Sato Papers and Kyoto showroom

[TabletopPhantom]

Here are two random questions I've been curious about. Hopefully some members can shed some light on these mysteries!

1) What are the three slips of paper that you receive when you go to Tenshi no Sato? I know one is a form for the One-Off lottery, but one is a number, and one is another small slip with kanji on it. My Japanese is terrible so I'm clueless.

2) How far is the Nagaokakyo Volks showroom from Kyoto station? Has anyone ever been there? I always thought that there was only Sato in Kyoto and it's good to know that there is another showroom with normal business hours in the area. But if it's too far away in might not be worth it.

[Karhys]

#1 - do you mean these? (I just rifled through my drawer and found them.. yes, I am a packrat. >_>; )

http://www.crysania.com/cassiel/sato-flyers.jpg

1 is a 're-entry ticket'. It's so that you can go in and out of Sato as much as you want that day without them having to recheck your ID and reconfirm your booking and all that fun stuff. That's why it has a date on it. :)
2 is a 'FCS order ticket'. Unless you go on a busy day you won't need it (I never have) but on busy days you have to wait your turn to order FCS so you'll need your ticket to prove that you belong in front of (or behind) whoever else wants to order. (Usually though there's just a waiting list you write your name on.)
And 3 as you are already aware is the lottery entry form for the One-Offs that are available at the time that you visit Sato. Note that you have to have a Japanese address/phone number in order to enter the lottery, and also you're only allowed to enter for one One-Off... so you have to just pick the one that you like the most, and then hopehopehope that you win! (Hence the list of numbers down the bottom, you just circle the number corresponding to the One-Off you want.)

Unfortunately I can't help you with #2 but I hope someone else can. :D

[rkold]

Here are two random questions I've been curious about. Hopefully some members can shed some light on these mysteries!

1) What are the three slips of paper that you receive when you go to Tenshi no Sato? I know one is a form for the One-Off lottery, but one is a number, and one is another small slip with kanji on it. My Japanese is terrible so I'm clueless.

2) How far is the Nagaokakyo Volks showroom from Kyoto station? Has anyone ever been there? I always thought that there was only Sato in Kyoto and it's good to know that there is another showroom with normal business hours in the area. But if it's too far away in might not be worth it.

And I can sort of help with the second part. I've not been to a Volks in Nagaokakyo City but I do know how to get to Nagaokakyo. Take JR back from Saga Arashiyama Station and change for one of the trains to Osaka. Nagaokakyo was a stop on my Special Rapid train between JR Osaka and JR Kyoto station. It's only about 10 mins from JR Kyoto station via Special Rapid. Trains to Osaka usually leave every 5-10 minutes from JR Kyoto station. I've no idea where a Volks is there though, but the big jinja in the city is wonderful! :heart

[TabletopPhantom]

Haha thanks for fixing the title on this topic. I had written the first part and then gotten distracted and posted it without realizing it was incomplete, and then I couldn't edit it!

Anyway, thanks for solving the Sato papers mystery Cassiel. I know you mentioned that you could just vote for one doll, but I was being bad and nosy and peeked inside of the entry box and I saw that several of the papers had multiple numbers circled. Do you think they've changed their rule on trying for only one doll? Or maybe people were just filling them out wrong. :?

And thanks for your input as well rkold! I think it must be a local from Kyoto to Osaka because the special rapid only stops at two places before reaching Osaka, and the first one out of Kyoto is Takatsuki. I will have to check it out some time and let you know how it is.

[rkold]

Haha thanks for fixing the title on this topic. I had written the first part and then gotten distracted and posted it without realizing it was incomplete, and then I couldn't edit it!

Anyway, thanks for solving the Sato papers mystery Cassiel. I know you mentioned that you could just vote for one doll, but I was being bad and nosy and peeked inside of the entry box and I saw that several of the papers had multiple numbers circled. Do you think they've changed their rule on trying for only one doll? Or maybe people were just filling them out wrong. :?

And thanks for your input as well rkold! I think it must be a local from Kyoto to Osaka because the special rapid only stops at two places before reaching Osaka, and the first one out of Kyoto is Takatsuki. I will have to check it out some time and let you know how it is.

It might have been a rapid then. I'm pretty sure I didn't take the local when I came up from Osaka, it's very close to Kyoto Station though.

Please do let me know how it is. :D

[Maz]

If I remember correct, when we stored my doll carriers, they took the number piece of paper of me and put on the bag, as they have it written down who gets what number, hubby thinks that to, as he took my carriers to them. May be wrong, was so excited lol

[TabletopPhantom]

Hi guys, so just to follow up on this I actually ventured to the Nagaokakyo Volks showroom on Monday, since I had the day off.

I took the JR train, not the Hankyu, and it leaves from track 4 at Kyoto station. Basically it's a local train to Osaka. It's three or four stops from Kyoto station--about 15 minutes. I found a website HERE (http://www.volks.co.jp/en/volks/sr/nagaokakyo.html) with directions, but these are from the Hankyu station, not the JR station. If you take the JR local line then take the west exit from Nagaokakyo station. You should see a main road stretching before you, follow this and then take a right at the first main intersection you hit. Follow this road until you see a UniQlo (clothing store) on your right. Cross the road to your left here and you should see the Volks showroom straight ahead on your right. It's a decent-sized store and as the website indicates, the largest hobby store in Kyoto. It had quite a few different SD clothes, wigs, eyes, etc like a normal showroom, but with all the convenience of regular business hours! Also tons of toys, models, paints, and OK Customize figures as well. Obviously Sato has a much larger selection but if you can't make it to Kyoto on a weekend but still need some dolly goods, this is the place to go. :)

[PonySky]

The only glimpse I ever had of a BJD was a few years ago when a vendor at a doll show pulled one out from under his table and asked if I could make a corset for it. (At that time I couldn't) And I've been intriqued by them ever since. Now I'm seriously looking to buy one.

Could you shed some real time info on what the BJD scene is like in Asia? Are the dolls in such great demand that a lottery is necessary to give a Japanese citizen a chance to buy a doll? (I'm assuming that's why they want an address.) If not, what is the reason for the lottery?

Do you get together in groups to enjoy your dolls? How big is the industry? Like, are there alot of people employed by it? Is it well established or struggling to keep up with a world-wide demand for these beauties? Are bjds considered to be more of a fine art than a craft? Maybe true for the artists that create them. Are they recognized for their achievements in the general population?

With Japan's great tradition of beautiful dolls, I'm wondering if the BJ's are celebrated. Hope so.

Lots of questions. Hope you don't mind.