The last "Tumpang" thread went through successfully while I was in New York, this time it's Osaka! Just had a change of roster plan, and instead of a single day in Osaka, we have TWO!

I'm not sure what I'm thinking of getting myself, so i'll leave it open to anyone who have anything interesting to get from the Land of the Rising Sun. Had a look-see through NCSX for the gaming side of things, and also Amazon Japan for the electronics and Blu-rays. There's a couple of stuff i may be interested to get, so I will be hunting for these items, and see if they are of favourable price:-

1 - 32GB SDHC card (Panasonic/Toshiba)
2 - Sony Rolly
3 - Logicool Driving Force GT
4 - Sony MDR-DS7000 7.1 wireless headphones(if I'm lucky, I may come across the MGS4 branded ones)
5 - Blu-rays. Nothing in particular, although Sweeney Todd BD is scheduled to release while I'm there.
6 - Any LEs of games that I may come across, including MGS4 Soundtrack.

My thinking on getting stuff while I'm out of KL is either the stuff's cheap, or plain hard to come by in Malaysia. I have also initially thought of shopping via Amazon Japan and get the items sent to the hotel I'm staying, but with Amazon Japan being entirely in Japanese, I'm a little flabbergasted on how to even go about navigating the website in Japanese, much less inputting the hotel address in Kanji!

I shall be focusing my search in Den Den Town, Osaka, as well as surround areas in Umeda and Namba. Besides electronics, it is also a shopping area for anime- and otaku-related items as well as a haven for Gundam collectors with the huge Gundam store located there.

Here's Gizmodo's take on Osaka's own Akihabara.

I'm flying off on the midnight of July 4th, and will be departing Osaka only on the 7th.

If there are any requests, I'm more than happy to oblige should these requests be reasonable. Also, just like the case of the previous "Tumpang" thread, if you decide to get me to shop your item for you, I will need the funds banked in to me. IIANM, there aren't any tax imposed on the items here, although you may have to worry about our own Malaysian customs scrutinising for tax of your item while I'm carrying them back home. No guarantees on if these items get past local customs without tax, so you'll have to be prepared and keep that in mind as well.

If there aren't any request, I'll be doing some light shopping on the first day, and enjoying a full-day visit to Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. A good opportunity to exercise and brush up on my video-recording skills before the US holidays I'm taking at the end of the year.

This post has been edited by stringfellow: Jul 8 2008, 06:02 PM

Hey Stringfellow, Im interested in tumpanging the MDR DS7000, so should i just transfer to you some amount of money according to the prices at amazon japan or are you gonna confirm the price first? Or should i just bank in the maximum amount i would pay for it or something, hehe, thanks.

This post has been edited by GabanKing: Jul 3 2008, 10:19 AM

stringfellow: Man I envy your trips man !!

Hell

Lady Luck surely love you


if can, i also want to tumpang Sony MDR-DS7000 7.1 wireless headphones

PM me for detail

wanna ask if buying games if cheap at osaka compare to buy at play-asia?
or they are the same.
interested to buy tales of symphonia 2 for the wii

Great community service.....
kudos to you.

To those asking about the Sony headphone, you can refer to www.audiocubes.com. They are Japanese gadget/electornics importers, and they have listed the price for that pair of headphones as USD399.99. Price on Amazon, is discounted and does not reflected the price on retail stores.

EDIT: Sonystyle Japan has the MDR-DS7000 7.1 Wireless headphones listed at 29,800 Yen. Thanks to GabanKing for the info.

If you are still interested, PM me. We'll discuss the payment method there.

Going out for a while, gonna watch Hancock.

---

Added on July 3, 2008, 5:55 pmDont. I'm just making good use of what my work is offering me.

Your Wii is American? Can play Japanese games already, or are you using Freeloader, or *gulp* modded?

This post has been edited by stringfellow: Jul 4 2008, 05:19 PM

tumpang bring back some kinky cute jap girls?
kiddin kiddin.. have a safe trip man

Also interested in the headset here... but seeing 2 people already asked you to tumpang, I'm worry you may not be able to bring in so many without getting taxed. Let me know if you can bring in for me as well lah.

On that note, I'm at a major disadvantage compared to the locals. My hair is not spiky enough(are you crazy! If I sport spiky hairstyle to work, I'm gonna get fired! ), plus I'm not dressed the part. My futile attempt at speaking their language will only make me look "Baka"!

UGPM, bro. Amazon Japan does list it at a very drool-worthy price, but I dare not/do not know how to navigate the webpage or inputting the address in Kanji. Also, there's that thing about 110v power rating.



This post has been edited by stringfellow: Jul 3 2008, 11:38 PM

Okay, good news on the Sony MDR-DS7000. Sonystyle Japan lists it as 29,800 Yen, which equates to RM912 after conversion from Xe.com. I'd like to take into account and padding into the price as well as possibility of being taxed in KLIA when i hand-carry this in, so RM1000 sounds reasonable. Thanks to GabanKing for the Sonystyle Japan heads-up on the price, this should be retail price at the retail store.

lao... you say le?

Damn, TWO Wiis!

dun need salute me one la.
mine cannot compare yours

so... is the game in JP is much cheaper or expensive compare to those online store like play-asia which provide free shipping. or they are the same after all.

I cant really say, because I have never bought anything from retail store in Tokyo or Osaka. All this while have fun in DisneySea or USJ only.

If you can find a retail example, or online store based in Japan, that could help indicate if the price is cheaper or otherwise. Do not compare with Amazon Japan, their price is always 30% off.

Can understand Japanese? Then I salute again!

looks like getting from amazon japan is way cheaper.
will take a survey on their site 1st.
how i can make it somehow

To those wanting the Sony MDR-DS7000 headphones, I need you to make the decision pretty much quick. I will need that amount of cash you banked in converted into Japanese Yen, extracted as cash, before i make any purchase. Your banked-in amount will be converted to Japanese Yen, so i have no control over the exchange rate, but I will try my best to get thte best deal around. The "crew" have their favourite Bureau de Change at the airport that gives a good deal should we flash our passes.

I'm done researching where I'm planning to head for the shopping, and looking at the shopping list, I may have to defer Universal Studios Japan till the next trip! Here are the venues I'm planning to ransack while I'm there:-

1. Yodobashi Camera Umeda - 8-storeys (yes, EIGHT!) megastore chock full of electronics and gadgetries. The top floor of this megastore even give a great view of the Osaka city!
2 - Nipponbashi DenDen Town - Osaka's own Akihabara, or rather affectionately known as the "Akiba of the West". Bargaining for your items is welcomed, even encouraged here, since competition of the price is fierce here. Stretches from Namba Station right up to Ebisucho and beyond!
3 - Crysta Nagahori - Japan's largest underground shopping complex, with the main shopping avenue stretches up to 1KM in length. Damn, I'm gonna walk myself tired!
4 - 4 different Sofmap stores & Bic Camera Osaka in Nipponbashi DenDen Town. If Yodobashi Camera couldn't get me what I want, these 5 giant stores will definitely cover for it!
5 - HEP Five Mall - Especially important for Sony items, since Sony Plaza is located here. The mall, along with HEP Navio, are the ultimate hangout spots for the younger Japanese generation. The mall even houses a giant ferris wheel which you can see from my signature!
6 - Hankyu San Bangai, Shinsaibashi OPA, Namba Park, Namba Walk & Whity Umeda - For that last minute visits, although I'm sure i cant possibly cover all this in at one go. Depends on whether I'm cancelling the Universal Studios trip on the first day there.

I've also checked through Yodobashi Camera Umeda's online webpage, and from the translated Google page, it looks like the MDR-DS7000 is in stock. Same case with Sofmap and Bic Camera as well. Nipponbashi DenDen Town would have to be a stroll-and-search affair, although the price may be lower because of the encouraged haggling. Plus, the erm......."Adult" scene is is said to be pretty lively, with the lightest of that scene being the maid cafes/bars/restaurants. Anything more hardcore, .....well, that's for my Japanese PSN friends to show me around, .....Yatta!

Cant wait!

huh? no kidding!!!???
lemme go visit... with google earth...

remember to take those photos!!!!

Okay, safely arrived at the hotel.



All set to document the trip results. Wifi is FREE here, and the speed?
I wanna stay here!!!! Downloading time!


The compulsory pic when you visit any hotel in Japan. This comes stock with every hotel rooms here, I believe. Massage for your soft hiney! Complete with broken Japanese English, or Engrish, they call it!


The view outside the window. Gloomy, but cool. Very good weather for a walkabout.

The plan thus forth:- At 1100, will be taking the shuttle to Rinkutown. The hotel is situated in the Izumisano area. Modern building interspersed with ancient Japanese houses. Very interesting landscape when you that. Close-by they already have Tsutaya stores which sells electronics and videogames. But I'm heading to Rinkutown to fist check out Yamada Denki there. That store isnt as huge as Yodobashi, Sofmap or Bic Camera, but i found my Sony MDR-EX90LP there and PSP Skype addons. Rows of videogame shelves, preowned and even classics. From there, it's an easy walk to Rinkutown train station on the Nankai Main Line to Namba. From Namba, will hop onto the Midosuji Line to Umeda, and onwards to Yodobashi Camera, the 4 Sofmaps and HEP Five/Navio. If I can complete the kirim/tumpang items by today, tomorrow can spend the full day in USJ!

It is 0848 here, going down for the complimentary breakfast. Stay tuned for more snapshots of Yamada Denki, Rinkutown and its own ferris wheel, and of course Yodobashi Camera!


This post has been edited by stringfellow: Jul 5 2008, 09:43 AM

damn the download speed is crazy!
enjoy ur trip!