. I think the way it will work is, I work monday-thursday the first week, then I am off for 10 days, then I work another monday-thursday, and am off again friday..then I fly home saturday. In the 10 days I am off, I am going to do as much as humanly possible.

Ord · Post by **Ord** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 9:53 pm

DantesInferno wrote:Thanks for all the info! I am leaving in three weeks from today. I think the way it will work is, I work monday-thursday the first week, then I am off for 10 days, then I work another monday-thursday, and am off again friday..then I fly home saturday. In the 10 days I am off, I am going to do as much as humanly possible.

I was only in Japan for 10 days and although it isn't much you can see/experience a hell of a lot of stuff.

jp · Post by jp » Sun Feb 27, 2005 11:11 pm

You'll keep your eyes peeled for Derisoba Deluxe for me right?

At any rate, have fun on your trip (which I'm sure you will).

DantesInferno · Post by **DantesInferno** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 12:29 am

jp wrote:You'll keep your eyes peeled for Derisoba Deluxe for me right?

I plan on it..what is the going rate of it in japan? And, do you happen to have a pic of it..so I know what I'm looking for incase no english speaking person is around to help?

jp · Post by jp » Mon Feb 28, 2005 12:33 am

Its two goofy guys on a bike looking goofy. It goes by Derinpa Deluxe or Derisoba Deluxe.

Lemme see if I still have that pic of it...

Meh, I can't. Its just a picture of two dorks riding bikes. It should cost around $850.

llaoyllakcuf · Post by **llaoyllakcuf** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 2:45 am

price:

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 5:42 am

jp -- where were you back in the summer? Not only was it available, but I lifted one comission-free. They probably still have it in stock for what it's worth.

DantesInferno · Post by **DantesInferno** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 6:20 am

I am not worried about how much it costs..just how much JP would be willing to pay if I find it

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 11:09 am

Well, since the cat is out of the bag that it was 65,000 yen last summer (and only cheaper if anything) I doubt he'll pay much more than that.

jp · Post by jp » Mon Feb 28, 2005 5:22 pm

What is Eyeful Home? I see that around every so often for crazy prices but I still don't know what kind of game it is or why its so expensive. Any info you have about it would be coo.

As for how much I would pay:
Derisoba Deluxe - $800(I'll go ahead and start raising it soon as I pay off the Navi HiSaturn)

Eyeful Home - $950

Waltz - $900

Granted, thats listed in order of priority... so like, if you find all 3... don't bother picking them up because there's no way in hell I can throw $2700 within any reasonable amount of time.

Mind you, I'm only interested if it includes spine and reg. card (well, I'm not 100% sure Derisoba has a spine card... I know it has a reg. card though...).

Edit: Derisoba apparently never had a spine card... so never mind. Eyeful Home does though. No clue about Heim Waltz since I didn't even know that existed until I read that post GP posted...

judesalmon · Post by **judesalmon** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 7:08 pm

If you want games, go to Osaka.

greg · Post by **greg** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 7:35 pm

I may be going back to Japan during Golden Week in May to visit the in-laws. This time, my wife and I will dedicate a day to Nakano's Broadway Building, aka otaku paradise. Maybe I can squeeze Ikebukuro and Akihabara into one day.

I don't know if I'll be able to meet up with any fellow shmuppers like I did last time... Last time I got to hang out with EightOne and Yamo Skrap, but both seem to have disappeared. Gaijin Punch, you said you're no longer in Japan, right?

judesalmon · Post by **judesalmon** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 7:38 pm

In seven days in Tokyo I didn't even get as far as Ikebukuro! I just love that city so much.

Ah, Harjuku girls...

uwfan · Post by **uwfan** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 7:59 pm

judesalmon wrote:
Ah, Harjuku girls...

Is it just me, but NEARLY EVERY japanese girl i see seems incredibly beautiful to me. I love their skin color and how clear it looks, and they all seem to have beautiful eyes too.

Ill shut up now.

Ord · Post by **Ord** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 8:34 pm

uwfan wrote:
judesalmon wrote:
Ah, Harjuku girls...
Is it just me, but NEARLY EVERY japanese girl i see seems incredibly beautiful to me. I love their skin color and how clear it looks, and they all seem to have beautiful eyes too.

Ill shut up now.

Believe me not all Japanese girls look beautiful.

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 11:48 pm

No, indeed they don't, but in parts of town (Shibuya, Harajuku) if you throw a rock, chances are you'll hit a 9.

jp = there's a Heim Waltz on YJ right now for 84,000 yen. It's been on there for a while, so the guy will probably ship abroad I would assume as long as the payment is local (which I still have the capacity of). I'd probably want a deposit until it got to me, but if you want to work something out, drop me a line.

FYI: Eyeful Home and Heim Waltz are both demo discs... of homes. They were really rare promos given out. I recently saw them advertised in a Saturn Magazine when I was sifting through a stack of the entire collection. I believe there are only 50 printed of each. Not a game though, where Delisoba Deluxe is (sort of) even though Cave has done much better work obviously.

IlMrm · Post by **IlMrm** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 6:13 am

Is it just me, but NEARLY EVERY japanese girl i see seems incredibly beautiful to me. I love their skin color and how clear it looks, and they all seem to have beautiful eyes too.

Man, those short skirts and high boots/stocking/knee socks are so damn hot. The cutest girl I encountered in Japan was a travel agent at JTB. Not only was she extremely cute, but she got me a cheap deal at a nice hotel in Sapporo.

judesalmon · Post by **judesalmon** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 8:45 pm

Not all Japanese girls are beautiful, but the majority of the girls I saw whilst there were.

There is such a variety in their looks and what they wear, and there's just something about seeing those schoolgirl outfits in the flesh...