Sounds like you'll have a great time, Japan is on my bucket list to go around the time of the cherry blossom and of course to visit a Tamiya shop would be special. 

If you travel with someone who knows their way around Japan, you can skip the boring standard tours and go see places they don’t.  Japan outside the commercial tours can be quite charming.  My fondest memories are of places away from the big cities.  Well, except for the mad model shopping in Tokyo and Osaka!

A friend taught me how to use the rail system, and with that, you can get most anywhere.  And there are apps that can translate text real time - my sister’s boyfriend and I tested it and it worked surprisingly well.  A personal wireless hot spot is a must, as it will help you find places using the power of Google.  I used it the last time I was there, and could not imagine how I did without it before.

Oh yeah that sounds awesome!!! Please take a bunch of photos and share with us!!! 

Est.1961, Tojo72, and Gamera,

Yes, I will certainly take a bunch of photos as well as notes!  I hope some "bombshell" announcements are made during the show.  The Shizuokza trade show is usually where all the major manufacturers unveil their latest products, while the All Japan show is informally recognized as the place to make announcements that didn't make Shizuoka.  Gonna miss the cherry blossoms though Est.1961 - they usually bloom around March.  

Wow!!!!!!!!! Totally green with envy. Enjoy.

Jim  

   Cool trip RealG, I work with several Japanese folks and ask them if they would be my "hook up" from Japan when they return home....everyone I have spoke to doesn't seem to know of the hobby. Maybe something gets lost in translation?? 

    Congrats on your trip and yes please post pictures, Japan seems to be a besitiful country.

Armornut,

Not all Japanese build models - none of my relatives do, and they have told me it has the same nerdy stigma over there as here.  They wonder why I obsess over plastic kits (and why I don't drink, smoke, and like baseball).  And don't even start with the pretty girls if you mention you build Gunpla!  A friend who is a Japanese national explained that adults build the big $100 kits.  The $10 kits are for children.  But that was 30 years ago, and those adult modelers probably are passing on.  The "ugly" truth is that the Gunpla fans are now the majority of the community, as they are the younger generation that rode the Gundam plastic model wave in from the 1980s.

   Please don't misinterperate my comment it was not intended to be stereotypical. I was only hoping to make a connection with a co- worker of the international variety.

    It is good to know that nerds are worldwide LOL, guess I should brush up abit more on my Japanese culture.

 It's all good Real G. I really hope you enjoy your trip and look forward to seeing the pix.

???  Armornut, absolutely no offence taken at all.  Ha ha, Japan like all countries is rife with stereotypes.  And there is always at least a grain of truth that forms the basis of those stereotypes.  Or stereo-taippu.

Am contemplating on going to Shizuoka this May too! Wanted to last year but couldn't due to work commitments. Maybe visit the Tamiya factory while there. 

Did make it for the All Japan Model event last September in Tokyo though. It was great! Got to meet Shinji Hasegawa and got him to autograph my copy of Modelart magazine!

Ah, yes!  You'll get to collect examples of that rare element, unobtanium!

Edwin - Hey lucky you!  Did you travel with buddies?  It's a lot of fun watching other guys loose composure when they find that one thing they were really looking for!  One of my friends caught me on video seeing something through a store window then scrambling for my wallet to check if I had enough cash.  (I didn't, so I had to return the next day to get that coveted kit.)  Here is a pic:

At something like 20,000 Yen, it is the most expensive kit I have ever bought.  I think Kotobukiya produced the resin kit, under the label "Goikken Muyou" (Your Opinion is not Needed)!  It is still in the Deep Stash, so the only photo I have was from the side of another kit's box.

Baron - Ah, the Unobtanium is to be found in the separate vendor's area!  At the All Japan Show, I remember there were a bunch of guys sitting on grass mats on the floor selling their wares.  These were individuals who had garage kits (well, home-made kits, as a lot of homes in Japan do not have garages) they produced themselves.  And a lot of them did interesting subjects to a high standard.  A friend picked up a resin Holland submarine from one of these guys, and it was the bee's knees.

Has anyone else been to a hobby trade show?  The Spielwarenmesse in Nuremberg is happening next week.  Tell us of your tales of high expectations and thrilling discovery (or crushing disappointment ).

Oh wow that's awesome Real G! 

And I'd never resort to sterotypes- BTW if you see Gojira please snap a photo of him as you run for your life... 

Edwin, let me know if you want to hook up at the show.  It's always fun to meet forum members face to face!

Gamera, did you know that there will be a theme park in Japan with a 1:1 Gojira taking a nap?  Or was he just lying down to better swallow people?  I can't recall.  They need to do a Gamera theme park, with a tilt-a-whirl ride where people sit in a Gamera shell!

Real G

Edwin, let me know if you want to hook up at the show.  It's always fun to meet forum members face to face!

Real G, will definitely let you know if I can make it.  I've not been to Shizuoka before, so much more reason to go. 

A Gojira theme park with a life size Big G!!! OH WOW!!! 

There should be a theme park for me, since after all I'm The Friend of Children (not like that, get your mind outta the gutter...) 

Edwin,

If you do go, look for the fellow on the bottom left.  That's me, always lost.

The picture is my take on our group when we went to Japan in 2002, which coincidentally was when we went to the All Japan Hobby Show.  The tall guy's band-aid on his head is to pay tribute to all the door headers he dinged while visiting the smaller shops!  IPMS Hawaii prez Brad Sekigawa, front and center, donned the Tokugawa Ieyasu get up at a photo-op at Osaka Castle.  Our travel agent and official still photography guy is the one ogling the lady.

Gamera

There should be a theme park for me, since after all I'm The Friend of Children (not like that, get your mind outta the gutter...) 

 

Well, with 1970-era Japanese school boys wearing those ridiculous hot shorts, it is tough...

Real G

 

 

Gamera

There should be a theme park for me, since after all I'm The Friend of Children (not like that, get your mind outta the gutter...) 

 

 

 

 

Well, with 1970-era Japanese school boys wearing those ridiculous hot shorts, it is tough...

 

ROTFL... 

Aw man, the corona virus outbreak has everyone spooked - the Shizuoka show just got cancelled!  Japan is currently under a Level 2 alert, but may go to Level 3, which China is at right now.

https://hobby.dengeki.com/news/954384/

I work at the edge of old Chinatown here in Honolulu, and know it’s just a matter of time before it becomes a big thing here too.  There is talk of recommending we prep a two week supply of food, water, medication, and that all impotant commodity here in Hawaii, toilet paper, in the event of something unspeakable happening.  But they said don’t panic in the same breath.

Well, nothing to do now but cancel all reservations and go mow the lawn and trim the hedges this summer.  Oh, and work on models.  OK maybe it’s not so bad.  I just hope the rest of the world makes it OK.

i was afraid this would happen. Thanks for the heads up on the cancellation. 

There's always next year....

Sorry to hear about that.  I expect a lot of modeling events in this country may be cancelled due to fears of the corona virus.  Nothing worse than a room full of sickly modelers!

Gary

I cannot imagine the final cost in lives and revenue.  It’s like watching one of those outbreak movies.

I know my problems are trivial, but I had a bad day today.   I do hope that the virus won’t disrupt lives here in the US too much.  But we are not more immune to it than other countries.  Maybe I SHOULD stock up on toilet paper...

Edwin, see you some other time!  I’m headed to the Nats in Vegas in 2021.  I think attendance will be strong, despite my dislike of gambling.  (I’m just very unlucky in games of chance.)

Ouch, that sucks! Hope you can make it next year Real G.

At least the Vegas Nats sound good!!! 

As for me the only Corona I intend to come near is the Mexican kind... 

Sorry to hear, G. I know you were looking forward to it.

There will be another opportunity. Keep your chin up.

I was wondering if that venue was going to be affected by that. That really stinks!