[Currawong]

​

 
 
I've already been asked for details about the festival this year and Fujiya Avic have confirmed the details on their web site, this time with a video (albeit shot in the middle of the snow in Tokyo). There wont be any snow in Spring.
 
This time it appears to be happening at Nakano Sun Plaza, which is very easy to get to. I guess they ran out of room at Aoyama (they completely filled 4 floors last time).
 
From Anakchan:
 

10th May 11 a.m. -> 7 p.m. 11th May 10:30 a.m. -> 6 p.m.
At the Sun Plaza, Nakano occupying floors 6, 7, 13, 14, & 15.

 
I'll be there from Wednesday or Thursday until Monday. We often have a bit of an audio-related tour around Tokyo on the Friday before the show, which anyone is welcome to join.
 
If you're visiting from outside Japan, here are a few tips (updated when I think of more or people chime in with their own):
 

1. Bring plenty of cash. Credit cards aren't as accepted here as they are in major countries. You can't pay for train tickets, for example, with a credit card. Also, stores like Uniqlo reject foreign credit cards (well, you can always ask them to call the call centre for their bank and get it approved, but they probably don't speak english). Edit: Apparently convenience store ATMs will accept foreign debit cards if you want to withdraw cash.
2. Speaking of trains, if you're going to be here for a week or more and travel around the country, get a Rail Pass. You MUST do this outside of Japan. (Google "Japan rail pass"). It allows you to take even the very expensive bullet trains for free. 
3. If you're just visiting Tokyo, buy a Sugoca card at the station. It's a pre-paid RFID card that makes going through the stations a breeze. If you plan to join us on our walk-around in Tokyo, or if we go somewhere for dinner that isn't nearby, if you don't have one, we'll make you get one! 
   
    Seriously though, you can even use them to pay for stuff at convenience stores, which saves a lot of hassle both fiddling with coins.
4. Bring a small hand towel or two. Many toilets DON'T have any means to dry your hands, as most people carry their own hand drying towel. If you forget, plenty of places, probably even at the airports, have them for $1.

 

[johnhdarko]

Thanks Currawong.  Count me very much IN.
 
I arrive in Tokyo first thing on the Thursday morning.

 

[gpoutakidis]

Hi Currawong,

I too will be there

 

[Currawong]

I look forward to meeting you guys. Now I think of it, I should update the first post with some tips for coming to Japan for people who haven't been here yet, as we always get a few.

 

[johnhdarko]

  I look forward to meeting you guys. Now I think of it, I should update the first post with some tips for coming to Japan for people who haven't been here yet, as we always get a few.

 
Thanks Currawong - looking forward to you showing us around.

 

[gpoutakidis]

Thanks Currawong,

For Tokyo 101. I have never been to Japan and will be looking forward to this trip and your tour. It is greatly appreciated.

Is there anything you miss from Australia that I can bring along as a small thank you?

 

[AnakChan]

Thanks Currawong,

For Tokyo 101. I have never been to Japan and will be looking forward to this trip and your tour. It is greatly appreciated.

Is there anything you miss from Australia that I can bring along as a small thank you?

 
gpoutakidis, I look forward to meeting you. I heard about Addicted to Audio through one of the local Japanese DAC/Amp makers here.

 

[ExpatinJapan]

I`m in too.
 
Good idea about a Tips for coming to Japan list Currawong. I would save typing up tips multiple times on the forums and via PM.

 

[jjinh]

I always miss out on being in town when HF meets are happening... this year I leave Tokyo before this meet but arrive home too late for the one in Sydney in early May! 
 

  If you're visiting from outside Japan, here are a few tips (updated when I think of more or people chime in with their own):
 

1. Bring plenty of cash. Credit cards aren't as accepted here as they are in major countries. You can't pay for train tickets, for example, with a credit card. Also, stores like Uniqlo reject foreign credit cards (well, you can always ask them to call the call centre for their bank and get it approved, but they probably don't speak english).
2. Speaking of trains, if you're going to be here for a week or more and travel around the country, get a Rail Pass. You MUST do this outside of Japan. (Google "Japan rail pass"). It allows you to take even the very expensive bullet trains for free. 
3. If you're just visiting Tokyo, buy a Sugoca card at the station. It's a pre-paid RFID card that makes going through the stations a breeze. If you plan to join us on our walk-around in Tokyo, or if we go somewhere for dinner that isn't nearby, if you don't have one, we'll make you get one! 
   
    Seriously though, you can even use them to pay for stuff at convenience stores, which saves a lot of hassle both fiddling with coins.
4. Bring a small hand towel or two. Many toilets DON'T have any means to dry your hands, as most people carry their own hand drying towel. If you forget, plenty of places, probably even at the airports, have them for $1.

 
Regarding the above:
- Personally I'd take a minimum amount of cash and withdraw it as required. ATMs that take non-Japanese mastercard and visa are numerous starting from the Citibanks in Narita to the Japan Post and 7-11s that are everywhere. Just make sure you have an account that lets you withdraw money at (close to) the interbank rate without ATM and foreign transaction fees.
- I second the Suica recommendation. Really useful, and you can also use it on quite a few transport systems outside of Tokyo.

 

[Currawong]

  I always miss out on being in town when HF meets are happening... this year I leave Tokyo before this meet but arrive home too late for the one in Sydney in early May! 
 

  If you're visiting from outside Japan, here are a few tips (updated when I think of more or people chime in with their own):
 

1. Bring plenty of cash. Credit cards aren't as accepted here as they are in major countries. You can't pay for train tickets, for example, with a credit card. Also, stores like Uniqlo reject foreign credit cards (well, you can always ask them to call the call centre for their bank and get it approved, but they probably don't speak english).
2. Speaking of trains, if you're going to be here for a week or more and travel around the country, get a Rail Pass. You MUST do this outside of Japan. (Google "Japan rail pass"). It allows you to take even the very expensive bullet trains for free. 
3. If you're just visiting Tokyo, buy a Sugoca card at the station. It's a pre-paid RFID card that makes going through the stations a breeze. If you plan to join us on our walk-around in Tokyo, or if we go somewhere for dinner that isn't nearby, if you don't have one, we'll make you get one! 
   
    Seriously though, you can even use them to pay for stuff at convenience stores, which saves a lot of hassle both fiddling with coins.
4. Bring a small hand towel or two. Many toilets DON'T have any means to dry your hands, as most people carry their own hand drying towel. If you forget, plenty of places, probably even at the airports, have them for $1.

 
Regarding the above:
- Personally I'd take a minimum amount of cash and withdraw it as required. ATMs that take non-Japanese mastercard and visa are numerous starting from the Citibanks in Narita to the Japan Post and 7-11s that are everywhere. Just make sure you have an account that lets you withdraw money at (close to) the interbank rate without ATM and foreign transaction fees.
- I second the Suica recommendation. Really useful, and you can also use it on quite a few transport systems outside of Tokyo.

 
Do 7-11s accept international cards? I might have to give this a try. However, given the relative level of safety here, carrying around large amounts of cash is not a problem. What IS a problem is running out of cash -- you are basically screwed as you can't use a CC on public transport, and regularly catching trains you forget how incredibly huge even central Tokyo is. This year, if you're staying in Shinjuku and taking the train one stop to Nakano Sun Plaza, if you didn't have money or a ticket to get back to Shinjuku, you'd be up for a 4km/2.5 mile, ~80 minute walk back. 
 
However, I think I put about 2000-3000 yen (~$20-30) on my Suica card and carry about 30,000 yen or $300 because I inevitably end up buying bits and pieces and some stores auto-reject foreign cards, or, in the case of smaller restaurants, don't accept credit cards at all. Those amounts give me a sufficient buffer.

 

[ExpatinJapan]

Cards are accepted more than they used to be.
BUT, but... As Currawong stated Japan IS a mainly cash society.

Yes, there are more atm machines that take foreign card these days.....but if you are a visitor will you be able to find them, also asking someone to take you around Tokyo to find themselves an atm can be a pita.

A bit harsh perhaps, but this is based in over ten years living in Japan. Make it easy on yourselves and others cash wise

I carry a suica and in general tend to keep ¥50,000 in my wallet to be prepared.

 

[jjinh]

  Do 7-11s accept international cards? I might have to give this a try.

 
Yeh. They stopped accepting international mastercard at some point a little while ago but I heard it's back to normal now (although their website says there still may be some issues...)
http://www.sevenbank.co.jp/intlcard/card2.html

 

[SoupRKnowva]

I will be there as well. Can't wait to get back to japan for another week that will be all leisure instead of mostly work like my current trip. Ill be coming in on thursday as well, probably get to tokyo around 4 thursday afternoon.
 
Anyone interested in splitting a hotel for some of the nights?

 

[Currawong]

  I will be there as well. Can't wait to get back to japan for another week that will be all leisure instead of mostly work like my current trip. Ill be coming in on thursday as well, probably get to tokyo around 4 thursday afternoon.
 
Anyone interested in splitting a hotel for some of the nights?

 
Awesome! Look forward to meeting you.
 
I haven't booked my tickets yet but I will probably fly in Thursday at some point, so it will be cool to meet up.
 
If you want a cheap hotel, the Washington in Shinjuku is only about $80/night for a seriously small room. The place we usually stay is double that.

 

[SoupRKnowva]

   
Awesome! Look forward to meeting you.
 
I haven't booked my tickets yet but I will probably fly in Thursday at some point, so it will be cool to meet up.
 
If you want a cheap hotel, the Washington in Shinjuku is only about $80/night for a seriously small room. The place we usually stay is double that.

 
Looking forward to meeting you as well.
 
haha speaking of headphones in Tokyo, I found the Yodobashi Camera easy enough today in Akiba, but I couldn't locate the e-earphones or Fujiya Avic store, though I did spend most the day nerding out in anime stores