Things to do in Tokyo

[newguy]

Turns out I'll be in Tokyo for a weekend next month (extended layover from a business trip). Any suggestions on interesting audio or diyaudio things to do there?

I read some of the great pointers in this thread: http://diyaudio.com/forums/showthrea...ght=akihabara, so I'll definitely drop by those places.

Any good record shops?

Bruce

[KBK]

The record shops are full of US and european vynil at twice the price or more, so that's a no show, generally.

[Hybrid fourdoor]

I've heard that there all kinds of hard to get Japanese electronics sold everywhere over there, like kiosks on the sidewalk selling Denon and Marantz and stuff like that.

Oh and of course the awsome cars to drool over!

If you can see if you can find places that sell nice electronic enclosures, they have access to real cheap labor over there so you can find real high quality metal enclosures...maybe you can find a clone of some of the Pass Labs enclosures

Course bringing it back is another story


EDIT: Wow that Akihabara sound freaking cool!

[jackinnj]

when I did investment banking I would get to Tokyo once or twice a year -- the Akhibara is a sight to behold, the hand tools are fantastic, you can buy anything electronic

while there aren't great bargains, some things in the department stores can't be had in the States -- you can buy very fine laquer ware, prints, etc.

and of course, if you have clients there's always the "piano bar" where you can spend a grand for a bottle of Chivas.

[newguy]

Too bad about the vinyl shops. Should have guessed that it'd be a washout cost-wise due to the popularity of records over there. I'll still poke around to see if I can find any local stuff. There's a track from "Kill Bill" soundtrack by Tomayasu Hotai that would be pretty sweet to find.

Good idea on the enclosures. If I could find one of these I'd be a very happy man: http://myweb.hinet.net/home1/prbetech/A2case/A2case.htm

jackinnj: I'm definitely heading over to Akihabara, both for parts shopping and listening to some of the Fostex models that seem popular there. By the way, funny you mention that you used to be an investment banker - that's my current racket. Sadly no clients on this trip (there will be in South Korea though!)

Maybe I should bring data sheets to maximze the benefit of the two and half words of japanese I speak. "this ... uh ... buy ... uh.. please".

[jcarr]

>If you can see if you can find places that sell nice electronic enclosures, they have access to real cheap labor over there.<

Perhaps that was the situation 25 years ago, but today labor (as well as most other things) is damned expensive in Japan. You can certainly get high-quality work done in Japan, but you will have to pay through your nose for it. It's far easier to get cheap electronics, components, chassis and things of that nature in, say, Hongkong rather than Tokyo.

Due to the high labor costs, most of the price-sensitive stuff sold in Japan is made overseas, not locally. Pretty much the same situation as in the US.

Akihabara does have shops that sell DIY kits of things like amplifiers, CD players, speakers and so on.

For instance, you could try Wakamatsu:

http://www.wakamatsu.biz/

LPs in Tokyo are expensive but usually in very good condition, and the selection is wide. I would most certainly not call it a "no show", but I suppose that judgement depends on how much money you can afford to spend versus how much time you can afford to waste. Places to visit for LPs are Shibuya, Kichijoji and Shimokitazawa. Akihabara doesn't have very much in the way of vinyl.

hth, jonathan carr

[tiroth]

Originally posted by newguy
Maybe I should bring data sheets to maximze the benefit of the two and half words of japanese I speak. "this ... uh ... buy ... uh.. please".

Nihongo ga tsuyoi desu ne, Newguy-san!

[newguy]

Akihabara does have shops that sell DIY kits of things like amplifiers, CD players, speakers and so on.

I found one place in the back of MJ magazine that looks promising. They sell chassis for tube and solid state amplifiers at pretty reasonable prices (e.g. ~$150 for a Bryston look alike).

Only problem is that I can't read the address! I think I see the Kanji for Tokyo near one of the four telephone numbers provided, but for all I know the full sentence is "Call this number to find out why we do not have a Tokyo branch".

If anyone on the forum who reads Japanese could confirm if this is actually in Tokyo (and if so what neighborhood), I'd really appreciate it. Sorry about the quality of the attached scan.

Thanks for the suggestion of Wakamatsu and for where to check for vinyl. That sounds great, I'll add to the "to do" list.

[newguy]

Nihongo ga tsuyoi desu ne, Newguy-san!

Gomen nasai.... "tsuyoi" ni wakarimasen! (oy. I hope I was supposed to use "ni" there...or is it "o"... or...)

[jackinnj]

Tokyo is the only locale where I have been served mollusks which were still alive.

Don't forget Shinjuku.

One thing which I bought in Tokyo which is extremely handy are small pocket saws with exchangeable blades -- they will cut anything -- well I mean like fiberglas, aluminum, wood, bolts, blade retracts into the handle