Life in Japan - Pictures galore !! Arcades, Temples, Rainy days, etc

**GaijinPunch** · 10-20-2010

Originally Posted by hashiriya1

Pics of an Uyoku rally. I usually never miss this.

One of my bosses maid the best of an awful day. Rarely does it snow in Tokyo... but it did this day, and he pelted the fuck out of one of their vans w/ snowballs.

Interesting. Can't find out much about them online, at least not in English.

My gift to you.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uyoku_dantai

I actually agree w/ one of their signs. I don't think foreigners should be voting. At least not yet. There's all types of other shit we should have before that. My only real beef w/ these dick heads is the noise polution. The only person more annoying than them are the douche bags outside of Matsumoto Fucking Kiyoshi who, despite having a battery operated megaphone, scream into the god damn thing. And they're only screaming about you being able to save 100 yen or some shit.

**hashiriya1** · 10-20-2010

Originally Posted by Yakumo

The Uyoku like all of these groups are a bunch of pricks. Power hungry pricks. That's all you need to know. I hate these people beyond belief.

Yakumo

I wouldn't generalize them. You'd be surprised with some of their beliefs that you may actually share with them. I kinda felt the same way (because I didn't really understand them at the time) until I mingled with them a few times, mostly in Miyagi Prefecture.

The faction members I met were part of an anti-North Korea, but pro-South Korea group. Funny thing was, there was not one Korean in the bunch. They just wanted North Korea to return all of the abductees and release all information about aggressive acts against Japan. Their main purpose was to stop Japan from sending aid to North Korea since they aren't holding up their end of the bargain from the Japan-NK summit. They were further angered by North Korea pointing missiles and 'test' firing them toward Japan a year or two ago. I was in Akita Prefecture at time and the SDF was all over the place. People were genuinely scared. These aggressive acts of North Korea should not be tolerated, and that group just wants to reiterate that.

**Yakumo** · 10-20-2010

Well that group does sound like one that wants to bring some sort of order for the good of the people. All the groups I've seen just seem to be thugs hell bent on power. It is good to know that there are a few of them that do have the good of the general people in mind.

**GaijinPunch** · 10-20-2010

I believe a common denominator (correct me if I'm wrong) is they want to reinstate military capacity to the emperor. Sorry. That's just plain fucking stupid.

**hashiriya1** · 10-21-2010

Yeah, well, that'll never happen, so those guys can keep dreaming. Those are the groups that are a little too far to the right.

One time they were having a rally in front of Shinjuku Station (west exit) and the left-wingers (Japan Red Army) came marching in. The riot police were at the ready. Funny thing was, like typical of Tokyoites (or most Japanese), nobody noticed, nobody cared. They just kept on walking with keitai in one hand, Yoshida Kaban Porter bag in the other, and a cigarette hanging out of their mouth.

Anyway, didn't mean to start anything here, just wanted to share some pics.

**hashiriya1** · 10-25-2010

Here's a glimpse of some of the shops I go to. Not all of them, but a small bite. Most of these shops are open 24 hours just in case you need a Famicom copy of Super Mario Brothers at 3AM on a Tuesday.

At the time I took these pics, I was selling this stuff on ebay...which is
why there are black dots over the prices. Sorry about that.

Enjoy the pictures.

What they usually look like on the outside.

The bottom shelf, with copies of DEAD OR ALIVE

FAMICOM TV!!!

Deck the halls of SFC carts...la la la

PC Engine, Super CD games

Sega Saturn

Disk System Games

Yes, that Donkey Kong Gameboy Advance SP is 120,000 yen. (about $1,250)

Most of these stores never sell Super Famicoms (or Famicoms, N64s, GameCubes) without AV or Power cables.
They sell them separately to maximize profits.

SFC cart grab bags and FC Twin systems

I heard these are "rare". (Psychic Assassin Taromaru)

Final Fantasy Wonderswans

The MARK OF THE WOLVES PS2 NEO GEO Stick. This isn't easy to find.

US Versions of games are often easily available in Japan. If you can't afford the Japanese version, opt for the Import.
Unlike the US, game imports are CHEAPER than domestic ones. Case and point, these copies of GTAIV

The walls are made of Famicom games....

I love these things, Capcom Fighter pads for the SFC

And here's how they get you when you want to buy an SFC, FC, N64 or GameCube

**Tatsujin** · 10-25-2010

Nice pix. Sadly those kanteidan shops became unbelivable worse over the past few years. Not just the product offerings, but also their prices, which are a big laugh.

**Tchoin** · 10-25-2010

Thanks for all those pics hashiriya1 !! Really enjoyed them :D

**hashiriya1** · 10-26-2010

Originally Posted by Tatsujin

Nice pix. Sadly those kanteidan shops became unbelivable worse over the past few years. Not just the product offerings, but also their prices, which are a big laugh.

I think it all depends on which ones you go to. Some of them have ridiculously high prices while others have pretty reasonable deals. I noticed the farther I am from a big city, the cheaper it gets. I drive all the way out in the middle of nowhere in Yamagata, Ishikawa, Niigata, Iwate, Aomori, Akita, etc and find treasures out there. Tochigi, Gunma, Chiba, Saitama seem to be more expensive. I haven't been to any west of Shizuoka.

**Tatsujin** · 10-26-2010

Originally Posted by hashiriya1

I think it all depends on which ones you go to. Some of them have ridiculously high prices while others have pretty reasonable deals. I noticed the farther I am from a big city, the cheaper it gets. I drive all the way out in the middle of nowhere in Yamagata, Ishikawa, Niigata, Iwate, Aomori, Akita, etc and find treasures out there. Tochigi, Gunma, Chiba, Saitama seem to be more expensive. I haven't been to any west of Shizuoka.

I think this is about right. But I remember visiting the one in Narutou (Chiba) which was quite cheap but raised its prices over the last two years tremendously. I also visited one in Kawagoe (Saitama-ken) and one in Toyota-shi (Aichi-ken) recently and I was sheer blown away from the top prices they want for the bit more rare stuff they still have. For ex. a lose darius alpha (card only) 110'000yens. This is more than any complete copies in whole akiba ever would cost you. No chances of digging any cheap treasures like in the better times.

**Yakumo** · 10-26-2010

Is that Game Soko any relation to Manga Soko? We have the main Kita Kyushu branch not that far from here in Shimosone. They have a vast amount of stuff like the store you pictured however some of their prices are nuts! Way over priced and at times for sunfaded games or games without boxes. Actually they have a Mega Drive Battle Mania 2 with box for 5800 yen and without box for 5800 yen!! Now which would you buy?

**ASSEMbler** · 10-26-2010

I have one of those famicom tvs.

Ah the wonderful orderliness of Japanese stores.

**Jamtex** · 10-26-2010

I am sure some of those pictures have been posted before. :s

**Tatsujin** · 10-26-2010

Originally Posted by Yakumo

Actually they have a Mega Drive Battle Mania 2 with box for 5800 yen and without box for 5800 yen!! Now which would you buy?

I would at least one of 'em. So did you buy it?;-)

**Yakumo** · 10-26-2010

Nah, I already own both Battler Mania games in factory minty fresh condition :)

**SuperGrafx** · 10-27-2010

Originally Posted by hashiriya1

Here's a glimpse of some of the shops I go to. Not all of them, but a small bite. Most of these shops are open 24 hours just in case you need a Famicom copy of Super Mario Brothers at 3AM on a Tuesday.

At the time I took these pics, I was selling this stuff on ebay...which is
why there are black dots over the prices. Sorry about that.

What a wonderful shop. And all those clean looking Famicom consoles...it's such a pain to acquire a clean and complete Famicom setup here in the States. To see all this hardware goodness is enough to make anyone envious.

PS: Those Super Mario shoes are hilariously bad. You couldn't pay me to wear those in public, lol!!

**Celine** · 10-27-2010

Originally Posted by hashiriya1

*Pics*

Mein gott.

**Vosse** · 10-27-2010

Originally Posted by ASSEMbler

I have one of those famicom tvs.

Ah the wonderful orderliness of Japanese stores.

Oh man, I would love one of those so much <3

Old school TV with a Famicom built right in. Then I wouldn't have to hunt for an old TV at thrift stores D: