Just like the title says, it’s hard work trying to figure out what where to go and when to go on a trip that is less than 2 weeks away. Everyday I try to figure out how to get to point A to Point B and back again, I find a new place that I could go on this trip. Been looking on the web for tips and once again watching a Chinese show called Tokyo Walker for places to eat and try to go to. It’s been pretty hard to plan and write out places to go (hence my lack of updates on the blog). With the amount of time I have, planning is something I must do. Unlike last year which I literally had half a year to plan, this years trip was a last minute thing, so I basically have less than 2 weeks to plan it. I’ve been already planning it officially for 2 weeks. Been staying at home a lot just planning and searching the web for tips. So far, I only got some good places to shop and eat. Sadly most of those shopping places are mainly in Harajuku, Akihabara and Odaiba, or places I’ve been to. I think as time goes by, I think I’ll add more on to the list. Been planning on making video versions of my Easy Guide to Japan with me as the host. Random things about Japan to tips that help you guys out there plan their trip to Japan with little to no knowledge of the language. This all comes after my trip to Japan. This is what I can guarantee, that there will be a ton of photos of places that I haven’t been to, plus I plan on giving tips on what to do in Japan in my videos and maybe more…

Took this 2 years ago in my hotel in Hong Kong with my crappy digital camera. This was when I didn’t have a DSLR.

Japan isn’t the only country that I’m going to for this trip to Japan, I’m also going to Hong Kong for 5 days. I plan to do some shopping and walking around HK as well. Maybe make some videos too if I can. Haven’t really planned much for my trip to Hong Kong. Been so worried about my Japan trip that I didn’t start planning for HK just yet. Still I’m for sure going to do some shopping and going to an anime convention in HK called ACGHK. I have to thank to my friend Momo, I learned that the J-rock band Scandal is going to be at ACGHK. Apparently it’s their 3rd year going there. I’m so going to see them perform at the convention. I also do plan to meet up with fellow blog Q in HK. Maybe a meet up with other bloggers and DC members.

I really have to thank Tim (AKA Raptor) a lot!!! He helped me get 2 tickets to the Girls Dead Monster concert on the 16th of August. I’m a fan of the Angel Beats! anime series and I can’t believe that Tim helped me get them. Also this is my first time at a Japanese concert so I do not know what to expect. I got some tips from Tim but if anyone had ever been to a Japanese concert in Japan, please tell me some tips about it like on what to do and when should I line up and so on.

What so far planned for Japan:

Most of the stuff I also the same as last year but I plan to spend more time in some places. Some places I plan on going to I haven’t been there yet but I really want to go there. Also going to try some new food places so I can recommend to you all out there!!!

- Harajuku (Been caring on how I dress these days. Not just a t-shirt and pants that I used to do.)

- Tokyo Tower (This place I plan to go. After 2 years of going to Japan, this is the only place I wanted to originally plan to go to for the past 2 years. This year, I make it my mission to go there!!!)

- Odaiba

- Akihabara (For sure place to go)

- A day in Kamakura and Enoshima

- Comiket 78 (August 13 – 15)

- Girls Dead Monster Concert in O-East (August 16)

- Meet up with other otakus and bloggers (Meeting up with quite a few bloggers and otakus this year. We all gathering for Comiket 78 and the meeting place is at my hotel room in Odaiba. Who knows, I might want to also meet up with Danny again!!!)

- Ikebukuro

- Shrines all over the place

- A Japanese supermarket (Yes, a Japanese supermarket. Going to find on and look around. Always want to go to one…)

Been using this plus the internet to help me plan for my trip. The DVDs on the desk is the Chinese show Tokyo Walker that I bought at Pacific Mall…

What I usually have trouble is talking in Japanese. For the past 2 years I’ve been extremely struggling with the language barrier and it’s been giving me a hard time. I remember once I didn’t know how to call for 2 drinks with my set (known as a combo here in Canada). That took a while to figure out and thank god Tim was with me. This year I got some basic Japanese skills thanks to Saturday morning Japanese class but still I find it hard to speak properly (Time to review some notes too). Well, I am practicing with the currently and hoping that it all works out in the end. Reading skills not that much. I only have a grasp on Hiragana and a bit of Katakana but Kanji, I don’t know any at all!!! If all else fails, I wing it like most of my trips to Japan. The good thing is I have a good sense of direction and I barely get lost. Note to self: Never meet up with people at Harajuku station EVER AGAIN!!! It took me a good 15 to 20minutes to find the people I was suppose to meet up with in a crowd of a hundred people. Too many people at Harajuku. I rather keep the regular meet ups in front of Akihabara station, a lot easier.

Been hearing lately that I can get a prepaid phone in Japan. Last years phone bill was a bit too much and it cost a lot (All thanks to my mom who called the hell out me). So I plan to somehow make it cheaper. The option of getting a prepaid phone in Japan sounds pretty good but I’ve been hearing mix messages about. The main thing is getting it. Been hearing back and forth that you only need a passport to get one but others say you need an alien registration card (ARC for short). I don’t know what to make of it. Some people on forums claimed that they did it only with passports and others claimed that they needed an ARC to get one. I’ll have to research more about it a bit later…

Before my trip to Hong Kong and Japan, I’m thinking of getting a new laptop for my trip. Thinking of getting a regular Macbook pro for $1200. I don’t know but I’ve been wanting a Macbook for a while. Also, being in school still, Apple has this thing in which if I buy a Mac product I get a free Ipod Touch with an extra discounts. It’s a deal there. Also planning to get an HD video camera for filming my Easy Guide to Japan. This all depends if I can get extra money for the stuff I need. This reminds me to get at least get an extra battery for my DSLR and my PSP. For my PSP, I think I need 2 extra batteries. There’s still a lot of other things I might need. Like memory cards. I might have to before I leave Toronto is to buy 2 extra 16gb and 2 8gb SD memory cards. I think last time I used a good 3 16gb memory cards during me trip to Japan.

Well, that’s pretty much what I got so far. I hope to give a full trip plan before I head out. Now back to planning and watching a bit of anime before I head to bed.

One more thing, if anyone want to meet up in Japan. Please email me(Email in my about page).

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