# Any Dopers in Japan? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 15, 2010, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252 "2010-06-15T03:15:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Shai\_tan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Shai\_tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shai_tan)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2010, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252/21 "2010-06-26T06:06:17Z")
Well now… my balls have never been so popular! But seriously, I would like to buy at least a couple dozen balls, so I’m sure I need to send you some money. Let me know how much and I can send it to you first, so that your not out of pocket… And thank you sooooo much for your help! ---
**Author:** ![Shai\_tan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Shai\_tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shai_tan)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2010, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252/22 "2010-07-04T02:58:36Z")
Its seems that a few of you are/will be in one of the areas with a shop carrying the right product. If any of you can give me an idea of the price, I will send you the appropriate amount. Thanks again for your offers! ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2010, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252/23 "2010-07-04T05:15:02Z")
Let me get this straight. So, you’re going to pay US for holding onto YOUR balls? Geez, where did you go to whore school… (In all seriousness, I doubt I’ll be the first to be in the vicinity or your balls, but I’ll let you know when I get to Japan.) ---
**Author:** ![KinkiNipponTourist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9bcb4/32.png) [@KinkiNipponTourist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinkiNipponTourist)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2010, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252/24 "2010-07-04T12:58:40Z")
Dude, I sent you a PM on June 26. Did you get it? If not, I’ll summarize here: I’m more than happy to go pick yer balls up, but I’d rather you send me a check or some Oreo cookies. Wiring $$ to a Japanese bank account is a huge hassle, the $$ takes forever to clear, and I’d have to pay about 70 for 'processing fees.' I know you're very conscientious about not wanting folks to pay out of pocket--and that's very nice!--but the would take like a month to clear anyway. I had asked you what sizes, how long you’d want to wait re backorders, etc., but I realize now you really want to know price, so I will go check out prices tomorrow for what’s in the store, and let you know! If I’m being obtuse, and you’re really just not comfortable having me buy/squeeze/send yer balls w/o advance payment, then let me know, ok? Yer balls are in sight! (g) ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2010, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252/25 "2010-07-04T13:25:29Z")
I’m a littlebit curious about this dude. I’m not in or going to japan in the near future, though I plan to in the slightly farer future. Neither am I a magician, but I am wonderinging a little why go to all this trouble? As a layman I’d imagine sponge to be sponge, but I guess these japanese balls really significantly superior. And I was wondering if you might elaborate? In any case, have fun with your shiny new red balls _ **Shai’tan!** _ And please don’t take any photos. Nobody really wants to see your squishy balls. ---
**Author:** ![Shai\_tan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Shai\_tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shai_tan)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2010, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252/26 "2010-07-04T22:49:45Z")
> [@KinkiNipponTourist](#): > > Dude, I sent you a PM on June 26. Did you get it? Sorry, I’ve never used the PM feature before. I just responded, and thank you so much for your help! ---
**Author:** ![Shai\_tan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Shai\_tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shai_tan)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2010, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252/27 "2010-07-04T23:01:49Z")
> [@Barking\_Dog](#): > > I’m a littlebit curious about this dude. I’m not in or going to japan in the near future, though I plan to in the slightly farer future. Neither am I a magician, but I am wonderinging a little why go to all this trouble? As a layman I’d imagine sponge to be sponge, but I guess these japanese balls really significantly superior. And I was wondering if you might elaborate? > > In any case, have fun with your shiny new red balls _ **Shai’tan!** _ And please don’t take any photos. Nobody really wants to see your squishy balls. The Japanese ones are softer, and more tactiley pleasing. They’re very light, and compact into smaller bundles, making both the sleghts and effects better. When you dampen them slightly, they expand to almost twice their volume and feel _almost_ weightless, which occasionally freaks someone out by itself. This (plus my own techniques) allow me to use balls double the size of what 95% of magicians use. Much more suprising effect at the end that way. It looks more impossible. I can still accomplish the same effect with the US version, but the difference between a really good trick, and a phenomenal trick is often in the minor details. I’m concerned about those details. This is my sickness. ---
**Author:** ![Shai\_tan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Shai\_tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shai_tan)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252/28 "2010-07-08T15:24:10Z")
Thank you to all the wonderful dopers who offered to help. And thanks especially to **KinkiNipponTourist** who will be the one to purchase them. (I’m assuming in some seedy, back alley shop in Japan. Apparently these guys require copious amounts of Nabisco’s Oreo cookies, preferably of the Double Stuff variety. Weird.) ---
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252/29 "2010-07-08T15:30:12Z")
Damn, wish I had seen this earlier; I was in Tokyo the week of the 20th on business; if only I’d known you needed someone to grab your balls. If you or anyone else needs a backup plan, I still have my Amazon JP account, and my mother-in-law in Tokyo ships us stuff all the time; she’d be more than happy to help out. Plus, you can paypal me in the currency of your choice \. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252/30 "2010-07-08T23:10:14Z")
> [@Shai\_tan](#): > > Thank you to all the wonderful dopers who offered to help. And thanks especially to **KinkiNipponTourist** who will be the one to purchase them. (I’m assuming in some seedy, back alley shop in Japan. Apparently these guys require copious amounts of Nabisco’s Oreo cookies, preferably of the Double Stuff variety. Weird.) I’m actually surprised none of our other Japanophiles mentioned [Flutterscape.com](http://Flutterscape.com). On Flutterscape, you can make a request and people in Japan will locate, buy, and have the merchandise shipped to you. ---
**Author:** ![Shai\_tan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Shai\_tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shai_tan)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2010, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252/31 "2010-08-08T23:01:36Z")
Well, \*\*KinkiNipponTourist \*\*was very helpful in the initial search (thanks again!), But she’s away on a trip, now that I’ve found my balls. If anyone else is still willing to help, I was able to get some speciific information from a very helpful person at Tenyo. He called all the Tokyo area vendors and got a list of who had the balls and how many. He asked each of them to hold them in my name for a week, but that time has already expired. The balls don’t sell frequently in that size though, so they are likely still at each shop. Here is the email from Tenyo with the list: From: “Tenyo Co., Ltd.” \ Date: Mon, Jul 26, 2010 9:55 pm Dear Justin, I called all stores I listed in the last mail and keep the all of 80mm Super Balls which they have in their stock under the name of you. The number of balls is as below. [Shinjuku area] Isetan =\> 1ball Takashimaya =\> sold out [Ikebukuro area] TOBU =\> sold out [Yokohama area] Takashimaya =\> 2balls [Nihonbashi area] Mitsukoshi =\> 3balls Total: 6 balls If you would like to purchase them, please visit each stores. They(the magic dealers) will keep them in a week for you. As I mailed, we don’t have the 80mm Super Balls in our head office currently. Anyway, we are sorry to say that we cannot arrange 24 balls for you and we don’t have the next sell-in date at the present time. Thank you for your kind understanding. Kenichi Komiya Tenyo Co., Ltd. 2-8-11 Sengoku, Koto-ku, Tokyo Japan I need at least 4 balls, and no one has more that 3, so it would require a trip to two stores. But I will take as many (or little) as I can get. If anyone is near one of these shops/areas I would sooooo appreciate the assist! ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2010, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252/32 "2010-08-09T01:46:43Z")
I’m in Aomori City, about 4 hours north of Tokyo by bullet train. I’ll ask my friends to see if they can get any in Tokyo, but there must be some magic stores here in Aomori that I can check. I know for a fact that there are several department stores and large shopping malls. I just arrived 4 days ago unfortunately, so it might take me a while. ---
**Author:** ![chromaticity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@chromaticity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chromaticity)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2010, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252/33 "2010-08-09T15:49:27Z")
I live close to Yokohama, so I could pick them up this Sunday. But I am kind of a neo-luddite when it comes to Banks and Postal services, so if someone is willing to do the shipping part I am all up for it. Would be nice to meet some dopers here too. And, I could get myself to Nihonbashi sometime too, if needed. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252/34 "2010-08-10T01:55:36Z")
> [@Autolycus](#): > > I’ll ask my friends to see if they can get any in Tokyo, but there must be some magic stores here in Aomori that I can check. I would be highly surprised if this were the case. A-shi may seem big, but there’s a whole lot less in it than you might think. Unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![Shai\_tan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Shai\_tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shai_tan)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252/35 "2010-08-12T17:41:20Z")
That would be awesome guys. Any help is appreciated. I know nothing of the postal service there either. But from everything I’ve read, trying to cash a check can be a pain in the ass and has signifigant fees attached. If it helps, I can send cash (US) wrapped in paper and mailed with signature confirmation or whatever options are available to insure safe delivery. The balls are pretty inexpensive, and they are feather light sponge (mostly air), so they squish flat or into a wad the size of a gumball. When I’ve shipped others in the past, I usually stick them in a ziplock bag and suck the air out to make them flat and then just stick them in an envelope. ---
**Author:** ![chromaticity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@chromaticity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chromaticity)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2010, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252/36 "2010-08-13T14:07:33Z")
Ok, I will get the balls from the Yokohama store (if they still have them 🙂 ) tomorrow. I think I can swing a trip to Nihonbashi sometime early next week too. Wish me luck! ---
**Author:** ![Shai\_tan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Shai\_tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shai_tan)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252/37 "2010-08-21T04:01:28Z")
Whoo. Haven’t logged in for a week. **Chromaticity** , did you happen to find them? That would be swell. Just dandy, really… Oh, and a belated “good luck!”. ---
**Author:** ![chromaticity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@chromaticity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chromaticity)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252/38 "2010-08-23T11:43:22Z")
Ah, sorry Shai’tan. I though I had updated this thread, but apparently I had not. I did get the 2 balls in Yokohama. You can feast your eyes on them [here](http://drop.io/bbwmwqf). A bit blurry, but I put a dollar bill next to it for scale. I think they are the right size, because the other ball was tiny compared to these huge ones. I haven’t been to Nihonbashi yet, but I will probably get there sometime soon. [All your balls are belong to me…soon] ---
**Author:** ![Shai\_tan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Shai\_tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shai_tan)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252/39 "2010-08-23T22:05:18Z")
> [@chromaticity](#): > > . > You can feast your eyes on them They’re GLORIOUS! Oh, what beautiful balls! My wife just walked in and recognized the picture. “Oh, look! Those are your balls.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![chromaticity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@chromaticity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chromaticity)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252/40 "2010-09-12T10:57:55Z")
Ah, I guess I should be making arrangements for sending this stuff to you! I will try to get the ones in Nihonbashi this week, so there will be a total of 5. Could you PM me your address? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dopers-in-japan/543252.md?page=3)