JPHiP Forum
Jpop Sekai => Non-Stop Idoling!!! => Topic started by: AEUGNewtype on April 02, 2013, 08:27:30 PM
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If mods want to move this, I don't really know where it belongs, but I wanted to have a place where we could talk back and forth about this. They just released the first announcement for TIF this year and the website is up:
http://www.idolfes.com/2013/index.html (http://www.idolfes.com/2013/index.html)
I am actually thinking of making a trip to Japan for the first time in about 10 years for the festival this year, and I'm wondering if any of the other Idolingers here were planning to go or have gone in the past. I was thinking maybe some of us overseas fans who don't live in Japan could get together to discuss the trip, maybe some general tips for housing/travel/etc. in Japan, since its been a long time since I went there, and a lot of you guys seem to go more often.
Some of the major questions I have:
How do you get tickets? How much do they cost?
Is it general amission where you just go wherever you want on the grounds?
Do you guys have suggestions for housing or an area to stay in, and do you guys often get together to chip in for a place to stay when you go on trips? Do you stay close to the area of the festival or travel there each day?
Is there a cheaper airport to fly into in Japan? Tokyo airport prices are EXTREMELY high.
I guess you guys may not be able to help as much on the airline part of it, since most of you don't depart from the US, but as far as the travel inside Japan, I'm sure you guys could help.
I'm sure I'll think of more later, but I'd like to start some discussion and see who else might be going this year. Please discuss!
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Good topic!
Unlike you I have never been to Japan, I want to go too this year but I'm still weighing on the financial matter. LOL!
I think hellguard or Hatix has gone to TIF? I'm not really sure who but I think one of them already went.. So they probably know how much is the ticket for that.
As far as I can remember chatting with some people from this forum, most of them stayed in hostels since it's cheaper.
Unless you are going with your family it's best to get a hotel.
I think flights are cheaper if you're not arriving at Tokyo. A flight round trip from my country at promo rate to Osaka is only 300 USD. I doubt that's going to last long since July is already near. But Osaka is a 6 hour trip if you're not riding the fast train.
From what I've googled the train costs 100 USD one way. LOL! But there are cheaper ways to go to Tokyo.
Rurika9 is definitely going this year to TIF from the last time I chatted with him, I think he's staying in Tokyo though.
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Welp, looks like I'm changing my flight dates... :bleed eyes:
Seriously! Consecutively, hasn't TIF happened in August?!
As for how I'm getting my tickets, I'm having my friend buy them through whatever the standard process is. Then I'll pay her when I get there.
But tbh, depending on the price to change my flight. I may not even get to go now... :cry:
I don't know man, the date on the site says July. XD That is too bad for you bro, changing flight dates really costs a lot. Ouch...
When is your flight schedule in August though? You can still go to Nicohachis/Shibuhachis or whatever place LOL
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From what I've googled the train costs 100 USD one way. LOL! But there are cheaper ways to go to Tokyo.
Yikes...That's terrible. So expensive for a train, you'd be better off just probably flying into Tokyo or another nearby area and finding some other form of transport.
It makes me want to cry reading prices like $300 for airfare. The cheapest airfare I've found from the US is $1400 :bleed eyes: :cry: :(
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Augnewtype
Yeah expensive ass train!! But that's like the bullet train so it would be an experience too? LOL!
Are you sure $1,400? and that is going to Tokyo already? From my country to Tokyo would be $800.
Thing is I don't know how much hostels cost in Tokyo or in Osaka and I don't have a lot of money. XD
rurika9 You really plan to go to TIF? How much a night in a capsule hotel?
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^Yeah, I really want to go, for the experience of it.
Well some capsule hotels can cost like £15 a night, that's what I was quoted the other day.
That's in Tokyo already? One bedroom? That's pretty cheap, man now I'm really thinking about going. XD
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Are you sure $1,400? and that is going to Tokyo already? From my country to Tokyo would be $800.
Yes, $1410 is the cheapest round trip flight going into Tokyo for any of the days around the TIF. One way is about $700-750 each.
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Are you sure $1,400? and that is going to Tokyo already? From my country to Tokyo would be $800.
Yes, $1410 is the cheapest round trip flight going into Tokyo for any of the days around the TIF. One way is about $700-750 each.
You still going? Check the capsule hotel images on google, it's literally a capsule, like Dragonball style. LOL
Man Japan hahaha...
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Are you sure $1,400? and that is going to Tokyo already? From my country to Tokyo would be $800.
Yes, $1410 is the cheapest round trip flight going into Tokyo for any of the days around the TIF. One way is about $700-750 each.
You still going? Check the capsule hotel images on google, it's literally a capsule, like Dragonball style. LOL
Man Japan hahaha...
I'm weighing out the cost and exploring some other possible options for flight. I just had a few friends take a trip there from USA and I'm asking for some recommendations on it, and seeing if other people here are going to maybe split cost on a hostel or something, I know those are generally the best options. Hell, I would sleep on the street in Tokyo if I have to XD I don't really care. I've slept in a car before and outside on people's porch XD Half the time when I go to exciting events like this, I don't even really end up sleeping, I stay up doing stuff most of the time.
I've also seen capsule hotels before and have a few friends that have stayed in them, and I wouldn't really mind, I just wonder if a split hostel would be a cheaper idea.
I have to do more planning regarding this and speak to some more members and friends to see if this makes sense. If I can bring the flight cost down from what I keep seeing online, I'll more than likely be going, but a lot more research to do.
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Alright cool.. It would be better if people in Alliance would comment on here regarding this matter. It would be best for the Gaijins to unite on that day. LOL!!!
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Heh, I won't be going to TIF this year. Too much hassle, and more importantly too much money...
My best bet would be to catch them during the Odaiba Gasshuukoku when I'll be there in August.
Are flights cheaper in August? XD That would be fun as well, I saw the footage from that last year, it looked like so much fun.
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Heh, I won't be going to TIF this year. Too much hassle, and more importantly too much money...
My best bet would be to catch them during the Odaiba Gasshuukoku when I'll be there in August.
At least you're still going to see them, just think of it that way. 8)
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I'm not sure, I think some of it has to do with buying the flight tickets early.
Basically, the longer you leave it the higher the prices will get. They won't come down.
Oh yeah I'm hoping to catch them there! :)
Check this out - http://www.fujitv.co.jp/uso2012/index.html (http://www.fujitv.co.jp/uso2012/index.html)
What is this? I still don't understand Japanese letters... XD
What is Odaiba Gasshuukoku anyway? Concert too? Can you post a screenshot of the 2012 SP?
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I'm not sure, I think some of it has to do with buying the flight tickets early.
Basically, the longer you leave it the higher the prices will get. They won't come down.
Oddly enough, in my experience, at least with domestic flights, the opposite can be true. I've bought last-minute plane tickets literally about 3 days before the flight and it was discounted a lot because they just wanted to fill the seats. International flights might be kinda different.
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I'm not sure, I think some of it has to do with buying the flight tickets early.
Basically, the longer you leave it the higher the prices will get. They won't come down.
Oh yeah I'm hoping to catch them there! :)
Check this out - http://www.fujitv.co.jp/uso2012/index.html (http://www.fujitv.co.jp/uso2012/index.html)
What is this? I still don't understand Japanese letters... XD
What is Odaiba Gasshuukoku anyway? Concert too? Can you post a screenshot of the 2012 SP?
Odaiba Gasshuukoku is an event, which occurs in Odaiba (the large artificial island in Tokyo Bay).
I know that Idoling!!! have performed there in the past.
For example, here is a performance schedule for the 2012 one:
http://idolinger.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/odaiba-gasshuukoku-2012-teams-and.html (http://idolinger.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/odaiba-gasshuukoku-2012-teams-and.html)
Cool so there are different dates for the groups, only thing is you have to stay long in Tokyo to be lucky to be on a date you want to see your favorite members.
Is there a better chance to take pictures with them on this event? LOL Or that type of thing will never happen? You're lucky you have a pic with them even though it's candid :)
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Oh yeah, you're right in that respect.
Just depends if there are some left, but leaving it till the last minute isn't really a good idea though.
You wouldn't want to buy the tickets and not be able to get the flight, or vice versa. XD
That is true, though, it is much more of a risk because the flights might just be completely sold out if you wait that long. Those instances where I waited that long was because I didn't even know if I could go until last minute, so it worked out well XD
Is there a better chance to take pictures with them on this event? LOL Or that type of thing will never happen? You're lucky you have a pic with them even though it's candid
These kinds of opportunities are extremely rare for any idols, and it usually involved winning some kind of lottery or paying a lot of extra money for some kind of VIP access and 2-shot opportunity. It would be like a dream to have that opportunity with Idoling, but its very rare. Sometimes you just have to go to a certain girl's solo PB/calendar release event as well, so you'd have to go to 25 different events to get pictures with everyone :(
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These kinds of opportunities are extremely rare for any idols, and it usually involved winning some kind of lottery or paying a lot of extra money for some kind of VIP access and 2-shot opportunity. It would be like a dream to have that opportunity with Idoling, but its very rare. Sometimes you just have to go to a certain girl's solo PB/calendar release event as well, so you'd have to go to 25 different events to get pictures with everyone :(
That's sad.. I mean if you're spending a lot of money for a trip it would be nice to even have a picture with 1 or 2 members right. I think you would have a better chance if they are visiting another country which happens once in a blue moon. :(
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That's sad.. I mean if you're spending a lot of money for a trip it would be nice to even have a picture with 1 or 2 members right. I think you would have a better chance if they are visiting another country which happens once in a blue moon. :(
This is true, I've gotten pictures with a couple different idols and groups when they made their trips to the US, but even then, it doesn't always happen.
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I have never been to Tokyo Idol Festival, but hellguard has (he lives in Tokyo btw). I'd love to go, but I was planning on going end of May/beginning of June this year.
About flight tickets.
Seems like it's very different prices depending on your country. Prices from Europe start at around 750euro (which is about $1000), unless you want to risk your life on Aeroflot for 600eur or less. If you're only going to Tokyo, I recommend flying into Tokyo directly and not another big city in Japan like Osaka. Shinkansen without Japan Rail Pass costs a bomb and taking a slower train is a waste of time, and you need to be careful with your return flight that it's not too early that you can actually reach the airport in time. (which is why I always stay at least 1 day in the city where I'm taking the flight. In my case, always Tokyo). All the good events are mostly in Tokyo anyway, so I recommend flying into Tokyo (either Narita or Haneda).
About hostels.
I have never stayed in a capsule hotel, but I guess it's dead cheap. However, you have to keep your luggage in a locker which can be a little inconvenient. I've also read that you have to check out every day? (not sure about that).
I usually stay in hostels (lots of choice on www.hostelworld.com (http://www.hostelworld.com) I always book on this site). The most expensive rooms are of course single rooms with bathroom and the cheapest are dorm rooms (sleeps up to 4,8,12 people). I usually go to Japan on my own, so I always get a single room though, but that's personal preference. If you are on a tight budget though, a dorm room is cheapest.
Actual hotels or ryokan are a no-no if you're on a budget of course :)
Oh yeah, another possibility for the adventurous, is to sleep in a 24h internet cafe :P Several of them offer a night package where you pay for 6-9hrs (for less than 1000yen) and some have showers.
About events.
The topic is about TIF, but there's been some questions about Odaiba Gasshuukoku. I have not been to Gasshuukoku but I can tell a bit about it. Odaiba Gasshuukoku is a big event by FujiTV which takes place on Odaiba (where FujiTV is located. Odaiba is actually just a small part of the artificial islands in Tokyo Bay) and spans over several weeks during summer. Idoling!!! usually has a few lives there every week. Last Christmas vacation, they held a winter edition of Gasshuukoku, which I was able to go to. The Idoling!!! lives seemed to be free back then, but I'm not sure about the summer editions.
Solo events are quite difficult, since they're only announced about one month in advance if you're lucky. That's why I make sure to have as many Saturdays & Sundays during my trip, since those are the days they are usually held on.
I should put these tips (and other info) on that wiki page that I mentioned in the other topic. It was originally only meant for finding idol stuff to buy, but I can surely serve for the purpose of event & travel info too :)
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If you're staying there for at least 1 month guest houses can be a very economic solution.
And if you really wanna save money you still can do some camping in Ueno Park. :grin:
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in regards to TIF, our forum member Cicily can give you a heads up on the ticketing and stuff. He was even in the Idoling!!! TIF SP episodes that day lol.
Hellguard and Silverbolt have been to Gasshukoku IIRC
in regards to cheap accommodations, I frequently stay in a hostel and usually take dormitory rooms. Price can be around 2400JPY - 3000JPY per night and my hostel is directly at Asakusa so it totally saves my money going to Akiba since it is so near :lol: Check out for Tokyo Smile Annex, that's the hostel I usually frequent to. No problems so far.
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Oh yeah, another possibility for the adventurous, is to sleep in a 24h internet cafe :P Several of them offer a night package where you pay for 6-9hrs (for less than 1000yen) and some have showers.
That sounds amazing XD Camping sounds like fun too XD
That really sucks to hear a lot of the other people here aren't going, that would definitely make me a lot less inclined to go. One of the best parts of going to events like this is the experience and seeing lots of friends I've met over the years and having adventures. While I'd still love to see the festival, idol stuff is much more enjoyable with other people, so that would diminish a lot of the value of the trip for me.
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my holidays is only at the end of the year, so I don't think I can ever make it for any event prior to December at all. Sorry :( :(
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For the past few years, I've been making regular trips to Japan around the July/August and December/January timeframes. Unfortunately, for many reasons, I probably won't be able to continue that trend for this year. But, I might be able to help answer some of your questions.
Flights from the US always go to Narita or Haneda, so those are really the only airports you should look at. Airfare from the US to Japan sucks... period. It's especially bad during the July/August and December/January timeframes, because those are the times of the year when most people take vacations. I've paid close to $2000 for a round-trip ticket to Tokyo before, so $1400 for a July ticket actually isn't that bad. The only thing you can really do is scour the Internet for deals. In addition to checking sites like Kayak, Priceline, and Orbitz, check the websites of the airlines, as they may actually have better deals. Travel agencies might also have some specials, but that doesn't happen very often. One other thing I can recommend only applies if you live near an international airport... If you can catch a ride to one of the international hubs that has direct flights to Tokyo (DC, Houston, Denver, Chicago, New York, LA, etc.), your airfare will be a bit lower in most cases.
Whatever you choose to do, just make sure you sign up for your airline's frequent flyer program. Yeah, you get a bit of spam or junk mail, but it's free, and you never know when you'll take another trip. Those miles to Tokyo add up really quickly. I've gotten free upgrades to first class before, and, trust me, it makes a HUGE difference.
I've had the convenience of having my brother-in-law's parents working for the US military in Japan, which means I've had a place to stay every time I've gone there. But, they moved back to the US, so now I don't have a place to stay (one of the reasons why I'm hesitant to take trips to Japan now). Anyway, what this basically means is that I have absolutely no experience with finding places to stay while visiting Japan. XD But, I can say that it's quite nice to stay in someone's home, rather than a hotel room... I never had to worry about meals... Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were always available for free, if I wanted to eat at the house. The amount you spend on food in Japan can get out of control really easily, so having that option saved me tons of money. :lol: If you're feeling bold, you can always try Couchsurfing. Personally, that concept scares me, but I guess it's not too much different from staying in a hostel room with a bunch of other strangers.
Try to stay in an area that's close to where you plan to be most of the time. The house I was staying in was in Kanagawa, so I had to ride the train for about an hour just to get to Tokyo. Also, keep your train fares in mind because that can also get out of control really easily, especially if you start leaving the Tokyo area. I was spending well over 1000 yen each day just on train fares, but 800 of that was just because of that round trip between Kanagawa and Tokyo.
I've been to Fuji TV's Odaiba Gasshuukoku many times during my trips to Japan, and if you're a fan of any Fuji TV programming at all, it's a great event to go to, regardless of Idoling!!!'s activities. Plus, there's lots of shopping and other things to do in Odaiba. Anyway, there are basically two stages where live performances take place during Gasshuukoku: a small stage on the ground level outside the Fuji TV building and a big stage in another area down the street. This other area with the big stage gets a different name each year, but one thing never changes: you need to buy a Gasshuukoku pass to access this area. Attractions outside the Fuji TV building, on the other hand, are free and open to the public. Luckily, most of Idoling!!!'s daily mini-lives are on the small stage at the Fuji TV building.
I've never been to one of Idoling!!!'s lives on the big stage, but I've been to a bunch on the small stage. When they post the schedule for the Idoling!!! mini-lives on the Idoling!!! web site, they'll put up times to get "tickets". The tickets are free, and getting one lets you stand in the fenced area in front of the stage, but they're pretty useless unless you get there extra early and get first or second row. Why? Let me try to draw it out.
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| Stage |
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| Fenced |
| Area |Hopefully you can see from this poor diagram that people without tickets can stand just to the left or right of the fenced-in area to get just as close as those who had tickets. Also, since it's outdoors, you can also go up a nearby staircase and take sneaky pictures, if you'd like.
So, it's not really worth it to try to get to Odaiba early for those tickets, but there is one other reason you might want to go early... They normally sell the Natsu Yasuming!!! DVDs early in the morning. These used to come with handshake tickets, but I don't know if they do that anymore. I'm not sure because I haven't actually bought any since 2010. XD
Unfortunately, I've never been to a Tokyo Idol Festival because they always announced them after I already planned out my trips and bought plane tickets. They finally announce it nice and early this year, which is the year I probably can't go. XD But, from what I understand, it works somewhat similar to Gasshuukoku in that there are many events spread out around Odaiba, but obviously, they're all centered around idols instead of Fuji TV programming. But, I don't think there are any open areas, so a pass is required to access all of the TIF events. You can choose to buy a one or two day pass, and that will grant you access to any TIF event you wish to attend within that timeframe. But, again, this is just my understanding of how it works based on the materials I've read. Cicily has actually been to one before, so maybe he can tell you how it really works.
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As Kei and Silverbolt mentioned, I was fortunate enough to go to TIF last year. It was a really good experience, and I encourage anyone here who can go to try and make it this year.
Assuming the format and ticketing and what not doesn't change this year, here are just some additional comments/answers to the questions that have been posted:
1. Single day tickets to TIF are 5000 yen, and a two-day pass is 9000 yen. Obviously, you should buy the two-day pass. If you are not in Japan, you basically have two options to buy tickets. You either can get a friend in Japan to buy it for you and pass it to you when you arrive (many nice folks staying in Japan on this forum), or you use a ticketing service like FDJP (http://www.fdjp.com/ (http://www.fdjp.com/)). I used FDJP last year, and while they are a bit more expensive (they charge a service/shipping fee), they are fast and reliable, and they send to anywhere in the world and you can pay by PayPal.
2. Last year, if you bought tickets to TIF during the opening sale, you had a chance to win a ticket to the TIF pre-event special, which ended up being the Batsuminton episode we saw with all the different idol groups. (And yes, as Kei said, I was on TV in the audience in those episodes. lol). If you want to stand a chance to win, you will probably need to go the friend route to buy your ticket instead of using a service like FDJP. However, what I did last year was to scour ticket resellers in Tokyo on the day of the special (Fri), and I was lucky enough to find someone who put their ticket on sale. That was how I got to go. The ticket reseller I used was Gorakudo. They have a website (http://www.gorakudoh.co.jp/ (http://www.gorakudoh.co.jp/)) which you can find the availability of tickets first before going down to the store. Take note that if you do get the ticket, at the venue itself they will ask you for your name and compare it to their records. For this part, you just have to use your charm and/or quick wit to fast talk through it and explain why you have a pre-event special ticket when you are not the person who bought it originally.
3. TIF usually is smack right in the middle of Odaiba Gashukokku (USO for short). So if you are planning a trip, I would recommend staying for at least a whole week from maybe Tue/Wed to the following Wed, with TIF over the weekend. Idoling!!! usually still perform at USO even two days before TIF (those girls are machines), so if you go in on Wed, you may be lucky and still catch two Idoling!!! mini-live performances at USO before TIF over the weekend. Last year, they also released One Up!!! right after TIF, and their first handshake event was the Tue after TIF. So by staying a whole week (or more), you maximize the chance of attending as many Idoling!!! events as possible.
4. TIF is basically a collection of closed stages and open areas (9 last year?) set up around Odaiba primarily around the Fuji TV Wangan Studio building and Zepp DiverCity. Some stages are open to the public without ticket, but most you will need a ticket to visit. THERE WILL BE A LOT OF RUNNING AROUND. Although there is a food court nearby and other food options, forget about eating lunch on both days - make sure you eat a big breakfast and treat yourself to a nice supper after the last stage of each day. Please also stock up on your water supply in your backpack. There are maybe 2-3 convenience stores around the area, and most of them had no beverages left by mid day. Seriously, I've never seen a convenience store where the whole fridge/cooler section is empty.
5. The TIF schedule is set up in a way that in theory, it *should* be possible to catch every single Idoling!!!-related performance, although some will require you to either have the power of flight or teleportation if you don't want to be late to any performances. Many Idoling!!! members do MC a lot of the stages as well, even for other idol groups, so you won't be able to catch everything.
6. Lastly, I stayed in a hotel in Shinjuku last time, but cheaper options are available. The commute to Odaiba from Shinjuku is quite fast on JR. If you have more money to spend, there is a bloody expensive hotel right in the middle of Odaiba as well, very close to the FujiTV main building. Alternatively, one can forgo sleep on Sat night (I heard some fans did just that), since the last show on Sat ends at 3am (an "adult" idol stage), and Umeko's morning Kayo show started at 6am (or something ridiculous) the next day morning. :) Obviously, you will still need somewhere to stay if you plan to stay a whole week. :)
FYI, here are some photos taken from TIF and USO last year on the Idoling!!! FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.10151145427746983&type=1 (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.10151145427746983&type=1)
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.10151155351336983&type=1 (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.10151155351336983&type=1)
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I haven't been to any TIF yet but I'm thinking of going this year depending on the how hot it gets since I can't really stand Japanese summer:P
If any of you are coming to Japan for TIF, Gasshuukoku or any Idoling!!! event, I'll be willing to guide you if I'm free on the day. I can help with the tickets since re-sellers do costs more than the face price.
IIRC you have to exchange the ticket for a bracelet that permits you to enter the pay-zone of the event (which were stages inside Wangan studio and Zepp Diver City). The number on ticket is only for the time-slot you get to exchange the bracelet i.e 1-1000 from 7:30 a.m, 1001-2000 from 8:00 a.m. I think you have to plan out the day well ahead so that you have time to line-up and get good seats for your favourite idols.
For a place to stay, look for place that have easy access to Odaiba. Anything along the Yamanote line or the Keihin-Tohoku line is fine since you have easy access to the Yurikamome line and Rinkai line to go to Odaiba but be warned, train fees to Odaiba is not cheap.
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TIF 2012 was easily the best Japan experience I've ever had. I highly, highly recommend it. I've been to Japan four times the past two years, mainly for concerts (PASSPO, Idoling, SUPER GiRLS, predia, Ayumi Hamasaki,
Exile ) and TIF was easily the best experience. Nothing comes close imo, whether it's an anniversary concert, birthday concert, special live, everything pales in comparison with TIF. Its two full days of idol music, compared to a 2 hour concert. Day 1 last year lasted from 10AM until 6AM, the following day (although I didn't stay that long, it's mainly underground groups performing during those hours) but the point is no single concert or even a series of concerts can compare.
I actually just went back to Japan for spring break last week, mainly for the SUPER GiRLS tour (saw them in Tokyo and then twice in Osaka) and also went to a predia concert and himekyun fruit can live, and it was pretty tiring doing all that in five days. TIF on the other hand is so convenient, everything is centrally located and the tickets are extremely inexpensive. A typical concert is 3,000-5,500 yen for a 1-2 hour show (and if you want nice seats, you have to go resale which are 3-10X face value, depending on the popularity of the group - when I saw Idoling in 2011 I paid 13,000Y for a 4th row ticket and 18,000Y for a 1st row - I'm not very savvy though when it comes to finding good deals), but TIF is around 8,000 yen for two full days of concerts. You don't have to worry about resale tickets and it is the best opportunity to see a group from the front rows (you just have to make sure to plan your schedule in advance because there is strategy involved in maximizing the experience). If you are mainly going to Japan for j-pop/idols, then it's the best time to visit. Especially if you are an Idoling fan since they are the most active at TIF.
Last year I flew out of Los Angeles and landed at Haneda nonstop for $980 USD. A few days later I saw tickets as low as $880, but I think they stopped in Honolulu. I use expedia and check any Tokyo airport, I prefer Haneda to Narita because it's much nicer (the international terminal opened last year I think), it's slightly closer to Tokyo than Narita is, and if you need to exchange money the banks there are open very late (at least past midnight), while they close early at Narita (although I haven't landed at Narita since 2011 so maybe things have changed).
Sorry for the sloppy post, but basically my point is TIF is absolutely the best time to visit Japan if you are primarily going for concerts. With that being said, I probably won't go this year. The only performer left that I absolutely needed to see was Mano Erina and evidently she retired XD. Actually I just remembered GEM, I'd probably go to see them. Depends on the lineup... the reveal so far has been really weak compared to last year.
^ I agree about the weather. Tokyo can be very hot and humid in the summer, and there is always the possibility of rain, which could ruin TIF considering the number of outdoor stages. Last year it rained for less than a minute while I was watching AeLL. But outside of that it wasn't too hot. It was so fun that I didn't really pay much attention to the weather.
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Man, you guys are giving tons of good information! Unfortunately, it seems like I'd be the only non-local fan going this year, if I did go, which is really depressing :( I want to go so badly, but don't feel terribly comfortable running around Japan by myself for almost a week and spending $3000+ to go there (I could buy a house...) :( Hopefully someone else will end up able to go or I'll be able to reduce the price a little, but things aren't looking too good at this point.
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I have a question, not about TIF but still about Idoling!!! lives and travel.
I see there is a Ncohachi live (https://idoling.fujitv.co.jp/ticket/nico#shibu20130518) scheduled on May 18 and a Shibuhachi lve (https://idoling.fujitv.co.jp/ticket/shibu#shibu20130522) on May 22. I see that you have to register to a lotery in order to get a ticket for these lives. But I wonder if there's any other possibility to get a ticket for one or the other live, like resselers.
If someone can help, please do.
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The lottery is only for the fan club tickets.
There is always regular ticket sales, although I'm not sure during which period but definitely after the fan club sales period has ended. According to the site there is also same day ticket sales, but I'm presuming thar is only if there are still tickets left...
You could try reseller shops or auctions as a last resort.
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Ah, I see now. The general tickets are available at Lawson's Loppi service sometimes after the fan club tickets are sold.
Looks like I'll have to check the availability of the tckets once I'm in Tokyo.
Thanks Hatix.
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For those who can't make it in time for TIF, your luck couldn't be better. New single is going to be released in 7th August and they will probably have release events and handshake events scheduled during July/August or maybe as early as June.
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TIF2013 press conference video. Love Ruri's quote at the beginning. :thumbup
【TNS動画ニュース】アイドリング!!!、風男塾、東京女子流、アップアップガールズ（仮）らが「東京アイドルフェスティバル2013」記者会見に登場！ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYo-DYIZPhU#ws)
アイドリング!!! 「AKBいなくても盛り上げる!」 「東京アイドルフェスティバル2013」発表会 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQA21FdDzzo#ws)
BTW, the TIF web site has been refreshed. The list of participating idol groups are beginning to pile up:
http://idolfes.com/2013/lineup/ (http://idolfes.com/2013/lineup/)