What is the best way to get concert tickets in Japan? -

I know you can just go directly to a certain venue...but how can foreigners like me try and get one in advance? In the future, I seriously want to watch my fave artists live in Japan (like Tohoshinki, L`Arc~en~Ciel, Utada Hikaru and Arashi). I also want to watch the musicals like Tenimyu. Daskete! Arigatou gozaimasu!

It s very hard. Most artist like that sell very quickly. The best thing is to have a friend in Japan willing to help you, but would you really want to burden a friend?

The easiest way while in Japan is to just go to a conbini like Lawsons and go to their ticket kiosk and buy them. Its a simple matter of looking up the group, finding the place and then buying the tickets. Albeit you might need to know some Japanese and kanji to say Osaka if that is where you are going, but that s how I went to Tool and NIN was buying tickets through that.

Joining the official Fan Club. Like in my case, I m the member of SMAP Fan Club amp; fan club members get priority to ballot for the tix. U can found out if those artist s fan club does this way too. But in most cases you will need a Japan address in order to join the club. If not, you can find concert tix selling in yahoo japan auction, but they can be quite costly.

Its hard to get concert tickets for those groups you listed. (especially arashi, if you see them... expect to fork out minimum $100) um... best way to get those tickets, like someone mentioned. join the fan club, then most of the time there is a lottery and you can get tickets that way but they sell out quick. keep hunting for tickets is what i say! if you don t mind paying large amounts of money for them!