2015 BL Teafighter

Um, hi! I’m Zo. :)

Hi! I’m Hannah 8D can’t wait for the tour, so excited XD

I’ll introduce myself better:
My full name is Zoellen, but you can call me Zo (or Zelda). My handle on Disqus is CommodoreZelda as well, if you’ve seen me in the Teahouse or Starfighter comments (I also occasionally post on Young Protectors). I’m almost 21 and I just got my B.A. in English. I can read a fair amount of classical Latin, I know a bit of German, and I’m starting to brush up on my Japanese again (although I’m very rusty and never knew much to begin with).
The last (only) time I traveled internationally was a high school trip to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Otherwise, I’ve been to NYC twice and Florida once (although I didn’t do much besides sit in my hotel and read).
I am SO FREAKING EXCITED for this trip~! I was devastated that I couldn’t go on the 2013 Teahouse tour, but this one sounds like it’ll be even better!! I look forward to chatting with people here and to hanging out with everyone in Japan!! :D

Well….I just realized the forum for this trip had been created. So I’m about half a year late to introducing myself haha…

Nice to meet you Zo and Hannah~

Zo, I’m curious, did you go to all those places during high school? was it like a foreign exchange program kind of thing? It sounds exciting!

Are you Amaya Redfern on Disqus?

Yes, I did go to those places in high school. There was a three week trip you could go on after taking three years of German. (There was a trip to Spain if you took Spanish too.) It was really incredible. We went to a ton of castles, which I loved, as well as staying with a German family for a few days, hiking in the Swiss Alps, and listening to some Mozart. I’ve been dying to travel more ever since, but I haven’t really had a chance till now. I can’t wait for May to get here!

Nope. That’s not me…I actually don’t remember if I have a Disqus acct, if I do it’s probably this same username.

That’s incredible! Castles are amazing <3

I actually did get to go to the Teahouse 2013 trip and it was my first time both in a plane and traveling abroad so I’m super excited to go traveling again and feel that this experience will be even better than last time since now I know a bit more what to expect. Just four months left!!

110 days. (I have a countdown.)

It’s so cool that you went on the 2013 trip. I wanted to, but I didn’t have the money and it was during my finals week. Was it awesome? Since I’ve never been to Japan, I’m not quite sure what to expect, although I’ve been reading a lot of travel advice. I can’t wait till we get more info on the itinerary and flights and things.

I only got to go for the week in Tokyo and it was so much fun!

The festival was one of my favorite days, festival food is delicious~ The Ghibli Museum was the most amazing thing. If I could live there…. Only bad thing was they didnt allow pictures. And the show at Roppongi Kingyo was unforgettable! The costumes and choreography man, they were something else. I’m really looking forward to see how the show’s changed :)

Are you going on the extended trip this time around? I’ll be there for the extended. I’m really looking forward to the onsen; it sounds so relaxing!

Yes!! Last time I couldnt afford the 2wk trip but I’ll stick around for it this time around :)
I’m looking forward to the onsen the most for the 2nd wk as well.

So how bad was the jet lag last time? It’s been quite a while since I’ve had such a long flight, and I’m not looking forward to trying to sleep and/or keep myself occupied on the plane nor adjusting to the time difference. But as I remember, it’s easier traveling west than east, so most of the jet lag should be once we get home…

There are just so many amazing things on this trip that I’m looking forward to. How can I make the wait go by faster??

Hi, nice to meet you guys! My name is Ashley and I’m from Texas. I’m 24 and this will be my first time traveling abroad. I can’t wait to finally visit Japan~ And what better way than a BL-themed tour? :D I hope May gets here quickly!

Hi Ashley! Texas sounds nice and warm. It’s about 30° in Minnesota where I am, and that’s actually very warm for January…

Hey Ashley! welcome, welcome!

I’m in Texas as well. Houston to be exact. This week has been pretty nice so far, hadn’t seen the sun in a while :) Zo….I feel for you…I’m a wimp and can’t stand the cold

I believe you are correct Zo. I did have difficulties falling asleep on the way from LA to Japan and didnt experience that much of a jet lag but most of us woke up around 5am that first day haha. But on the way from Japan to LA we got in the plane and I just zoned out and when I finally arrived home I slept thru 16hrs uninterrupted sleep lol The plane ride to Japan I believe was 13/14hrs

Ashley you are also correct, there is nothing better than being with a gang that will go crazy with you when you get to all the BL doujinshi ;) I dont know any Japanese but still had to buy me some doujinshi and some magazines just to look at them.

Funny story: we were at Narita airport heading back to LA and they were scanning our carry on luggage. Well I decided that if any of my luggage got lost I had to at least save my doujinshi and other souvenirs so all that was stuffed in my carry on to keep closer to me. One of my souvenirs was a Totoro thermos. When they passed my bag thru the scanner they saw it and thought it had liquid inside so they asked me to open my bag. And I was a lot mortified because if the lady would have moved some of the stationery on top she would have gotten a look at a Kuroko No Basket doujinshi I bought where the cover had Kuroko with a red thong splayed over a chair……and that’s how my inner perv was saved from public confrontation for another day (〃ﾉωﾉ)

On the contrary, it wasn’t as embarrasing buying them since the store I bought most of mine at had one whole floor solely for BL stuff. So you knew everyone on that floor was there for the same reason haha

Hi Zo! Yeah, it been fairly warm the past few days. I don’t think I could handle Minnesota weather, too cold for me haha.

Amaya: Cool, you’re in Houston? I’m in Austin and it’s been pretty nice here too, definitely not looking forward to the cold front coming in. I’m a wimp when it comes to the cold too, haha. Was the weather pretty nice on the 2013 trip?

And oh nooo that would have been embarrassing (sounds like a fun doujinshi though ;]). I’m looking forward to getting some Kuroko no Basuke doujinshi myself!

It was good weather in Tokyo. There were a few times when it sprinkled a little while we were out but no heavy rain.

Amaya, I would have died if that happened to me at the airport… *shudders* But I suppose as long as my family doesn’t find out about it, I could survive. :)
I have to imagine it’s kind of funny for the people selling the BL doujinshi, seeing the people who buy it all. But they must be used to it.

I hope the weather is pretty nice for our trip too. I’ll be bathing in sunscreen, I’m sure–I have extremely light skin and I usually stay inside, haha. Not used to the sunlight. But I found this really nice powder sunscreen that comes in a brush that matches my skin pretty well, so I don’t have to slather the goopy stuff all over my face. If anyone else is sensitive to the sun, I’ll tell you the brand (although if you’re both from Texas, you must be used to the sun).

We do get a lot of sun here but I’m not much of an outdoor person, I’m pale and sunburn easily. I’ll definitely need to bathe in sunscreen too, haha. And I’d love to know the brand of that powder sunscreen :)

The brand is Colorescience. You can buy from their website. It’s a little pricey for the brush, but after that you can just buy powder refills. And it’s so much easier to use with makeup than regular sunscreen! I’m considering bringing a parasol too, though, because studies show they block 77-95% of UV rays… I’m kind of paranoid, I know. :)

I’m trying to remember, but I don’t think I really got any serious sunburn. I didnt use that much sun lotion either. I dislike the stuff so I can see why you’d rather powder.

My aches were mostly from all the walking and on my shoulders from the bags I was carrying by the end of the day. I suggest to bring a long one of those backpacks with padded shoulder straps to put daily buys in. The bag I brought along last time had really thin straps and it was hell on my shoulders.

Oh, that’s a good idea–I’ll have to look into finding a good bag to carry my things in during the day. I was planning to bring a backpack as my carry-on, but I don’t think I want to bring that every day for outings. I’d probably look even more like a huge tourist than I already will.

Howdy, y’all! I go by Talia/Tali, and I’m from Houston too! (Huzzah for so many Texans!) I’m 29, and this will be my first time going abroad beyond the Caribbean and Mexico, which kind of don’t count when you live on the Gulf. My best friend is coming with me, so I’m very excited. I’ve always wanted to visit Japan. I know very little Japanese, but I am going to try to learn some necessary phrases before then.

Nice to meet you Talia! If your friend also lives in Houston then by my count, there are 5 Houstonians going on the trip. With Ashley that makes 6 Texans and if we say the tour is 30 people then us Texans make up 1/5th of the tour. Isn’t that cool? lol

I don’t know any Japanese either but on the last trip we were provied with a little handbook that gave restaurant suggestions, maps, and common phrases that were of great help so hopefully there’ll be something similar this time :)

If you want to see how the handbooked looked I can email you a pic. I tried posting it here and failed……

Aloha!

My name is Eybelle (a-bell) and I’m so excited for this trip!

I’m moving from Oahu to Japan this march (but I’m originally from Puerto Rico), but I’ve been dying to go on this tour before we found out about our move. I’m really excited to hang out with fellow teahouse/star fighter fans!

Can’t wait to meet you all!

hey i’m tom! i’m a wee 19-year-old living in washington (combo breaker nd stuff) and doing pretty much nothing except blogging and working to pay for this trip heh. my friend is coming with us as well!
i can’t wait to meet everyone aaah! i’m sure we’ll get along and have a lot of fun oh gosh

Hi Talia, Eybelle, and Tom!

Talia and Tom, you guys are lucky that your friends are on the trip too! No one I know irl is going, although I’ve talked to a few others online.

Eybelle, it’s so cool that you’re moving to Japan! Do you speak Japanese?

I look forward to hanging out with you all!! I’m sure it’ll be a great time!

Someone at work suggested I go to the Robot Restaurant in Shinjuku. I looked it up and it’s pretty crazy. Just thought I’d throw the idea out there, maybe for the free day in Tokyo. I’d be willing to try it if anyone else wants to go. (I’d probably be afraid to go alone, haha.)

Hello there Eybelle and Tom! Welcome to the forum!

Zo I googled the restaurant. It does look crazy!!! I rembember seeing the weird chick-chair-robots on the back of a truck in the roads of Harajuku. Now it finally makes sense lol

I wouldn’t mind going to sneak a peek with you if it’s not a place that needs reservations or something :)

I’m not sure if you need a reservation; I’ll have to look into it. But it does seem like a very unique thing to check out. Pictures of the decor almost hurt to look at. It’s like sensory overload.

Hi guys *waves, peeking in shyly* I feel like I’m super late to the party already.

I’m Bonnie; I went on the 2014 Animated Spring Tour. I didn’t know about PacSet the last time this tour ran, but as soon as I saw this one go live on Facebook last year, I had to start reading both series online (and, of course, had to sign up for the tour!).

Ah, I’m from England (the not-so-sunny south coast), huge BL fan (Gundam Wing shall forever be my first love~ if it’s headcannon, it’s true, damnit!), I’m 25, and this will be my second trip to Japan (and my second trip with PacSet. Woo Evan and Lanny!).

I can just about apologise in Japanese (any hints for good sites/resources to check out to improve this would be greatly appreciated!), so I’m really hoping I’m not the only one who looks a bit lost.

Is anyone else flying out solo? It always feels like I’m behind on the whole group experience when not on that first flight with everyone, but it was either fly out with the group, or take the extended trip (flights from the UK? Not so cheap *winces*) so, yeah; extended trip it was. I’m also hoping to either fly out a few days early, or stay a few extra days in Tokyo to really make the most of it c:

Does anyone know if finding English doujinshi is likely? I couldn’t spot any last time in Nanoko Broadway or Otome Road (though the former I was trying to find a Volks DD, and the latter I spent 90% of my time in Swallowtail so, yeah ^^; ). I must admit I picked up a few in Osaka just for the pretty BL art last time c:

Anyone who has visited Japan around May before – is it really that hot? I found the Animated Spring (March/April) to be hot compared to British weather, so… *winces* I’m preeeetty sure I’m going to melt.

Last time I spent my free Tokyo day checking out Tokyo Disney. This time, I really want to make it to Joyopolis, or back to Nanoko Broadway/Harajuku to get even more goodies c: Anyone else have a rough idea of what they want to spend their free time doing/re0visiting?

Hi Bonnie! (You have such a cute name!)

I know very little Japanese and I can’t really read it at all, so you definitely won’t be the only one lost, haha. I have a “learn Japanese” game for my Nintendo DS, but it’s not very good. I think the YouTube channel Rachel and Jun have a video on how to learn Japanese including free options, so you might want to check that out.

I’m glad you get to do the extended trip; I’ll be doing that too. :) Since we’ve got this forum to get to know each other, I don’t think you’ll be too behind even though you aren’t flying with the group.

I hope it’s not too hot while we’re there, but then again, I get cold easily, so I don’t want it to be too mild either. (But then again, I’m used to cold Minnesota weather, so it might seem warm to me even if it doesn’t to others. We had a huge snowstorm in May a couple years ago…) From what I’ve heard, May is usually pretty nice though. Still, it’s probably a good idea to check the forecast before you pack!

I’m still not sure what to do on the free day. I might get the afternoon pass for Tokyo Disneyland, but I’m not sure what I’d do in the morning. Suggestions from more experienced travelers would be appreciated!!

Hi Talia, Eybelle, Tom, and Bonnie! Nice to meet you guys :)

I took a couple of semesters of Japanese a few years ago but it’s been so long that I’ve unfortunately forgotten most of what I learned. Though I can still read Hiragana and Katakana and some Kanji, so that’s something at least haha. Now if only I could find my old textbook so I could brush up on everything…

Bonnie, I don’t think I ever seen any English doujinshi that wasn’t released by an overseas fan online. It would be awesome if we did stumble upon some though!

Zo, my friend is coming along also (I guess that makes the Texan count 7? haha) and we were planning to go to Tokyo Disneyland on the free day. You’re welcome to join us if you do decide to go!

Thanks Ashley! I’ll keep that in mind if I decide to go. Are you guys going for the whole day?

Probably, but we haven’t decided for sure yet.

Hiya Zo ^__^ Thank you for the warm welcome c: Awesome name yourself ^__^

Ooooh, I spotted that DS game, but I wasn’t sure about it; the more learning-focused DS games can be so hit and miss. Ooooh! I love the Rachel and Jun channel! I ususally just check out their culture/more kooky videos, but I will have to check out the learning Japanese ones as well c:

You make an excellent point c: I signed up last-minute last year, so I didn’t make the best use of the forum; this should be a great way to get to know everyone beforehand c:

Minnesota weather seems to be even worse than ours. You make an excellent point about the forecast though.

If you are thinking about checking out Tokyo Disneyland, leave plenty of time to get there. We set off around 9am, and didn’t make it in to the part until after 11am. I still want to check out DisneySea, though I would totally recommend Tokyo Disneyland itself. The queues can be a bit long (no more than the Paris or Florida ones) and not all have fast-track available, plus it is a novel experience to be taller than Micky~ But it’s a great place to visit c:

I kinda want to visit the Shonen Jump themepark/ mini-themepark in Tokyo. I only really looked it up after I got back (silly me!) but it looks fun c:

Hiya Ashley! ^__^
To be fair, being able to read it might be even more useful than speaking – there were a few points where English signs / translations weren’t available, and being able to read a little more of the language would have been so helpful!

As for the doujinshi – awwwww. I want to at least find some manga in English, but I know it’s probably a bit of a longshot ^^; I’m sure we will all still find some great things.

Just a quick note as I see you’re both looking at Tokyo Disney – I went with a friend I made last time; we arrived a little after 11am, and didn’t leave until closing time around 10-11pm. It’s surprising how long you can spend in there without realizing how quickly time has gone by~!

Anyone else traveling solo? ^_^;

I really like roller coasters, so I’m considering trying to go to Fuji Q Highland on the free day. I think you can take a bus there from Tokyo. Would anyone else be interested in going?

Their haunted house looks AMAZING! How far is it from Tokyo?

From what I saw online, I think the bus ride is about an hour and a half each way, and you have to reserve your bus seat, I think. But I feel like it’d be worth it for that haunted house and the roller coasters!!

It’s worth double-checking with Evan and Lanny; I know for the Animated Spring tour last year, they organized a group excursion there on one of the free days. From what I remember, the delays in the traffic mixed with the bad weather (it started snowing with heavy wind I think) resulted in a long commute and many rides being closed. That being said, it could have been just bad-luck on the day; you never can tell how the traffic/weather will be.

That haunted house alone makes me want to visit, though some of the roller coasters do look pretty darn good.

Hi, I’m Erica, I’m from Texas and this will be my first trip to Japan, so I’m pretty hyped.
I’m already trying to get prepared.
Does anyone know how they’re going to use phones over there yet?
I was thinking of getting one of those pre-paid sims cards for my iphone, but I’ve never used those before, so I dunno.
The last time I traveled internationally was before I had a cell phone, so I used the old fashioned phone cards, but if there’s a way to get an internet connection/phone service on my cell that’d be amazing.
Also who knows what they’re going to do on their free day?
Tokyo Disney sounds a bit expensive for me, but I was thinking of going to the Pokemon Center and Evangelion store if I could.

Bonnie: I love haunted houses too. But yeah, weather and traffic would play into my decision to go there. Also, I don’t know if it would be really busy because it’s right after Golden Week. I’ll have to ask Evan and/or Lanny for tips. And there are so many other things I want to do too… I probably won’t decide till the day before, knowing me.

Hi Erica!! As for phones, you might be able to talk to your carrier and get international service added to your plan while you’re there (and I think some plans may give you some international service/texts/data for free). I need to check with my father about data usage, and I think I’ll also rent a pocket Wi-Fi to use. I’m an internet addict.

As for the free day, I’ve had another idea: tour animal cafes!! I’d love to go around and visit cats, bunnies, and owls, and I think I’ve heard of a goat cafe too!! I have too many ideas; I don’t know how I’ll decide…

Ahh, stupid phone and its typos. I meant “carrier”, not ” father “.

Hiya Erica ^_^

Re: Phones – I know mine didn’t work at all, but there were payphones at the hotel, or you could rent phones from the airport for a resonable price. The hotel we were at last time had free wi-fi (though that’s kinda rare), so you may luck-out internet wise?

The Pokemon Center is totally worth visiting! I found two last time (one in Osaka, one in Tokyo).

Is anyone thinking of visiting Odaiba (I’ve totally spelt that wrong >_< ) as part of their free day? I really want to check out Joyopolis this time (they have some haunted rides) and get another look at the giant Gundam.

ZO – I found this: http://www.hatobus.com/en/course/52.html Is this the one you found as well? It seems to need at least 4-5 people, but could be a good way of getting there.
I know Evan has advised me to stay late rather than get there early because of Golden Week, so it might impact how busy Fuji Q is. For the free day – it can be worth seeing how you feel closer to the time. There were a few areas I wished I could go back and visit, but I had already promised someone I would go to Disney with them, so couldn’t really change my mind ^^;

Oooooh! If anyone does decide to do some animal cafes, please can I tag along? I really want to check at least one out :) The penguin ones look like fun too~! Ooooh, and has anyone else heard of the prison themed cafe? It looks so amazing, but I wouldn’t want to try it by myself. Squarenix was kinda cool as well c:

I am down for cafe hopping! Idk what I’ll do on my free day, I’m kind of limited. My husband wants to do a lot of stuff
With me when he gets there. But I’m down for most things like shopping, food, or chill-axing.

aaah i’m really hoping to go to tokyo disneyland on my free day to be honest heh! oh gosh there’s so much i want to do though! i want to go with all of you to the things you’re doing ;__; especially the animal cafes wow;;
does anyone know how much freetime we have on the not-free-days? i really awfully want to go to the evangelion store and was hoping we’d have time while we’re near it but i’m not really sure if that’s an option lol sweats

i do love my evangelion gays

I feel like although I’d really like to do Tokyo Disneyland or Fuji Q, I’ll probably be more in a mood for cafe-hopping and shopping once we’re there. I’d be happy to form a group for visiting animal cafes and other fun things like that on the free day.

Tom, from what I can tell, the Evangelion store is currently located in Ikebukuro, so from looking at the itinerary, I think you’ll have time to visit it on day 3–of course, that’s only a guess, but from the information we have, it sounds like we’ll be spending most of the afternoon in the area.

Is anyone worried about getting lost? Between not speaking or reading the language, the address system being different from in the West, and it just being a really big city, I’m worried I’ll get turned around and not be able to find any of the places I’m looking for. (~_~;)

Hiya Eybelle (I apologise in advance – I am totally going to mess up trying to say your name for the first time IRL). Have you got your eye on any specific cafes? c: Some of them just look amazing~! Though I’m just glad Swallowtail is on the main itinirary. I LOVE that place~!

Hiya Tom c: It sounds like Disneyland is going to be a popular choice on the free day~! It really is magical c: Which animal cafe have you got your eye on, or are you just hoping to try any type while out there? c: I know last year Evan & Lanny organized a trip to a bunny cafe in Harajuku on the free day (still gutted I missed it T__T Unfortunatly if you do chose Disney, there really isn’t time to fit in much else). There was also an Evangelion Store in Harajuku from what I remember (though we got quite lost trying to find it, and the Volks store >_<; )

Zo – If you do form a cafe-hopping group, sign me up! Have you seen the ‘Alice in Wonderland’ cafe? So, so, sooooo many awesome themed pretties @_@ I’m going to have to stop myself from just going back to Swallowtail Cafe ^_^;

As for getting lost – that was my major worry last time as well. Still worried, to be honest, but I saw a few people getting lost on the last trip. Most of the time it wasn’t a problem; you get an emergency number you can contact Evan on, and he can usually talk you through getting back to the group or the next stop. The only real times getting lost can be a problem are if there is a trip by private coach instead of public transport (though, the one person who managed to do this on the trip last year still managed to make it back by himself).

There were a few places I wanted to find that I didn’t quite manage to (mainly Volks stores), BUT if there is somewhere you have your heart set on, ask Evan ahead of time. He was really great at highlighting stores on maps for me that weren’t part of the itinerary, so I could try and track-down some of the rarer BJD items I was after. If possible, find someone else who wants to find the place you are looking for, and try and figure it out together c: That’s how we found our way around some of the more obscure parts of Harajuku and Shinjuku.

Bonnie: I think I’ll start making a list of cafes I want to visit! I really want to go to the animal cafes, but I’d be happy to go to other theme cafes that other people want to visit! I’m REALLY looking forward to Swallowtail. It’s actually a good motivator to try to learn more Japanese before I go–then I could kind of talk to the cute butlers!! (⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧♡

On my last international trip I managed not to get lost (at least not for more than a couple minutes), so I think if I have a map I’ll be okay. Still kind of nervous though. I’m planning on writing down/printing out addresses as well as making note of important/useful kanji so I can try to interpret signs, haha. I’ve heard that the people are really helpful if you get lost too. I just hope I can manage enough Japanese to get help. Well, if all else fails, there’s always Google Translate, right?

Tom: I’m with you on wanting to visit the Evangelion store! It looks awesome~

Bonnie: Oh nooo a bunny cafe?? I don’t think I could resist going to that! @_@ If there is a dog cafe too I’d be so happy, I’m a big dog person. And I just looked up the Alice in Wonderland cafe and it looks amazing. You guys are making me want to cafe hop too haha (I’ve already been to Disneyland in LA and Disney World so I’d be down with joining you guys but I’d have to see what my friend wants to do). Fuji Q looks cool too! I do love big roller coasters.

By the way, do you collect BJDs also? I’m hoping to check out the Volks store or anywhere else to find some stuff for mine c:

On getting lost – I’m worried about that also but I’m hoping my ability to read some will come in handy at least a little bit. Renting a phone at the airport to be able to contact Evan is sounding like a good idea now, haha.

Zo – Swallowtail is AMAZING! We were assigned a butler who could speak English (though I think there was only one who spoke English when we visited); learning some Japanese is probably the best way to chat with those cute guys~ (Psst – you can totally buy photos of your favourite butlers in the giftshop just across the road *blushes* So cooooool~!).
O: That’s a really good idea! I might have to steal that and put some useful phrases on flashcards or something to try and find my way around ^__^ Re: Google – just as long as your phone works over there or you rent one~ I found out my provider didn’t work once I reacher the airport. I’m tempted to rent a phone this time around just so I can use google maps + google translate.

Ashley – I know there are bunny, cat, owl, and penguin cafes. I haven’t heard of dog ones, but I would love to see one if there are! O: Have you seen the prison-themed cafe? It looks really quirky but fun ^^;

Oooooh! A fellow BJD collector! *squeals* I spent my entire trip trying to get ahold of a Dollfie Dream Dynamite last time~! There is a stunning Volks showroom in Harajuku that does some lovely clothing for them as well. I’m going to be trying to find one of the Volks little sister dream dynamite dolls this time~ I’ve heard that that Akihabara store is supposed to be particularly good (though if you are just after clothing, Mandarake and Nanako Broadway have some great second hand bits for them). Which type do you collect? c: I totally want to try and track down some of the new Pullip Sailor Moon series as well~ I’ve got Usagi so far, but I really want to find Mercury and Venus if I can c:

If you can read some Japanese, it’ll definitely be an advantage c: (though, in Tokyo a lot of signage – particularly at train stations – is in English and Japanese). There are some payphones, but honestly? I remember seeing like less than half a dozen, so phone rental might be good if it isn’t too expensive.

O_O
Also kinda wanting to check out Universal now they’ve got Attack on Titan there
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2015-01-30/attack-on-titan-universal-studios-attraction-previewed-in-video/.83893

I just looked up the prison one and wow that does look pretty quirky! The Vampire Cafe looks fun too, haha.

I have a weakness for big SD-sized guys~ I have 3 so far (here are two of them, the third only just got his body so he’s not complete yet ^^;: http://oi62.tinypic.com/vczyts.jpg). Ohhh I might join you on that Pullip Sailor Moon hunt! I’d love to get the Princess Serenity one myself c:

Yeah, I saw the Attack on Titan thing! I believe they’re also having an Evangelion one? I was hoping to go there for the free day but unfortunately it’s in Osaka so I don’t know about going there and back in one day D: And I think those special attractions end right on the free day so it’ll be over by the time the tour gets to Osaka, sadly.

I am with everyone who wants to go to the Evangelion store, so count me in on that.
Animal cafe hopping sounds pretty fun too if we can get a nice list of places.
As for phones, I know that my phone service doesn’t have any international plans, so that’s out, but I found this http://brastel.com/eng/japantravelsim
It’s a sim card, and apparently should work so long as your phone is unlocked. It looks like it offers both internet data and phone service, so I might go with that.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by vinetabris.

Erica: Renting a SIM definitely sounds like a good idea. I might do that depending on what I hear from my cell carrier about getting international service… Just make sure it’s the right size SIM for your phone!! It would be awful to end up with one that doesn’t work.

Bonnie and Ashley: I want to go to ALL THE CAFES!!! I think I’ve heard of dog cafes, and I’d love to go to one of those (I’ll be missing my dog while we’re gone!) and I also really want to go to a cat cafe, owl cafe, bunny cafe, and goat cafe!! I tried looking up penguin cafes, but all I see are penguin bars. But I’d be game for that too. The Vampire cafe looks really cool, and I saw multiple Alice in Wonderland and prison cafes. I’d be happy to add those to the list too.

Also, Erica and Bonnie: How do you guys have icons? I can’t figure out how to add one…

THEY DID A PRINCESS SERENITY ONE?!!??! *squeals* I NEED IT! … Ah…I mean…that sounds cool? ^^;

Awwww your dolls as gorgeous! I really want to get a SD boy, but I’ve got my sights on another Dream Dynamite first c:
https://imageshack.com/i/f0aBdsm8j
Not including my Pullip, these are the two I managed to get in Harajuku and Osaka last year c:

As for the commute to Osaka – don’t we have a free day in Osaka? The bullet train is actually pretty quick, so even if there isn’t a free day there, getting there and back wouldn’t bee too unresonable?

The Vampire Cafes look amazing; so many cool themed cafes c: I totally want to do a cafe-hopping day now~! The Capcom bar is pretty cool, as are the Gundam Cafes (Odaibah and Akihabara). What do you guys think of the robot cafe?

Zo – there are MULTIPLE prison ones? I only stumbled across one when searching for horror cafes. We must visit ALL THE CAFES ^___^

If you click on the top corner, then ‘edit my profile’ I thiiiink that is where you do it from (I’m sorry; it’s been a while since I changed it T__T )

I still can’t find where to change my icon… o(╥﹏╥)o

Yes, I think I saw a couple different prison themed cafes. One or two of them were prison hospital themed. If we go to all these cafes, we’re really going to be stuffed, haha! I wonder if we can split meals between 2+ people to save money/stomach space.

So for those going on the extended trip–is anyone else going to try to do a maiko makeover photoshoot in Kyoto? I really want to!! I asked for help making an appointment when I signed up for the tour.

I’m doing the extended trip as well. Maiko makeover sounds like fun!! How much is something like that? Id love to do something like that too!

Bonnie: Yeah! She’s my favorite of the Sailor Moon pullips so far~ I hope we can find her!

Aww thank you~ Your girls are super cute! And I love that red striped dress c:

I checked the itinerary and it looks like we’ll only be in Osaka for one day? But it looks like we’ll be able to do whatever we want in the afternoon.

And the robot cafe looks pretty cool! So colorful and flashy, haha

Zo: Splitting meals sounds like a good idea. Or just getting one small thing at each cafe we go to so it’ll be like eating a big meal altogether, haha.

A Maiko makeover sounds wonderful! I’d also like to know how much that would cost?

Eybelle and Ashley: The price depends on where you go and what package you choose. I think it ranges from about 7900 yen to 40000 yen. I don’t know which I’m doing yet–I think it will depend on how much time I have for it–but here are the three best places I’ve found:
http://www.maiko-henshin.com/en/campaign/
http://kyoto-maiko.com/English/index.php#en_access
http://www.yumekoubou.info/english/plan/
(Hopefully the links formatted properly…)
Ideally, time permitting, I’d want to go to Studio Shiki (first link) and do the Main Salon Commemorative Plan, since they have such a huge discount on it right now and you get so many pictures! But I think that one takes about 4 hours, so it’d probably be hard to fit it in.

Zo – Ooooh, so cool! :D Though, it’s either splitting meals or just going for a drink and a snack at each or something xD

OOoooooh! I didn’t even know there WAS a Mako Makeover photoshoot in Kyoto~! That sounds so awesome O: I’m super jealous c:

Ashley – We shall make it our mission to find ALL of the awesome dolls :D
Awww, really? Aren’t we staying there more than one night? Ah, I see – one day in Osaka but two nights from the looks of it. Darn; I love Osaka.

Zo – WOW that maiko makeover plan looks amazing~! The four hour one looks amazing (I love the idea of all those photos in a proper album). Darnit; Now I really want to do that!

I haven’t gotten a chance to scan the thread, will do asap. But for now, hello!!

I’m Matisse from Seattle, and will be chilling with the group for the Basic Package, then gallivanting around on my own until I head back with everyone on the 15th! Super excited to meet you all. <3

Hiya Matisse *waves* Oooh, have you got much planned for your solo travels? c:

Hi Matisse! I have a friend who lives just outside of Seattle; it sounds lovely. I hope I can visit one day.

I’d be so nervous to go traveling on my own!! Have you been to Japan before? Do you speak any Japanese?

@lannyliu oh he won’t be coming to Japan until the middle of June. That’s why I want to go on the tour, meet like-minded fans and have some fun.

Maiko photos sounds too expensive this time around. I might just have to stick with cafe hopping and shopping.

Hi Lanny ^___^

Do you know if the Alice in Wonderland and Prison cafes need reservations?

Does Shonen Jump Park require reservations, or can you typically arrive and buy tickets on the day? It’s one of the stops I was hoping to make before or after the main tour ^^;

@lannyliu Hi Lanny! I think I’d still like to do the maiko photos, although it’d be perfect if I wouldn’t have to miss Kiyomizudera or the Fushimi Inari shrine, depending on the itinerary and the time of my appointment.

I’ll have to do more research on the animal cafes I want to go to to see if they require reservations.

Thanks for the information!! (=^-ω-^=)

I’m glad to hear that we’ll have time for both the Evangelion store and the Pokemon center! Guess that means I’ll have to figure out something else to do on the free day. What did people on the last tour do for their free day?

Hiya Erica ^_^
On the last tour, I did Tokyo Disney on the free day (which is fun, but does take the whole day and is fairly pricy). I know quite a few people did Joyopolis in Odaiba, followed by re-visiting Harajuku and a bunny cafe on animated spring last year; it sounded like a really good balance, as it gave time to revisit several previous tour stop favs at once ^^

So this might be a dumb question, but what day of the trip is the yakatabune dinner cruise? I didn’t sign up for it, but I don’t even see it on the itinerary.

Is anyone else flying out solo (or anyone else arriving early?) Really hoping I’m not the only one missing out that initial group bonding on the long (looooooooooong) flight out.

I’m curious as well o: I could have sworn the yakatabune dinner cruise was on the perfect package last year, and I’m not quite sure what it referred to?

huh, that’s true.I see the Yakatabune Dinner listed as an additional option but not in the itinerary. If I’m not mistaken that usualy takes place during the Tokyo days.

Yoyoyo!

This is Katya. I’m 29 and live in Virginia; a stone’s throw away from Washington, DC (So I just tell everyone I’m from DC). I went on the Perfect tour in 2013 and now I’m back for seconds. Omnomnom.

I took great pride in my packing light research and managed to travel to Japan with just a half-empty carry-on and a laptop bag… However, I bought so much that I had to check my carry-on for the trip home. I intend to pack even lighter this time around. I think I got all my souvenir buying out of the way last trip.

The weather was gorgeous in 2013, save for one rainy day. Very similar to DC weather. Sunscreen is a really good idea, and I also recommend a hat/headcover/umbrella if it’s particularly sunny. And also important: COMFY SHOES. I saw some people sporting EPIC blisters.

The jet lag getting there wasn’t bad, but it was the jet lag when I got home that killed me. My schedule was messed up for a week. I think it’ll be easier to tolerate this time, as last tour I was so anxious I couldn’t sleep on the plane.

Looking forward to some good times!

Hi Katya!! (Lovely name, btw.)
Ooh, DC. So historical. I’ve never been, unfortunately. Are you looking forward to the cherry blossoms? :) I imagine it would be a nice hint of Japan before the trip.

Wow, I don’t think I could ever pack that light. I usually take a carry-on size bag even for staying the night at a friend’s house… I have no idea how you manage it. (I guess I’m just too high-maintenance!) And here I thought my plans of packing a half-full checked bag plus my carry-on was packing light.

Ha, I’ll probably be the most prepared for sun exposure. (When I went to Germany on a trip for my high school, my joke award from the teachers was “Sunshine” because of how much sunscreen I had and how I used an umbrella when it was sunny.) I just bought two really cute, really comfy pairs of shoes for the trip (very good arch support!) and I’ve been wearing them to work to break them in. I’ll take them outside for longer walks once it’s not so arctic up here in MN. I’m sure my puppy will be happy to assist me in that endeavor!

I want to pack light, but I will be bringing a huge ass suitcase with me since I do plan on buying a LOT, so I’ll probably need the space regardless of how light I pack = ^=
When I leave my luggage will probably weigh three times more than it did when I was going in, ehehe = w=

What will the weather be like when we go? Is it going to be really hot?

• This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by vinetabris.

Haha, I feel you, Erica. What I did when I went to Germany was pack an empty duffel bag. That way when you come home, you can check the duffel too and have even more souvenir space. Might be a good idea if you’re planning on buying a TON of stuff. :) I’ve also heard of people just shipping things back home.

Looks like the weather in May ranges from about 55-70 degrees F. I’ll be checking the forecast right before we leave though, in case it looks like it’ll be unseasonably warm or cold. I just hope it doesn’t rain too much.

My friends are all giving me requests of what they want me to get for them. I have no idea how I’ll keep track of it all, much less get it home! It seems like they expect me to bring back a suitcase full of goodies for each of them!

I’ll probably do the duffel bag thing, thanks for suggesting it!
Ah, that weather seems like the kind I’m used to here in Texas. = v=
I haven’t had too many people directly ask me for stuff yet, but it’s kinda like a silent understanding that everyone wants ~something~ from me. I asked my dad what he wanted me to bring back for him, and he told me he just wanted a jar of dirt :T
At least that one won’t cost me any money.

I did the duffel bag thing. It helps! I remember someone’s bag ended up weighing about 80lbs on the way back lol

Also, don’t be embarrased to wear clothes more than once if they are clean enough. Taking a pair of jeans that you can use 2 or 3 days will be lighter on your luggage than taking 3 pairs of jeans. I just took some plastic bags with me so I could separate things like socks and underwear that I won’t be
using again from the rest of my clothes.

Katya!! I didn’t know you were coming this time too! I was waiting for someone from the 2013 trip to show up :3 (this is Karina by the way)

I’m already planning what clothes I’ll pack; definitely only taking one pair of jeans, and then maybe a couple skirts and dresses and a few tops. I think I’ll probably have the hotel do my laundry before we leave Tokyo. (On my last international trip, for some reason I thought it was necessary to bring about 15 t-shirts for a 20-day trip. Horrible decision. I’ve vowed never to pack like that again; I had the biggest and heaviest suitcase of anyone on the trip. Ugh. LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES.) I’ll probably be packing an extra duffel too, because I’ll probably need it by the end of the trip.

Most of my friends have told me they’ll give me money to buy them things, so at least they’re not expecting me to spend a ton of each of them. I’ll just have to worry about keeping track of what money belongs to whom… I’ll also be looking for a couple birthday presents while we’re there, as well as the craziest souvenirs to give to friends!! I want to give them the most ridiculous things I can find.

I feel like I’ll be one of the youngest people on the trip; I’m only 21. At least I’m over the legal drinking age, haha.

Hey guys! Just wanted to say “hi” and thank you all for signing up for the BEST. TOUR. EVER.

E and I had a fantastic time last time and I’m positive this trip will be just as much, if not more fun. Probably more because as we all know, E’s an albatross and I’M the fun one.

I look forward to meeting all of you!

Especially you, Tom. You combo breaker, you.

CC

69 days until departure, everyone!! (Oh my~…)

Okay, has anyone else googled our hotels?? They look so nice!!! And the ryokan~~ *dies of excitement*

I just looked up the hotels! They look amazing!!!! I’m getting more and more excited!!!! I’ve been learning some survival phrases for this trip!!! :)

I’ve only looked up one of the hotels so far, but it looks amazing ^__^ Totally going to have to look them all up tomorrow~

Has anyone stayed at a ryokan before? It’s probably a really stupid question, but does anyone know if you can get good traditional souvenirs/ gifts from them (a bit like a regular hotel gift shop ^^;)? I really want to bring back friends and co-worders some stuff that isn’t based around anime this time ^_^;

Haha, good idea Eybelle. I’m trying to pick up more Japanese before we leave, although I haven’t been studying as often as I should… What types of phrases are you going for? I need to make sure I know shopping phrases like “How much is this?” and “Do you have a bigger size?” (I’m pretty sure I’m a little bigger than the most common Japanese sizes. They’re built so tiny.) Also, I’ve heard it’s useful to ask the cashier to write out prices if you can’t figure out the amount of money you need to pay. (Japanese numbers are hard for me, but we can all use Arabic numerals!)

Oh, good idea Bonnie! I’m sure some people I know would like more traditional gifts too. And I can’t exactly bring back BL theme goods for my parents… That would get really awkward. |_・) If they have things like that at a gift shop, it’d sure make it easy to get last minute presents for people you forgot earlier in the trip too.

From the website of the ryokan, it looks like they have some rooms with Western beds and some that are traditional… I really hope we’re staying in the traditional rooms!! I want to sleep on a futon!! (I’d actually like to buy one for my regular bed at some point, but it’d be nice to try it out first.) I mean, the ryokan looks gorgeous either way (I love traditional Japanese architecture and styling so much!) but I think it’d be fun to go the more traditional route.

Also, according to the website, you can make onsen eggs!! And (if you pay more) you can wear really cute yukata!! (ﾉ´ヮ´)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧*.･゜ﾟ･.*☆

Bonnie – I went and did a little digging, and it looks like the ryokan definitely has a gift store! Scroll down on the following page to see pictures. http://tensyo.yunokuni.jp/floor/

Like how do you say this in English/Japanese? How do you read this? Is English ok? Things like that.
:)

Halloa~

I’m Caitlin, but please call me King! (ergo the username heh)
I am the friend Tom (aka pixeldear) speaks of! :D
I also hail from Seattle, Washington.

I’m also 19 years old, and this’ll be my first trip out of the country since I was 11, and first time overseas EVER.
I’m suuper excited for this trip!!

I took 3 years of Japanese in high school, though I’m gonna be honest and tell you all that my grasp of the language isn’t much better than a 2 year old ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Possibly even worse.

I looked up pictures to the hot spring hotel, it looks amazing!!
Has anyone filled out the survey yet?? There’s option for additional reservations, and one of them is for a Robot Restaurant, it looks incredible! I really want to go

Is anyone going to that? I wouldn’t really want to go alone ‘ ^’

I also really wanted to go to the Owl Cafe, but not if we have to wait for hours….

• This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by vinetabris.

Hi King!! Ha, it sounds like most of us will be stumbling through the little Japanese we know. But what I’ve noticed (from looking at Japanese websites) is that if you can read katakana and sound out words you see, you can often get a general idea of what’s going on. I’m so glad that Japanese has imported so many words from English.

I filled out the survey, but I decided not to do the Robot Restaurant. I want to do the bunny and cat cafes though. :) I was also bummed that the owl cafe won’t work out…

As for flying out to LA, it sounds like I’ll be arriving the day before and spending the night in a hotel. (Trying to fly in and get there safely before 8:30 to check in sounds way too chancy and stressful.) Who else is getting a hotel room that night?

Zo: I also checked the bunny and cat cafes on the survey. It’ll be fun doing those with you :) Did you still want to do the Alice in Wonderland cafe too? I’m wondering if that one needs reservations also.

I’ll be flying into LA the day before and getting a hotel room too. I agree, trying to get up and fly to LA before 8:30 just sounds way too stressful >_o

Thanks Lanny. :)

Ashley – Hooray for cute animal cafes!! :) I still like the idea of the Alice in Wonderland cafe, but there seem to be about six of them with slightly different themes, so I don’t know which to go to! No idea about reservations though… We should look into it, especially if Bonnie still wants to go too.

By when should we be informed of when our domestic flight is? I want to put in my vacation time at work, but I don’t know if I’ll need to request day before or not ‘ ^’

My secrets to packing light:
Wear clothes more than once.
Mix and Match! (I had 3 bottoms and 5 tops, which makes for 15 different outfits) Accessories like a cardigan or pashmina add some flair.
I brought laundry detergent to wash clothes in the sink when needed.
“Throw away” clothes: I brought old underwear, socks, and pajamas to just toss after I was done wearing them.

Hotels have shampoo, conditioner, soap, towels, hair dryers. So no need for me to bring any of that. Toiletries I did bring were travel size only and very few “just in case” items.

I had brought my PSP and Kindle for the plane ride but didn’t use them at all (I only played on my phone, watched the in-flight entertainment, or tried to sleep) So I’m skipping bringing those this time.

Hope this gives people some ideas :P

:D :D :D Kariiiinaaa!!! <3 <3 <3

Katya – good tips! It’ll be hard for me to cut my wardrobe down, but I’m definitely going to edit it down from what my instincts tell me I need. I’ll leave home most of the toiletries, but I think I’ll need to take some hairspray and dry shampoo, haha. My hair doesn’t always like to cooperate. The packing experience for my last big trip was kind of different; we were staying in hostels, so we needed all our own toiletries and towels, so there was a lot more to carry. I’m glad I get to leave that stuff behind this time.

Yes, sleeping as much as possible is basically my plan for the flights. I’ve got some guided imagery on my mp3 player that usually puts me right to sleep. I might bring a book too–Pride and Prejudice tends to be my travel companion, since it’s my favorite. :)

Hey all! Evan here;

Just a reminder that we need a survey response from everyone! We’re still missing surveys from close to half the group, so if you know someone on the tour that hasn’t filled it out, please pester them on our behalf <3 <3 <3

On that note: we do need any requests for reservations of any kind – cafes and so forth – in by the survey deadline as well. This is really important! Hence my use of numerous exclamation points! ^_^

We’re working on the domestic flights this week and next!

Sorry about that Evan ^_^; I completely forgot that there was a survey in the first email -_-;

Quick question – the One Piece Tokyo Tower stuff – is this a separate trip from the Tokyo Tower people have already signed up to, or do I need to sign up to it to go to the One Piece excursion as well?

Thanks ^_^

Thanks for answering my question, Evan ‘ v’

Also I’ve been thinking of what I want to do during the half-free day in Kyoto, I think it would be fun to go see the Tou-ji temple

I’m also curious as to whether we’d be able to check out any antiques markets or flea markets during the trip. I’ve always loved going to flea markets, and I think i’d be neat to see what they have = v=

Hello everyone!~
My name is Sarah and I’m from southern California. I’m super excited to attend this BL themed trip and I hope we can have lots of fun together. I’m a little nervous since this will be my first time traveling by myself.
Is anyone else signing up to go to the cat café and bunny café? I’d love to go but I don’t want to go by myself!
Nice to meet you all! =^ ^=

Oh, Erica, that temple is pretty. I’d be happy to join you if there’s time, but is the half day in Kyoto or Osaka? I know we’re staying in Osaka…

Hi Sarah!! I’m traveling by myself too, so you won’t be the only one. Try not to be too nervous. :) I signed on for the cat and bunny cafes too, as is Ashley. I’m sure they’ll be popular options!! Such cute little fluffies~~

Ah, you’re right, we’ll be staying at the Osaka hotel during the half-free day.
Although it seems that it’ll take about an hour to get to the temple from the hotel.
Hmm, I wonder if it would be possible to make time for it during our Kyoto day..

Also I’ll traveling by myself too, so I’m hoping to make friends during this trip
Really hope I’m not the only one that wants to go to the Robot Restaurant, I might cancel if I’m going to be the only one going ‘ n’

Hi Sarah ^_^ Yaaaay, someone else who is travelling solo ^_^ I’m signed up for the cat and bunny cafes as well, so there will be two of us at least! Though I’m sure they’ll be super popular trips c:

Does anyone know how hard it is to get tickets to plays in Tokyo? Just spotted Naruto Live is still going to be on during the tour *whimpers* Want to see it so, so bad ;__;

Hi everyone,

Sorry to have to put on my parent hat but we still don’t have surveys for ELEVEN people. I’ve e-mailed out reminders to the people who haven’t responded. Please, please, PLEASE fill these out and let us know if you aren’t getting the Tour Tutorials. You spent thousands to get on this trip and we’re trying to help you get the most out of it!

Okay… *takes off parent hat* FUN UPDATES Y’ALL. :D

– If you’re wondering if you’ll be the only one going to the Bunny, Cat, or other cafes, the answer is No – there’s lots of interest for these and you’ll be among friends for sure.
– If you are interested in a reservation for one of the Animate Cafes, the best we can do is try. All the reservations are by lottery, and the group sizes are limited. We will try, but we cannot make any guarantees. I’m trying to get a more concrete response from Animate on this and will report back if things change. Regardless, any requests for these are, like all the other requests, due by this Friday.
– Domestic airfare quotes are coming today/tomorrow; there were a lot of them and we’re putting them together as quickly as possible. We’re a little short handed this week since one of our agents is on a business trip.

That’s it for now! I’ll be back with more updates as the week goes on!

…I now really wanna know what the Animate cafes are o:

I’ve been meaning to share this link:
https://www.memrise.com/

Memrise is a cool language website. They have lessons you can choose from and help out in memorising phrases in different languages. Just in case you’re interested :)

(p.s. I thought it funny how one of the first words they teach you in the japanese lesson is how to say beer lol )

I’m looking forward to the livestream tomorrow!! Can’t wait to find out who I’m rooming with. Maybe I’ll be matched with one of you lovelies. :)

Hello all! Tokyo tourist first-timer here, but not new to international travel. My buddy Kat and I will be living our high-school dreams by visiting Japan, so we’re both very excited to be a part of this! Thanks for all the travel suggestions that everyone has been posting–I’ve been looking at duffel bags so that I’ll be able to make sure I can take back all the souvenirs I’m sure I’ll be picking up ;) I’ve a bit of a sweet tooth, so I’m also excited to try out the various cafés and patisseries that I’ve been seeing around the interwebs. Anyone else maybe interested in the Ninja Cafe?
I’ve heard there’s also a Square-Enix café…

We won’t be able to make it to the livestream tomorrow unfortunately, but I do have one question–will we be able to use the ATMs at the airport to pull out yen? I wasn’t sure if I should bother to try to pick up any beforehand since my past trips to Europe just involved getting all my cash at the airports after I land.

Also, Penultimate, we must be close–I’ll be coming from northern Virginia as well!

@Amaya928 I think you’re my roommate for the trip! :)

Hello! I’m Kat, friend of Kendrawesome above. Yeah, we’re both in the NoVA/DC area, sounds like there’s a few fellow fans around here! :D

I’m really excited about the trip! Signed up for the robot restaurant but not sure yet what else I’ll be doing in free time. I gotta say, there are a lot of really cute-looking theme cafes.

Hey everyone! I’m Rachel from Houston TX (shout out to all the Texans here!!) I was on the last BLT Tour, and trust me, you guys are gonna love it!

So to spice it up here instead of just giving my name, let’s do a lil thing.
What anime (yaoi or otherwise ;D) are you currently into? Or rather, what merchandise/doujin/etc are you most looking forward to buying in Japan? Me personally, I better find some Death Parade and Tokyo Ghoul stuff. Seriously, if it’s got Juuzou’s face on it, it’s mine. ;P

Hi Rachel! My favorite anime is Darker than Black, and I also love Sailor Moon. I’ll probably want to buy absolutely every piece of Sailor Moon merch I see. But I haven’t really watched anything new or recent… (WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE?!) I was originally gonna finish the job I’m at in March and have April off to catch up on things before the trip, but my job got extended through April, so there goes my plan of binge-watching anime. Oh well, more spending money this way. :)

Probably a bit of a weird question, but I’m hoping someone who’s been to Japan before may have an idea – does anyone know good places to buy alcohol gifts? My boyfriend is a huge fan of Lost in Translation, and I really want to track down Suntory Time whiskey while we’re out there. As I don’t really drink and I mainly bought anime gifts for people last time around, I totally didn’t pay attention to where people were getting these kinds of gifts from -_-; (well, besides the anime-girl sake but those were hard to miss).

Any suggestions/hints would be greatly appreciated c: Thanks guys ^__^

I’ve just started watching Free! I’m only two episodes in, and I don’t know why but I’m getting so emotional!~ I’m really tempted to stay up late and binge-watch it now. Lol, this is probably why I don’t start new shows very often. Once I start, I can’t stop. I wonder how many shows I can manage to watch before the trip…

has anyone gotten their confirmation for their domestic flights yet (if you chose to let pacset take care of it)?
i got the quote, and e-mailed them saying i was okay with it and asked a few questions, but i haven’t gotten anything back yet ‘ n’
i just hope nothing’s wrong

I got my quote a couple weeks ago and I told them it was all right, then they added the price to my monthly payment. I haven’t gotten a confirmation number or anything, but I’m assuming everything’s fine.

On another note, I just finished watching Free! today. Soooo goooood… I should probably catch up on my responsibilities before I start another anime though…

Okay, I’ve got a kind of awkward question for people who’ve been to Japan before: what do you do about your period if you get it? I usually use a cup with liners as a backup, but are there a lot of public restrooms? Is there a place to throw away liners/pads/etc? I need to go see the doctor about a prescription anyway, so I might ask about getting birth control (like a ring) so I can just skip my period for the trip. Any advice? (Sorry for the awkward!)

My schedule is a little iffy, but it seems like it could hit during the trip or right after I get back… Ugh. (Then again, I might get it just before the trip. It’s not always very regular.) I would be really bummed if I couldn’t use the onsen. Let’s hope for the best, yes?

Hi there all of you!
New voice here. My name is Sara, some might know me as Sapfo, and I really looking forward to meeting you all. I´m comming in from the European side of the world, so @Otakugirl I will be in Tokyo a bit earlier then the rest of the group.

Hi Sapfo!! CommodoreZelda here ;) It’ll be nice to meet you in person!

Hiya Sara! Yay, another European tour person ^_^ How much earlier are you arriving? :) I’ll be getting in a few days early.

I WILL be going to the SquareEnix Artnia Café during one of the free times in Tokyo. If anyone would like to join me, feel free.

RAAAAACHEEEELLLLLL, DAAARLING <3 <3 <3

Kendrawesome + Kat = Awesome that you’re from NoVa! I’m in Arlington. Whereabouts are you two located?

In regards to periods: Mine started on the flight there. It was terrible as I felt bloated and crampy :\ I never had a problem finding public restrooms, and they were usually fancy with heated toilet seats, noise makers, and trash cans. I use a DivaCup so I don’t have to worry about taking care of it in public restrooms. Mine ended before the onsen so I was good to go there. Unfortunately, it looks like the same thing will happen again this year. Oh well.

I wouldn’t try skipping your period for the first time on an international trip if you haven’t before. You never know how your body is going to react.

If Lanny or Evan read this: Is the itinerary on the site remotely close to the final one? I coordinate my outfits and packing based on what happens on what day, haha.

Katya – I talked to my doctor and I’m gonna try to just skip it, although my doctor warned me it might not work. Ooh, heated toilet seats… that sounds weird, but nice. Thanks for the info!

I’m trying to plan what clothes I’m going to pack too… I’m torn between wanting to look cute and wanting to be practical though!

Zo – I totally know that feeling! I’m still debating with myself dresses over more practical clothes. Last time I brought a couple of nicer outfits with me just in case, but went with practical most of the time. Dresses weren’t always such a great idea with how windy it was last time -_-; (but it was spring, so it may not be as windy for May? o: )

Not sure if anyone else gets Film 4 (I know it’s a UK channel, but I don’t know if it’s available internationally) they’ve got their Studio Ghibli season showing at the moment ^__^ Just incase anyone else is planning on having another look back at their favs before visiting the museum next month ^__^

Going through my packing list, I see I’m pretty much ONLY wearing skirts and dresses. I wear spanx under them so I’m not flashing panties and disappointing upskirt perverts (Haaa, jk).

Hi again!

First, quick question for Lanny– do you know which day the outing to the Robot Restaurant will be taking place?

And man, I am SO EXCITED for this trip! I’ve been starting to do my research on sights to see in Tokyo! I did a double take when I saw Naruto on a list of theatre events, might try to go to this Naruto Live Spectacle show if there are tickets at a time that works out:
http://japan-attractions.jp/theater/live-spectacle-naruto-tokyo-triumphant-performance/

Anyone else heard about this or plans to go? I haven’t kept up with Naruto at all, but I am still very fond of it.

My main fandom at the moment is Haikyuu!! Though I’ll also be looking for Sailor Moon merch, I feel ya OtakuGirl and CommodoreZelda.

As Kendrawesome mentioned, I’ll also be on the lookout for an opportunity to try Japanese whisky. Haven’t had it before, but I appreciate American and Canadian whiskey quite a bit. Also excited for desserts! Just looking at the cute foods at the Moomintroll Cafe & Bakery is making me happy ^v^. Probably going to try to go there at some point:
http://moominmania.co.uk/moomin-bakery-and-cafe-in-tokyo-japan/

Speaking of food, I’m curious if there are other vegetarians in the group?

Ocicatsy – I’m a vegetarian. The problem is, I’m not a huge fan of vegetables… I’m usually very picky, but I’m gonna give some new things a shot (as long as there’s no meat). At least there’s always rice to fall back on! And I’m VERY excited for desserts!! Are you going to the maid café?

For Lanny,
As a person comming a bit before the rest of the group, which is the best way to get to the hotel? Can I get to the room? Is there anything I should think of?

ocicatsy – I really want to see Naruto live as well! Not sure how/where to get tickets though :(
Awww, Moomin cafe looks amazing! O:

Oh and also – thanks for the info on the whisky, Lanny! Much appreciated c: I didn’t spot that last time in Don Quixote – I’ll make sure to have a closer look next time c:

O_O

Ohmahgawd Volks have a dolls party the date the tour arrives! *flails* I MUST GET TICKETS. *runs to try and figure out how on the english site*

…

I don’t suppose there are any other BJD fans on the tour? xD

Just to let everyone know I’m going to be doing a little foodie side tour while we’re in Tokyo, inspired by Fumi Yoshinaga’s manga “Not Love, But Delicious Foods Make Me So Happy” (longest title ever). The manga itself is hilarious (she’s my fave), but also chock-full of maps and guides to Tokyo restaurants of all genres. I’m going to be hitting up a few of these, and I’d love it if you joined me in the adventure! <3

Check out the manga!

Also we should take field trip to find the famous cigarette shop Shiba Inu! :)

http://www.boredpanda.com/dog-opens-window-shiba-inu-doge/

Seriously as a cosplayer I’m freaking out; this is the best thing ever (and it’s in Osaka!): http://en.rocketnews24.com/2015/04/15/haco-stadium-tokyo-the-awesome-cosplay-complex-with-33-themed-rooms-waiting-for-your-photo-shoot/

Sorry for all the posts – I’m getting sooo excited!! :)

Matisse – I have to read that manga now! O: It looks gooood ^_^

O_O That cosplay place looks AWESOME! O:

Oh oh – Matisse – there’s one in Tokyo as well! http://hacostadium.com/tokyo/

Is anyone else considering hiring a wifi router for Japan? I’m a bit nervous about getting lost – particularly on any free days before/during the tour ^_^;
Has anyone done it before? Is it worth it, or did you not really use it? Or can anyone recommend any good tokyo apps for maps/getting around?

Is anyone watching any particular series or films in preperation for the tour?
I’m awful at keeping up wth current series ^_^; But I’ve started Bento (it just came out int the UK ok DVD) as well as Kitchen Wars online, and Assassination Classroom. Trying to rewatch Black Butler, Outan Highschool Host Club, gravitation,and Gundam Wing before as well – Along with a load of Studio Ghibli @_@ Oh oh – and ‘loves greatest first romance’? For the first time. It seems like a really sweet and funny BL aeries ^_^

Does anyone else have an older or more obscure fandom or pairing they’ll be keeping an eye out for character goods / manga wise? I’ll be trying to find anything Gundam Wing related ^_^; Duo+Treize = <3

Last time, I had Verizon set me up for international usage for the time I was in Japan. Cost like $25 and I could use my own phone if I needed to make an emergency call and 100MB of data, which was used for maps when looking for specific places and Google translate if I was in a pinch. I don’t even think I used half the data.

I bring a travel wifi router so I can use the hotel’s wired internet with my phone, since I don’t bring a laptop with me.

I’m not looking for any particular merchandise or souvenirs. I got more than enough last time. Also, I don’t have a lot of extra money available for trinkets (3 months being unemployed will do that to you), but I’m definitely going to sample more food than I did before! Piece of advice: DON’T eat breakfast before the Kanda festival.

During a free time, I would love to go find some small bars/izakaya to have some drinks and maybe goof off with some locals.

A little over a week to go! I can’t wait~

I’ll also be adding the Verizon international usage to my phone, it’ll be handy in case I get lost haha. I bought a cute little portable wifi router for the hotel as well.

Bonnie – I just saw your post about the Volks Dolls Party and ahhh wish I could go!! If only it were on the free day T-T

I’m going to try to finish Haikyuu!! before the trip and I’d love to start Death Parade. As for older fandom stuff I’ll be looking for, I saw on Mandarake’s site that there a couple of Big O figmas at Nakano Broadway. Hoping to visit that and pick them up if they’re still there! Also, anything from the anime Toward the Terra. I loved that show so much <3

Matisse – Yoshinaga Fumi is one of my fave mangaka too! And I love that food tour based on her manga idea, sounds fun~

Matisse – the renting one is about 400yen a day (I’m hoping it works with my iPad or iPhone! Didn’t think to check :s )

Ashuu – if you go to Nakano on the free day do you mind if I tag along? I freaking LOVE Nakano (I really want to see if they still have the Miku Volks in stock~! She’s been on their online store a few days so I’m hopeful ^_^; Plus I want to see if I can find any Junji Ito books of sketches ^___^) and I don’t think it’s on the main tour this time :(

What figurines are you after? :)

Is anyone else kinda excited about the different BL cafe? I’ve found a few reviews and it sounds fun ^_^

Yeah, let’s go together~ If Mandarake still has them, I’d like to get the Roger or Dorothy figma from Big O. I’m also keeping an eye out for the ALTAiR figure of Shizuo from Durarara. And ohh Junji Ito the horror mangaka? I’ve been meaning to read his stuff :)

The new BL cafe does sound fun! I’m looking forward to it.

So has anyone else gone to the new BL cafe website? (think I found the right one not 100% sure since it’s in japanese)

I have just finished stalking all the waiter’s twitter accounts haha They are lovely <3

http://www.blcafe.jp/pc/profile/index.html

I’m back on the forum!!!!!

I’ve been keeping up with most of the convo tho, so at least there’s that! XD

Anyway I’ve been watching Magi, No. 6, and I’m engaged to the Unidentified lately.

Anyone one else on the forum going land only? Want to meet up at the hotel on June 6th for the check in?

Also Anne are you on the forum???

I’m so excited!!! The weather is so nice right now I’m hoping it’ll be good during the tour!

I was kinda disappointed about the Swallowtail Cafe thing, but we’ll see how this new place turns out.
Also I’d never heard of Nakano Broadway before, but as an avid action figure collector, that looks like paradise! If you guys go can I come along to? I have a long list of Fimga/Revoltechs/Nendoroids/manga I need to buy.
Aaaa, a fellow Junji Ito fan! I’ve been obsessed ever since I finished Uzumaki

Ashu – I can’t recommend him enough! I just love his work – particularly his horror anthologies (though his better known works Uzumaki and Gyo are still pretty awesome)

Amaya – I’ve been doing the same! Did you try putting the site through google translate? It kinda works a little bit ^_^;

BeaslyPod – Myself and Sara are both land only! ^_^ I’m getting there a few days beforehand, but I’m heading to an event that morning so not sure if I’ll be back in time :( How early are you getting to the hotel?

Vinetabris & Ashuu – Swallowtail + Nakano on the free day sounds AWESOME! I can’t believe that there’ll be fellow Junji Ito fans ^____^ *is so easily excited* -_-; Have you looked up the website for Nakano, Vinetabris? they have some amazing shops – and as Ashu said, the more the merrier c:

(aaaaand I’m sorry for using peoples usernames rather than real names -_-; *is too lazy to search through at this time of night* ^_^; )

I’ll prolly get there around 2pm OtakuGirl, since it’s Golden Week and commuting will be a bit crazy. I’m so excited it’s getting so close!!!!

Bonnie + Vinetabris – Cool~ I think they mentioned in that email about the butler cafe change to let them know if we want to make a reservation at Swallowtail on the free day. Do you guys want me to email and ask if they can get the 3 of us a reservation (if one of you hasn’t asked already)?

Hiya Ashu – I’ve asked Lanny to move my reservation to the free day and mentioned hoping to go with you guys (it can’t hurt if you do email them as well? ^_^; )

Apparently it’s easy to get from Nakano to Swallowtail, so depending on the reservation time we can always go before/after c:

BeaslyPod – Darn, I’ll be at Dolpa then I’m afraid :( It doesn’t end until around five, but I’m not sure if I’ll stick around until the end or not (so not 100% sure when I’ll get back to the hotel) :(

So I want to go to Swallowtail (I already bragged to too many people Stateside to miss it haha) but am going to USJ on the free day. Is anyone down to go another time? Or in the evening that day? I’m not sure how late they’re open…

Ashu – I’ll definitely tell you about it c: From the sounds of things, it’s fairly hard to buy any of the limited edition items (otherwise I’d totally offer to try and get ahold of any of the limiteds you might want ^^; )

Vinetabris – Yaaay, another gashapon fan ^_^ The’re so addictive @_@ (As in Mandarake xD)

Matisse – it seems to be open until 9.20 according to Google http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www.butlers-cafe.jp/&prev=search :)

Okay lovelies, anyone want to hit up the Swallowtail on the 9th? It would be after the tour stuff, and after the maid cafe – we wouldn’t miss anything. There’s optional karaoke later, but we could just join a little later. :)

Let me know asap and I can let Lanny know. :D