Spending in Tokyo
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53)
Fri 2008/04/25 19:35
The survery results below shows that the average amount a person spends at Akihabara in a single visit is 7,935 yen - beating Ginza which I thought was the most expensive place in Tokyo.
I guess these stats apply to me too - the average price of a figure is about 6,000 yen and after picking up a few mags and a few drinks then the 7,935 yen has already been reached. But I also usually pick up hardware and stuff when I'm there too.
For folks who have visited Tokyo, where did you spend most of your money?
Ginza
Ginza photos here. Go to Ginza on a Sunday where the main road is closed off to traffic. See a few street performers, eat at the zillions of restaurants or shop for brand names. The Apple store is here too. Get off at Ginza station.
Omotesando
Omotesando photos here. Go here to shop at the many fashion stores and discover a few brand names too. See bands play at Harajuku nearby. If you like school girls then you will see a load there too. Get off at Omotesando station.
Shinjuku
Shinjuku photos here. Shinjuku is the home to Kabukicho where you can go and buy unconditional lurve but dont get too rowdy as the Yakuza dont like it.A ton of shops and restaurants available for you to spend your money on. Main road is closed off to traffic on Sundays for shopping. A load of electronic stores too. Get off at Shinjuku station.
Roppongi
Photos here and here. Many offices and a load of gaijin in the area - most of them working. I hear there are a load of bars where Japanese ladies look for gaijin boyfriends.Tokyo Midtown and Roppongi Hills is interesting but its kinda like an office district. Get off at Roppongi station.
Shibuya
Shibuya photos here. Many IT related companies here for some reason (including Amazon), loads of shops (clothes, odds n ends), a few electronic stores and lots of food to eat. Tokyu Hands is also here. Many nice girls to look at. You are likely to see a dancing stormtrooper here too. Get of at Shibuya station on the JR line.
Marunouchi
Marunouchi photos here. Offices, offices and more offices. Shops and restaurants are located within the Shin Marunouchi building and Tokyo station. Get off at Tokyo station on the JR line.
Ikebukuro
Ikebukuro photos here. Slowly starting to fill with otaku type shops like Toranoana, a few maid cafes, K-Books etc. A few department stores and quite a few places to eat at too. A load of students in the place and gets seedy at night in certain areas. Get off at Ikebukuro station on the JR line.
Shiodome
Shiodome photos here. I dont know much about the area and have not been - looks like I should check it out ^^;Where is the most expensive place in your region and how much on average do you spend while out n about in your city?
Survey via Akiba Keizai Shinbun.
Ah, nearly forgot to mention - photo of suddenly acquired Figma Haruhi in the middle of photo - shes gorgeous!
We previously spoke about bullying in Japanese schools but what about the workplace?
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Thu 04/24 17:19 comments (65)
I've mentioned before that one of the things I dislike about Japan is the lack of non...(more)
Tue 04/22 18:55 comments (121)
University Student.
All of the things I bought in Japan were from Akihabara, Ikebukuro and Nakano (seeing these location you could more or less guess what kind of stuff I bought). Unless you count Comiket at Ariake, else my biggest spending is definitely at Akiba.
(ID #175298) Posted on 2008/04/25 21:13
Online Shop
About same here on amount and places I visit ^^; We are alike lol.
(ID #175435) Posted on 2008/04/26 03:53
While Akihabara might have its attractiveness if you want the latest newly released otaku or geek stuff, for a more average fan of anime and manga I think Nakano Broadway beats Akihabara hands down: cheaper and concentrated. Akihabara can prove to be rather disappointing if you do not know where the key interesting places are located.
(ID #175303) Posted on 2008/04/25 21:39
Student, Spiral Warrior
If spending's going to happen, it tends to happen in Ximending, where there's a department store with a floor-full of Gunpla and figures. Have a quick look here: http://perfectdesignsense.com/martinwandering/various/ximen/wannian.html
(ID #175307) Posted on 2008/04/25 21:57
The only times I spend cash when I'm going outside is when I go to a bar with friends. Seeing as 90% of my cash goes to figures, I just order and relax at home. Though, when I'm going to Tokyo, I guess things will have to change. ^^;
(ID #175311) Posted on 2008/04/25 22:23
宅男 Otaku/ 工程师 Engineer
danny how come i cannot click to enlarge the header picture? figma haruhi! GET! O_O
(ID #175313) Posted on 2008/04/25 22:28
For me it has to be Shinjuku cos that's usually where i stay when i'm in Tokyo. Followed by Ueno, the big toy store in front of the station and the street shops/markets, and then its off to Harajuku.
(ID #175314) Posted on 2008/04/25 22:30
I usually shop online; and if I go out, I only spend about 10 dollars for lunch or dinner. sometimes pick up few video games or books, so around 50 dollars.
(ID #175320) Posted on 2008/04/25 23:04
Medical Research and Design
7,900 yen. I expected it to be way higher than that for Akihabara, but I probably have the wrong idea of what Akihabara's throughput is like, I haven't done too much research into it yet so possibly I'm a bit out of whack with it all. I spent like... $1100.00CDN at Sakuracon in March, mainly on figures, so I am a bit skewed in my numbers expectations! So Roppongi is the place to go for girls wanting a gaijin boyfriend, hmmm? What a nice thing to include in your report, Mr. Choo. :3
(ID #175334) Posted on 2008/04/25 23:35
it also includes... tons of annoying guys on the street trying to get you to go to topless bars/strip clubs ^^;; they are... quite persistent.
(ID #175407) Posted on 2008/04/26 02:32
I think if you shoot one in the groin with a .45, that should drive the rest away. I prefer to use my ER Large Laser, but really it depends on which side of me they're on.
(ID #175560) Posted on 2008/04/26 09:54
That's alot of money! I usually spend about 20-40 in my town. I'm guessing I might spend that much over there!
(ID #175339) Posted on 2008/04/25 23:44
Visualizer, Advertising
7935 yen cash only, havent counted the amount used on credit cards :) i usually dont spend much when going out, mostly on junk or fast foods. for figurines or gundams, i'll pre-order them so the amount used wont be that huge
(ID #175344) Posted on 2008/04/25 23:57
First time after being registered here.. Well, seems that a lot of money to go. Even I myself don't spent that a lot and I can buy only 2 or 3 dvd of animes regarding of their episodes for a month.. Sad.... Now.. mostly saving in some cash...
(ID #175357) Posted on 2008/04/26 00:25
Most expensive place to buy stuff where I live is probably Michigan Avenue which is Downtown Chicago. If I spend a night in Chicago with friends I can expect to drop around $80 to $100. This isn't typical but we drink beer like water. In the suburbs I might spend $40 but most likely not.
(ID #175368) Posted on 2008/04/26 00:55
Full-time student へへ
hmm... any one that has a yodobashi i guess. haha
(ID #175376) Posted on 2008/04/26 01:26
Marine Biologist
:D hey all,new to the sight and I've got to say danny,u did a magnificent job displaying what tokyo has to offer. anyways,the place i most spend my money is probably at mcdonalds :P jk,maybe I spend between 50-80 US dollars at sarasota main street,I wanna visit tokyo so bad but im not old enough to go alone.But I heard a lot of stuff about Akiharaba and thats the place Im gonna visit first when i visit,sorry for typing to much ^-^
(ID #175379) Posted on 2008/04/26 01:36
I usually spend around $20 to $40 everytime I go out which is only for food , watching movies and/or sports. I rarely buy stuff when I go out and would rather do my shopping online whenever possible ^__^
(ID #175381) Posted on 2008/04/26 01:40
was the average based on people who actually bought something, or did it include people just looking around? i suppose the general electronics and appliances boost the avg, not to mention otaku making a pilgrimage with a giant shopping list ^_^
(ID #175406) Posted on 2008/04/26 02:29
Part human, part student, 100% loser
Never really spend alot when shopping, I spend most of the time looking a stuff...
(ID #175408) Posted on 2008/04/26 02:33
7935 yen? That blows me away. Is that in a single visit, or the entire time in Japan? Hell, I spent more than that last week on mail-order from Hobby Search (D. Gray Man Chara Fortune box and Cospa Louise ^^;). That number really reflects Akiba's transformation from the electronics district to otaku heaven. You aren't getting away from a volley of electronics stores for $80, that's for sure. I just remember the last time I was in Japan, albeit a while ago, I spent $700 on my "worst" (read: best) day there. Of course that was after a year of saving money from my バイト before I went. ^^;
(ID #175412) Posted on 2008/04/26 02:46
So how much do you charge for a tour of Tokyo, Danny? ; )
(ID #175418) Posted on 2008/04/26 02:55
I think that's a good question to ask.
(ID #175563) Posted on 2008/04/26 10:02
why don't you make a documentary of the headquarters of square enix ? If you are not a big ff fan, you can go there for the figurines, and please us :p (egotistical bastards)
(ID #175420) Posted on 2008/04/26 02:59
Aimless Traveler
When I went to Japan last February, my spending in Akihabara hits around USD150-USD200. A lot great, difficult to find stuff to buy. Heck, I'd rob a bank or take bribes just for the sake of having the chance to shop again there!
(ID #175421) Posted on 2008/04/26 03:02
Online Shop
7900yen seems little low but that's the average. When I visit Akiba, I usually stop by K-Books, Tora no Ana and Mandarake and usually spend about 10000yen or more per those places. So I guess my average per Akiba visit is about 30,000yen, yikes x_x But then again, I only visited Japan two times per year so if I were to live in Japan, average would be lower.
(ID #175436) Posted on 2008/04/26 03:56
When I`m hanging around with friends, or dating, normally spend 40-50 euros, more or lees same as dollars, but when go to usuall freak places here in Madrid, can spend more that this, and sometimes even much more... Can`t be other way, I`m a freak
(ID #175444) Posted on 2008/04/26 05:10
First off, I understand lotsa members here are young and/or not working full time. So my reply is just my personal response, nothing more. No gloating. I always tell friends, they should bring as much as they can afford to Japan since its so consumer oriented. I had a GREAT time there, but it also meant lotsa trips to ATM. Those averages seem low especially since a single purchase in Ginza can equal well over that amount depending on the store. For Akiba, I limited my funds because of suitcase space (I still had to go to HK after). Everything else is a delightful blur, but that's the reason you go on vacation. On the weekends here, me and the girl tend to spend around 3 bills on eating out, shoppin, & whatnot. Things aren't that cheap here. All happens downtown or uptown as most of my city is surrounded by suburbs.
(ID #175449) Posted on 2008/04/26 05:59
In Singapore I spend about 20-40USD on my weekend 'outings' around town. On my last Tokyo trip most of the money was spent at Tokyo Dome... about 150,000 yen, all on X Japan concert goods ^^; Next highest spending was probably at Takeshita dori, would that be considered part of omotesando? they're pretty close to each other...
(ID #175456) Posted on 2008/04/26 06:17
Student
When I'm out in downtown Seattle, I just have the compulsion to buy anything that I like, almost always clothes. What can I say? I just love my clothes, lol.
(ID #175472) Posted on 2008/04/26 06:42
.NET/Web Developer
I don't spend much here in my place. Mostly its food. I spend a lot more online with figures and games. heheh I haven't stepped in japan yet and I already know Akihabara is where most of my money is going. ^^
(ID #175474) Posted on 2008/04/26 06:45
Easily $150+ every time I go to Chicago... really expensive city. Good food, though.
(ID #175475) Posted on 2008/04/26 06:46
Monster raving loony
You did not know *where* are the superb, but inexpensive venues to visit when in Chicago. Even in the 'touristy' areas, there are places offering really good value for the money. Some of them are even on ^^my bookmark page^^.
(ID #177075) Posted on 2008/04/29 06:58
Leisure Consultant, Writer, Webmaster
If you buy a lot of figures and video games, it adds up. I used to always buy new video games even if I only heard they were good, but now I am pretty tame with my spending.
(ID #175477) Posted on 2008/04/26 06:47
I'm not surprised Akiba comes out on top. Every time I went there, I'd usually pick up an electronic nick-nack that ended up costing several 10,000 notes.
(ID #175478) Posted on 2008/04/26 06:54
オタク by moonlight, Graphic Designer by daylight
I never go to Japan. I would love to spend some $$$ there. =(
(ID #175494) Posted on 2008/04/26 07:39
Thanks Danny!! Now if I ever visit Tokyo, I will know where to go first! Well, I generally spend $20-30 for groceries each week and do not eat outside much often (not to say rarely). There are PSP games I would like to buy which cost between $25 and 30 but I'm not in a rush in buying them right now... I'm not even playing videogames or watching anime like I used to... But I do have great reasons for that. *big genuine smile*
(ID #175536) Posted on 2008/04/26 08:47
I wonder if it's because of the goods offered that makes one place more likely to have people spend more. I know for sure if I buy X-number of items in a gaming store, then the total cash spent will very likely be much more than X-number of items purchased just about anywhere else. And to answer poll, I chose 60-80. On a typical day in town I visit places like comics specialty shops so two or 3 collected volumes will run me over $50 easily... then I buy other stuff for fun too. Also food, can't forget food during the day!
(ID #175567) Posted on 2008/04/26 10:11
Interesting stats... yeah, I also though Ginza would be the place people spend the most. But on second thought, too many tourists go to Akiba to buy electronics... which was also my case. My relatives who went with me, also spend a lot more in Akiba... they bought digicams, rice cookers and other stuff. Me? If I add up everything I spent on the whole 20 days in Japan outside Akiba, it probably still wouldn't add up to how much I spent in Akiba. Like I said before, 4 boxes filled with Artbooks. Also: Bought a 300Gb external HDD.
(ID #175570) Posted on 2008/04/26 10:18
I am only staying at Ginza because the location is convenient as I am going to Japan in a few weeks. The trip wasn't perfectly planned, and now I have to worry about how much money should I prepare for a week stay in Japan. ... and possibly good suggestions on how could I avoid getting killed in Shinjuku.
(ID #175682) Posted on 2008/04/26 18:28
ひきこもり/Hikikomori. Suits my current state more than a 大学生/University Student. ^^
I usually spend per month ~100 usd for eating outside. Things are rather on the cheaper side here in Malaysia. Although sometimes, quality is also on the "cheaper" side. ^^
(ID #175665) Posted on 2008/04/26 16:57
radical anime fan in Singapore; starting to freeze up. Mmm, end-of-year weather. (Registered on 2007/01/25 21:20)
Polytechnic Freshman. Mmm... fresh.
Stuff in Singapore are expensive just about anywhere on the island unless you visit the older districts, have someone you know working in the industry that you can count on to get stuff cheaper from the distributor directly, or the bargain/trade-in shops. I got a new keyboard and mouse recently from one of those trade-in shops called Cash Converter(I think) for S$3 X)
(ID #175734) Posted on 2008/04/26 22:03
website designer (currently assist. graphic designer)
I rarely go out so I tend to get a few extras when I do go out. All below in USD. If I'm just in my local CBD then probably anywhere b/w $10 - 50 depending on the reason I'm there (banking - clothes shopping~) Sydney, anywhere above $40 especially since my train ticket just to get there is about $10 (peak, a lil cheaper offpeak) and then it depends on whether I'm heading to a restaurant with friends, shopping at sales or picking something up.
(ID #175778) Posted on 2008/04/27 00:06
engineer
just got back from Tokyo Friday and spent around $111 US alone in akihabara...just on figures...then spent another $95 US on manga in local bookstores near shiodome. next year if we go back, we'll probably look for better deals. tried to find the discount/used book stores but just couldn't find them. all in all, i miss Japan already. :-)
(ID #175797) Posted on 2008/04/27 02:03
when i go around LittleTokyo & ChinaTown i spend arond $30-$40. If i ever go to Akihabara i'd probably spend around $100 or more
(ID #175829) Posted on 2008/04/27 03:33
Logis Of The Adeptus Mechanicus
It's depends on how much money I have, but I usually spend everything I have.
(ID #176081) Posted on 2008/04/27 18:35
Camera Operator. PV director/producer.
"For folks who have visited Tokyo, where did you spend most of your money?" Bars and izakaya.
(ID #176334) Posted on 2008/04/28 06:32
Monster raving loony
Akihabara gets the largest portion because it is the most well-known district for <u>shopping</u> in metropolitan Tokyo. It has a solid marketing and promotion board. Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Roppongi attract many people as well, but what is obtained there is less hard goods than services and meals. If somebody was to start posting here that he | she found some <u>intriguing</u> shops in <b>Oji</b> [Kita-ku], then maybe more visitors to Tokyo might visit it. I did spend most of my money the last two times in Tokyo in Akiba, but that was due to Sofmap buying out Yamagiwa Soft, and the subsequent <b>slashing</b> of the prices on Yamagiwa's AV stock. What contended with it very closely was not the district, but the various locations of <u>Don Quijote</u> stores. The store in Ueno had AVs in shrink-wrapped five-packs for ¥1,480; and the ones in Shibuya and Roppongi had three-packs for ¥999. And Donkis now accept credit cards.
(ID #176381) Posted on 2008/04/28 08:57
Monster raving loony
I love responding to myself. !=)> Besides, I need more constructive replies to get access to the uploader. When an English-speaker arrives in Tokyo, he | she will discover, sooner rather than later, that there are areas in which there is an apparatus which is there for English-speakers. I often compare it to Polish-speakers here in Chicago. [Polish *is not* a Romance language. It is a mish-mosh of German and Cyrillic, with all the snags those languages have for English-speakers. Spanish *is* a Romance language.] [And Chicago has Lithuanian-speakers also. That language is even more difficult than Polish.] The areas advertised in English-language publications (in particular, the _free_ ones) are the ones with the money for publicity and marketing. Akiba *definitely* has the largest slice of this pie. The three publications which the English-speaker is likely to encounter are _Metropolis_, Tokyo Notice Board, & Tokyo Pocket Guide. Metropolis, and its quarterly visitors guide, lists eleven areas of Tokyo. Interestingly enough, it compiles Akiba in with Ueno, and Asakusa. And it also includes Yokohama. Tokyo Notice Board covers only the neighborhoods around the major stations on the JR Yamanote Line. Tokyo Pocket Guide *has a half-page for Akiba*, and doesn't mention Asakusa. (But it has good content for Ginza. Go figure.) One would have to *dig deep* to find any mentions of Koenji (which I enjoyed). Shimo-Kitazawa gets *no mention*, and it is one of the more fascinating in all of Tokyo (and Setagayu-ku is one of the 23 Wards, so that 'excuse' can't be valid). Even Nakahara-ku [Kawasaki-shi] is routinely overlooked, and it is much easier to get to from the areas of Tokyo where one is likely to stay. (I encourage people to stay in Ueno or Asakusa. You can still get to the 'hot spots' on the west side; and you'll pay less for your hotel.) (What is in Adachi-ku? Perhaps something interesting; but it only got its rapid connection to the rest of the Tokyo train system a month ago. So is it going to get a marketing push?) So it becomes the 'logrolling' situation. Once the log begins rolling, it is simpler to keep it rolling than it would be to halt it and make it roll the other way. With that understanding; I would still be remiss if I did not acknowledge that there are a lot of good bargains to be had in Akiba. But it should not be the *only* place where you habitue.
(ID #177080) Posted on 2008/04/29 07:21
Nakano... I compared the prices between Akiba and Nakano and found the latter cheaper. But maybe also because I was looking for older stuff...
(ID #176520) Posted on 2008/04/28 13:38
ohanian (Registered on 2008/02/20 17:37)
nakano is cheaper for anime figures
(ID #177906) Posted on 2008/04/30 06:32
Guess what's my damage during my visit to Ahki during my last trip in Tokyo? ... ZERO! I should bang my head against the wall for not bringing back some figures there. Time was too tight and I did not have time to really browse thru and get wat I wanted... Ah well, maybe next time...
(ID #179698) Posted on 2008/05/02 18:02
I know if I was out there I would struggle to spend money on food rather than anime, figures, etc... crazy.
(ID #184010) Posted on 2008/05/09 09:05
Kaiyodo have made an official statement on their official site stating that the 2009 Winte...(more)
Fri 10/10 22:14 comments (49)
