Sightseeing/Shopping suggestions Tokyo

Demanufacturer

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Hi all, I'm heading to Tokyo next week (to perform!) and I was wondering if you guys have any nice suggestions of things for me to do :)
This will be my second time, so I've already done and seen a few things, but I'm always on the look out for something new!

Ofcourse, I'd like to buy some j-rock music, so any shop recommendations would be great!
My other interests are video games (mostly Nintendo), alternative music (metal, hardcore techno), and some anime like Neon Genesis, Akira, and Ghost in the Shell.

Food recommendations, like small restaurants, are highly appreciated as wel! :)
Some nice nature areas and shrines are much appreciated too.

Many thanks in advance :D
 

etherealspirits

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Well, there are still a lot of music shops like Tower, but a number of the good smaller ones have closed so it is best to check before heading out. Like an Edison has closed some locations. Closet Child in Ikebukuro still has used cds.

Where in Tokyo will you be staying? That will help with food recommendations.

As to nature, Kyu Furukawa gardens still has some roses blooming plus a really nice Japanese strolling garden. And it's inexpensive. Todoroki Keikoku Park looks really nice right now. Since it's autumn, leaves are changing color so there are a lot of good places to see that if you like that. Nikko area is really popular right now for this. There are so many gardens and parks in Tokyo... Going out to the mountain areas around Tokyo can also be good.

Well, I did make this map...it has some MALICE MIZER locations I scouted out and other places on it.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewe...&ll=35.872946681009836,139.6375593472045&z=10
 

flowersofnight

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I feel obliged to add a plug for Ginza Vampire Cafe, you can go and eat Mana's custom foods ::meev::
https://twitter.com/M_d_M_official/status/1184378589908570112

My other interests are video games (mostly Nintendo)
The only places I know of worth going to are Super Potato in Akihabara and the various Mandrake stores in Nakano. You've probably already been to those, but if not, could be worth a look. Some people swear by Hard-Off but I've never been to one so I make no representations.
 

Demanufacturer

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Thanks for the suggestions so far! :D
I Thiiiink I've been to the Closet Child store before, it was small and had loooaaaads of Visual Kei etc music.
Not too sure if it was that one though, as prior to finding that store I stumbled into an all lolita shop, with no CDs at all.
Going to have to look up the exact location.

And yes, definitely have been to Nakano Broadway, bought many toys there and will defs visit it again :)
Very curious about Mana's food though :p

Thanks for the other locations too, that map especially is very handy, will try and check out some of those locations :D
 

etherealspirits

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Thanks for the suggestions so far! :D
I Thiiiink I've been to the Closet Child store before, it was small and had loooaaaads of Visual Kei etc music.
Not too sure if it was that one though, as prior to finding that store I stumbled into an all lolita shop, with no CDs at all.
Going to have to look up the exact location.

And yes, definitely have been to Nakano Broadway, bought many toys there and will defs visit it again :)
Very curious about Mana's food though :p

Thanks for the other locations too, that map especially is very handy, will try and check out some of those locations :D

Closet Child use to have cds in Harajuku, that might have been where you went. They closed that store. I'm not sure if other locations still have cds, except for Ikebukuro since I go there. There is an aisle with them, mostly used jrock and visual kei. Sadly ZEAL Link closed their store in Shibuya. Because online sales are doing better, a lot of places no longer want to pay the high rent.

Vampire Cafe is an interesting place to dine. Because it's Moi-même-Moitié's 20th Anniversary, they have a main dish, two drinks and a cake that are Moi-même-Moitié themed. Mana came up with the names, and I think the drinks and cake with fruit are influenced by his tastes. I can say if you are going with a couple of people or want to go during a busy time, it's best to make a reservation. Or go when they open, early in the week. Sometimes the owner and host Vampire Rose will tweet when they aren't as busy.
 

Madmoiselle_Silk

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The Closet Child in Shinjuku is still open, and it's also close to puresound, so might be worth going!
 

flowersofnight

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puresound
I didn't realize they had a physical store XD
Do they have their rare items out on display?

Oh yeah, there's also the famous Flower Record in the back-alleys of Nakano:
http://flower-record.com/
But you have to go in there with a plan and ask for what you want to see, they're not going to have anything interesting sitting out in the open.
 

voixdinferno

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Hey! don't forget the BOOKOFF stores. I bought there a lot of jrock and vkei CDs from 100 Yens and more, way cheaper than many vkei stores like Puresound and Closet Child.

Those second hand store are located across all japan, even in small cities. They also sell games, clothes, etc. worth checking it.
 
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Madmoiselle_Silk

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Puresound has 2 physical stores, Tokyo and Osaka. I prefer Osaka's, they seem to have more rare items for some weird reason :/ They do have rare items on display.

Also like voixdinferno said, bookoff can be a goldmine, but they don't have rare stuff, but if you need any regular items from major bands it can be good.
 

Demanufacturer

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I'm currently heading for Shinjuku and Shibuya to hunt some music and other items. I hope I can find the stores you guys mentioned! :)
 

lady_toast

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Have fun! One of my most memorable experiences in Tokyo was going to a cemetery in Ueno and just petting the cats who were hanging out there. There were so many of them lol, and many of them are old and grumpy. So adorable. Just thought I’d put it out there in case you love cats hahaha

Also really loved Habutae Dango near Nippori Station. It’s 200 year-old cafe that used to be a hangout for authors. When I was there they had a haiku-writing station, it was really lovely. When we went there we were pretty much the only ones who were there :p
 
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