Yakuza Real-Life Locations Tour - A Comparison of Kabukicho & Kamurocho, Tokyo

[TheElecPlay]

 

March 17, 2018 EPISODE 1 PREMIERE

November 2017 - I travelled to back Kabukicho, Tokyo to film a follow-up documentary series to last years Yakuza Locations Tour 2016. Yakuza Locations Tour 2016 received critical acclaim from gamers, the fans and Sega. Yakuza Locations Tour 2017 is a documentary series comparing between real-life Kabukicho Tokyo to the fictionalized Kamurocho Tokyo featured in the main Yakuza series by Sega.

To celebrate my sixth year anniversary on YouTube, this is my tribute to the Yakuza (龍が如く) franchise and the amazingly talented team at Sega.

Thank you everyone for watching my videos on YouTube. Your continuous support for the past six years has given me the motivation to keep making better videos on YouTube.

This video was a labor of love, made by a fan for the fans.

 

 

Yakuza Locations Tour 2017 EPISODE 2

In this episode, I visited Nadai Fujisoba「名代 富士そば」: a popular Japanese restaurant chain serving an assortment of signature Japanese buckwheat noodles.In November 2017, SEGA announced a special collaboration and tie-in with Nadai Fujisoba. Customers can order a bowl of ‘Red’ Fujisoba「赤富士そば」for just ¥500. Available for a limited-time only!

This year, they’ve added more spice and chilli peppers to the recipe representing both Ryuji Goda (The Dragon of Kansai) and Kazuma Kiryu (The Dragon of Dojima) respectively. FEEL THE HEAT!

Players can visit Nadai Fujisoba in Yakuza Kiwami 2 and order all the signature dishes in the game to gain Agility, Strength, Technique and other attributes powering up Kiryu.

 

 

 

Yakuza Locations Tour 2017 EPISODE 3 

In this episode, I visited the Manboo Netroom (マンボーネットルーム) in Kabukicho, Tokyo. Manboo is a 24hr internet cafe containing a four-square meter box with a TV screen and computer. Tourists spend an hour or two just for the experience, but there are thousands who spend their lives in them.

A Manboo equivalent exists in Yakuza 6 - mantai Internet cafe.
One of the new Play Spots in Yakuza 6 is the Mantai LiveChat. Having little to no technical prowess, Kazuma Kiryu will enter an online chat room with the other online users who login for a good time. An AV Idol will appear on screen reading instant messages of her viewers. When Kiryu types a playful message in sequence, the more ‘comfortable’ she'll be!

 

 

 

Yakuza Locations Tour 2017 EPISODE 4 

After receiving so many requests over the years, I’ve finally documented my visit at the Shinjuku Golden Gai. 

The Shinjuku Golden Gai which served as a basis for the design of the game's Champion District area, consists of narrow alleys and passageways with hundreds of shanty-style bars and restaurants. 

Located right above Taihei Boulevard East in Kamurocho, a lot of significant story elements and sub-stories take place right here. 

 

 

 

In the series finale, I bid farewell to Tokyo. I visited the newly opened Sega Shinjuku Kabukicho. Kazuma Kiryu himself makes a brief appearance in this episode talking about the game center itself. 

On December 1st, 2017, Sega Shinjuku Kabukicho held a special Yakuza Kiwami 2 pre-launch event for fans to purchase various Ryu ga Gotoku memorabilia. These items are exclusive to Club SEGA and not sold anywhere else.

I also visited the “mecca of all things electronics, gaming and anime” : Akihabara. I talked about some of the classic SEGA arcade titles that were playable in past games and new ones that are playable for the first time in Yakuza Kiwami 2 (Virtual On).

Towards the end of the episode, you will see a montage showcasing the evolution of CLUB SEGA in all the Yakuza games released so far.

That concludes the Yakuza Locations Tour series. Since November 2012, November 2016 and November 2017 I’ve provided over 50 Location Tour videos and shared my passion about the franchise on YouTube. 

Thanks for watching. Sayonara.

If you'd like to watch the entire Yakuza Locations Tour 2016 (comparing Yakuza 6 The Song of Life) series click here:

 

 

 

If you'd like to watch the original Yakuza Locations Tour series (comparing Yakuza 5) that started it all check it out here :

 

 

Edited April 29, 2020 by noahez92

[Z1MZUM]

Fantastic, I love Japan and have been to these places including osaka dotonbori and Saporro though that's not in the vid. If you're playing Yakuza 5 and see the Sega arcade in Osaka? It's definitely there. In any case Sega has done such a fine job with these games and locations it's great to see western releases.

[Valyrious]

One of the best things about the Yakuza games. I'll give them a watch later!

[TheElecPlay]

On 04/07/2018 at 1:14 PM, Valyrious said:

One of the best things about the Yakuza games. I'll give them a watch later!

 

Appreciate it @Valyrious. 

On 04/07/2018 at 1:10 PM, Z1MZUM said:

Fantastic, I love Japan and have been to these places including osaka dotonbori and Saporro though that's not in the vid. If you're playing Yakuza 5 and see the Sega arcade in Osaka? It's definitely there. In any case Sega has done such a fine job with these games and locations it's great to see western releases.

 

I'd love to visit Osaka Dotonbori one day. My goal is to eventually do a Kenzan/Ishin Locations Tour as well as Okinawa (Yakuza 3) and the cities featured in Yakuza 5 (Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Fukuoka) and the quiet port of Onomichi in Yakuza 6 (Hiroshima). All in due time.

Edited July 5, 2018 by noahez92

[Satoshi Ookami]

SUGOI!
JELLY!
BUT SUGOI  

 

Conflicting feelings.

[TheElecPlay]

3 minutes ago, Satoshi Ookami said:

SUGOI!
JELLY!
BUT SUGOI  

 

Conflicting feelings.

 

Haha. Good one, Satoshi. 

[Z1MZUM]

2 hours ago, noahez92 said:

 

Appreciate it man. 

 

I'd love to visit Osaka Dotonbori one day. My goal is to eventually do a Kenzan/Ishin Locations Tour as well as Okinawa (Yakuza 3) and the cities featured in Yakuza 5 (Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Fukuoka) and the quiet port of Onomichi in Yakuza 6 (Hiroshima). All in due time.

 

Here's a photo I took in Dotonbori it literally blew my mind when arriving there, the details that Sega added are remarkable. The same can be said for saporro.

 

 

This is from Yakuza 5 though a few buildings closer.

 

Edited July 4, 2018 by Z1MZUM

[TheElecPlay]

23 hours ago, Z1MZUM said:

 

Here's a photo I took in Dotonbori it literally blew my mind when arriving there, the details that Sega added are remarkable. The same can be said for saporro.

 

 

This is from Yakuza 5 though a few buildings closer.

 

 

Terrific photo, @Z1MZUM. I'd love to visit Dotonbori one day.

Edited July 5, 2018 by noahez92

[Z1MZUM]

1 minute ago, noahez92 said:

 

Terrific photo, Z1MZUM. I'd love to visit Dotonbori one day.

 

When you do visit, Don't miss Denden town. It's a gamers paradise which imo is better then Akiharbara. Also, If you dream on going then you will one day without doubt unless you're name is

Satoshi Ookami since they once said they'd never return ;)

[TheElecPlay]

Just now, Z1MZUM said:

 

When you do visit, Don't miss Denden town. It's a gamers paradise which imo is better then Akiharbara. Also, If you dream on going then you will one day without doubt unless you're name is

Satoshi Ookami since they once said they'd never return ;)

 

Whenever I go to Tokyo, going to Akihabara is like a gamers pilgrimage. I must say I haven't heard of Denden before until you mentioned it. I'll definitely check out some articles and videos. 

[Z1MZUM]

1 minute ago, noahez92 said:

 

Whenever I go to Tokyo, going to Akihabara is like a gamers pilgrimage. I must say I haven't heard of Denden before until you mentioned it. I'll definitely check out some articles and videos. 

 

Oh I definitely like Akiharbara though it's a bit tricky finding your way around imo. I did buy a Vita there at the "Hard Off" a few years back and a tonne of Saturn titles though the highlight was the guy dressed as Mario flying past on a Mario Kart every few minutes. I also lost quite a few yen on a claw machine in the Sega arcade trying to grab a ff7 Cactus statue. In any case your Video link has inspired me to play Yakuza Zero through to 6 over the next few moths, Hell I'll play Ishin while I'm at it.

[Satoshi Ookami]

2 hours ago, Z1MZUM said:

Satoshi Ookami since they once said they'd never return ;)

Of course I wouldn't  

[TheElecPlay]

23 hours ago, Z1MZUM said:

 

Oh I definitely like Akiharbara though it's a bit tricky finding your way around imo. I did buy a Vita there at the "Hard Off" a few years back and a tonne of Saturn titles though the highlight was the guy dressed as Mario flying past on a Mario Kart every few minutes. I also lost quite a few yen on a claw machine in the Sega arcade trying to grab a ff7 Cactus statue. In any case your Video link has inspired me to play Yakuza Zero through to 6 over the next few moths, Hell I'll play Ishin while I'm at it.

 

@Z1MZUMI've been to Book Off many times and I'm always surprised to see so many rare PS1 games for sale in mint condition for less than 500 yen. On ebay their prices are ridiculous. I've never been to Hard-off but will definitely check it out when I visit Japan again. 

Edited July 6, 2018 by noahez92

[Z1MZUM]

Just now, noahez92 said:

 

I've been to Book Off many times and I'm always surprised to see so many rare PS1 games for sale in mint condition for less than 500 yen. On ebay their prices are ridiculous. I've never been to Hard-off but will definitely check it out when I visit Japan again. 

 

Book off is fantastic, I bought Yakuza Kiwami new for $15 from one of the book offs in Sapporo in 2016. The final fanatasy collection on Ps1 for a few dollars and several SFC carts along with an iPad. In any case how great is Book Off? I look for their shops everywhere and don't think I've left one empty handed.

[TheElecPlay]

19 hours ago, Z1MZUM said:

 

Book off is fantastic, I bought Yakuza Kiwami new for $15 from one of the book offs in Sapporo in 2016. The final fanatasy collection on Ps1 for a few dollars and several SFC carts along with an iPad. In any case how great is Book Off? I look for their shops everywhere and don't think I've left one empty handed.

 

@Z1MZUM Yeah Book-Off has a plethora of DVDs, CDs and games. Depending on which Book-off you go to, each floor has its own category all individually labeled. I used to go to Super Potato (even did a video there but have yet to upload) in Akihabara but their prices have gone up since 2012. I carried two large carry-on bags full of retro games/magazines/guides since they were so cheap but now they're pretty pricey. I saw Abe 99 (Japanese version of Abe's Exoddus) for a thousand $US and a mint Rockman for about $500 US. The standard games are about 2000 yen or so depending on the condition. Most PS1/Saturn games have those spine cards but you can easily find them inside the CD cases if you go to Book-Off. 

Edited July 7, 2018 by noahez92

[TheElecPlay]

 

Much to my disappointment, when I visited Don Quijote in 2012 and 2016 (and later in 2017 although I didn't document my visit) the infamous jingle was never played. You may hear a short 'Don Quijote' stinger once in a while but nothing that resembles the games. 

[TheElecPlay]

One of the things that made the Yakuza (Ryu ga Gotoku) games great were the product placements. Although product placements are considered blatant when it comes to movies, I always thought they were cool in games.

 

Without them, I would have never been able to discover places like:

 

Karaoke-kan (the karaoke place in the Yakuza games)

 

 

 

Shinjuku Batting Center (Batting cages in the Yakuza main games)

 

Nadai Fujisoba (featured in Yakuza 6)

 

Nadai Fujisoba Kiwami 2

 

 

Daikoko Drugstore (featured in Yakuza 5 and Yakuza 0)

 

PIZZA-LA (Kiryu has his own pizza delivery substory in Yakuza 0)

 

Gindaco Takoyaki (Yakuza 6)

 

APA Hotel (Yakuza 6)

 

Pronto Bar (featured in Yakuza 3 onwards)

 

 

 

Edited July 16, 2018 by noahez92

[TheElecPlay]

Oops forgot about Matsuya! (featured in Yakuza 2 onwards)

 

 

What's interesting about Matsuya was its marketing campaign during the Yakuza 4 and Yakuza 5 promotional period. There was a Yakuza 4 Kiryu-inspired curry base that you can purchase at the store as well as a Yakuza 5 Haruka inspired curry. It was probably a nod to Yakuza 3 since Kiryu would always cook curry for the Morning Glory orphanage. Since Yakuza 0, Matsuya has been absent in Kamurocho (presumably due to licensing expiration).

Edited July 18, 2018 by noahez92

[Z1MZUM]

Had the chance to watch all the videos now and it was a blast. I was hoping to walk past you since I was last in Tokyo/Shibuya/Shinjuku etc in april/May 2016. Started Playing Zero for real this time and I didn't know until now that it is also set in Osaka. I haven't questioned it really until now, But whats with the similar but made up names for locations? Anyway, Well done with you videos.

[TheElecPlay]

7 hours ago, Z1MZUM said:

Had the chance to watch all the videos now and it was a blast. I was hoping to walk past you since I was last in Tokyo/Shibuya/Shinjuku etc in april/May 2016. Started Playing Zero for real this time and I didn't know until now that it is also set in Osaka. I haven't questioned it really until now, But whats with the similar but made up names for locations? Anyway, Well done with you videos.

 

Glad you liked the videos man. Thank you. I was still in the States finishing my degree in May 2016. I filmed the 2016 and 2017 Locations Tour in late November-early December 2016/2017. Having read an old famitsu article years ago Toshihiro Nagoshi (director of the series) wanted the team to replicate Kabukicho (and other cities in later games) with their own fictional 'flair'. The street names are similar but entirely made-up. They wanted to keep the most recognizable parts of Kabukicho the same but of course changing certain aspects to make the experience unique for the player. Not everything in Kamurocho is accessible in Kabukicho (vice versa).

 

I guess its similar to Grand Theft Auto where Liberty City = New York City. 

 

Part of me likes to believe that the REAL reason is because Sega is afraid that people might think Kabukicho isn't safe (may negatively affect the country's tourism etc) since there are yakuzas and street punks waiting for a fight on every corner. 

[Z1MZUM]

8 hours ago, noahez92 said:

 

Glad you liked the videos man. Thank you. I was still in the States finishing my degree in May 2016. I filmed the 2016 and 2017 Locations Tour in late November-early December 2016/2017. Having read an old famitsu article years ago Toshihiro Nagoshi (director of the series) wanted the team to replicate Kabukicho (and other cities in later games) with their own fictional 'flair'. The street names are similar but entirely made-up. They wanted to keep the most recognizable parts of Kabukicho the same but of course changing certain aspects to make the experience unique for the player. Not everything in Kamurocho is accessible in Kabukicho (vice versa).

 

I guess its similar to Grand Theft Auto where Liberty City = New York City. 

 

Part of me likes to believe that the REAL reason is because Sega is afraid that people might think Kabukicho isn't safe (may negatively affect the country's tourism etc) since there are yakuzas and street punks waiting for a fight on every corner. 

 

That part of you is probably on the money, I don't think I've been anywhere as safe as Japan tbh. It is a strange sensation to visit a country you recognize from playing video games and then see that the places you have already been to as a digital character are real, though not a video game. I had the same sensation with Los Angeles after the GTA series and particularly Santa Monica and Downtown.

 

Kind of related, I've stayed in a few APA hotels in a couple of country towns in Japan. There will always be Origami creations on top of your towel when you check in.

[TheElecPlay]

Agreed. In fact the locals keep very much to themselves and as long as you respect and try to assimilate, you'll be fine. While filming these videos most of them didn't want to distrupt by walking past the camera so they either waited or they would walk pass and bow (to apologize I guess). Its all about etiquette in the end. Nightlife is a totally different animal in Tokyo. In fact, in my last visit I saw a lot more 'officers' (can't tell if they're local law enforcements or security guards patrolling the area) around. 

 

Ah the origami. While I was filming the Sega Shijuku episode, the lady at the counter made me a nice origami of a Orizuru because I purchased a few Ryu ga Gotoku items and told her about how much of a Sega fan I am.

Edited July 19, 2018 by noahez92

[TheElecPlay]

Much appreciated thanks to these gaming publications for spreading the word on the Location Tour videos: Game Informer, Destructoid, CTRL Gamer and EpicNetwork.


Game Informer: http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/03/27/check-out-this-youtube-series-touring-real-life-locations-in-the-yakuza-series.aspx

Destructoid: https://www.destructoid.com/new-video-series-investigates-real-life-yakuza-game-locations-496260.phtml

CTRL Gamer/EPICNETWORK (Spanish): http://myepicnet.com/entry/una-nueva-serie-de-videos-investiga-las-locaciones-de-yakuza

[TheElecPlay]

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Edited August 10, 2018 by noahez92

[TheElecPlay]

My goal is to eventually do a Kenzan/Ishin Locations Tour as well as the cities featured in Yakuza 5 (Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Fukuoka) and Yakuza 6 (Hiroshima). All in due time...