I need help with buying a concert ticket/buying a plane ticket/travelling/etc.

[Johnathan]

Okay... I didn't know where else to turn to, so I'm going to ask here. I've already done as much research as I could but I couldn't find anything. I've asked around and tried webpage translators to no avail... So here's the story:

Basically, a band that has broken up is getting back together after 6 years for one final show. Me and 1-3 friends want to buy tickets and go, but we're not sure where to begin.

We'll need to get passports obviously, hopefully we can do that before the September deadline...

http://www.obliviondust.net/

As you can see, there's a phone number and a link to eplus.jp. It will be held at Shibuya-AX in Shibuya Tokyo. The information on the eplus site is here: http://eplus.jp/sys/main.jsp?prm=U=88:P0=GGWB01:P10=1:P2=019932:P5=000 1:P6=001

Is there anywhere on there that would let me buy tickets online? Would they send them overseas?

Are there any airports directly in Shibuya? Does anyone have any flight recommendations? Affordable, preferably...

How would one go about changing USD into yen? Can I do that here or what?

That's about all the questions I have, thanks in advance for any help you guys give.

[bakaKanadajin]

The only two airports in Tokyo are Haneda and Narita. You're most likely going to fly into Narita airport, which is about a good 1 hour from Shibuya. First you have to take a train from the airport to Tokyo station, of which there are many options but range widely in price from expensive express trains to public trains which take a long time. From Tokyo station you have a few more options via public transit to make it to Shibuya. But, as for Shibuya, it does not have an airport it's just an area of Tokyo. You'll almost certainly be landing at Narita, as Haneda is international but I think serves the rest of Asia moreso than the West. As for pricing, its generally $1000 for a round trip ticket and that really doesn't fluctuate very much aside from increasing during holiday seasons. September is generally slow so you can expect to pay around that much.

As for show tickets, in Japan show tickets are usually sold at local convenience stores via automated kiosks, where you make an order, print the receipt, show the receipt to the clerk, and then pay for the tickets and receive them a few mins. later. There are also event desks much like a Ticketmaster where you can get tickets for various events.

After a quick google search i found these:

http://www.fdjp.com/
http://www.s-ovation.com/event/english/index.html
http://www.coasttocoasttickets.com/

Perhaps one of them can get you tickets somehow. You'd almost certainly need to pay upfront with PayPal or a creditcard I'd imagine.

Finally, as for currency exchange, any large bank can do the exchange for you. Japan is a cash society and foreign credit cards don't always work, so you'll almost certainly want to purchase some Japanese currency. Again, any large bank will handle that for you, you don't have to be in Japan to do it.

[Johnathan]

You've been of so much help, thank you so much. After some more research with the info you gave me, if I have anymore questions, I'll come back here.

Right now my big concern is getting a passport in time, I heard that I can get one in 48 hours but I have to pay extra to expedite it, plus I have to stand in line for hours... oh well, worth it to me.

Thanks again.

[Johnathan]

Oh, and by the way, can someone check out this site:

http://eplus.jp/sys/main.jsp?prm=U=88:P0=GGWB01:P10=1:P2=019932:P5=000 1:P6=001

And tell me if buying tickets online is possible? If so, if they allow international shipping? I know it does say some stuff about tickets, I recognize the katakana, but I need someone who can read fully to help me on that.

If not, then I have already e-mailed www.fdjp.com about the matter, but they'd charge extra of course...

Any help appreciated, thanks.

[Mikawa Ossan]

The link you provided was for pre-ordering tickets. Apparently it's like signing up for a lottery, and the results of who will get tickets will be decided shortly afterwards.

The counter for that process is not currently open. It will be open between July 23 (12:00 local) and July 29 (18:00 local). You can pay by credit card and tickets will be sent via parcel service.

Although it didn't specifically say, I have the feeling that they do not ship overseas. You're probably best off to use fdjp.

Good luck!

[Johnathan]

Thank you... if it's lottery-like, I would rather not play.

"You can pay by credit card and tickets will be sent via parcel service."

Did you mean that to the lottery-like thing, or to buy them regularly? Is there any information on that site about how to just buy them regularly? Not just online, even if you're in Japan, I might need the info to tell fdjp.

And if so, is there any e-mail or contact links you can see? Because if you can buy them online, but doesn't say if it's international, I'd like to e-mail them about it...

[Mikawa Ossan]

Regular ticket sales start on August 11th and continue until September 5th. That's all I could gather from that site, I'm afraid.

[Mikawa Ossan]

I did a little more research on that site, and I have found the following info which may be of interest to you.

They do not ship internationally unless the information list for that particular concert states otherwise.

You must register with the site to purchase tickets from them.

As far as contact information goes, I think I could find it, but do you really think it will be useful?

[Johnathan]

It would be useful is that particular (Oblivion Dust) concert allows international tickets... does it?

If not, then it wouldn't matter, but if you must register to buy them, and I have fdjp do it, I guess they'd have to register, I dunno if I should just have them do it, or register for them to save them time, or what...

[Mikawa Ossan]

That particular concert does not allow shipping of tickets internationally.

I have no experience with fdjp, so I don't know if that's a problem or not, however.

At any rate, you still have time before the tickets go on sale. If I were you, I would explain the situation to fdjp and see if they can help you.

[Johnathan]

Thanks, to you and everyone else who replied, you guys are so great.

I'll keep posting here as more questions come up.

Oh, one more thing, on the main page: http://www.obliviondust.net/

What is the difference between the 4,500 yen one and the 5,500 yen one?

[Indietee]

From Narita to Tokyo station or Shinagawa station ( closer to Shibuya), there are some options you can take.

Narita Express - fastest! to get to Tokyo, but expensive.

Bus - easy! you can go straight to Tokyo or Shinagawa station. I think this is the easest way if you do not have anybody who can speak Japanese.

Keisei line (Train) - cheaper way to go to Tokyo or Ueno station.

[Mikawa Ossan]

What is the difference between the 4,500 yen one and the 5,500 yen one?
The cheap ones are for standing seats (probably the "pit" as we used to call it) and the expensive ones are for reserved seating.

[bakaKanadajin]

The Narita Express is around 3500yen if I remember correctly. So it's not super expensive, if you've got the cash then i recommend it. From Tokyo or Shinagawa station the Yamanote line is probably your easiest option for getting to Shibuya. The Yamanote line is the circle line that goes around the downtown core, on maps it's green, its hard to miss. All the major stops are on the Yamanote, i.e. Harajuku, Ikebukuro, Shibuya and Shinjuku, etc.

The Keisei isn't so bad, if you get the Ltd. Express it takes about 45mins-1hr and you arrive at Ueno station. You have to go topside to the street and walk over to the other Ueno station to get onto the Yamanote but if you're penny pinching this is your best option.

[Nana007]

You might want to use a shopping service to order or try to preorder the tickets for you. If not after tickets go on sale check Yahoo Auctions Japan.

[Johnathan]

Thank you all for your help.

New update:
http://www.backstage.co.jp/artist/index.php?id=1

Can anyone translate that or just tell me what it basically says?

Is there anything on there about international/overseas fans buying tickets?

[pipokun]

For special tickets,
Postal money order only
Deadline: July 20

From Augst 11, tickets will be sold in ticketing agencies.

Probably here, I read a guy would go to see a gig of L'Arc en Ciel, hard even for Japanese fans to get the ticket, so he/she know how to access the agency from overseas.

[Johnathan]

In regards to the http://www.backstage.co.jp/artist/index.php?id=1 site, I was wondering if it says anything about the following:

1. The reserved 5500Yen seating is, I would assume, closer to the stage, yes?

2. Does one ticket cover both days? Or would I need to purchase two tickets if I wish to see the Saturday and Sunday shows? Does it say anything about that?

Thanks.

[pipokun]

1. The reserved seat is on the 2nd floor, so for some, it is closer.
http://www.shibuya-ax.com/info/images/stagemap.gif
Seeing the bands of the event, probably no moshing on the first floor. So it may be difficult to make your way to the stage. So the intermission is the time when you will go closer to the stage.

2. You've got to buy two tickets.

* It seems the deadline for the ticket by Backstage Project was extented till July 27.

[Johnathan]

I'm not concerned about the deadline, I will just get regular 1F tickets through fdjp... there's no way I could make the money and send it and have it there in time, too much hassle and such.