NHK Trophy 2015 Tickets

LynnNee said:

thanks a lot for you information mikaboo, I just wonder if JTB package is avalible for foreigners? My friends told me that this package is only for Japanese...

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I just read the details that came out today. It doesn't say anything about "Japanese only" but it's on a Japanese JTB website and written in Japanese so I think they are targeting customers who are at least able to understand the language. It says they'll send out the details of how to receive the tickets at least a week before departure so depending on how they send the details (email or postal mail?) they might ask for an address in Japan but I'm not sure.
The JTB package will be sold by first come, first serve basis.

Kinki Nippon Tourist's package will go on sale from September 9th as well. Theirs will be determined by lottery draws and it says you cannot cancel the booking if you are chosen.
http://sports.knt.co.jp/skating/2015/nhk/

How many of us can actually go to NHK cup! Good luck everone!!

I failed in the lottery to get tickets for the NHK Trophy... I so wanted to see Yuzuru compete again... Anyway, that means I will be fighting for tickets when they go on sale tomorrow. Argh!

I only get the 3rd day.. What I want is the 1st and 2nd days:hopelessness:.. I have to fight for them tomorrow…

hamaguri said:

I only get the 3rd day.. What I want is the 1st and 2nd days:hopelessness:.. I have to fight for them tomorrow…

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There are 4 lotteries today (CNPlayguide, Lawsons, E-Plus and Ticket Pia) and I am gonna try all four. I wish us BOTH the best of luck!

Hi,
Are there tickets still available?

Sam L said:

Hi,
Are there tickets still available?

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Yes, this is just the pre-sale lottery, which will run for another week. The tickets will go on sale on the 19th.

KansaiPJ said:

There are 4 lotteries today (CNPlayguide, Lawsons, E-Plus and Ticket Pia) and I am gonna try all four. I wish us BOTH the best of luck!

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Yes! Thanks! Hope we can see our skaters compete and support them at the venue!

Two of the four lotteries came back and I did NOT get tickets. Oh no! Two more to go... please please please oh skating gods!

KansaiPJ said:

Two of the four lotteries came back and I did NOT get tickets. Oh no! Two more to go... please please please oh skating gods!

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i got sp. but fp remains...

The tickets will go on sale on 19th in the convenience store and also the website. Does anyone know that can we buy for all the 3 tickets with one order? Or we need to buy for the tickets with 3 separated order?

hamaguri said:

i got sp. but fp remains...

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Wow! Congrats on getting the SP. You are lucky! Hope the FP comes through for you too.

Rita Hsieh said:

The tickets will go on sale on 19th in the convenience store and also the website. Does anyone know that can we buy for all the 3 tickets with one order? Or we need to buy for the tickets with 3 separated order?

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Not sure. For the lotteries, you could do one order for all three days, but last year, I had to order each ticket separately. Won't know for sure until it starts tomorrow. Good luck!

Oh, and I have one more question: is selecting seat available when buying the ticket on the website?

Rita Hsieh said:

Oh, and I have one more question: is selecting seat available when buying the ticket on the website?

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We are talking about many ticket sellers here in a Japan, but generally no. You only pick a seating class or level.

KansaiPJ said:

Wow! Congrats on getting the SP. You are lucky! Hope the FP comes through for you too.

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thanks! unfortunately i cannot get fp by all the lotteries.
i really hope you can get any ticket!

Today was the day to buy tickets for the Figure Skating NHK Trophy in Nagano at the end of November. Despite having three people on the task, I failed, getting only one 3rd class seat on the first day and nothing for the following two days of the event. I am more than disappointed, I am angry.

I had two computers going, one trying to get tickets on the E-Plus website, and one (using a VPR) on the international vendor (a subsidiary of E-Plus, I think). I also had two friends going into convenience stores to buy tickets through the machines. Both attempts at convenience stores told the same story. My buyers were on the machines quickly yet both reported being sold out in minutes. The internet was not much better. The Japan site, E-plus, went down exactly at 12:00pm, supposedly overloaded (despite the fact that this company handles big events like soccer and rock concerts). By the time it came back online a minute later, all of the seats had been sold. Using a VPR, I signed on to the overseas site exactly at 11:59. At twelve I hit the order button but it said no more first class seats were available (sold out in 1 second?!? How few did they have for sale I wonder?); I was able to order a 3rd class seat for the first day, but the site would not let me order all three days at once, so by the time I finished imputing my credit card info to get that ticket, the other two days had sold out (less than 3 minutes after starting the sale, really?!?).

While it is true that figure skating is more popular here in Japan compared to many other countries, it is still a niche sport. The real problem is the corrupt and opaque ticket ordering system in Japan. The law on reselling tickets is vague and ineffectual, making it hard for normal people who want to resell unneeded tickets, while at the same time, the reselling companies (despite fragrantly violating the law) make money hand over foot. They are overflowing with tickets.

BTW, I checked 20 minutes after the sales ended. An 8,000 yen 3rd class seat is selling for 50,000 on an auction site and many 1st & 2nd class seats are for purchase for more than 100,000yen a pop at many online reseller companies (many of which are reputed to be connect to organized criminal elements).

PS. To those lucky enough to get tickets during the sale today or during the lotteries, I am truly happy for you. :agree:

(((((KansaiPJ)))) that is just terrible. :disagree: So sorry for you.

And here I thought that the ticket run on the Barcelona GPF this year was as bad as it could possibly get... The system used there in Japan sounds like a complete nightmare.

KansaiPJ, that's just awful.
My friend was dreaming about going to NHK and her travel agency and their Japanese partners had promised that there won't be problems with getting tickets and now she has no tickets. (((
Something is terribly wrong with this selling system.

Hi, KansaiPJ!! I and three friends went to the convenience stores to buy the tickets today, but we all failed I think people who can attend NHK this year are REALLY lucky!! I hope you will find the tickets of other days and have great time on the first day