Has anybody been to Japan?

[Aoibara]

I am really, really lazy atm so I will just throw copypaste the same thing from what I posted @ angel-unlimited...

So here:

Just as the title says!

I am just curious. How many of you people here have been to Japan? Make sure you tell me which prefectures or areas you have visited and if you can, tell me your dolly finds during your stay.

As I am Japanese, and I live in Taiwan, I fly back to Japan pretty often to see and take care of family (Taiwan to Japan is a simple three hour flight.). Since I just moved in to the dolly community and settling in, I am still experiencing various ways to take my dolls on board without putting them in the cargo (It makes me a little nervous...). As you can guess, I am of course gonna go to the Volks stores to take tons of photos!

So, answers?

[Yanagi-sen]

Ten years ago I was an ALT on the island of Hirado in Nagasaki-ken. I lived there for a year team-teaching English four days a week at Hirado Sr. High and one day at Chubu Middle School. This was before BJDs were big so no dolly finds for me. I did love being able to go to the used books stores to plunder the manga sections though. ^___^

While I was there I got to go up to Fukuoka to the O-sumo basho, various places around Nagasaki-ken of course, took the Shinkansen across the country, visited Kyoto for a few days (LOVED IT) and several days going around Tokyo.

As for traveling with dolls... I have a doll carrier, but if I'm not taking ALL of them (4 MSDs, YOSD and a couple tinies), I just wrap up the doll I'm taking in a white cloth, put a face up protector on them, and stick them in my backpack or messenger bag. I've gone to Europe twice with a doll that way (once with my DZ/AoD hybrid, once with Luts KDelf). Half the fun of traveling with dolls is sticking them in odd places for pictures. Here are links to a couple of my dolly travels.

Nagi's Europe Trip (first time traveling with a doll, so I wasn't as brave with him as I am now, that thread is over on the Junkyspot forum)
http://www.junkyspot.com/OBITSU/forums/index.php?showtopic=23131&hl=

Momiji's Europe Trip
Part one: http://dolliehsanctuary.com/sanctuary/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=2225
Part two: http://dolliehsanctuary.com/sanctuary/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=2347

I've also hauled dolls to Puerto Rico several times, out to Texas and Iowa for conventions, and back and forth to school (i'm an art teacher) more times than I can count. I'm currently house sitting for my bro and I have two of my boys here with me... just in case I get bored and want to make more stuff for my clothes horse, aka Momiji. ^___^

[Iwa_Hoshi]

I took 7 1/6ers to Japan and came back with 8
Should have bought him at the start of my journey. My dolls were travelling in a shoebag. It was a 3 weeks self guided vacation after much researching

Visited in October of 08. It wasn't as well planned as I would have like it to be but its was a good one for starters. if anything there were points in time I felt like I was in anime because of walking by a school baseball practice in the evening, seeing local students go on their Kyoto trip. My trip was planned with Video games, animes, mangas and dolls in mind. I was not that deep in the doll hobby yet


Kyoto, Arashiyama side trip - My original intention was to go to Volks Tenshi no Sato to get a MSD Myu. But seeing her in person, there was no 'take me home! I'm your dollieh!' feel. I ended up wondering around town and visiting some of the temples and making mental notes to get a Kyoto base the next time. Tenshi no Sato has reservation scheme if you want to book a visit.

Iga Ueno - Stayed here a few days because of influence of a video game call Samurai spirits/shodown. It became my 'some anime moments' stay. Watched a dance performance, passed by said baseball practice. Had an awesome misty morning experience.

Edo Wonderland Ise - Because I just had to and should had prepared a Ise base

Osaka was mostly a way stop and Osaka castle had heavy Street Fighter influence for me. And Denden town had a few doll stores but mostly for 1/6 Azone and Licca type.

Tokyo - Is my main on account of Tokyo Game show and Akihabara. Bought a ton of 1/6 Azone stuff for my friend's doll list and mine as well. There was plenty of 1/6 stuff then. By now most of the doll stores would have relocated to elsewhere in Akiba after Radio Kaikan closed. You would have to scout the area. If anything Volks has its own building there

There's a store name Dolk Doll there sells stuff from various companies

I get to Visit Parabox(All your Megu, Gretels, Alice and co are here) and Mandarake(2nd hand dollfie dreams and bjds. check the website for full list) when I was in Nakano. I also went to Kamakura and bought a meal using their vending machine

[Nella]

About 3 years ago I visited my sister in Takasagi-shi Gunma prefecture. We spent one day in Tokyo, specifically Ueno and Akibahara. My visit was about seeing my sister and helping her settle into her new place rather than dolls. I would absolutely recommend going to any of the Volks stores. The one in Akibahara had a lot of figures and Dollfies, but few Super Dollfies.

[Mirrin]

Nope. And I don't like any of the Japanese dolls' aesthetic. If I wanted to go on a serious dolly vacation, I would probably want to go to Korea. However, my boyfriend is a historian and one of his areas of study is Japan.. mostly Great Britain, but for some reason Japan too. He wants to go there someday so I may be very well be dragged along anyway. I like some of the food and looking at historical sites has never bothered me so I'll probably be happy to go, just not for the dolls. I only have resin BJDs from Korean and China. Volks is very 'don't let any other dolls other than Volks dolls in the store'... so I really wouldn't want to go there.

As for just visiting a BJD shop, my hometown is within a driving distance for a day trip to Mint on Card. I can kind of just do that for a little vacation.

[Aoibara]

To all: It was really interesting to read your stories! Thank you for sharing them, and for those who wanna share, share it!

And some messages to each one of you...

Yanagi-Sen: Interesting stories about your Japan trip! And Kyoto...Although I am Japanese, I must say Kyoto is definitely the place to go for anyone who visits Japan. The advice on bringing dolls is pretty useful. I would agree that if you have more than two or something less, and bringing em all would be pretty ridiculous! Since I only have two, I think I should have no problem bringing the two together (Thanks to my nicely sized carry on suitcase which can fit my two dearies when the are in the "curled up" pose in one side with both having their faces covered with face mask.).

Also the photos, there is some nostalgia for me when I saw the photo of the Versailles palace! I remember visiting there three years ago. And your photos are beautiful.

Iwa_Hoshi: About your visit to Tenshi no Sato, that is a pretty clever idea to look at the actual doll first rather than seeing the pic only. I also did that three years ago when I was planning to welcome a Super Dollfie in my life, which I feel like I should. So the next year, I ordered a FCS doll (Which was Charles! ). And Denden town. Would love to visit that area when I go to the western Japan one day. I missed it because I was having some fun at Universal Studios haha :p.

Tokyo's Akihabara. I know that radio building area is now a Volks store. I am pretty excited to go there when I get back home to Japan. I also know that DOLK still remains in Akihabara, and it is near the Akihabara station, according to a more recent post by Danny Choo.

Nella: That is really sweet of you to help her settle at her new place. It reminds me of the time when I went to Taichung to help my Aunt settle at her new apartment.

Oh yes. Akihabara Volks store has alot of figures, dollfie and dollfie dream. I am actually going there this summer with my lovely cousins! I hope I can get some cool finds there.

To those who are curious about my relations to Japan, and my dolly related adventures: 99.9% of my mother's side live in Japan. My mother is especially worried about her mother, who is my grandmother, so when she says we might no go back, she actually says "ok we are going back" and make me pack up at the last minute. :p But it means fun for me in a way, such as having an awesome day in a part of Tokyo or going to Disneyland or Disney Resort with my friends.

Before I even got my dolls, I visited Tenshi no Sato twice, first time to see if I want a Super Dollfie, and second time which I ordered my first doll via FCS.

So, I actually started my real dollieh hobby this year, with recieving a Dollfie Dream girl as a birthday present, and picking up my long awaited FCS doll this spring after ordering it last summer (I couldn't get it at winter break due to SAT studies x.x). So far, I have visited the store in Harajuku, which is Tenshi no Mado, and had so much fun looking at the one offs and coordinate models and taking photos of my FCS boy. On that same day visiting Tenshi no Mado, I went to the Sumika store in Shinjuku, where I took scrupulous amount of photos of my FCS and DD. Finally, as a surprise, I went to the store in Yokohama and took even more photos!

This time, I am going to Tenshi no Mado again, and go to the Akihabara store. So much excitement even though my stay will be really short for my annual summer stay in Japan so I can finish up my portfolio work.

Sorry about my tl;dr post.

Nope. And I don't like any of the Japanese dolls' aesthetic.

I would somewhat understand this.

[Iwa_Hoshi]

This time, I am going to Tenshi no Mado again, and go to the Akihabara store.

I heard its a new Volks themed store. Is it like a cafe type place or something? Post pics if you can, it sound interesting

[TsukiNoKemuri]

I went to Japan in the summer of 2007, but this was before I got interested in BJD, so I won't be much help here. I was more of a figure and gashapon collector at the time, and brought or shipped home a lot of smallish figures and gashapon that I bought in Akihabara and at Nakano Broadway. I spent most of my time in the Tokyo area, but spent a couple days in Hokkaido and took a day trip to Yokohama, where I visited a giant flea market. (I never would have thought to do that myself, but the friend-of-a-friend who took me there suggested it.)

One of the most interesting places I found for searching and buying wasn't a traditional store, but a small consignment shop in an alley off a larger street in Akihabara. People could rent space in clear cases to display their goods for sale. You'd take a pad and pencil, write down the numbers of the cases and the items, and a guy would go around with you and gather the items, then ring them up.

[Trethowan]

I was there for three weeks last summer. It was an incredible trip. We mostly visited historical sites but after the group tour was over we had three extra days in Tokyo to ourselves. I visited Akihabara and found a lot of great doll shops. Mandarake was also a great source. I bought a few 1:6 obitsu and loads of obitsu /azone clothes from the Azone store, but I didn't buy a doll there. If I ever go back I'll probably buy one, there were some pretty good deals at the Mandarake stores we found.

[DaiLinn]

I've been 3 times, but sadly I wasn't very into the hobby during any of my visits. Although (before I bought my first doll, I think!) I did remember seeing a Unoa at Mandarake in Akiba and falling in love with it, although I couldn't afford it.. ;; I didn't really see a lot of doll stuff during any of my trips as a result, but I had a lot of fun anyway!!

I did bring one of my dolls along the last time I went and took pictures of her in a few places. I can't find the pictures now though..;;

I'm planning another trip soon, though, so I'm definitely going to be on the look out for dolly stuff next time!! >w< Probably going to be going for winter Comike... *w*

(The last times I went, I went to Tokyo (a lot!! haha), Osaka, Hiroshima, Kagoshima (I have a friend who lives there, and Sakurajima errupted while we were there!), Sakaiminato, and... I think that's it lol)

Wish I could tell you about dolly finds, but maybe after my next trip I'll be able to! :>