Advice please!

[ichigo-umai.livejournal.com]

Eh...hi!

I have some Arashi/Tokyo related questions, which I hope you guys can help me with (directions mainly), because when it comes to (especially) locations/names of locations etc, I'm kind of clueless.

So I would like to get your advice, suggestions, recommendations.



01 The words 'Tokyo Dome' just scare me. But how does one go there? I would appreciate a baka guide :P

02 I know the con goods this year are like "Hmmm..." But it's still recommended to get there early? How early would be a good idea, for Tokyo Dome?

03 Johnny's Family Club. It's located near Shibuya JR station? But I heard it's not easily located. So does anyone knows how to get there? Is this where you send in your fanclub application too? (No I'm not joining, I'm just curious ^^) Is this where you pass letters/cards etc to the guys too?

04 TBS. Has anyone ever been there before? There is a TBS shop there too right?

05 The filming location for Haikei (Nino's drama)...I'm not sure of the names, but what you see in the drama...the stairs where the apples roll over, the temple/shrine etc, are they all in the same place? I've always wanted to go there and I've heard from people, that it's a really nice place ^^

06 I've been to 2 idol shops in Harajuku, are there more? Or do you guys know of recommended idol shops in Tokyo?

07 As a Arashi fan from another, what other places should I go to, or what things should I look out for, what I should get my hands on etc in Tokyo...please tell me.

Sumimasen, I'm writing as I can think and my brain is fried at the moment.

But I do appreciate all the help :)

Thank you.

Comments

[dreaming-nagi13.livejournal.com]

i'll only answer those that i could because i don't know about the rest XD

01) depends where you are coming from. but your station would be suidobashi from the JR chuo-sobu line (the yellow one, not the orange one, as the orange one is a rapid one and it by-passes suidobashi) or from the toei-mita subway line (it's one of the blue ones and the station is numbered "I - 11"). i can be more specific, but i don't know where you're coming from, so XD

02) it's recommended you get to the venue early. kind of like you have to devote the whole day just for the concert. i don't really have much experience to talk of, but when i watched the recent countdown, the concert started at 11, but when we arrived at tokyo dome city at around 4PM, there was already a very long line for the countdown goods. a lot of people who aren't going to watch the concert will still try and buy goods so if you want to go home after the concert, i suggest buying stuff before. because i think there will be a lot of people who will buy stuff after as well, plus there's a high risk of stuff getting sold out :D

04) i haven't been to TBS, but i assume that if fuji terebi has a shop, then most likely TBS has it, too.

07) i haven't been around much, either, but you can also try going to ebisu garden place where some scenes of HYD was shot :D it's a nice place.

this is long XD am sorry. hope i was helpful! (",)

[memory-angel.livejournal.com]

Anyways, what do they sell in the fuji terebi shop??

[dreaming-nagi13.livejournal.com]

tv show merchandise... i heard they have the last friends cups selling there. they also have nodame's bag, hanakimi stuff, and a lot more :D

[ichigo-umai.livejournal.com]

That's okay ^^

01 That means, if I start from Shinjuku station (Yamanote Line), then I stop at Yoyogi station. From Yoyogi station, I have to go to Sendagaya (JR Chuo Sobu Line), then stop at Suidobashi....is that right? :P Is Tokyo Dome far from Suidobashi?

02 Deshou ne? I guess if I don't really need the goods, I don't have to go that early....and go during while the concert is ongoing...probably the line won't be as bad. Wooo...that's really bad....the line started way before the countdown concert. But there were so many JE groups, so it's not surprising ^^

04 I'll probably end up trying to go to Fuji TV station too :P

07 Ah. Ebisu Garden Place ^^

Ah...your comments did help me. I appreciate it, thank you :)

[dreaming-nagi13.livejournal.com]

01 well, if you start from shinjuku station, just hop on directly to the local chuo-sobu line and go down at suidobashi. both the local (the yellow one that stops at suidobashi which you should take) and the rapid stop at shinjuku. no need to go down at yoyogi or sendagaya.

02 yeah... if you don't need the goods, then i suggest don't go that early. the wait is bad (>_<)

04 if you want directions to odaiba i can help you :D

glad i was able to help you :D enjoy!

[ichigo-umai.livejournal.com]

01 Ah. Sou ka ^^

02 I believe >< Ah...doushou.

04 If you could, onegaishimasu :)

^^

[dreaming-nagi13.livejournal.com]

02 I think it'll be better to buy it another day... depends on which date your going :D so that you don't have to panic with regards to the time :D because when my friend and i were at the countdown, we were panicking for a bit because we didn't know if we'd get to buy the uchiwas and make it on time for the concert... :D

04 depends on which is more convenient for you, but there are 2 ways you can get to odaiba...

first:
- take the yamanote line to Shinbashi (doesn't matter which direction you ride since yamanote is a loop... though you have to factor in the time it takes) as much as possible)
- ride the cars number 1-3 since it's nearer the exit you want to get out of
- go out of the Karasumori Exit then you turn left and head to the Yurikamome line. you should be able to spot a set of stairs a few meters away with the sign on top that says "Yurikamome line".
- climb the stairs, go past starbucks and the conbini and ride the escalators... after the escalators, you should be able to see the ticket booth.
- you should get a ticket for Odaiba-Kaihinkoen :D it's Y320 if i remember correctly.
- when you get down, you should be near fuji terebi.

am not sure if this will turn out more expensive that the second way. you change from JR to the monorail here and monorails are expensive. plus points is that it's nearer fuji terebi so less chances of getting lost.

second:
- take the yamanote line until oosaki (it's the one in between shinagawa and gotanda)
- transfer to the Rinkai Line. it's within the station so just follow the signs above. but it involves going up and down sets of escalators :D
- get down at Tokyo Teleport station. I haven't been out on the right side of this station, but that should be nearer Fuji Terebi. if you manage to get out of the left side, they you'll find yourself in front of Venus Fort with the big ferris wheel.

this involves less hassle when it comes to transfers (i take this route because it's nearer my place) but it's farther from Fuji Terebi...

sorry if my explanation sucked XD hahaha... but i hope it helps :D

[x-evelyn-x.livejournal.com]

05) The shrine is located at kagurazaka.

[ichigo-umai.livejournal.com]

I see, do you know how to get there? Is it located near a JR station?

[x-evelyn-x.livejournal.com]

yes, there is a JR Station there.

[hontowa.livejournal.com]

#2 - They allow you to buy concert goods even if you don't have a ticket. So if you have a ticket for one day, you can always go on one of the other days to buy goods - I don't think there's really too much worry about them selling out, they bring a lot of extras for each day. The website says they will be selling goods on 6/13 even though there is no concert that day, from 10:00am - 8:00pm (planned). On 6/14 and 6/15 (actual concert days) they plan to open at 10:00am and they usually close an hour after the concert ends. At Nagoya, I had tickets for 6/1, so we went to buy goods on 5/31 during the actual concert - there was hardly anyone at the stand and nothing was sold out. Either the morning or the time of the concert on the day you're not going is probably the best time to avoid a long line. That way on the day of the concert, you can just show up when the doors open and find your seat :)

#6 - I personally don't recommend idol shops, because the goods are fake and usually cheap (as in quality, not price). Surprisingly though, they seem to sell a lot of idol goods around temples (printed photos/phone straps that sort of thing). There is an official JE shop in Harajuku that's really big if you wanted to check that out as well :)

[ichigo-umai.livejournal.com]

02 I was concerned, because I remember reading about something, I think it was the lightstick that was sold out, during one of their cons at Tokyo Dome? I'm not sure I got that right, but the number of people going to Tokyo Dome, is just. A lot XD

06 I understand what you mean. It's Arashi, but if it looks eh kind of cheap...it's no use getting. Rather, spend the money on official shop photos ^^

[hontowa.livejournal.com]

02 - That's true, I think the special penlight sold out at the Osaka Dome concert I went to last year - it seems to be really the only item that sells out though. If you went in the morning of the first day I'm sure you'd be fine though :) Also, they sell the generic Johnny's penlight at all of the official shops. Like every concert has it's own special design, but there's also one made for all Johnnys concerts that's still cute. It's the one I have, since it saves money XD I know some people like to have the special one, but lots of people bring the generic one too so you'd still be in luck if the special one sold out :)

[ichigo-umai.livejournal.com]

Really? I didn't know about that ^^

[bakushou.livejournal.com]

7) I know for myself I literally made an "Arashi Roke List!" that I'm gonna try and travel to for the duration of my JR Pass. XD

If you can read Japanese, this site lists all the locations from popular j-dramas (http://loca.ash.jp/). So hopefully that can help some w/ like Arashitachi drama roke.

[ichigo-umai.livejournal.com]

That makes a good reason to use the JR pass! XD

Thank you :)

[eddieblackmaru.livejournal.com]

I also recommend going to the Harajuku Johnny's store, although get there early! And I mean early. They open at 10 but people start standing in line around 7 or earlier. Its based on a ticketing system, at 9 they start handing out tickets per half hour intervals. So the earlier you get there the better your time slot you have. But if you have all day to kill, get there at ten, grab a ticket (it will be for afternoon or early evening) check out the meiji shrine-literary across the street- grab lunch at McDonalds and stroll around the main harajuku drag. There are knock-off places, but they have pictures of the boys that the offical store doesn't have, like Ohno at his play and such. If you want real merch, I found a play in Ikebukuro that sells offical stuff as well as manga dojin of the boys...if you want details, im me. Its at Otome road.

[ichigo-umai.livejournal.com]

I think I would at least spend a day there, since there's so much to see. And probably on a weekday, seems like a better choice.

Though I love official shop photos, but the unofficial ones...like the live shots taken during concerts...♥.

AH. OHNO'S PLAY!

[x-evelyn-x.livejournal.com]

I wanna know abt that too~~

[augustfai.livejournal.com]

05. The entire drama was filmed in Kagurazaka, though I'm not exactly sure where. If you ask someone where the temple is, though, I'm pretty sure they will definitely tell you since it's a pretty famous spot there.

[ichigo-umai.livejournal.com]

Sorry for a baka question, but what's the name of the temple/shrine?

That means, including the scene with this laundry shop that Ippei was at, where he falls asleep outside of the shop, while waiting for his laundry? XD

[augustfai.livejournal.com]

From what I remember (and this site (http://www.jref.com/practical/kagurazaka.shtml) :D), the shrine where Ippei first met Tokio is this one, the Zenkoku-ji temple and the other, Akagi shrine (which, according to wikipedia, is at the 'top end of Kagurazaka,' though I don't know what that means) is when Eri asks Ippei to come with her and then she calls him a 'boring adult.' Both are used frequently throughout the series.

And yeah, unless the producers/directors decided to make their own laundry shop, the one used in the drama should exist in Kagurazaka. Good luck finding it, those streets are like a maze. :D

[ichigo-umai.livejournal.com]

Thank you for telling me the names ^^ The top end of Kagurazaka? Hmmm...maybe it means it's at the far end of Kagurazaka?

I really hope I can find Kagurazaka and the locations they used! Yes, it's really a maze...just seeing Ippei running all over, finding Tokio....(><) I probably would get lost XD

[augustfai.livejournal.com]

Probably--I wasn't really looking at the location of Akagi shrine when I was watching the drama, but I think there were alot of stairs, so maybe that's what 'top' in 'top end' means. Don't worry, you will definitely be able to find Kagurazaka. It's a pretty famous place, and as someone else said there is a JR station there. You can also take a cab--just get in and say Kagurazaka. And when you finally get there, you can take a cab to the shrine and the temple just by saying the names.

As for all the other tiny locations, though, good luck! I'm sure walking around Kagurazaka will be eventful in itself, though. It's such a beautiful place.

[yuckie-chan.livejournal.com]

1. I think suidobashi station on the JR chuo line (non-rapid/yellow) would be the most practical.

2. Usually I do that around 10-12. After buying the goods I usually just hang around or even put my goods at my room first so that I have space to jump around in the concert xD

3. Johnny's Family Club... it's kinda hard to locate (for me). And the entrance is not so flashy either, it's kinda hard to see. It's around 10 minutes walk from the station, near the post office. You better get a map of it or something.

4. There is TBS shop there. But for now, it has nothing related to arashi that are sold.
For now, in TBS you can only see a lot of posters and promotion for HYD finale. Oh, and there's also the big poster for Himitsu no Arashi-chan, where you can pull off their pants' zipper xD But unfortunately, we cannot take it home even if we want to xD

5. kagurazaka

6. the official johnny's shop would be the best after all. Though I also visits the idol shops just for sightseeing, and in case I found old things that I'm really dying for.

7. Aiba-chan's restaurant? xD It's in Chiba, though.

[ichigo-umai.livejournal.com]

02 Hmmm...probably going early is still a good idea. So one could, like you said, bring the goods back to home/hotel first....then BOUNCE all you can during the concert, without worrying about the goods :)

03 Yes map. *goes to find one*

04 That would be nice too! Seeing the posters, promotions for HYD finale and Arashi-chan. AND ZIPPING UP AND DOWN, UP AND DOWN sounds fun too XD

07 Aiba-chan's restaurant....I think I'm going to spend the whole day finding this :P

[mirai-kazuko.livejournal.com]

1. You can ride the train, dearie. It has signboards there that tells you which train to ride to Ueno Hall. Ueno Hall is Tokyo dome, btw.
2. Depends on where you're staying, really.
4. I haven't been to TBS. Just in Fuji TV. XD
7. Akihabara is a nice place. <3

[ichigo-umai.livejournal.com]

I hope I have time for Akihabara, to see all the latest technology and COS play :)