Tokyo 20th Anniversary Meetup
posted May 21, 2019 7:03 AM   RSS | iCal | +googleCal

Sun July 14 at 12:00 PM, Ikspiari
1-4 Maihama, Urayasu, Chiba 279-8529, Japan (Map & Directions)
As suggested by Ghidorah in the MeFi 20 Planning Thread, maybe this could prompt us to get our act together and have a meetup without the impetus of a Mefite visiting from elsewhere?
Seeing as it's been more than a week now and there haven't been any objections/other suggestions for the date or location, it seems that this will happen on Sunday, July 14th at Ikspiari Craft Beer Collection 2019.
posted by Strutter Cane - United Planets Stilt Patrol to Meetup (33 comments total)

Great idea! And I see that July 14 is the middle of a three-day weekend here. (A three-day Sea-Day weekend even.)
posted by Umami Dearest at 12:59 AM on May 22, 2019


I fully intend on taking all the credit here. (though, yeah, thanks for posting it, I'd have been too lazy to follow through)

That weekend, out in Maihama, there's the Ikspiari Craft Beer Collection going on. It's a small beer festival that takes place in the little courtyard in Ikspiari, the mall outside of Tokyo Disneyland. It's an interesting assortment of beer companies that just happen to all be really good friends with each other, as well as making some great beer (though I know not everyone drinks, there are definitely non-alcoholic options in the area). It's outdoors, there are tables, it's a good time, and I'll definitely end up there at least some point during the weekend. So, yeah, that'd be my vote, though I'm definitely up for other suggestions.
posted by Ghidorah at 6:32 AM on May 22, 2019


Oh phew, that weekend is just after my parents leave Japan. I will be available and up for pretty much anything involving food.
posted by lesser weasel at 6:13 PM on May 22, 2019 [1 favorite]


I'm definitely up for it, and both July 14 and Ikspiari Craft Beer Collection sound great. I put myself in the "Maybe" stack because the date is suggested, not nailed down, but odds are pretty high I'll be attending.
posted by Bugbread at 4:28 PM on May 26, 2019 [1 favorite]


Okay, I'm in!
posted by Bugbread at 4:35 PM on May 29, 2019


I could have been clearer in that I was hoping for alternative suggestions when I posted this, as it turns out that Umami Dearest won't be able to make it.

Just on the off chance, anyone have any suggestions for a location in Tokyo and in the evening? Maybe it could be a 二次会 following Ikspiari, if that isn't too ambitious.
posted by Strutter Cane - United Planets Stilt Patrol at 6:08 PM on May 30, 2019


I would like to come and might could get out to Tokyo, but honestly the idea of going anywhere near Tokyo Disneyland on a 3-day weekend in the summer makes me feel faint...I can't suggest a location but would be up for a二次会 or similar somewhere in the city.
posted by huimangm at 5:55 AM on June 6, 2019 [1 favorite]


Ghidorah kindly pointed this thread out to me a few days ago, I haven't been around here much lately and hadn't noticed. I'm in the maybe camp for now.
posted by misozaki at 2:28 PM on June 9, 2019 [1 favorite]


I can't suggest a location but would be up for a二次会 or similar somewhere in the city.

Nihonbashi Brewery T.S. (Tokyo Station branch) is fairly close to the exit for the Disneyland-bound trains at Tokyo Station and is a fairly large venue, with good beer and food.

I wouldn't mind meeting up for a beer at 5pm, say, with anyone busy during the day, or not in the mood to leave Tokyo, or returning from Disneyland but with enough energy for a nijikai beer.
posted by Umami Dearest at 9:47 PM on June 9, 2019 [1 favorite]


I apologize for suggesting the place, but it's really not all that far from Tokyo Station, and while I understand that it's a holiday weekend, I've been to that event for probably the past three years or so, and Ikspiari is separate from both of the parks, if that's giving anyone pause. While it will likely be a little more crowded than usual, pretty much everywhere will be just as bad, but at least Ikspiari will have (excellent) beer!

As far as leaving Tokyo, it's just across the river! And it's in front of Tokyo Disneyland! You'd barely even notice you were in Chiba if not for the mandatory three hours spent on the peanut farm for all visitors!
posted by Ghidorah at 8:50 PM on June 24, 2019


I hope to be there too.
posted by gen at 6:34 PM on July 1, 2019 [2 favorites]


Gen, it was great to see you on Saturday, and a complete surprise as well. Thank you so much for coming, and I hope you can make it on the 14th, too.
posted by Ghidorah at 8:50 PM on July 1, 2019


I'm actually traveling into Tokyo that day, I'm going to see if I can make it. Putting myself in the maybe camp at the moment because we're coming in from Oyama and need to work out if we're dropping stuff off or storing it at Tokyo station or what that day.
posted by Hactar at 6:31 PM on July 5, 2019 [1 favorite]


Just to clarify: the time above (12:00) is the actual time, and not just a placeholder, right? (I realize people can also drift in later). Also, any specific meetup place, or just find folks you recognize in the courtyard?
posted by Bugbread at 1:42 AM on July 11, 2019


I'm hoping to be there by noon or a little earlier, and will do my best to secure a decent enough space for people, but trying to hold ten or twelve seats alone is something I'd like to avoid doing, if someone else happens to be around at noon, that'd be keen.

The courtyard should be lined with tents and tables, with the beer booths forming an outer ring, and yeah, I was planning to head straight there to do the whole 'get seats' thing, so maybe meet there?
posted by Ghidorah at 1:59 AM on July 11, 2019


I actually had put 12:00 as a placeholder as that's when Ikspiari Craft Beer Collection starts, but seeing as Ghidorah, at least, will be there at around that time, I'll leave it, though I'll likely arrive somewhat later.
posted by Strutter Cane - United Planets Stilt Patrol at 6:32 AM on July 11, 2019


I'll also aim to be there by 12:00 then. Hopefully they've got lots of tarps set up, because it looks like it's going to be a wet day.
posted by Bugbread at 4:30 PM on July 11, 2019


Bugbread, the standard set up is tents over the tables. With that space, if it was sunny, you’d need the tents, too, so either way, we’re, uh, covered.
posted by Ghidorah at 5:34 PM on July 11, 2019


I just stopped by the space a little while ago (Mrs. Ghidorah is helping at one of the brewers today, but will be off tomorrow, thought I’d say hello).

The, uh, space is set up differently than in past years, unfortunately. Rather than tents covering tables radiating out from a stage in the middle, well, there’s a tent in the middle, covering a limited number of tables. Around that are uncovered tables, and then there are other tables under the roof around the edge.

I’ll do my best to get there early enough to claim a table, probably 11ish. I’m sorry for any inconvenience tomorrow, this was my recommendation, so I’ll do what I can to keep it from being too messed up.
posted by Ghidorah at 11:42 PM on July 12, 2019


I'm a definite yes, looking forward to meeting you all tomorrow. I should be there around 12.
posted by Hactar at 2:06 AM on July 13, 2019 [1 favorite]


Not going to make it up to Tokyo this time because of rain, work, rehearsal, and general tiredness, but maybe next time; hope you guys enjoy it!
posted by huimangm at 2:56 AM on July 13, 2019


Sounds good! I'll try and make it around noon-ish as well.
posted by lesser weasel at 3:36 AM on July 13, 2019 [1 favorite]


I woke up with a migraine so I think I might have to pass, sorry all. :(
posted by lesser weasel at 6:33 PM on July 13, 2019


I’m sorry to hear that, I hope it passes soon, feel better.
posted by Ghidorah at 6:42 PM on July 13, 2019


So, I’m here, and the central tables have a good deal
More tents now, which is nice, but they don’t open the inner courtyard until noon on the dot. I grabbed one of the out tables, over by the Gap, which I figure is good enough, though we’ll have a good deal more passersby wandering through the mall at the end of the table.
posted by Ghidorah at 6:59 PM on July 13, 2019


We're here, grabbing lunch first, what should we look for when we come down?
posted by Hactar at 7:51 PM on July 13, 2019


I’m at a table right by the Gap. There are long tables and benches, I’m the foreigner trying to keep an entire table to myself as people are starting to file in.

As far as food goes, it seems to be perfectly acceptable to get take out and eat it here, as a good number of people were doing that yesterday. Guzman y Gomez is just down the hall, as is (really long line) Ku Aina, and there’s a food court downstairs.
posted by Ghidorah at 7:55 PM on July 13, 2019


Also, since we haven’t met (sorry, forgot that), I’m the bald, heavyset white guy with a beard and glasses, with a grey backpack on the table.
posted by Ghidorah at 7:59 PM on July 13, 2019


A further heads up: the festival is trying something a little different this year. At every beer festival, there are tons and tons of plastic cups used once and thrown away, so to avoid that, they are selling either glass or plastic cups (glass is ¥500, plastic is ¥50) to reduce waste. That means you need to buy a cup in order to get beer. Personally, I like the idea, because the amount of plastic cups the average festival goes through is ridiculous.

Past that, beers are ¥600 for a full pour, ¥300 for a half pour, and if you’re not familiar with the beers available, oh, I’d be happy to give recommendations!
posted by Ghidorah at 8:05 PM on July 13, 2019


Thanks, folks, it was great fun!

Also, now I recall that the water planet didn't have massive gravity. It was a planet with normal gravity, orbiting a black hole. Getting from the planet to the orbiting mothership wouldn't require any more gravity than liftoff on any other planet, it was the leaving-the-blackhole-orbit that was hard, and that's what the mothership did.

With much love,

Bugbread.
posted by Bugbread at 6:59 AM on July 14, 2019


Fifth Element with better special effects.

Good to see you too. I always aim for the “let’s not let so much time go by before the next one,” let’s try to make it work.
posted by Ghidorah at 8:19 AM on July 14, 2019


i’ll be back up in tokyo in september, maybe we could work something out then?
posted by emmling at 3:58 PM on July 14, 2019 [2 favorites]


Sounds good to me!
posted by Bugbread at 5:34 PM on July 14, 2019



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