Author Topic: Japan  (Read 14839 times)

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Sila

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Japan
« on: January 18, 2020, 01:42:15 AM »
Looking at heading to Japan soon on a solo mission.

What is skate culture like there? How is security/the public when it comes to skating street?

Mainly thinking of going to Tokyo and Osaka.
Will be prioritising wandering around and taking photos so i'm not too concerned with nightlife on this trip.

silhouette

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Re: Japan
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2020, 02:16:34 AM »
From my experience: spots everywhere, all impossible to skate because every building has a crew of security guards that will come kick you out, most of the time before you can even get on your board anywhere near the plaza they're assigned to. You get longer windows of time at night (and those are usually very short too). They won't give a shit if you skate outside the area they are supposed to guard, though; also the consensus in basic law enforcement in Japan seems to be that if you do something wrong, then it's obviously because you don't know it's wrong so it's their duty to come and warn you regardless of how much you realistically should have known - they give you the benefit of the doubt, do not try to argue and always just comply because the way administration and whatnot is handled over there seems like a living nightmare to get caught in; also a lot of the security guards have radios and will warn more cops in the neighborhood if you try to skate off or talk back, basically you'll just bring more bullshit upon you. The actual cops might try to block you if they see you ride down a street or something because street skating just isn't something one is supposed to do there and is considered hazardous for the most part, some care more than others.

General public will most often not have a clue of what the fuck it is you're doing outside of a skatepark, and see you as potentially dangerous but trust your control. If your board shoots out or someone suddenly gets in your way, they just won't know how to react as well as in occidental countries, so they will fully take the hit and you will be the asshole of the story.

If in Tokyo, check out Fat Bros to meet people and get directions, and Morita's FESN Laboratory, both skateshops in Nakano.
« Last Edit: January 18, 2020, 05:11:31 AM by silhouette »

dakara

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Re: Japan
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2020, 04:41:45 AM »
Japan will be very hard to skate if you don’t know the city or dont meet up with some locals. Skating on streets is de facto banned, normal people don’t care but a cop will tell you to stop if they see you but are generally very nice. Skate culture is generally very friendly and chill and seems to be comprised mostly of people in their mid to late 20s.  Tons of spots because the cities are dense, but also very crowded and extremely narrow. Another thing I find is kind of annoying is that 90% of the ledges/wide areas/natural tranny have some degree of sectioning and grouting usually on the deeper side and it makes so many potentially perfect spots shittier but that’s street skating I guess.   I would not recommend skating around as transport here if you don’t know the roads simply for your own safety,  traffic norms and streets here are very different and if you aren’t used to it you gotta be on your toes even when walking. Best time to skate is late at night in areas that are more retail/commercial/shopfronts than residential and are kind of far away from train stations( less cops patrolling), and on fairly large streets( wide smooth sidewalks with rails and ledges as opposed to no sidewalk on a narrow street with occasional rough curbs) . As we all know skateboarding is loud as fuck and due to the density you can disturb a several dozen households at a time by skating in residential areas so don’t be that asshole.

Highsox skate shop in Ikebukuro is in my experience more friendly and welcoming than fat bro’s or fesn, have a larger selection, and is on the yamanote line so it’s easier to get to from virtually anywhere in Tokyo unless you are staying someplace near Nakano or has a train station on the chuo line. The guys at high Sox’s always take time to say what’s up and ask what spots I’ve been hitting lately etc were as the one older dude at fatbros usually mostly ignores everyone except the one or two buddies he usually has hanging out at the shop. That is just my experience though and judging by social media fat bro’s seems to interact more with foreigners, I’m half but look/act/dress prettyJapanese and speak it so my experience may be different.
« Last Edit: January 18, 2020, 05:01:58 AM by dakara »

silhouette

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Re: Japan
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2020, 05:09:47 AM »
Oh I've been to High Sox too, just couldn't remember the name. Also a cool place indeed, seemed more popular amongst skatepark skaters too, funnily enough. It's more central so I guess the demographic is different, which explains the variation in vibes. I know Hagi-san was nice to me every time. As far as the Laboratory, it's good for curiosities and specific product.

Speaking of skateparks, Yokosuka's Umikaze is worth a visit and there you'll also find Ours Skateshop close by: https://www.instagram.com/oursskateco/
« Last Edit: January 18, 2020, 05:21:54 AM by silhouette »

dakara

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Re: Japan
« Reply #4 on: January 18, 2020, 05:29:38 AM »
Oh I've been to High Sox too, just couldn't remember the name. Also a cool place indeed, seemed more popular amongst skatepark skaters too, funnily enough. It's more central so I guess the demographic is different, which explains the variation in vibes. I know Hagi-san was nice to me every time. As far as the Laboratory, it's good for curiosities and specific product.

Speaking of skateparks, Yokosuka's Umikaze is worth a visit and there you'll also find Ours Skateshop close by: https://www.instagram.com/oursskateco/

Have you ever been to any parks in Tokyo? I’ve been wanting to go to one ever since I got back into skating, but they are all 50 minutes away and I don’t have much free time so I want to make it count when I go to one. Most guys I talk to say they go to an indoor place in near Akabane but I much prefer free outdoor parks

Also agree with your assessment of high Sox, Ikebukuro is a major hub so it makes sense the demographic is a bit more open.
« Last Edit: January 18, 2020, 05:33:56 AM by dakara »

Sila

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Re: Japan
« Reply #5 on: January 18, 2020, 07:01:18 AM »
Hey guys. Thanks for the thorough replys. Really appreciate it. I actually was intending to cruise around for transport, so it's good to know I should be more mindful of it.
« Last Edit: January 18, 2020, 07:05:21 AM by Sila »

silhouette

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Re: Japan
« Reply #6 on: January 18, 2020, 09:20:13 AM »
Have you ever been to any parks in Tokyo? I’ve been wanting to go to one ever since I got back into skating, but they are all 50 minutes away and I don’t have much free time so I want to make it count when I go to one. Most guys I talk to say they go to an indoor place in near Akabane but I much prefer free outdoor parks

Also agree with your assessment of high Sox, Ikebukuro is a major hub so it makes sense the demographic is a bit more open.

No, I only skated around the city of Tokyo with some trips to Yokohama and Yokosuka, I only stayed for about three weeks. The only time we considered skating a skatepark other than Umikaze was when we bumped into a bunch of skaters who wanted us to tag along with them to one, coincidentally that was at High Sox, but that time again we preferred to stay on the streets instead. As a first time visitor, all the architecture looked too unique to me to feel like going to check out quarterpipes when I could just enjoy the whole city.

Sila you can definitely skate around Tokyo, just stay clear of buildings and plazas and calmly get off your board if you see uniforms. Although, I'd like to emphasize on what I've said before regarding how people on the streets aren't prepared for skateboarders - that also applies to drivers, so be extra careful if you bomb a hill in the middle of the street or what-have-you. They most likely won't have the lenient reaction most Western drivers have to either slow down if they're scared or speed up to get around you, instead they're prone to panic at random. You can (illegally) skate on the streets, but you have to keep your eyes open and play it safer than what you might be used to.

Also if you ever find one of those sidewalks with tiles with the tiniest micro bumps on the surface (I remember they have some in Nakano), try going full speed on them. It tickles your feet, sends the vibration in your whole body and makes a funny noise.

dakara

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Re: Japan
« Reply #7 on: January 18, 2020, 07:20:02 PM »
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Have you ever been to any parks in Tokyo? I’ve been wanting to go to one ever since I got back into skating, but they are all 50 minutes away and I don’t have much free time so I want to make it count when I go to one. Most guys I talk to say they go to an indoor place in near Akabane but I much prefer free outdoor parks

Also agree with your assessment of high Sox, Ikebukuro is a major hub so it makes sense the demographic is a bit more open.
[close]

No, I only skated around the city of Tokyo with some trips to Yokohama and Yokosuka, I only stayed for about three weeks. The only time we considered skating a skatepark other than Umikaze was when we bumped into a bunch of skaters who wanted us to tag along with them to one, coincidentally that was at High Sox, but that time again we preferred to stay on the streets instead. As a first time visitor, all the architecture looked too unique to me to feel like going to check out quarterpipes when I could just enjoy the whole city.

Sila you can definitely skate around Tokyo, just stay clear of buildings and plazas and calmly get off your board if you see uniforms. Although, I'd like to emphasize on what I've said before regarding how people on the streets aren't prepared for skateboarders - that also applies to drivers, so be extra careful if you bomb a hill in the middle of the street or what-have-you. They most likely won't have the lenient reaction most Western drivers have to either slow down if they're scared or speed up to get around you, instead they're prone to panic at random. You can (illegally) skate on the streets, but you have to keep your eyes open and play it safer than what you might be used to.

Also if you ever find one of those sidewalks with tiles with the tiniest micro bumps on the surface (I remember they have some in Nakano), try going full speed on them. It tickles your feet, sends the vibration in your whole body and makes a funny noise.

Ahh ya that makes sense. I want to go to a park so I can get a full day of grind/slide/obstacle practice with relatively few distractions. It’s so hard to do that in the streets here, even under the best conditions.

Jive Turkey

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Re: Japan
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2020, 09:05:01 PM »
Expand Quote
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Have you ever been to any parks in Tokyo? I’ve been wanting to go to one ever since I got back into skating, but they are all 50 minutes away and I don’t have much free time so I want to make it count when I go to one. Most guys I talk to say they go to an indoor place in near Akabane but I much prefer free outdoor parks

Also agree with your assessment of high Sox, Ikebukuro is a major hub so it makes sense the demographic is a bit more open.
[close]

No, I only skated around the city of Tokyo with some trips to Yokohama and Yokosuka, I only stayed for about three weeks. The only time we considered skating a skatepark other than Umikaze was when we bumped into a bunch of skaters who wanted us to tag along with them to one, coincidentally that was at High Sox, but that time again we preferred to stay on the streets instead. As a first time visitor, all the architecture looked too unique to me to feel like going to check out quarterpipes when I could just enjoy the whole city.

Sila you can definitely skate around Tokyo, just stay clear of buildings and plazas and calmly get off your board if you see uniforms. Although, I'd like to emphasize on what I've said before regarding how people on the streets aren't prepared for skateboarders - that also applies to drivers, so be extra careful if you bomb a hill in the middle of the street or what-have-you. They most likely won't have the lenient reaction most Western drivers have to either slow down if they're scared or speed up to get around you, instead they're prone to panic at random. You can (illegally) skate on the streets, but you have to keep your eyes open and play it safer than what you might be used to.

Also if you ever find one of those sidewalks with tiles with the tiniest micro bumps on the surface (I remember they have some in Nakano), try going full speed on them. It tickles your feet, sends the vibration in your whole body and makes a funny noise.
[close]

Ahh ya that makes sense. I want to go to a park so I can get a full day of grind/slide/obstacle practice with relatively few distractions. It’s so hard to do that in the streets here, even under the best conditions.
Check out Komazawa. Basic but the locals are cool.
For pay indoor parks the Nike Dojo is tight.

Where are you located?

Huell Howser

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Re: Japan
« Reply #9 on: January 24, 2020, 08:42:03 AM »
I regularly skate Kugenuma park near Enoshima but I'm in the Shonan area so its quick for me to get to. park is an old community pool converted into skatepark so its meh but huge plus is its right on the beach and overlooks enoshima so can't beat it on a sunny day

satan

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Re: Japan
« Reply #10 on: January 24, 2020, 07:55:34 PM »
Saw this on tv and was stoked on their crew, looks like a fun scene.
And seriously, what with the old dude that does the bertleman limbo under a handrail. How old is that guy?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2eHIE-N2BaE

Gray Imp Sausage Metal

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Re: Japan
« Reply #11 on: January 24, 2020, 11:39:36 PM »
Skating after hours around the cities can be mad fun tho!
I live in rural Japan and only skate my local DIY these days but as others have mentioned, might be an idea to meet up/ connect with some locals beforehand so they can show you around. My fave shop in Tokyo is mortar, would love to have a sesh in there one day (they do demos in store and if they move all the profit to the side it becomes a little shake park)

Impish sausage is definitely gonna blow up as a euphemism this year

dakara

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Re: Japan
« Reply #12 on: January 26, 2020, 04:35:51 AM »
Expand Quote
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Have you ever been to any parks in Tokyo? I’ve been wanting to go to one ever since I got back into skating, but they are all 50 minutes away and I don’t have much free time so I want to make it count when I go to one. Most guys I talk to say they go to an indoor place in near Akabane but I much prefer free outdoor parks

Also agree with your assessment of high Sox, Ikebukuro is a major hub so it makes sense the demographic is a bit more open.
[close]

No, I only skated around the city of Tokyo with some trips to Yokohama and Yokosuka, I only stayed for about three weeks. The only time we considered skating a skatepark other than Umikaze was when we bumped into a bunch of skaters who wanted us to tag along with them to one, coincidentally that was at High Sox, but that time again we preferred to stay on the streets instead. As a first time visitor, all the architecture looked too unique to me to feel like going to check out quarterpipes when I could just enjoy the whole city.

Sila you can definitely skate around Tokyo, just stay clear of buildings and plazas and calmly get off your board if you see uniforms. Although, I'd like to emphasize on what I've said before regarding how people on the streets aren't prepared for skateboarders - that also applies to drivers, so be extra careful if you bomb a hill in the middle of the street or what-have-you. They most likely won't have the lenient reaction most Western drivers have to either slow down if they're scared or speed up to get around you, instead they're prone to panic at random. You can (illegally) skate on the streets, but you have to keep your eyes open and play it safer than what you might be used to.

Also if you ever find one of those sidewalks with tiles with the tiniest micro bumps on the surface (I remember they have some in Nakano), try going full speed on them. It tickles your feet, sends the vibration in your whole body and makes a funny noise.
[close]

Ahh ya that makes sense. I want to go to a park so I can get a full day of grind/slide/obstacle practice with relatively few distractions. It’s so hard to do that in the streets here, even under the best conditions.
[close]
Check out Komazawa. Basic but the locals are cool.
For pay indoor parks the Nike Dojo is tight.

Where are you located?

Kind of in between ikebukuro and Oyama.

Jive Turkey

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Re: Japan
« Reply #13 on: January 26, 2020, 11:33:59 PM »
Expand Quote
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Have you ever been to any parks in Tokyo? I’ve been wanting to go to one ever since I got back into skating, but they are all 50 minutes away and I don’t have much free time so I want to make it count when I go to one. Most guys I talk to say they go to an indoor place in near Akabane but I much prefer free outdoor parks

Also agree with your assessment of high Sox, Ikebukuro is a major hub so it makes sense the demographic is a bit more open.
[close]

No, I only skated around the city of Tokyo with some trips to Yokohama and Yokosuka, I only stayed for about three weeks. The only time we considered skating a skatepark other than Umikaze was when we bumped into a bunch of skaters who wanted us to tag along with them to one, coincidentally that was at High Sox, but that time again we preferred to stay on the streets instead. As a first time visitor, all the architecture looked too unique to me to feel like going to check out quarterpipes when I could just enjoy the whole city.

Sila you can definitely skate around Tokyo, just stay clear of buildings and plazas and calmly get off your board if you see uniforms. Although, I'd like to emphasize on what I've said before regarding how people on the streets aren't prepared for skateboarders - that also applies to drivers, so be extra careful if you bomb a hill in the middle of the street or what-have-you. They most likely won't have the lenient reaction most Western drivers have to either slow down if they're scared or speed up to get around you, instead they're prone to panic at random. You can (illegally) skate on the streets, but you have to keep your eyes open and play it safer than what you might be used to.

Also if you ever find one of those sidewalks with tiles with the tiniest micro bumps on the surface (I remember they have some in Nakano), try going full speed on them. It tickles your feet, sends the vibration in your whole body and makes a funny noise.
[close]

Ahh ya that makes sense. I want to go to a park so I can get a full day of grind/slide/obstacle practice with relatively few distractions. It’s so hard to do that in the streets here, even under the best conditions.
[close]
Check out Komazawa. Basic but the locals are cool.
For pay indoor parks the Nike Dojo is tight.

Where are you located?
[close]

Kind of in between ikebukuro and Oyama.
Funny, my friend used to live in Oyama, so I would skate there and Ikebukuro often when I first moved to Tokyo.

I think Komazawa would be your closest public park. Honestly they all kinda suck but Komazawa is alright.

dakara

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Re: Japan
« Reply #14 on: January 29, 2020, 03:10:56 AM »
Expand Quote
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Expand Quote
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Have you ever been to any parks in Tokyo? I’ve been wanting to go to one ever since I got back into skating, but they are all 50 minutes away and I don’t have much free time so I want to make it count when I go to one. Most guys I talk to say they go to an indoor place in near Akabane but I much prefer free outdoor parks

Also agree with your assessment of high Sox, Ikebukuro is a major hub so it makes sense the demographic is a bit more open.
[close]

No, I only skated around the city of Tokyo with some trips to Yokohama and Yokosuka, I only stayed for about three weeks. The only time we considered skating a skatepark other than Umikaze was when we bumped into a bunch of skaters who wanted us to tag along with them to one, coincidentally that was at High Sox, but that time again we preferred to stay on the streets instead. As a first time visitor, all the architecture looked too unique to me to feel like going to check out quarterpipes when I could just enjoy the whole city.

Sila you can definitely skate around Tokyo, just stay clear of buildings and plazas and calmly get off your board if you see uniforms. Although, I'd like to emphasize on what I've said before regarding how people on the streets aren't prepared for skateboarders - that also applies to drivers, so be extra careful if you bomb a hill in the middle of the street or what-have-you. They most likely won't have the lenient reaction most Western drivers have to either slow down if they're scared or speed up to get around you, instead they're prone to panic at random. You can (illegally) skate on the streets, but you have to keep your eyes open and play it safer than what you might be used to.

Also if you ever find one of those sidewalks with tiles with the tiniest micro bumps on the surface (I remember they have some in Nakano), try going full speed on them. It tickles your feet, sends the vibration in your whole body and makes a funny noise.
[close]

Ahh ya that makes sense. I want to go to a park so I can get a full day of grind/slide/obstacle practice with relatively few distractions. It’s so hard to do that in the streets here, even under the best conditions.
[close]
Check out Komazawa. Basic but the locals are cool.
For pay indoor parks the Nike Dojo is tight.

Where are you located?
[close]

Kind of in between ikebukuro and Oyama.
[close]
Funny, my friend used to live in Oyama, so I would skate there and Ikebukuro often when I first moved to Tokyo.

I think Komazawa would be your closest public park. Honestly they all kinda suck but Komazawa is alright.

That’s the 64 Olympic park near the college right? I’ve had my eye on it for a while, I’ll check it out!

Jive Turkey

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Re: Japan
« Reply #15 on: January 29, 2020, 05:21:55 PM »
Expand Quote
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Have you ever been to any parks in Tokyo? I’ve been wanting to go to one ever since I got back into skating, but they are all 50 minutes away and I don’t have much free time so I want to make it count when I go to one. Most guys I talk to say they go to an indoor place in near Akabane but I much prefer free outdoor parks

Also agree with your assessment of high Sox, Ikebukuro is a major hub so it makes sense the demographic is a bit more open.
[close]

No, I only skated around the city of Tokyo with some trips to Yokohama and Yokosuka, I only stayed for about three weeks. The only time we considered skating a skatepark other than Umikaze was when we bumped into a bunch of skaters who wanted us to tag along with them to one, coincidentally that was at High Sox, but that time again we preferred to stay on the streets instead. As a first time visitor, all the architecture looked too unique to me to feel like going to check out quarterpipes when I could just enjoy the whole city.

Sila you can definitely skate around Tokyo, just stay clear of buildings and plazas and calmly get off your board if you see uniforms. Although, I'd like to emphasize on what I've said before regarding how people on the streets aren't prepared for skateboarders - that also applies to drivers, so be extra careful if you bomb a hill in the middle of the street or what-have-you. They most likely won't have the lenient reaction most Western drivers have to either slow down if they're scared or speed up to get around you, instead they're prone to panic at random. You can (illegally) skate on the streets, but you have to keep your eyes open and play it safer than what you might be used to.

Also if you ever find one of those sidewalks with tiles with the tiniest micro bumps on the surface (I remember they have some in Nakano), try going full speed on them. It tickles your feet, sends the vibration in your whole body and makes a funny noise.
[close]

Ahh ya that makes sense. I want to go to a park so I can get a full day of grind/slide/obstacle practice with relatively few distractions. It’s so hard to do that in the streets here, even under the best conditions.
[close]
Check out Komazawa. Basic but the locals are cool.
For pay indoor parks the Nike Dojo is tight.

Where are you located?
[close]

Kind of in between ikebukuro and Oyama.
[close]
Funny, my friend used to live in Oyama, so I would skate there and Ikebukuro often when I first moved to Tokyo.

I think Komazawa would be your closest public park. Honestly they all kinda suck but Komazawa is alright.
[close]

That’s the 64 Olympic park near the college right? I’ve had my eye on it for a while, I’ll check it out!
Yup that's the one.
https://goo.gl/maps/7DsGSxufDTi62xWK9

dakara

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Re: Japan
« Reply #16 on: January 30, 2020, 04:35:43 AM »
Jive turkey I know it’s probably hard to remember but do you recall any spots or chain of spots were you could get a solid 30-45 min session or rotation in in the west ikebukuro/Oyama/Itabashi area? I usually cruise around that north south walkway thing that connects Ikebukuro/kanamecho and snakes up to Shimo Itabashi and do wallies, slides etc on the little banks, but besides that I always get anxious and move out of a “spot” after 3-5 minutes. Been searching for a consistent place or area were I can just work on stuff for an extended period.

one-off

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Re: Japan
« Reply #17 on: January 30, 2020, 06:53:58 AM »
If you switch to cruiser wheels you will get away with a lot more (I’ve roamed around Kobe Kyoto and Tokyo that way with few problems).
Stealth mode

Jive Turkey

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Re: Japan
« Reply #18 on: January 30, 2020, 05:41:39 PM »
Jive turkey I know it’s probably hard to remember but do you recall any spots or chain of spots were you could get a solid 30-45 min session or rotation in in the west ikebukuro/Oyama/Itabashi area? I usually cruise around that north south walkway thing that connects Ikebukuro/kanamecho and snakes up to Shimo Itabashi and do wallies, slides etc on the little banks, but besides that I always get anxious and move out of a “spot” after 3-5 minutes. Been searching for a consistent place or area were I can just work on stuff for an extended period.
Yeah, I haven't skated out there in a few years but we pretty much did the same thing.
We skated at night so we really didn't the boot unless it was a larger crew and we were loud.

This little wallride spot is fun:
https://goo.gl/maps/GHU9UyEpXy4u2kR77
If you cruise around there are some curbs and ledges on the side roads off the main road in that area.

This park is usually a bust but you can hit it at night:
https://goo.gl/maps/vjbb7dpTkG5N5PbU8

As far as Oyama goes we would just dork around on whatever we could skate in the shotengai.

ChuckRamone

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Re: Japan
« Reply #19 on: January 31, 2020, 01:08:31 PM »
I'm in Unoki now. There was a small earthquake my first night here. I'm probably just gonna cruise the streets a bit like I usually do when I'm in Japan. I know some people say that's frowned upon over here but I just pass through areas and not linger so I hope it's okay.

Edit: Saw these spots today.


This old bike ramp is skateable on the left.



People skated this at some point but didn't look like any action has gone down recently.
« Last Edit: January 31, 2020, 04:42:54 PM by ChuckRamone »

dakara

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Re: Japan
« Reply #20 on: February 01, 2020, 12:46:38 AM »
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Jive turkey I know it’s probably hard to remember but do you recall any spots or chain of spots were you could get a solid 30-45 min session or rotation in in the west ikebukuro/Oyama/Itabashi area? I usually cruise around that north south walkway thing that connects Ikebukuro/kanamecho and snakes up to Shimo Itabashi and do wallies, slides etc on the little banks, but besides that I always get anxious and move out of a “spot” after 3-5 minutes. Been searching for a consistent place or area were I can just work on stuff for an extended period.
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Yeah, I haven't skated out there in a few years but we pretty much did the same thing.
We skated at night so we really didn't the boot unless it was a larger crew and we were loud.

This little wallride spot is fun:
https://goo.gl/maps/GHU9UyEpXy4u2kR77
If you cruise around there are some curbs and ledges on the side roads off the main road in that area.

This park is usually a bust but you can hit it at night:
https://goo.gl/maps/vjbb7dpTkG5N5PbU8

As far as Oyama goes we would just dork around on whatever we could skate in the shotengai.

Thanks for the tips! That wall ride spot looks promising. I skated the banked walkway today and destroyed my ass slipping out of a backside wall ride attempt in front of an old lady who was very concerned. Have to stop street skating on weekends. I also browsed through your post history and definitely want to hit up some of those spots on the Sumida river you posted.

I'm in Unoki now. There was a small earthquake my first night here. I'm probably just gonna cruise the streets a bit like I usually do when I'm in Japan. I know some people say that's frowned upon over here but I just pass through areas and not linger so I hope it's okay.




I mentioned in my post that I don’t recommend riding around, but it’s fine for the most part of you are very careful. I mostly said that because of how constantly busy it is with people/cars/bicycles especially on the small side streets that make up most of the city, stop signs are more like suggestions and it’s hard to gauge which way cars are coming from and the sheer volume of people/vehicles can make a small swerve from any party involved a potential chain reaction catastrophe. I would say just use common sense but I would recommend most people taking a A couple days of walking just to get a feel for how everything flows

silhouette

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Re: Japan
« Reply #21 on: February 01, 2020, 01:01:50 AM »
This thread keeps taking me back to my trip there every time it gets bumped. The other day I found some old Glen Fox Tokyo/Nakano cruise footage I had filmed at the time for no real reason, but eventually chunks of it made it into Glen's welcome to Magenta part. Not sure I ever really shared them on here.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRGg5T0jY-o/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRJkPB5j3Mn/

I actually found them again while attempting to find the name of the area in the second clip for dakara (to no avail, even though I remembered I had filmed a sign with the name on it), because that district had a bunch of spots we actually didn't really get kicked out of, including a plaza with perfect ledges and an incredible (night) view over the city. I have no idea how popular that one spot is, but it seemed really convenient to spend time at and work on stuff, you can briefly see it at 0:49 in this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8wP1OSkggU

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Re: Japan
« Reply #22 on: February 02, 2020, 05:13:00 PM »
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Jive turkey I know it’s probably hard to remember but do you recall any spots or chain of spots were you could get a solid 30-45 min session or rotation in in the west ikebukuro/Oyama/Itabashi area? I usually cruise around that north south walkway thing that connects Ikebukuro/kanamecho and snakes up to Shimo Itabashi and do wallies, slides etc on the little banks, but besides that I always get anxious and move out of a “spot” after 3-5 minutes. Been searching for a consistent place or area were I can just work on stuff for an extended period.
[close]
Yeah, I haven't skated out there in a few years but we pretty much did the same thing.
We skated at night so we really didn't the boot unless it was a larger crew and we were loud.

This little wallride spot is fun:
https://goo.gl/maps/GHU9UyEpXy4u2kR77
If you cruise around there are some curbs and ledges on the side roads off the main road in that area.

This park is usually a bust but you can hit it at night:
https://goo.gl/maps/vjbb7dpTkG5N5PbU8

As far as Oyama goes we would just dork around on whatever we could skate in the shotengai.
[close]

Thanks for the tips! That wall ride spot looks promising. I skated the banked walkway today and destroyed my ass slipping out of a backside wall ride attempt in front of an old lady who was very concerned. Have to stop street skating on weekends. I also browsed through your post history and definitely want to hit up some of those spots on the Sumida river you posted.

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I'm in Unoki now. There was a small earthquake my first night here. I'm probably just gonna cruise the streets a bit like I usually do when I'm in Japan. I know some people say that's frowned upon over here but I just pass through areas and not linger so I hope it's okay.


[close]


I mentioned in my post that I don’t recommend riding around, but it’s fine for the most part of you are very careful. I mostly said that because of how constantly busy it is with people/cars/bicycles especially on the small side streets that make up most of the city, stop signs are more like suggestions and it’s hard to gauge which way cars are coming from and the sheer volume of people/vehicles can make a small swerve from any party involved a potential chain reaction catastrophe. I would say just use common sense but I would recommend most people taking a A couple days of walking just to get a feel for how everything flows
Yeah dude, the spots on the river are fucking awesome and you can skate hassle free.
I'd recommend waiting until it's warm because the river area brutally cold in the winter.

Feel free to hit me up if you want to go there together.

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Re: Japan
« Reply #23 on: February 02, 2020, 05:51:51 PM »
I actually found them again while attempting to find the name of the area in the second clip for dakara (to no avail, even though I remembered I had filmed a sign with the name on it), because that district had a bunch of spots we actually didn't really get kicked out of, including a plaza with perfect ledges and an incredible (night) view over the city. I have no idea how popular that one spot is, but it seemed really convenient to spend time at and work on stuff, you can briefly see it at 0:49 in this:
Which clip? Do you remember the name of the district or the general area of Tokyo is was in?
I'm curious.

Btw I think I skated with yall one night in Nakano.

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Re: Japan
« Reply #24 on: February 04, 2020, 11:23:40 AM »
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I actually found them again while attempting to find the name of the area in the second clip for dakara (to no avail, even though I remembered I had filmed a sign with the name on it), because that district had a bunch of spots we actually didn't really get kicked out of, including a plaza with perfect ledges and an incredible (night) view over the city. I have no idea how popular that one spot is, but it seemed really convenient to spend time at and work on stuff, you can briefly see it at 0:49 in this:
[close]
Which clip? Do you remember the name of the district or the general area of Tokyo is was in?
I'm curious.

Btw I think I skated with yall one night in Nakano.

Shit, really? Which night was that? Please let it be the one we all got fucked up in front of the train station, then went crazy skating inside the mall (might have been on Ben's birthday?). That or one of the Nakano Sunplaza sessions, but I remember many locals at the train station 'spot' and it was super cool sharing good times. Skating back to the hostel after that one I legit ate shit twice (that I remember) just on flat ground by myself because I was so gone.

I've been trying to remember the name of the place, I know I filmed the sign of the district/tower/area and I've used that footage on the camera to successfully communicate which part of the city I meant to locals before, so I know it's something recognizable, but I can't be for certain and those raw clips are long gone (I think) so it's not like I can show you more than what's in those IG clips. Hiroki Muraoka also does two tricks there in Spirit Quest, filmed on the same night. Glen can be seen literally riding the escalator up to the spot in that IG clip - the part where he mentions bollards with a Pikachu in the background. I know that really doesn't help much. Seemed to be a business district type of area?
« Last Edit: February 04, 2020, 11:26:55 AM by silhouette »

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Re: Japan
« Reply #25 on: February 04, 2020, 05:58:10 PM »
Shit, really? Which night was that? Please let it be the one we all got fucked up in front of the train station, then went crazy skating inside the mall (might have been on Ben's birthday?). That or one of the Nakano Sunplaza sessions, but I remember many locals at the train station 'spot' and it was super cool sharing good times. Skating back to the hostel after that one I legit ate shit twice (that I remember) just on flat ground by myself because I was so gone.
It was a pretty large group and we barged around the station area and sun plaza. At the end of the night we were doing no push speed runs down the station walk way. We were all pretty hammered and a lot of people ate shit.

I've been trying to remember the name of the place, I know I filmed the sign of the district/tower/area and I've used that footage on the camera to successfully communicate which part of the city I meant to locals before, so I know it's something recognizable, but I can't be for certain and those raw clips are long gone (I think) so it's not like I can show you more than what's in those IG clips. Hiroki Muraoka also does two tricks there in Spirit Quest, filmed on the same night. Glen can be seen literally riding the escalator up to the spot in that IG clip - the part where he mentions bollards with a Pikachu in the background. I know that really doesn't help much. Seemed to be a business district type of area?
Yeah it's hard to tell just from that clip because so much of Tokyo looks like that. All good, thanks man.

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Re: Japan
« Reply #26 on: February 05, 2020, 04:16:52 AM »
It was a pretty large group and we barged around the station area and sun plaza. At the end of the night we were doing no push speed runs down the station walk way. We were all pretty hammered and a lot of people ate shit.

Well fuck me, in retrospect a lot of those nights and moments kind of blend together and the amount of beers consumed at the time don't help make it all less blurry, in fact quite the opposite if anything. I do remember fucking around on flatground in front of the station and 'inventing' the trick of pushing your board through the metro entrance so that the beeping sounds go off then back, which in my drunken state I thought was funny to do in lines until I realized I was actually catching the attention of security with my stupid bullshit. I remember skating through walkways, remembered it as the nearby mall's but we might have touched the station itself unbeknownst to me I don't know? As far as I can remember, we eventually got kicked out and security kept asking me a question in Japanese that I couldn't understand until ten minutes into the interaction, when I eventually caught the word 'tomodachi' and figured they were asking either about who the other guys were or where I was staying. I usually tried to avoid skating through the metro and train station hallways, the idea kept feeling uncomfortable even though everyone else I was with was doing it and a lot of times I also had to, just to keep up. Memory is a mess, but I only remember meeting cool people (maybe too many to interact with in the moment, although I tried) and fun times. There's also this guy we met at the Magenta demo at Umikaze who was from the US and in the Marines as far as I can remember, quite talkative, I remember thinking to myself 'I bet this guy has or has had a SLAP account'.

Yeah it's hard to tell just from that clip because so much of Tokyo looks like that. All good, thanks man.

It's Shiodome. Just remembered now, upon looking up a list of the main towers in Tokyo.
« Last Edit: February 05, 2020, 04:19:14 AM by silhouette »

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Re: Japan
« Reply #27 on: February 05, 2020, 06:34:31 PM »
Shit, sorry. I just noticed that your clips were from 2014, I was still in Osaka at that time. I'm talking about something a year or 2 ago.
My bad.
It's Shiodome. Just remembered now, upon looking up a list of the main towers in Tokyo.
Ah yeah, Shiodome! That area is chock full of spots. Good looks

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Re: Japan
« Reply #28 on: February 06, 2020, 03:36:11 AM »
Thanks for searching for that spot silhouette! Shiodome is a bit of a hike from we’re ive from but the couple times I’ve been there for non skateboarding reasons it did seem like it would be legit at night.

I rode from Ikebukuro to Shinjuku last night to pick up a friend, and there were so many spots on the way that seemed like you wouldn’t get hassled at. I couldn’t hit any of them cause I was in a hurry but I plan on revisiting that route when I have more time late at night.  I think I just need to skate outside my area more to find a good practice spot.

Jive turkey do you still live in Tokyo?

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Re: Japan
« Reply #29 on: February 06, 2020, 05:12:28 PM »
Thanks for searching for that spot silhouette! Shiodome is a bit of a hike from we’re ive from but the couple times I’ve been there for non skateboarding reasons it did seem like it would be legit at night.

I rode from Ikebukuro to Shinjuku last night to pick up a friend, and there were so many spots on the way that seemed like you wouldn’t get hassled at. I couldn’t hit any of them cause I was in a hurry but I plan on revisiting that route when I have more time late at night.  I think I just need to skate outside my area more to find a good practice spot.

Jive turkey do you still live in Tokyo?
Yeah, I live in Hatagaya.