Is it worth visiting Japan just for the Tokyo Game show?

Greetings chaps

I need some honest opinions. Is it worth going to Japan, just to attend the Tokyo Game Show?

I have been lucky enough to save up some considerable freelance over the past 6 months, and assuming everything works out, come Septermber I should enough cash for a plane ticket, accomodation, and game shopping.

But I have been to Japan twice now, and have spent considerable time wandering the Akihabara and Asakusa. (plus I travelled all over japan with my A-level class many years ago). Meaning the initial feelings of excitement are slightly less.


It's likely to be a lot of money, at least £500 for plane tickets. £500 for living costs in a seedy hotel (most likely Juyoh hotel again, which is ok I guess).

And I am likely to spend at least another £500+ on shopping.

Plus I would attend the TGS of course.



Some questions:

* When is the TGS? Exact dates and time please. (very usefull for booking plan tickets )

* Are there special press-only days? Im hoping so, since Ill get the magazines i freelance for to send me some official documentation proving my intentions.

* How easy is it to book tickets? How much are they?

* is anyone from here going?

* Is it worth going, considering I am unlikely to go far beyond Tokyo?


I will of course be trying to secure as much freelance as possible, but most mags already have a "man in Japan", so it's likely to be VERY slim pickings. And therefor mainly a recreational trip.


Thoughts and opinions are needed!

(especially since if I don't go to Tokyo I will most likely then spend all my money on a flight to Kenya)


Cheers for any advice

regards
John

 

Best wait for GaijinPunch to answer this one since he's been there a few times I belive. I'd love to go to it this year if I can get time off work which may actually be possible. Just need to get the funds ready.

Yakumo

 

Does anyone know the exact dates for this? It would be very helpful with regards to booking flights.

Im actually ringing my travel agent again tomorow, since they never got back to me previously.

Im guessing few others are considering going?

 

i heard on another topic it aparently wasnt all that. Mind you i wouldnt go anywhere just for a games show... not even E3 unless there was something else decent to do.

 

Well... hmmm...
I've been to three (or maybe four?) TGS'. The first one was when the DC had some new stuff coming out, and I was pretty pumped about it. I was reporting news for a now defunct game site. I went alone two days, and had a blast. Got some cool demos, went back home and smoked a pack of cigarettes as I posted my impressions and shit, and generally enjoyed it. I believe this was 2000.

The next one I went to was Spring later that year. This was the imfamous show where Sega did not show up. Obviously, it wasn't near as fun.

The next two I went to were 2003 and 2004. I can't recall much of 2003, but I met a fellow poster from virtuafighter.com and one of his JET buddies from bum-fuck Japan (Fukui I think) that bussed in. We had a pretty cool day of it. There was quite a bit of retro stuff coming out at that show, so I enjoyed it.

My impressions for the 2004 show are here:
http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~japangaming/forum/viewtopic.php?t=410&highlight=tgs
They are fantastic -- everyone should read them. Keep in mind, this was a week before leaving Japan for the ghettos of Honolulu, so I was in a very transitional period, and my wife was busting my balls quite a bit.

If you like the Japanese game scene, you'll have a good time. There's virtually no US/UK developed stuff there (very, very little). The chics are filthy hot, and let's face it -- Tokyo is rockin' city period. I wouldn't make the trek JUST for the show, but if you can put on 3 days before and after the show to check out the city, I would do it.

Your questions:

* When is the TGS? Exact dates and time please. (very usefull for booking plan tickets )

09.16 - 09.18
http://tgs.cesa.or.jp/

* Are there special press-only days? Im hoping so, since Ill get the magazines i freelance for to send me some official documentation proving my intentions.

09.16 It is still packed as shit though.

* How easy is it to book tickets? How much are they?

Very. I got press tickets for some cheesy news site I was posting at.

* is anyone from here going?

Not this year... probably not anyway. 　I will be in Japan in September (I think) but dates are dictated by some Korean holiday.

* Is it worth going, considering I am unlikely to go far beyond Tokyo?

I love Tokyo. It was nothing but fantastic to me, so I would say yes if you're going to spend some time in Tokyo (outside the show). I hate flying though. 14 hour flight for anything less than 7 days for me is probably not worth it... even though I did fly to Texas and back 3 days later for a wedding once.

 

I'm going this year !! Well, if anything interesting shows up like the Revolution. Now that I have a better job I can actually choose up to 10 days a year off when ever I want plus the standard holidays so I'll probably go for a long weekend Friday to Monday.

Yakumo

 

I never went to Tokyo/Japan, but I went to Tanzania (neighbouring country of Kenya) and it was the experience of a lifetime! The ticket won't be cheap, but you get more value for your money in Kenya.

Safari is a must, it's very (VERY) impressive to see majestic animals in their native surroundings. The air smells really great (sweet), it's soooo clean. There's small animals in every tree, and people are very kind. Staying in the city is not much fun, so try to travel inlands.

I think you will not be dissapointed if you go to Africa. It's a real eye-opener, a culture shock, so is Japan probably, but only the first time, right?

 

I was born in Africa, I know all about it.

The reason for deciding between thge two, is some family are stationed there for their job, hence why I thought Id vacation there and visit them.

Sadly, the travel agent screwed up checking the flights to either place. Not that it matters, all flights out of Paris are booked for like 2 solid months. Meaning sadly, I don't think Im going anywhere.

 

I really was spoiled. The last few jobs I've had gave me 20 vacation days... not including sick. There's no real number at my current job (small shop) as long as it's not ridiculous.

You mean all flights from Paris to Narita are booked for August and September already? That just doesn't sound right. You do know that planes go to other places though.... like stopping in London or Amsterdam first, then move on to Tokyo. Why not try one of those?

 

You really were spoiled. My previous job had no so called "personal days off" onlt the standard national holidays and Christmas. So for me an extra 10 days to take when ever I choose is great. Still 4 weeks holidays back in the UK was better

Yakumo

 

well you would most likely want to go there for a week, so youd be able to check other things, than just the show.

 

I think this is standard in banks. When I was being pimped (contract shit) I only got 10 days. When I joined bank of America, I got 20, but was fucked in other ways. The Japanese staff, doing the same job, only got 15 days. I will admit though, the gaijin on the whole need the extra days to actually go home and see their families. I doubt I'll ever take another job that only gives me 2 weeks holiday unless they pay me a stupid amount of money. Then again, I worked a lot of weekends and holidays, so I guess it worked out.

 

There are plenty of non-direct flights, but I like to try and avoid those as much as possible.

There was actually several via Amsterdam. But what can I say, I am a deeply lazy man.

Im due back at the agents next week, Ill see whats happening.

Cheers for all the info chaps!

 

Hey, if you ever find yourself on Amsterdam airport with a few hours to kill (and if they let you out of the airside), let me know and I wouldn't mind showing you around town a bit

 

My sister is having a kid in Croatia in the Fall. I'm sure at one point I will need to go visit to see the little punk. Since that's perfectly halfway around the world, there's no fucking way I'm only going for a week. I'll probably do a European tour. 5 days with friends in London, 5 days w/ Family in Zagreb, 5 days of fun... Amsterdam will probably be a few days.

No telling when that will be.

 

Like I said I'm hoping to go. Getting a long weekend shouldn't be a problem so All I have to do is find some cash

Yakumo

 

I'm sure I've heard of that place before. If I'm still married by then I'll probably be getting a Mitsubishi flight and hotel deal for next to nothing through my wife's company. However I may just say fuck the hotel and stay in sakura house A few nights with the lads would be great. Don't be looking at me to order all your food or sort out problems in Japanese though

Yakumo

 

the one at UENO-OKACHIMACHI?

:smt033