Travel to Japan

Ascheard

-member-
-member-
Joined
Apr 18, 2014
Messages
194
Location
Belgium
Hello everyone,

I will present myself… I actually live in Belgium and I am a PhD student in University of Mons (24 years old).
Since a lot of year, I listen to Japanese music (Moi Dix Mois, Malice Mizer, the GazettE, D,…), read manga (Bleach, Naruto, XXX holic, etc) and learn every day more about Japanese language itself.

I planned to go in Japan on October during a couple of week (11 to 27). I am looking for concert during this period of time. But, I found nothing very interesting (There will be concerts of D but we will far from them…). So, I ask here if someone has some suggestions?

I have another question about concert… On every website of band, there is only phone number (for reservation I guess)… But, call from Belgium… Impossible lol. So, is it easy for a foreigner to get ticket on place? (I can speak Japan… But, only few words…)

Thank you in advance.
 

flowersofnight

-moderator-
-moderator-
Joined
Aug 4, 2004
Messages
13,919
Location
Vintage Live House, 1994
Ascheard wrote:
I planned to go in Japan on October during a couple of week (11 to 27). I am looking for concert during this period of time. But, I found nothing very interesting (There will be concerts of D but we will far from them…). So, I ask here if someone has some suggestions?
I do indeed, if you're going to be in Tokyo:
http://noroom.susumuhirasawa.com/module ... toryid=357

So, is it easy for a foreigner to get ticket on place?
Last time I checked (which was a few years ago) it was pretty much impossible to order tickets from outside the country. You need to either use a shopping service, have a friend in Japan buy it for you, or try to get a ticket at the door if that's possible.
 

Wandering_Fox

-current-
-current-
Joined
Dec 15, 2004
Messages
3,266
Location
Sitting in the Cookie Chair
Hi! :)

The problem with a lot of indies and VK bands is they don't usually announce their concerts until a couple months beforehand at the most. In some cases they will announce it less than a month before the concert. The good news is a lot of bands have what they call an L Code which you can use to buy a ticket at Lawson. There is a machine called Loppi and if you show the L Code to the cashier, they should be able to help you. There is more information here:

http://l-tike.com/guide/loppi_english.html

You may want to search for the venues before the concert, as some of them are hidden and hard to find (Shinjuku Loft is in Kabuki-cho and is in the basement of a building full of host and hostess clubs, for example)

Japan also has this weird thing about tickets... Your ticket will usually have a number on it that separates you into groups. You will usually enter the venue in the order you bought your ticket. They will verbally call out the numbers so you have to be paying attention. If you have any questions, you can ask the staff. They're usually pretty cool about that :) Most places also require you to pay an additional 500 yen at the door and you will get a drink ticket. You have to pay, even if you don't want a drink ^^;

Just keep checking the homepages of the bands you like and see what you can find! I think bands like The Gazette tour pretty frequently. Yukiya Fujita plays at lease once a month or so with one band or another, Kaya usually has a concert going on if you're into him (especially now with 2 bands going on, Schwarz Stein and Femme Fatale), and there is always a show going on at places like Shinjuku Loft, Takadanobaba Area and Asakusa Blitz. You might also check Kozi's schedule, he does lives with ZIZ and various session bands from time to time.

Hope you have a great time when you go! =-D
 

Ascheard

-member-
-member-
Joined
Apr 18, 2014
Messages
194
Location
Belgium
Thank a lot for your answer ;D

As I expected... It will be.... not very easy, but we will keep on! :)
 

MorganIvy

-current-
-current-
Joined
Mar 1, 2005
Messages
1,267
Location
Lisbon, Portugal
Can I take advantage of this old thread to ask if it's still impossible to order tickets to shows from overseas? I'm planning on going to Japan for the first time in September and I'm really really worried about the tickets...
 

flowersofnight

-moderator-
-moderator-
Joined
Aug 4, 2004
Messages
13,919
Location
Vintage Live House, 1994
Can I take advantage of this old thread to ask if it's still impossible to order tickets to shows from overseas?
As far as I know, yes, you still need to either use some sort of shopping service or get someone in Japan to pick them up in person for you.
 

MorganIvy

-current-
-current-
Joined
Mar 1, 2005
Messages
1,267
Location
Lisbon, Portugal
As far as I know, yes, you still need to either use some sort of shopping service or get someone in Japan to pick them up in person for you.
Damn :/ thanks, @flowersofnight

To think that in 2018 and with globalization it'd be easier to get freaking concert tickets online...
 

etherealspirits

-dead scape-
dead scape
Joined
May 28, 2016
Messages
748
Location
Mana-sama's School of Elegance and Refinement
Once in a while a band will offer international sales through a promoter outside of Japan. And some things are changing. I was able to get a ticket for David Bowie Is online last year. It was super easy. I did have to pick it up at a konbini once in Japan, but since it wasn't time sensitive that was fine too. I think it's less about globalization and more about the Japanese music industry and all the different sets of people that get money out of ticket sales. If tickets were also available online and in other languages, it would take money away from the konbini chains and more. Which actually if it brought the prices down would be a good thing.

My feeling is that most people who are outside of Japan that get concert tickets do so with a strong intention of going. So the argument that they won't show up doesn't hold up. We are more likely to show up.

I'm not sure if there will be changes because of the Olympics but there have been a lot of things in the works to try to make at least Tokyo more visitor friendly. This situation is definitely one that would benefit if they made the tickets more accessible. I'll also say that it would help with their music sales too.

Good luck with getting your tickets. I also wish there was an easier way. And I don't think the decisions are always up to the musicians either.
 
Back
Top