RTK get together?
Index » 喫茶店 (Koohii Lounge)
Im not even close to Japan, being in Denmark. So what ever you do in Tokyo, send us a post card 
How many RTK'ers are actually in Japan?
A bunch, actually. According to Google Analytics there are 82 unique visitors from Tokyo alone. That's the big orange dot on the asia map below. Note that does not mean 82 people who actively use the website, neither does it mean 82 people who have registered. But I'm willing to bet at least 20 of them are. I've noticed at least one school of Japanese learning in Tokyo which linked to RevTk in their blog.
It surprised me very early on when I saw many hits from Japan, but then it's really obvious. A lot of westerners living in Japan, and particularly students going abroad are giving RTK a go.
Here's some cool maps from Google Analytics '"Geo Map Overlay" :
Europe :
Big dots : Sweden/Goteborg (39), Belgium Oud-Heverlee (37) (probably around Brussels), UK Arnold (38), UK Southend-on-sea (27), Italy Rome (23), ..
Us :
Big dots : "oceanside" (what's that?) (37), Caldwell (41), Montreal (33), 
Asia :
Big dots: Tokyo (a whopping 82!), Kodaira (42), Wako (36), Nishinomiya (26), Oita (21), Yoka (15), .. it's difficult to read the dots because they are all stacked on top of each other 
Full map :
This one is cropped, but there are no orange dots outside, except for Honolulu, which is in the middle of the ocean outside on the left (2 visitors ).
Most of the small dots in other places are ~5-15 people.
I think those are the locations of the servers or routers, they are not the exact places where people connect from but pretty close.
Enjoy
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Well I'll be in tokyo for 9days from the 10th of jully (edit). First time in Japan, I am really looking forward to it ! And then I go in a language school in okazaki (www.yamasa.org) for 6weeks.
[EDIT: sorry it's 10jully; I am in tokyo from the 10jully morning to 18jully; the on 19th I am going to okazaki and my language course start on the 20th. It guess I was too tired yesterday night]
If you organize somethinge while I am in tokyo, I'll come, otherwise it would need to be in switzerland Wandering how ppl coming from switzerland are using this site.
Last edited by the_marshal (2006 June 23, 3:42 am)
taijuando wrote:
It would also be interesting if the Europeans, Californians, US East Coasters etc in some central areascould get together.
That is indeed a very interesting idea!
Im rather confident you can study japanese on Witwatersrand University, Jo-burg
Marshal, taijuando, anyone else. I live in Kamakura, which is close to Tokyo (It's in your guidebook). So I could come in or you come come out here. I highly recommend you coming to Kamakura whether to meet up or not. It is a peaceful town with many many old temples and shrines (though it gets pretty crowded with tourists on the weekends...but everyplace in Japan is crowded on the weekends 
). It's one of the most historical cities in the country. Also, during the months of July and August bars and restaurants open up all along the beach in Kamakura. It's a very nice way to spend an evening.
I have a new baby and my mom is in town, so I can't make any promises. But I live just a few minutes from the Kamakura beach, so if you guys can agree on a day and time, I can probably be there. I work during the day, and I'm busy on the 18th. Other than that, I'm pretty free.
July 17 is a national holiday and Kamakura will be even more crowded (but the bars will be more fun!).
You can email me through my profile on this site.
I was planning to go to kamakura and nikko, it seems they are the most popular place to visit around tokyo.. so a meeting in Kamakura would work for me. I will probably go there for a whole day. Visiting and then having a drink with RTK fellow sounds nice. For the date... I am arriving the 10th, I'll probably be tired when I arrive, so between the 11th and the 18th would be fine for me. Wakela isn't available on the 18 so it think it should be between the 11th and 17th.
I am travelling alone, so I am pretty flexible, choosing a date and a place relatively quickly would be good through.
BTW, I still can't believe I am going to Japan tomorrow. I had that planned for a long time and have everything packed now, can't believe tomorow will be the big day (first time in Japan !)
I'll try to frequently check the forum and my email when I am in tokyo. Shouldn't be too a problem with a PDA for connecting to free hotspot, internet cafe and a computer I can use where I am staying !
Date:
Monday, the 17th is a national holiday (though I still have to work). So that Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday are going to be really crowded in Kamakura. Since you guys are on vacation, and can come whenever you want, I recommend coming the Thursday, the 13th. There will be fewer people at the temples and shrines.
Place:
Kamakura seems agreeable to everyone (especially me ). If we stay close to the station it will be easier for everyone to leave on time to make the last train (around midnight. Japan is not a late night kind of place). But the beach is only a fifteen minute walk from the station. Near the station = more time to hang out. Beach = beach (including bikinis and small fireworks).
I did some research on the beach bars this afternoon (which means I went down and had a few beers 
). Mtv has an Mtv Beach Party bar there. This is probably not the Japanese experience you guys are looking for, but it is easy to find. We could meet there, and then if we like we can go somewhere else. Or we could skip the beach and go to a bar/restaurant closer to the station. There is a McDonald's visible from the East exit of the station (the exit with the busses). Again, we could meet there and then go elsewhere.
Japanese people know the English "beach" and "Mtv." So you can ask where the beach is from the station, and once on the beach you could ask which way Mtv is. McDonald's is harder to pronounce, so you should go with "Macu."
In a nutshell my recommendation is 6:00 (I'll be a little late) Thursday, June 13th, at the Mtv Beach Party on the beach or the McDonald's near the station in Kamakura.
What do you guys brains-over-heart?