Japan Trip - What Gaming Item Would you Bring Back?

[wongojack | 215]

Hey VGS - I am taking my first trip to Japan with my wife.  Our itinerary is basically full, but it allows for plenty of time for sightseeing and shopping in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto.

My wife is very tolerant of my now almost life-long (certainly marriage-long) obsession with retro video games, but she's not really a fan herself.  I'm looking for some recommendations to experience some of the retro gaming atmosphere without derailing our trip.  I do plan to stop by Akihabara and Super Potato, but I'm not interested in spending a very long time shopping or bringing back even more than 1 or 2 items.

• What is a somewhat unique and relatively easy to find gaming item?  I'm thinking something small like a Game and Watch that you can't find outside of Japan.
• is there a place (like a museum or monument) that is about video games that I should visit?

Here's another way to phrase it - focused on classic video games.  If you were going to bring back only 1 thing and visit only one place in Japan what would it be?

Edited April 6 by wongojack

[RH | 4,908]

When it comes to what I’d buy, I’m easy to please.  I wouldn’t mind picking up a couple of nice conditioned Game Boy Lights, and as many working, nice condition, tight N64 controllers I could fit in a suit case. I also need a Famicom and I could see myself buying a few shmups that are Japanese exclusives for it.

[wongojack | 215]

3 minutes ago, RH said:

When it comes to what I’d buy, I’m easy to please.  I wouldn’t mind picking up a couple of nice conditioned Game Boy Lights, and as many working, nice condition, tight N64 controllers I could fit in a suit case. I also need a Famicom and I could see myself buying a few shmups that are Japanese exclusives for it.

Any specific recommendations on the shmups?

[RH | 4,908]

40 minutes ago, wongojack said:

Any specific recommendations on the shmups?

Not really.  If I were to go on such a trip, I’d do my research before hand.  It’s generally more expensive to import this stuff than to stuff it in your suitcase.  As a matter of mental self preservation, I don’t research to much import stuff since I’m not likely to get it.

That said, I do know I’d like the Parodius games as well as the Hudsonsoft parody shmup.  I can’t recall it’s name.

[DarkTone | 985]

Need to have a think. Please enjoy and keep us posted. 

[Brickman | 3,989]

I just got back from Japan and it was an amazing time. Bad news is that you have to go outside of Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto to find anything decently priced. Kobe and Hiroshima were the best places for me.

Sure, Super Potato have interesting stuff, but the retro stuff is all marked up to insane prices. If you’re looking for PS2 stuff it might be ok. Forget Gameboy or Game & Watch, pretty expensive. 

Checkout Book Offs when you’re walking around. A lot have retro stuff and sometimes it’s ok priced.

If you want common Famicom and SFC carts they are still not too badly priced. The rarer Famicom and SFC stuff is mostly priced to eBay in those cities.

The old Sega arcade in Akihabara is pretty good and you can use your Suica card. Tamashii Nations in Akihabara is also good if you’re into action figures.

I couldn’t find any video game museums in Japan which was strange. 

Feel free to ask me any questions about Japan video game or non video game related and I’ll try and help.

Good luck at Osaka station. You’ll need it. I was lost for an hour trying to find the way to my accommodation that was 8mins away. Worst station ever.

[RH | 4,908]

@Brickman, are there alternatives to Super Potato? I always here that it’s over priced and it sounds like it’s geared to Westerners visiting Japan.

Are there alternative shops, maybe in less touristee areas geared toward local?

Anyway, if I were to visit Japan, I actually would like to see the country side.  Everything you see and about Japan from the outside seems to promote the business of it’s cities, but I’d like to see a rural town, go to Mount Fuji, see how Kobe beef is raised, etc.

[Brickman | 3,989]

Just now, RH said:

@Brickman, are there alternatives to Super Potato? I always here that it’s over priced and it sounds like it’s geared to Westerners visiting Japan.

Are there alternative shops, maybe in less touristee areas geared toward local?

Anyway, if I were to visit Japan, I actually would like to see the country side.  Everything you see and about Japan from the outside seems to promote the business of it’s cities, but I’d like to see a rural town, go to Mount Fuji, see how Kobe beef is raised, etc.

All the shops in Akihabara are unfortunately tourist focused now. It’s a cool place but I’d consider it a living museum now vs a place to score deals. The shop Beep was pretty cool because they had old PC and Sharp stuff, it was of course priced accordingly.

In terms of my actual trip, you hit the nail on the head. See the rural stuff, it’s breathtaking and not overcrowded. We went to the Kyushu region and drove around. We hiked around volcanoes and walked through forests. Breath taking stuff really.

Kobe was one of my favourite cities and the beef melted in my mouth. I only did a day there but wish I had done more.

Tokyo is absolutely off the rails bonkers and there’s so much to do there. I loved it and you could really spend a month there and still have more to see.

Osaka I found to be pretty average honestly, universal is great but the US universal is basically the same but better spread out and the fast pass is better.

Kyoto was pretty and I loved the mix of traditional and new but the public transport sucks and it is overcrowded with tourists now because they pushed people there.

Anywhere else you’re going @wongojack?

[Brickman | 3,989]

@RH sorry just re read your question. Yes outside of Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto there are a lot of shops that still have decent prices. The days of super low priced retro games are gone though.

I actually got sucked into Xbox360 collecting because they were selling stuff for $1-4 and I picked up quite a few of the 360 CAVE shmups for $20-30 in mint condition. PS3, 3DS and 360 are basically the new retro there. Prices are super cheap for most of those platforms.

[LeatherRebel5150 | 1,056]

I would be loading up on Expansion Paks and controllers for the N64. Especially any colored ones I would come across.

[wongojack | 215]

2 hours ago, Brickman said:

All the shops in Akihabara are unfortunately tourist focused now. It’s a cool place but I’d consider it a living museum now vs a place to score deals. The shop Beep was pretty cool because they had old PC and Sharp stuff, it was of course priced accordingly.

In terms of my actual trip, you hit the nail on the head. See the rural stuff, it’s breathtaking and not overcrowded. We went to the Kyushu region and drove around. We hiked around volcanoes and walked through forests. Breath taking stuff really.

Kobe was one of my favourite cities and the beef melted in my mouth. I only did a day there but wish I had done more.

Tokyo is absolutely off the rails bonkers and there’s so much to do there. I loved it and you could really spend a month there and still have more to see.

Osaka I found to be pretty average honestly, universal is great but the US universal is basically the same but better spread out and the fast pass is better.

Kyoto was pretty and I loved the mix of traditional and new but the public transport sucks and it is overcrowded with tourists now because they pushed people there.

Anywhere else you’re going @wongojack?

We are stopping in 4 places, Tokyo, Kawaguchiko (lake district near Fuji, Osaka, and Kyoto.  12 days total with the longest stops in Tokyo and Kyoto.  We settled on that itinerary after considering some other close by places but ultimately stuck with those 4.  Nagasaki and Hiroshima were just a bit too far away for the pace we want to be on, and while somewhat nearby places like Takayama, Matsumoto, and Kanazawa offered less urban type of options, we probably would have been hopping between them as one-night stays which we just weren't up for this time.  We may take ourselves to a place near Kyoto called Ohara as a daytrip type thing.

I'm from the USA and me and my wife both speak foreign languages (not Japanese) and have both lived outside of our homeland.  We've been all over the place and had fun planning trips for ourselves, but for the first time, we are using a travel agent.  We actually just paid the deposit on the proposed itinerary today.  We went with an agent because we didn't want to be on any sort of guided tour, but we also felt we needed some help planning the day-to-day stuff to make sure we are getting the most from the experience.  We didn't want to be completely on our own planning this trip.  As a result, we've got some walking tours, food tours, a sword fighting lesson (huh?), and even get to stay in a Ryokan where they give you robes and serve you dinner.  It'll be a great trip.

In terms of buying stuff, I'm not really interested in bargain hunting as much as I just am looking for a token souvenir.  Something that I can't get at home etc.  I kind of exited the acquisition phase of my collecting a long time ago, and I've never really been all that into Japanese games and manga.  I will be taking notes on the info you already provided as it kinda sounds like I can get what I'm after from the stuff you've already mentioned.

Anyway, very interested to hear more . . .

 

[Brickman | 3,989]

19 minutes ago, wongojack said:

We are stopping in 4 places, Tokyo, Kawaguchiko (lake district near Fuji, Osaka, and Kyoto.  12 days total with the longest stops in Tokyo and Kyoto.  We settled on that itinerary after considering some other close by places but ultimately stuck with those 4.  Nagasaki and Hiroshima were just a bit too far away for the pace we want to be on, and while somewhat nearby places like Takayama, Matsumoto, and Kanazawa offered less urban type of options, we probably would have been hopping between them as one-night stays which we just weren't up for this time.  We may take ourselves to a place near Kyoto called Ohara as a daytrip type thing.

I'm from the USA and me and my wife both speak foreign languages (not Japanese) and have both lived outside of our homeland.  We've been all over the place and had fun planning trips for ourselves, but for the first time, we are using a travel agent.  We actually just paid the deposit on the proposed itinerary today.  We went with an agent because we didn't want to be on any sort of guided tour, but we also felt we needed some help planning the day-to-day stuff to make sure we are getting the most from the experience.  We didn't want to be completely on our own planning this trip.  As a result, we've got some walking tours, food tours, a sword fighting lesson (huh?), and even get to stay in a Ryokan where they give you robes and serve you dinner.  It'll be a great trip.

In terms of buying stuff, I'm not really interested in bargain hunting as much as I just am looking for a token souvenir.  Something that I can't get at home etc.  I kind of exited the acquisition phase of my collecting a long time ago, and I've never really been all that into Japanese games and manga.  I will be taking notes on the info you already provided as it kinda sounds like I can get what I'm after from the stuff you've already mentioned.

Anyway, very interested to hear more . . .

 

You'll have an amazing time, 12 days will fly but you'll have fun  Kawaguchiko is nice and has a cable car near there which is nice, I also recommend going to Arakurayama Sengen Park. You take the train and then walk a bit to it. It's a really nice walk and there are some people selling food along the way. I'd also recommend Fuji Q Highland for the insane rollercoasters but you probably won't be in the area for that long.

Load the digital Suica card on your phone if you haven't already. It can be used on all local transport in all cities and is easier than buying tickets every day. For Apple just open the wallet app and you can add it. Not sure for Android.

Knowing Japanese helps but it isn't really required in those cities. Everything is well signed and has the English underneath. Most speak a minimal amount of English or at the worst point to things. They always show the total to you before you buy things. Don't believe the myth about everything being in cash. In those cities you'll barely need it. Google maps was a great tool for public transport. It always had the correct platform and timetable along with every stop. The train system in Tokyo is easy to navigate which is good. Kyoto is a pain though because it mainly uses buses.

In terms of just getting one item like a token souvenir that isn't as common in the US then I think an original game and watch would be pretty cool. The prices can range depending on the game and how complete it is. Expect to pay anywhere between $150-250. A GBA Micro would also be pretty cool if you like Gameboy stuff.

 

[wongojack | 215]

1 hour ago, Brickman said:

You'll have an amazing time, 12 days will fly but you'll have fun  Kawaguchiko is nice and has a cable car near there which is nice, I also recommend going to Arakurayama Sengen Park. You take the train and then walk a bit to it. It's a really nice walk and there are some people selling food along the way. I'd also recommend Fuji Q Highland for the insane rollercoasters but you probably won't be in the area for that long.

Load the digital Suica card on your phone if you haven't already. It can be used on all local transport in all cities and is easier than buying tickets every day. For Apple just open the wallet app and you can add it. Not sure for Android.

Knowing Japanese helps but it isn't really required in those cities. Everything is well signed and has the English underneath. Most speak a minimal amount of English or at the worst point to things. They always show the total to you before you buy things. Don't believe the myth about everything being in cash. In those cities you'll barely need it. Google maps was a great tool for public transport. It always had the correct platform and timetable along with every stop. The train system in Tokyo is easy to navigate which is good. Kyoto is a pain though because it mainly uses buses.

In terms of just getting one item like a token souvenir that isn't as common in the US then I think an original game and watch would be pretty cool. The prices can range depending on the game and how complete it is. Expect to pay anywhere between $150-250. A GBA Micro would also be pretty cool if you like Gameboy stuff.

 

Thank you - great advice.

I don't do the phone/wallet thing, but the agency seems to be providing us with something called the Manaca card?  Don't know if it is the same as the Suica card.  I had heard about Suica before but not Manaca.  This is what they say about it (don't know why it references Nagoya): 

We are supplying you with Manaca cards, Nagoya’s version of the IC card. You will be able to use this throughout your time in Japan for travelling on buses, subways, over ground railways and in some places you will even be able to pay for taxis, buy drinks from vending machines and pay for your bento in a convenience store! Your card comes with 2,500 yen of credit and can be topped up in any major city at the automatic ticket machines at any station.

[Brickman | 3,989]

6 hours ago, wongojack said:

Thank you - great advice.

I don't do the phone/wallet thing, but the agency seems to be providing us with something called the Manaca card?  Don't know if it is the same as the Suica card.  I had heard about Suica before but not Manaca.  This is what they say about it (don't know why it references Nagoya): 

We are supplying you with Manaca cards, Nagoya’s version of the IC card. You will be able to use this throughout your time in Japan for travelling on buses, subways, over ground railways and in some places you will even be able to pay for taxis, buy drinks from vending machines and pay for your bento in a convenience store! Your card comes with 2,500 yen of credit and can be topped up in any major city at the automatic ticket machines at any station.

I haven’t heard of that one but some cities have their version of IC card which can be used around Japan so this would be Nagoya’s version.

The physical Suica cards are currently suspended due to not having enough chips for them so maybe the travel agent was able to source Nagoya IC cards. 

[fcgamer | 4,727]

Here's what I would personally get, given the information you provided:

Buy a boxed Famicom (original model) and a stuffed Pikachu doll. Or grab one of those pre Famicom tv game machines that Nintendo did, again boxed. Throw in a set of Nintendo playing cards and a few brochures/adverts from the time you're visiting, featuring something Nintendo* related. Then call it a day.

If you like Nintendo, then imo this is likely what got you to where you stand with Nintendo. It represents the company, as well as Japan, is iconic yet would also be something that you'd likely use, which would then just bring back more memories from the fun trip you and your wife had.

*When I was in Japan, I happened to see some adverts at a train station with a Mario in a Japanese outfit or something like that, so I took a few. I also know often times there's cool Nintendo related stuff at the convenience stores.

[wongojack | 215]

8 hours ago, fcgamer said:

Here's what I would personally get, given the information you provided:

Buy a boxed Famicom (original model) and a stuffed Pikachu doll. Or grab one of those pre Famicom tv game machines that Nintendo did, again boxed. Throw in a set of Nintendo playing cards and a few brochures/adverts from the time you're visiting, featuring something Nintendo* related. Then call it a day.

If you like Nintendo, then imo this is likely what got you to where you stand with Nintendo. It represents the company, as well as Japan, is iconic yet would also be something that you'd likely use, which would then just bring back more memories from the fun trip you and your wife had.

*When I was in Japan, I happened to see some adverts at a train station with a Mario in a Japanese outfit or something like that, so I took a few. I also know often times there's cool Nintendo related stuff at the convenience stores.

Thank you for all the suggestions.   Pre Famicom stuff is a great idea.  I quickly went looking for examples and found this photo someone posted on Reddit.  Lower left it shows some pong and breakout style machines.  That would certainly be interesting to bring back.  

Thank you to everyone for the excellent advice.

[fcgamer | 4,727]

1 hour ago, wongojack said:

Thank you for all the suggestions.   Pre Famicom stuff is a great idea.  I quickly went looking for examples and found this photo someone posted on Reddit.  Lower left it shows some pong and breakout style machines.  That would certainly be interesting to bring back.  

Thank you to everyone for the excellent advice.

Yeah that's something I personally hope to get one of in the near future. It's unique, it's Nintendo and history, etc.

[MegaMan52 | 2,450]

[wongojack | 215]

11 hours ago, MegaMan52 said:

Is that something like $4,000?