onji 0 Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Hey guys. Could anyone recommend a few places to get decent snowboard gear around Tokyo? I actually live near Choshi so I could probably hit up a shop in Chiba if anyone has any recommendations for that area. Mainly looking for boots & bindings. I'll probably get the deck online since it looks to be cheaper to import from North America Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Ochanomizu/Kanda area has a million and 1 snow shops Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 And a McDonalds to feast at when you have bought a board that is 10cm too short for you Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 why did you buy a board that was too short for you? Link to post Share on other sites
onji 0 Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 Nice one guys, I'll check 'em out when I'm next in Tokyo. So uhh, you bought the Custom X 152, but needed the 142? Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Originally Posted By: Tubby Beaver why did you buy a board that was too short for you? Because it was cheap and I thought I was going to be a park rat, even though 5ft rollers scare me Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Link to post Share on other sites
blu 3 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 "The ski/snowboard(sports store) area is located between Ogawamachi and Jimbocho subway stations in the Kanda district of Tokyo (about 10min walk west of Akihabara), along Yasakuni Dori(Yasakuni Street) and the small streets just off it. There are a few exits at Ogawamachi subway station, but the best exits are onto Yasakuni Dori exit B5 or B7." Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Originally Posted By: blu "The ski/snowboard(sports store) area is located between Ogawamachi and Jimbocho subway stations in the Kanda district of Tokyo (about 10min walk west of Akihabara), along Yasakuni Dori(Yasakuni Street) and the small streets just off it. There are a few exits at Ogawamachi subway station, but the best exits are onto Yasakuni Dori exit B5 or B7." in the Ochanomizu/Kanda area. If you are taking JR, Ochanomizu is the easiest to get off and find the shops IMO Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Just walk down the hill past all the guitar shops - boy it was hard not to buy a Gibson and turn left. Shops EVERYWHERE. Link to post Share on other sites
nippontiger 8 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Was a pain getting bindings for fat skis down there yesterday - nowhere had bindings with wide enough brakes, and if they did, the guage they put on the ski to drill the holes in the right spot wasnt big enough! Managed to get some Marker Squires in the end, but really had to force the guage onto the skis! Stock brakes not wide enough, had to use leash cords today and will buy wide brakes later. Link to post Share on other sites
shadowtec 0 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Well that's handy to know I be in that area on Wednesday so I pick up some stuff I need from there (save getting ripped at the Sydney stores) Thanks Link to post Share on other sites
ILoveZao 8 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Have fun there! I remember last time I went I didn't want to leave and I just wanted to buy so much gear. Link to post Share on other sites
onji 0 Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 Originally Posted By: shadowtec Well that's handy to know I be in that area on Wednesday so I pick up some stuff I need from there (save getting ripped at the Sydney stores) Thanks Agreed. I think Australia has to be the most expensive place I've been to to get ski/board equipment. And a beer for that matter, bloody good beer though! Link to post Share on other sites
onji 0 Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 Thanks for all the info. I'm getting pretty excited about my next Tokyo visit in a couple of weeks. I'm definitely going to pickup new boots & bindings from Tokyo so I can find something to fit my wide ass feet. My board, however, will probably get sent over from the states, since they look to be significantly cheaper than Japan. Has anyone ever imported snow gear? Did you get hit up for customs/taxes? My friend had a laptop sent over & she had to pay one or two man. On the other hand I got a few hard drives sent from the States and it was fine. Link to post Share on other sites
Schneebored 0 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Originally Posted By: onji bloody good beer though! You what??...90% is piss!!... if it wasn't for James Squires and Matilda Bay beers and some very tasty wines I would have gone mental by now! Link to post Share on other sites
Schneebored 0 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Originally Posted By: onji Has anyone ever imported snow gear? Did you get hit up for customs/taxes? My friend had a laptop sent over & she had to pay one or two man. On the other hand I got a few hard drives sent from the States and it was fine. Cant comment for importing into Japan, but I brought about $2000 AUD of kit from the US. As long as the goods in each package was less than $1000 AUD you escape any duties. Used some consolidating/forwarding companies with varying success as some US distributors do not ship outside US. There have been discussions on these forums previously, worth using the search option. Link to post Share on other sites
onji 0 Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 Originally Posted By: Schneebored Originally Posted By: onji bloody good beer though! You what??...90% is piss!!... if it wasn't for James Squires and Matilda Bay beers and some very tasty wines I would have gone mental by now! Hey man I completely agree 90% is piss. But some of the microbreweries make top tip top tipple. Knappstein Reserve Lager from SA, Billabong Nelson Sauvin from WA, Gage Roads Wahoo from WA, Little Creatures Bright Ale from WA, Feral Farm House Ale from WA, Billabong Kolsch from WA, Red Angus Pilsner from NSW. Most of the list is from WA as I'm from Perth and we don't get as much from the East Coast. Then again this is my 100% partial and biased opinion. Then again I should probably stop talking about beer since it's 11:15 Monday morning and I'm at work, cheers! Link to post Share on other sites
onji 0 Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 Originally Posted By: Schneebored Originally Posted By: onji Has anyone ever imported snow gear? Did you get hit up for customs/taxes? My friend had a laptop sent over & she had to pay one or two man. On the other hand I got a few hard drives sent from the States and it was fine. Cant comment for importing into Japan, but I brought about $2000 AUD of kit from the US. As long as the goods in each package was less than $1000 AUD you escape any duties. Used some consolidating/forwarding companies with varying success as some US distributors do not ship outside US. There have been discussions on these forums previously, worth using the search option. So it might be a good idea to split my order into 2 separate orders. I'll check out the requirements for Japan before I place an order, but thanks Schneebored. I'll try and poke around the forums to see what the others reckon. Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 You know if you are using fat skis for deep pow those leashes might be awfully handy as saw a couple guys lose skis on my last trip, with one guy never finding his.... Link to post Share on other sites
shadowtec 0 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Originally Posted By: onji Agreed. I think Australia has to be the most expensive place I've been to to get ski/board equipment. Electronic parts is more fun An FPGA dev board from the manufacturer $150 + $10 postage in 3 days. from a local supplier $360 +$50 postage in 6 weeks.. It's part of my weekly hobby to abuse staff at local electronic shops Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Pete, Even when them snowbrakes came out 30 years ago, people knew to use lashes for deep snow. Having said that I lost one at Naeba. No I didn´t lash up ... happens huh Link to post Share on other sites
nippontiger 8 Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 What are the safety issues when using leashes which connect boot to ski? I heard its a no-no in avi territory as you need your skis to release. Losing ski in snow is a real pain - Ive spent ages searching in the past - I'd hate to lose one of my new 60,000 yen skis! I made some powder ribbons once, but they can be a bit of a PITA to use. I think in conditions like yesterday with my new skis, I'd prefer to use either a leash or ribbons as there is a genuine risk of losing a ski for good. I'd also like some brakes - anybody know if a 110 mm Marker royal family brake would stretch to a ski measuring 117 mm? Next one up is the 130 which is more expensive and might be a bit too big! Link to post Share on other sites
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