I'm going to Kyoto!

[cal671087.livejournal.com]

Hey Everyone,
I'm not sure if this is breaking any rules but moderators: feel free to delete this comment if I am breaking rules as I'm sorry.

I'm planning on going to Kyoto this summer on a study abroad trip.  Does anyone know where I can get Arashi goods over there?  It's gonna be my first time in Japan, so we'll see how it goes.  But I definitely wanted to bring back some stuff for myself and for friends.

Thanks so much for your help! 

Comments

[sashipi.livejournal.com]

As far as I know, there's nowhere to buy any Johnny's merchandise in Kyoto. Kyoto a rural city, so it's naturally hard to find that kind of stuff there. It would be much better and easier if you can get over to Osaka and go to the official store there. Sorry~.

[zedstar.livejournal.com]

I know that there is (CORRECTION- WAS. Kyoto store is now CLOSED!) a Johnny's store in Arashiyama (ee!) in Kyoto, however I haven't been there, and as such I couldn't really tell you how to get there. However in the more "downtown" areas you'll see Idol shops, which will have Arashi goods. Usually they'll have bootleg items (I have an Arashi ball point pen and mechanical pencil from one) and old concert goods, some also have old posters for their movies, dramas, cds etc. Some of these goods will be ridiculously cheap, so you'll be tempted to spend a fortune, but some will also be ridiculously expensive.

In Osaka (about 20 minutes by train away from Kyoto) the Johnny's shop is near Shinsaibashi. Unfortunately it's kinda tricky to describe how to get there, but you may be able to ask someone to help describe how to get there. I just kinda stumbled there http://www.johnnys-net.jp/j/jshop/jshop.html This has links to the maps etc. However, even if you don't find it, you'll see there will be small Idol shops all over the place. Quite a few of them won't have shop fronts as such, so keep your eyes out for signage. From memory there is a pretty good one (I think it's where I got my Pika*nchi movie poster from) almost directly in front of the Starbucks near Shinsaibashi bridge. It's a 24 hour Starbucks, and is pretty big. You'll also see tons of host boys around the area at all times of day (most of the ones I saw weren't pretty though) From memory that one had an extensive collection of posters and second hand goods.

Hopefully that will help!

[cal671087.livejournal.com]

thanks so much! i'm planning to get a railway pass here so I can travel all over the place when I'm in Japan. Past groups have gone to Tokyo and everywhere so hopefully I'll stumble to more over there.

[zedstar.livejournal.com]

Railway pass is GREAT if you want to travel long distances, as it's so incredibly much cheaper (like... INSANITY cheaper) however, if you're just going from Kyoto to Osaka, don't use your rail pass, save that for trips to further reaches. Kyoto to Osaka is only a half hour train ride, and it's very cheap. I never used one of the rail passes, but as they're for 7 days 14 days etc, I would use them for a brief period of extensive travel rather than for just a day trip (and Osaka-Kyoto is definitely a day trip)

^_^

[kaystles.livejournal.com]

In Osaka, you can also go to Nanba, its one of the stops off the Midosuji line. I went to an idol shop, but I can't remember the exact directions because I really just walked around and found it. There's probably more stores there, but I didn't get a chance to really go around and look. If anything, besides Arashi stuff, there's really good shopping in that area so you should check it out!

[ferim.livejournal.com]

When I was in Kyoto last year I found some unofficial JE stuff in the souvenir shop underneath Kyoto Tower (near the train station). Mostly keychains and stuff like that. There's also some random idol shops in some of the shopping arcades (like Kawaramachi).

But as the previous comment said, your best bet is to take the Shinkansen and go to the JE shop in Osaka! I went twice and both times it was nearly empty. The size and availability of goods was pretty much the same as the Harajuku one, except when I went to the latter, I had to wait about 2 hours >< so frustrating.

[cal671087.livejournal.com]

Hearing everyone post about it is making me so excited! I can't believe I'm going. Thanks everyone for your help as I greatly appreciate it!

[kendoyuki.livejournal.com]

I don't know the answer to your question, sorry, but I was just wondering:

Are you by any chance going to Momoyama Gakuin Daigaku? (aka St. Andrews Univ?)

[cal671087.livejournal.com]

No, I'll be attending Ryukoku University for the summer. I'll be at the campus in Shiga. Why?

[kendoyuki.livejournal.com]

Ah, nevermind then xDD 'Cause I might be doing a study abroad at Momoyama this summer, so I just thought it would be such a cool/random coincidence if you were too xD But alas... haha