What to buy in Korea and Japan?

[frank mccune]

     Hi All:

     I will be splitting my time for a month in Korea and Japan.  Is there any Control Line things that I should purchase while there?  Perhaps good silk?

     Any suggestions?

                                                                                     Tia,

                                                                                     Frank

[WLGeorge]

I had the same bright idea when I went to China PRC a few months ago.  I think I can buy silk cheaper here than over there.  I know for a fact my wife (a native of China)  could buy ANYTHING cheaper than I could:-) they would take one look at this East Texas Cajun Hillbilly and double the price.  My wife finally told me to stand on the sidewalk while she went inside to shop!!  Interesting place. 

[SteveMoon]

Frank: I've travelled to Japan, Korea, China, etc A LOT over the years. There's nothing
quite like a Japanese hobby shop. In Tokyo there are several in the Akihibara District.
This is an area of town just two train stops from Tokyo Station that has a high concentration
of duty free, electronics, Anime, hobby shops, and others.

Most Japanese hobby shops have more RC car and plastic model stuff than anything else.
But, there are several in Akihibara that have RC plane stuff, and occasionally you can find
a CL kit from OK Models, a Japanese company. The best thing to buy for our purposes are
the accessories made by Tettra. They make several items we can use, including their wheel
with aluminum hubs and replaceable foam tires. Best wheels made in my opinion. Load up
on Tettra stuff.

Go to: http://tokyo-hobby-shops.geraet040.net/ for a list of hobby shops in Tokyo.
If you do make it to Akihibara don't miss the Shosen Book Tower. About 7 or 8 floors
of books. One floor has modeling magazines, scale/detail aircraft books, car books, trains,
tanks, etc. I've dropped a boatload of money there over the years. If you're into plastic
models at all check out Leonardo LG in Akihibara. Four floors of model kits and a basement
full of modeling mags, books, etc. A real gold mine.

I've had much less luck in Korea or China. There are very few hobby shops in Korea. If you
can find one they usually have Japanese stuff, and it cost more than in Japan. Same with China.
I found a couple of shops in Shanghai, but they didn't have much I hadn't already seen.
In Hong Kong, though there is small concentration of shops East of Nathan Road just past the
South edge of the Ladies Market that have a lot of Tamiya RC car stuf at about 40% less than
what it costs in the USA.

Good luck on your hobby shop hunting, Steve

[Mark Scarborough]

IF you want to make money,, and can find any MK radio control pattern airplane kits,, they bring big money ,,

[John Paris]

Frank,
I just moved back from Korea and would have to say that there is not much in the way of CL items over there or building/finishing supplies.  If you are there for the worldwide Ringmaster fly I know where there will be some action and might be able to hook you up.  Perhaps I will be there for business at that time.  I think that there is a contest at the Air Force academy in September and another contest in Seoul in November.  Lots of fun to attend or watch contests in other countries.
John