Some (hopefully) useful tips how you can enjoy a great afternoon or evening at a Japanese cinema ;P
Going to the cinema in Japan: Getting the ticket
Of Course the first thing you need is the ticket. The cinema ticket in Japan is quite expensive, about 1,800 Yen per Person. Normally there are no discounts for university or high school students in Japan, but some cinemas do offer university students discounts! ^^ The most inexpensive ticket is about 1,000 Yen - for ladies only available at the so called 'ladies day'. In the majority of Japanese cinemas, wednesday is 'ladies day'. Depending on the cinema, 'ladies day' could be at another day.
There are many other cinemas in Japan, I just know some in Tôkyô, as I always use to visit the same place ;P Of course, in Shinjuku are many cinemas, but also outside of Tôkyô's center are interesting cinemas. Cinemas in Kichijôji and Tachikawa sometimes show very rare movies, wich are not available in big cinemas. Shinjuku Wald 9 and Shinjuku Piccadilly offer many discounts, so you don't have to pay the full 1,800 Yen for the ticket. Sometimes tickets at Daikokuya are cheaper than those in the cinemas, sometimes it's the same the opposite way around. ;P
I want to intodruce the ticket shop Daikokuya and two big cinemas in Tôkyô, Shinjuku (Piccadilly and Wald9).
Ticket shop Daikokuya (大黒屋)
Daikokuya is a second hand shop, where you can buy several things (eg. louis vuitton or chanel bags, or also furniture) - and also tickets. Train or flight tickets, concert or football tickets and also theatre and cinema tickets! The tickets are cheaper than in most cinemas, but you have to check if 'ladies day' tickets or student discounts are available. Sometimes they are still cheaper than the tickets at Daikokuya. Once I got a ticket at the day of the movies opening night and it was about 980 Yen.
When you get your ticket at Daikokuya, you have to check the cinema. Some tickets are only valid at special cinemas, some are also valid at big cinemas like Piccadilly or Wald9.
You got the ticket and you got the right cinema, then you're going to exchange your ticket at the cinema's ticket counter. They'll give you their regular tickets (just for the entry, you don't have to pay for something extra). Sometimes, Daikokuya's tickets are quite pretty, they are a little version of movie posters, while regular cinema tickets have no pictures.
Shinjuku Wald 9 (新宿バルト９)
One of my favorite cinemas in Tôkyô is Shinjuku Wald 9. It's located in the 9th floor (in the lower floors there is the department store Marui One), and the building is near Shinjuku South Exit. The regular ticket fee is about 1,800 Yen, discount for university and high school students 1,500 Yen. Seniors (over 60 years of age), children (over 3 years) and disabled persons get the ticket for 1,000 Yen. Of course you need a ID card for the discounts. There are also other discounts. The "first day" discount about 1,000 Yen and avaible for tickets on the 1th of each month. The next one is the "cinemachine" discount, about 1,200 Yen. This discount is for 'special goods' which are sold on weekdays between 15:30 and 18:00 o'clock. (Never tried this discount..;P)
The best thing about Shinjuku Wald 9 is the view from above - especially at night. And the cinema is very big, clean and beautiful. It has an European touch with red chairs and the entrance hall is also very beautiful. Foods and drinks are quite cheap - compared to Europe ;P
Shinjuku Piccadilly (新宿ピカデリー)
Recently, Shinjuku Piccadilly also became one of my favorite cinemas in Tôkyô. It is a quite new cinema, located in the Eastern part of Shinjuku (behind Kinokuniya Shinjuku East Exit). The Piccadilly has 3 discounts: 'ladies day' discount on each wednesday, girls only and the ticket is about 1,000 Yen. 'Cinema service day' on the 1st of each month for everyone and also about 1,000 Yen. And the last one is the 'couple 50 discount', for a couple over 50 years of age and the ticket is about 2,500 Yen (for both).
Regular tickets are about 1,800 Yen. Like the Shinjuku Wald 9 the Shinjuku Piccadilly also offers discounts for university and high school students, the price for the ticket is 1,500 Yen. Seniors (over 60 years of age), Children (over 3 years) and disabled persons get tickets for 1,000 Yen.
It's also possible to get 'member seats', which cost about 1,000 yen and the seats are located in the A-row. Those tickets are only on weekdays available.
Last time I went to Shinjuku Piccadilly, they offered special member cards available for free at the ticket counter. When you use this card, you watch 10 movies and the 11th is for free. I don't know if that offer still exists but it's great. ;P The cinema offers also free blankets and cushions for the visitors.
There are many other cinemas in Japan, I just know some in Tôkyô, as I always use to visit the same place ;P Of course, in Shinjuku are many cinemas, but also outside of Tôkyô's center are interesting cinemas. Cinemas in Kichijôji and Tachikawa sometimes show very rare movies, wich are not available in big cinemas. Shinjuku Wald 9 and Shinjuku Piccadilly offer many discounts, so you don't have to pay the full 1,800 Yen for the ticket. Sometimes tickets at Daikokuya are cheaper than those in the cinemas, sometimes it's the same the opposite way around. ;P
I would like to ask if you know about a 1 year movie ticket,you can use it many times for a year but you only have to pay once I think it's a bit expensive ..I've heard it only once but never had the chance to ask the person where to buy it...
AntwortenLöschenI've never heard about a one-year ticket, but that doesn't mean that such a ticket doesn't exist!
AntwortenLöschenI think it depends on the cinema. E.g., the Picadilly in Shinjuku offeres a free point card: going 10 times to the cinema and you get 1 ticket for free.