[Tutorial] "How I made it to Tokyo and Arena Tour 2006" =P

[JinHamasaki]

Originally Posted by oro77

I took a look to the reseller shops, I think it is quite expensive and the seats are not that great. But I will do the same if I don't find on yahoo auctions.

How much were they for this tour? They usually drop prices when it gets closer, would think.

[oro77]

Originally Posted by JinHamasaki

How much were they for this tour? They usually drop prices when it gets closer, would think.

most of the tickets were in the 200 level of the Saitama, the price were around 15 000 yens if I remember well. Arena tickets were very expensive but I cannot remember how much it was.

[eddi818]

could it be because.. that its not open to sale to public yet?
it doesnt go onsale to public till 3/4 according to ticket pia

http://info.pia.co.jp/et/promo/music/ayu.jsp#d_31253

[immel]

Added a quick guide to the first post.

The "Do It Yourself Quick Guide"

Spoiler:

Feeling unsure about if you've thought about everything? Or just curious about how much a trip to Japan in order to see Ayumi would cost you?

Here's a quick guide on what to think about and how to calculate the cost.

- Look up prices for flight tickets to Tokyo.
- If you're not staying in Tokyo, look up train costs from Tokyo (Narita) where your flight will most likely land. Don't forget about a return ticket.
- Google for hostels (Hostels is the cheaper alternative to hotels). Just go "town/area name hostels" at google.com, without the quotation marks.
- As for the concert tickets, count on 20,000 yen for a ticket and you'll be sure to get into the arena.
- For food, count on 10-20$/day you stay. Want to eat sushi every day? Count on 20-40$/day.
- For public transport, count on 5-10$/day and you're on the safe side.

- For shopping: bring as much spare cash as you feel like. This spare cash can also be used if you run out on cash in any of your other areas, such as food and so, but that shouldn't happen if you just stick to your plans, which isn't hard.

- Buying tour goods? The tour items usually range from 500-3000 yen each, use www.xe.com to exchange into your currency. Examples:
T-shirt: 1,500 yen
Towel: 1,500 yen
Light stick: 1,000 yen
Uchiwa (fan): 1,500 yen

[eddi818]

Originally Posted by oro77

I took a look to the reseller shops, I think it is quite expensive and the seats are not that great. But I will do the same if I don't find on yahoo auctions.

hmph..ticket pia listed it as going on sale to general public on 3/4. Maybe that's why there isn't that many supply of the tickets yet? i dont know.

[eddi818]

Originally Posted by Hatix

If you are alone, then I don't think it will be a problem to find a ticket in the reseller shops. I can't speak from experience, but from reading immel's tutorial, it shouldn't be a problem.
(as said) I'm arriving the 4th, so we could meet up, and help you. And there will be others who'll need some tickets from the reseller shops also, so we can go to them together. (I think those people at the reseller shops would find it very weird to see such a big group of gaijin buying so many ayu tickets )

im sorry if this is double post.. but apprently this is mod. and..my post hasn't gone thru for 2 days..so I'm just trying it again.

That'll be cool. The reseller people would probably be talking to me in japanese and I'll look all confuse (i'm asiaN).

I will be arriving to Tokyo on 4/28...then heading to kyoto on 5/3. I'll be back on 5/7. Where ae yal'l staying at?

[oro77]

I also have an asian face, everyone thinks I am Japanese so it is a bit troublesome sometimes.

I need to introduce myself before talking : "I am a stranger !(外国人だよ!)"

[Hatix]

Originally Posted by eddi818

im sorry if this is double post.. but apprently this is mod. and..my post hasn't gone thru for 2 days..so I'm just trying it again.

That'll be cool. The reseller people would probably be talking to me in japanese and I'll look all confuse (i'm asiaN).

I will be arriving to Tokyo on 4/28...then heading to kyoto on 5/3. I'll be back on 5/7. Where ae yal'l staying at?

I'm staying at the Oak Hotel, don't know yet where my friend will be staying, she still needs to book flights&hotels.
I don't look asian at all
But buying stuff in Japan is not so difficult if you don't know japanese. At the counter they will show you the amount on the screen or on a calculator. oh, and 1 tip (you may know of it already): there is always a small plate on the counter, put your money on it. if you give it to them directly, they will put it on the plate themselves and take the plate. Your change & receipt will be on the same plate

[oro77]

Originally Posted by Hatix

I'm staying at the Oak Hotel, don't know yet where my friend will be staying, she still needs to book flights&hotels.
I don't look asian at all
But buying stuff in Japan is not so difficult if you don't know japanese. At the counter they will show you the amount on the screen or on a calculator. oh, and 1 tip (you may know of it already): there is always a small plate on the counter, put your money on it. if you give it to them directly, they will put it on the plate themselves and take the plate. Your change & receipt will be on the same plate

I agree it is not that difficult.
I mean for everyday life, sometimes it is troublesome. I often look like a Japanese idiot who doesn't understand Japanese

[eddi818]

Originally Posted by Hatix

I'm staying at the Oak Hotel, don't know yet where my friend will be staying, she still needs to book flights&hotels.
I don't look asian at all
But buying stuff in Japan is not so difficult if you don't know japanese. At the counter they will show you the amount on the screen or on a calculator. oh, and 1 tip (you may know of it already): there is always a small plate on the counter, put your money on it. if you give it to them directly, they will put it on the plate themselves and take the plate. Your change & receipt will be on the same plate

haha, yeah I notice that last time I went ( 2 yrs ago).. Also when you use their dressing room, you are suppose to take off your shoes. I will be staying at K's house in asakusa. MY cousin is coming with me on the first part of the trip, she's going to buy Arashi's ticket..so i might just get ayu's ticket then..if anyone wants to share a pair of ticket..contact me. =)

[JinHamasaki]

Originally Posted by oro77

I agree it is not that difficult.
I mean for everyday life, sometimes it is troublesome. I often look like a Japanese idiot who doesn't understand Japanese

How many places accept credit cards? Not many?

[oro77]

Originally Posted by JinHamasaki

How many places accept credit cards? Not many?

Hard to say,　I always pay in cash. Not many I think...
Foreigner credit card doesn't work in usual ATM. I always go to the post office to get cash.

[Hatix]

Originally Posted by eddi818

haha, yeah I notice that last time I went ( 2 yrs ago).. Also when you use their dressing room, you are suppose to take off your shoes. I will be staying at K's house in asakusa. MY cousin is coming with me on the first part of the trip, she's going to buy Arashi's ticket..so i might just get ayu's ticket then..if anyone wants to share a pair of ticket..contact me. =)

Cool, Oak Hotel is also in Asakusa (but on the other side of Asakusa), it's like 5-10min from Ueno Station.

Yeah, I didn't use my credit card there, but I will this time, because one of the hotels that i'm staying accept credit cards, so that's easier. But for shops, I just did what others recommended: use cash. and if you don't know the coins that well, just give bills, and let them sort them out. Having some change is very handy when you need to buy tickets for subway/train (they are always like 130-190yen, almost never round numbers).

Oh, I didn't know you also need to take off your shoes for dressing rooms too, but I can understand why I remember I had to do it in an internet cafe (bagus gran cyber cafe)

[eddi818]

so has anyone gotten tickets from yahoo auction?.. how do you pay and how do you get tickets? I dont even understand how the section works.

[immel]

^You need to be a resident of Japan in order to be able to buy things from Yahoo Auctions Japan, since no one ships outside. You also have to speak & read Japanese because that's the language that is used on that page.

If you read the guide there's links to a lot of pages in English that will help you with the transaction and interaction, for a fee. Check them out.

[eddi818]

*sigh*..you know...I read the original post awhile back and completely forgot about it..then I asked a stupid question. HAHAA... anyway, so does anyone know how the yokohama arena structure is? is that seating chart pretty valid for all the arena?

thanks! =)

[Hatix]

Well, Yokohama Arena has little different seating chart (it's just differently named). You've basically got 2 types of seats: Center seats and Arena seats. Center seats are in the center (duh), Arena seats are on the side.
The center is has 12 blocks: 4 rows (A-D) with each 3 columns (1-3).
But this is where the confusion comes: the arena seats (on the side) are also numbered with blocks starting from A-F (with each more than 3 blocks).
The seating plan for the arena seats can be seen on the site of Yokohama Arena, but the center seats is specific and is not on their site.
I have figured out the block pattern for the center seats by seeing what is on all the tickets. And how to see that it's a center seat or an arena seat: above the block number, there is a text in katakana: center = センター and arena = アリーナ.
I have heard that in Yoyogi the center seats are called arena seats, which gives more confusion. But I don't think I'm very wrong, because the center A-block seats were very expensive, and the arena A-block seats were not very expensive, so that is another proof.

[eddi818]

i would just like to professed my love to you at this moment!...no matter what gender you are..
hahaha thanks!!!!

so i found some A1 center seats but 110+番..i assume thats rows?

[Hatix]

Those are seats, not rows. There are about 25 seats in a row, so that's about the 5-6th row. A1 center row 5-6? Those must be quite expensive, not?

Well, you can shake my hand if you're a guy if you're a girl, a hug is fine

[eddi818]

not really! they are going like..9000 yen or so?...
ill pvt you the link.