i think i'll be going to the jp store today sometime.

the food here is awesome and is everywhere... i've already eaten 4 of my favorites... chicken katsu curry, gyudon, crapes, and we can't forget the sushi. this is pretty much my second day here (8am local) since it takes so freakin long to get here. it took us about 24 actual consecutive hours by the time we left our house in MD to checking into our hotel here in osaka.

got to see the in-laws yesterday which was nice and all the locations we went to together were very friendly and outgoing, something about me and my wife walking around by ourselves just must make us look unfriendly and foreign even though she is japanese she's been asked like 5 times already if she understand 'any' japanese,, ummm yes is usually her answer.

on a side funny note: the customs forms were all filled out in japanese by my wife and she has a japanese passport and the customs girl spoke to her in broken english "do you speak any japanese" my wife responded with a bunch of japanese which i usually don't understand and then the girl said back in some slow childish japanese that even i could understand (after seeing the japanese passport and reading the japanese customs form) "so you do understand some japanese" my wife responded back with something like "yes you moron look at the form i just filled out and my passport." the girl then seemed amazed that my wife could even speak slight insults so fluently in japanese... they swear she is like chinese or fillipina or something,, and i must be mexican

the search for cheap car parts continues. btw, talked to my brother in law yesterday and he called and finally got some vip heads on the phone and they all said that they usually get their discounted vip parts off of yahoo.jp auctions... i laughed cuz this is by far the cheapest place for parts that i have ever found. i just wish my wife would support my habbit and help me to purchase some in the future, then we don't have to spend hours and $$$ (insert yen symbol) trying to locate them here whiles on vacation.

 

you all wouldn't believe how expensive stuff is at the junction produce store. i made it to their sannan store boutique and talked to yumi out there who was cool peoples. i got a couple calenders and brochure mags but all the other stuff i was thinking of buying was like the same price as ordering it in the US from a distributor.

those key chains btw were $60 each so i figured you didn't want to pay 180$ for 3 so i opted not to purchase them.

the curtains only come in black.

the stickers were $70 for x4 and i ordered them but they just called and said they are back ordered and they wouldn't make it to our hotel by the 21st so i canceled the order.

the roof spoilers were like $400 each so i didn't buy those.

the HID lights were out of stock and also a like $400 or $500 i forget.

i got a good link up from the manager dude at the jp store who introduced me to another vip parts guy who is getting me those jdm side visors for like $150 and will hopefully send them straight to our hotel. that is the best deal going so far.

 

yup buying in usa is the same as price as buying in japan. sometimes is easier to buy from a vendor in usa. keep in mind sometimes it is expensive to catch taxi around japan to just go get one part.

 

not just a little expensive... it was like 1500 yen (like 16$ for 2) each way by subway then 660 (like $7) each way from the train station by taxi,, total trip cost around $46. it was fun though, but i prolly will not be going out that direction again this trip

same with the food too. we spent another 30$ something to just go to this one dim sum / noodle rest eariler...

dude, its also hot as ***** out here. i have been showering 2 times day thus far and feel like i could use a 3rd. the overall temp is not that high and is like the same in MD but just the lack of a breeze and the humidity and all the cars and heat from the various shops just make you feel all nasty sweaty. i've had a mad case of swamp *** since about the last leg of the 14 hour flight out here

the food is so freakin good though its been worth the sweaty hike thus far.

 

damn tourists




I would of taken 2 of the key chains. But its ok.
I wonder why its soo much? some dealers in US had it for $45 or so
I hope you can still find me that book. That will make me happy
Good to see some pictures coming with the write up
I had 3 chances to go to Japan, but couldnt get a visa

 

i like the fact that you went and try it out for yourself. this way you know that the product is expensive at the first place and not the vendor marking up the profit..

for example a jp roof spoiler we sell it 430 shipped. it is really not bad at all.

oh yeah for the visor i ordered a bunch at a time and have it ship to me even though i visit japan every year. i could use the lugguage space for some jdm snacks instead.

 

btw, Sojah,
If you see some super cool stuff for/or related to UCF30/31 and can swing it my way... THat would be awesome!

 

yeah i'll prolly be going by the book store tomorrow and pick up some ls and celsior books.

yeah i used to think the vendors marked up the price a lot but now i realize that its prolly only marginal at best, they prolly only make like $20 on an item that is like $350+... especially with the yen rate exchange to $ the way it is (15 year low) it makes the prices all the more high. i also have to keep in mind that if i were living over here i would be making more $$ so the economy is a little higher and therefore a little more expensive. the yen rate hit 85 today and the banks usually take like 3 on the dollar so for every dollar you trade in you get like 81 yen or so back. this is prolly why the vendors have items for possibly less because they purchased them a long time ago when the dollar was worth more yen. thats all i can figure.

yeah that jp store was pretty damn cool, i just wish i could have gone with some peoples that actually care for that kind of thing and not my wife who is like "damn car stuff" and giving me the evil eye everytime i find something nice. but its all good cuz without her i would have been assed out for sure

i have seen a few nice centuries and an occasional AMG benz with a kit and rims but other than that i haven't seen to many real nice vip cars. just your normal few years old car with a body kit with a dent or two on some 19's that are sorta dull and extremely lowered... wait that sort of sounds like my car right now...

 

and where are the pictures at??

 

you can't see the ones 8 posts above this one??? ^ ^ ^

 

8 pics from being there 2 days....

AND they were only of JP store
AND outside
AND no cars
AND no goodies

more pics of Japan please.. with cool stuff

 

I'm with him...lol

 

alright alright,, i didn't want to overdo it and figured not so many people cared anyways. i have a few good pics right now, but most are not car related. i was thinking to be CL safe they would have to somewhat car related but give me a little bit,, i have to finish this weeks online school assignment and then i will upload some pics. btw i picked up a new vip mag and that Celsior book for you RomanTPA. i was trying to find that LS book for tee but couldn't locate it yet. they only had 2 celsior books and 1 aristo book at the book store i went to yesterday.

 

btw, what is the difference between LS and Celsior book?

 

LS in japan is only 07+ and celsior is 06- just fyi but before 2007 (before the ls460) our cars were all toyota's and it wasn't till 2007 that lexus started branding the LS in japan, it had always been a toyota celsior prior to this.

ohh, nearly forgot.. i saw 2 really clean 430's (or 04-06 celsiors rather), yesterday and both had the chrome-ish looking B pillar stick on things (you can always see cadi's in the states with these on them).. i've never liked this mod before and i 've always thought it made a car look kinda cheap but here is my take. just my opinion but i think the jdm side visors were the norm until recently and now that everyone and their mom (literally) has them on their cars (i'd say like 70% of every car i've seen thus far in japan has had these side visors on them) that now its the new trend to not put them on and to put the chromed out looking B pillar add on garnish things. those b pillar things are starting to grow on me, but i'm gonna hold out for a little longer cuz i still think it makes some cars look cheap. i haven't seen 1 car yet with a fusa hanging up in the front, but they do sell them and you can see them in some vip mags at car meets,, i just haven't seen any cars actually parked or driving around with them on yet

the big rims fad seems over out here now, seems like everyone is trying to ride as low as possible on some non chrome wheels that are flush and tucking. but this is just from walking down the street not going to a vip car meet obviously. i've seen a lot of MB's rocking kits and tucking some nice wheels though. a few with some expensive *** bbk additions. JP was selling theirs for like $8000, who and the hell can afford this mod??