Soon after relocating to Japan, you'll want to get some essentials like figures and Gundams. After that you'll probably want some furniture.
For most of the years spent in Japan, I got a lot of my furniture from Tokyu Hands - the department store that sells just about everything under the (rising) sun. Tokyu Hands have many stores in Tokyo so its convenient to buy stuff. I think could be because they have a hefty rent bills to pay that they sell everything at retail price.
Ikea Japan 2006
Muji and FrancFranc are other places that I get stuff from and the online store Rakuten is another good place to look.
It wasn't until recently however that Ikea decided to give Japan a try and enter the market. I didnt understand what all the fuss was about and heard many including Roy complaining about the service. Wifey had driven down to Ikea in Yokohama many times and convinced me to make the trip.
Despite getting there early there were a ton of people lining up to get in!
If you are used to Ikea stuff then the new stores around Tokyo will come as a welcome relief. It was only when I made the trip when I realized why Ikea is so popular - the stuff is cheap and quality is quite good - some of it is crap though.
This wall mountable shelf was 9900 yen. Great for HG or GFF figures. I suppose you can adjust the shelves and put in bigger figures though.
Did I mention that people in Japan love to form queues? Take something to fidget around with (NDS, PSP, Figure, Pantsu etc) when you are in Japan as queuing is a way of life.
Got fed up of the small tables on the third floor and decided to get new shiny ones. Throwing together a leg - each leg cost about 3000 yen.
Room with the previous tables removed. Dont you just love wires?
This is what the room currently looks like.
We got two sheets of glass - each costing 8000 yen - total of 28000 yen for the lot. Each measured about 150cm X 80cm. Kept one old table and decided to chuck the other.
In Japan, you cant just throw big stuff away and need to first contact your local ward office and let them know what you want to get rid of. They will tell you how much it costs and arrange for a time to come and pick up your unwanted stuff. You then get your booty along to your nearest convenient store, buy a Sodai Gomi(粗大ゴミ(そだいごみ)) (Bulky garbage) sticker to stick on the side of your trash and chuck it out on the day and time arranged between you and the ward office.
In Japan, you cant just throw big stuff away and need to first contact your local ward office and let them know what you want to get rid of. They will tell you how much it costs and arrange for a time to come and pick up your unwanted stuff. You then get your booty along to your nearest convenient store, buy a Sodai Gomi(粗大ゴミ(そだいごみ)) (Bulky garbage) sticker to stick on the side of your trash and chuck it out on the day and time arranged between you and the ward office.
If you want, you can be a good citizen and stick out your unwanted table/TV etc nearby your house and leave a note saying "please take." If nobody takes it because your table has brown smelly skid marks on it, you should continue to be a good citizen, bring it back to your house and deal with it as described above.
This is the reason why some of your friends may tell you that they find free electronic goods and furniture lying around the streets.
This is the reason why some of your friends may tell you that they find free electronic goods and furniture lying around the streets.
Just thought I would show you what that shelf of figures currently looks like.