Jon's Guide for Going to Japan - Part 6: About Eventing, and Your Trip Back Home

If you're going to a concert, fanmeet, or other event while in Japan, this post will help you know what to expect. For everyone else, scroll to the second part of this post, which is all about your trip back home.

This is Part 6 of a multi-part series about traveling to Japan. Here are the other parts:

• Part 1: Planning Your Trip
• Part 2: Your Flight
• Part 3: Getting Around Japan
• Part 4: Tokyo Tourism
• Part 5: Outside Tokyo

Much Ado About Eventing

If you're planning to attend a concert or other kind of fan event while in Japan, this part's for you.

First, let's get the disclaimer out of the way - I don't claim to be an expert in this field. I have been to a few events in Japan, so I do have some experience, but there are others that are far more experienced than I am and can probably speak much more about this. For this reason, I'll simply be going over the basics.

Before the day of the event, go on Google Maps and plan out your route. If you're attending via the Love Live! International Fan Pack, you might be at a hotel that's kinda far from the venue (mine was 2 hours away!). Note how long it will take to get there, and any stops you might want to make along the way (such as stopping at Don Quixote to pick up some UOs).

Plan to get to the venue early, especially if you want to buy merch, food, take photos of the flower stands, or participate in the buppan (where fans sell and trade their own merch).

On the day of the event, pack your ticket(s) (if using the Fan Pack, you might be instructed to pick these up at the venue), some bottled water, snacks, a pair of binoculars (if your seat is far from the stage), penlights (with fresh batteries!), and some UOs if you want. Be sure to check the artist's website for any restrictions on these items. Again, leave early to account for anything unexpected, such as you getting on the wrong train, or any delays.

Depending on the size of the event, there may be a bunch of tents set up outside the venue selling food and souvenirs. Relax for a bit, enjoy some food, chat with fellow fans, and visit the flower stands. Also look for the official merch booths and the buppan if you want to do some shopping. Most importantly, make sure you use the bathroom now, as you likely won't be able to during the event.

Once the venue opens, head on in. Depending on the event, you might need to look for a diagram inside the venue to determine where exactly your seat is. Just match the section number on your ticket with the diagram.

For more info about eventing, head on over to the Anisong Eventers Discord server. The folks there have been doing this for a lot longer than I have, and they've really helped me out. Of course, if you have any eventing tips of your own that you think I should add, comment below!

The Journey Home

All good things must come to an end. Or, if you're like me, you might be a little homesick by now. At any rate, it's time to go home.

Before the day of your flight, make sure you plan out your trip back to the airport. Your hotel might offer a bus service there for a fee. You can also take the train there. Make sure you leave early enough so that you get to the airport at least 2 hours before your flight.

Pack your neck pillow, chargers, power bank, USB adapters, and anything else you'll need during the flight, into your carryon. It's a long trip back, so also make sure you have some way to keep yourself entertained.

If you picked up merch while in Japan, your luggage may have put on a few pounds. Make sure you aren't over the weight limit, or you'll embarrassingly have to open your bags in front of everyone at the airport and move items from one bag to another to get under the weight limit... not that I would know this from personal experience or anything...

If you have some time to kill before your flight, walk around the airport and see what's there. I haven't been to Narita, but I know Haneda has some amazing restaurants and other things to do (as discussed in Part 2).

Once you pass security, head to your gate and if you have time, check out the Duty Free shops. Pick up a bottle of Japanese liquor if that's your thing. If you have to transfer flights later, make sure you tell this to the cashier - they will include a note or seal that tells the other airport's security staff that the item is safe.

Enjoy your flight home! As I advised for your trip to Japan, use this opportunity to the try to "fix" your sleep schedule do you don't get too jet lagged. For me, the jet lag after the return flight is always far worse, probably because the excitement of being in Japan keeps me awake.

After you land, head through customs & immigration. If you have Global Entry, this process will be be seamless, otherwise you'll have to wait on line and answer questions about what you did in Japan and what's in your luggage. Just be honest and don't do anything that might make them suspicious, even if that means admitting you're a huge weeb (again, personal experience...).

Congratulations, you've completed a trip to Japan! If you plan to go back in the future to see more of the country, you'll want to eventually start thinking about where you want to go next, and maybe study some more of the Japanese language. But for now, relax, get some sleep, and adjust back to normalcy.

I hope you've found these guides helpful. I had a lot of fun writing these and sharing my personal experiences. If you have any tips I didn't go over or fun stories about your trips to Japan, sound off in the comments below or chat with me on Discord or X (Twitter). I'd love to hear from you.