Since we go through this every year, I've decided to compile all the threads & topics posted by everyone here on Freebird together so that everyone will have a one stopSMAP CONCERT KNOW HOW. Apart from official procedures, the suggestions and advice are purely mine & our board members. Really hope that this will help everyone to have an easier way to plan for your concert trips. Good Luck !The conventional & official way of getting your concert ticket is to buy from Johnny's. However,youMUSTbe a Johnny's SMAP fan club memberin order to do this. All first hand concert information on concertdates, venues, etc will be announced though fan snail-mail only & if you're in?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comJapanwith a ketai, you can access Johnny's i-mode site.But don't worry, we'll usually post those info out on the day we receive that long awaited letter!?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comTo become a Johnny Fan Club (SMAP) memberYouMUSThave JAPAN ADDRESS to register. No overseas address will be entertained. As for our board members who have the memberships, most joined it thru personal friends that are living inJapan. Most people I know ask Japanese friends who are not SMAP fansfor this favour. Because of this, it's really up to you to get your own contacts to help you.Membership fees are 4,000yen per year. There is a one-time admin fee of 1,000yen when you first join. As a SMAP member, you will receive a small full-coloured newsletter every quarterly. Process time is from a few weeks to 3 months.Approaching concert season, the Jimusho (office)has been known to rush membership applications. They do reserve some tickets to some venues for people who applied late (not all venues though so be prepared!). So if your membership goes through late, you will get a special application form with a few venues listed.Old way of joining: If you are inTokyo, go to Johnny's Jimusho & get the application form. (Note that as of 26 April,the Jimusho at Azabu-Juban closed & moved to Shibuya) or send in a self addressed envelope to receive the membership application form. Then pay at any post office.As of 2004, you no longer require to go to the jimusho to get the form. Just go to any post office inJapan. After filling a deposit slip, transfer the 5,000yen into Johnny's account. [Post office account name: SMAP, account number:00120-5-351928] You will receive a receipt from the post office. Keep this receipt as you will need it to verify payment if you do not receive anything within 3 months. Membership fee does not include the postal transfer fee (about 250yen) charged by the post office.Johnny's new jimusho address (as of Arpil 2006):〒150-8550　東京都渋谷区渋谷1-10-10　ミヤマスタワーＢ１Ｆ10 mins walk from Shibuya JR station,East exit.They do sell official pictures not available at Johnny shops.Concert tickets:Each member will receive an official application form together with concert info through mail. Basic formula: 1 membership = 1 application form = 1 concert/4 tickets. Usually, this is sent out about a month before the first concert date. Within 2 weeks upon receiving it, you have to go to any post office to return your original application form & make payment at the same time. There is an admin fee of 500yen no matter how many tickets you are paying for. You are allowed up to maximum 4 tickets per membership & have 3 choices of concert venues. Each ticket cost 7,000yen regardless of seating position, stand or arena. After the closing date, the tickets are allotted to members by ballot. Due to this reason, the chances of getting last concert or more popular venues likeTokyoare slimmer than say,Sendai.Ticket confirmationis available through a voice automated hotline about 2 weeks before your allotted venue. The commencement date for this voice automated hotline will be announced by calling the Jimusho's concert line at 0180-993-700. This means, you call the hotline about 2 weeks before your 1stchoice venue to check if you have been given that venue. You can also call this number for up to date concert announcements. Have your membership number ready. You can only call once so make sure you have a pen ready to scribble. Your ticket info will be deleted once your call is connected through. You will only know which venue & the number of tickets you have been allotted. If you do not get any of your 3 choices, you can opt for extra concerts if they have any & it is very common not to get your first choice venue.Note that although it is rare, you are not guaranteed to get any tickets at all your 3 choices or all your ticket quantity, ie you applied for 4 tickets but you only receive 2 tickets (usually in pairs). If this is so, your money will be refunded to you. You will receive your tickets by registered mail about a week before your allotted concert so you will only know your seat positions then. Membership tickets are white with different coloured prints for different concerts.Tickets for Non-members, you have a few choices:1) Fingers crossed, they have left over tickets after members are allotted theirs - called Open Sales. This means ticket sales open to the public. Very rare & if there are, difficult to get as it is on a first come first serve basis. I remember Drink! SMAP! concert having telephone Open Sales tickets before selling at ticket sales booths at concert venues. MIJ didn't have Open Sales tickets at all. Johnny's will announce if there are any, but don't worry, you'll find the announcement here. You can buytheseticketsinJapanonly at ticket sales offices or at concert venues. Open Sales tickets look like those plain usually blue coloured ones you get from sistic or Lawsons. Ticket price is a few hundred yen more than 7,000yen. I think it?s for the selling agency fee.2) Hunt online on boards & BBSs to see if any fans are selling. Usually selling for cost (7,000yen) as these are fans with extra tickets or can't make it. Be quick as they will be snapped up fast! Some boards are against this so be careful.3) Buy from black market sellers (called Dafuyas) at concert venues. From the Dafuyas, you can get GREAT seats but of course at a great price. Quite easy to spot them - obviously not fans,many have a white towel around their neck, carrying one ofthose small men clutch bag,in their hands holdinga few tickets. There were heaps of dafuyas selling at 2002 Drink SMAP but not for 2003 MIJ. There was a major shortage of MIJ tickets they were approaching us to buy!! Be prepared to pay at least +-25,000yen per stand ticket & arena about 45-50,000yen. It goes much higher for seats closer to the stage or hanamichi (Flower walk). Dafuyas will be around thedome/stadium on concert days& it's up to you to bargain a good price from them so if you can't speak Japanese, going with someone who does may be a good idea. And obviously, be as polite & friendly as possible. The tickets are inhispockets, not yours. yet!Money matters:If you have the money and you are willing to pay, you WILL get a ticket on that day. Many board members show up on concert day with no ticket and bought from Dafuyas. You just have to be willing to pay the outrageous prices. Usually, the cheaper venues are usually the ones farther out, away from the big cities likeTokyoorOsaka.Hiroshima,Sendai,Niigataare usually cheaper with Dafuyas. But remember, if you are flying intoTokyo, you will have tofactor inadditional costs for train and buses to& from the venues.4) Go really early to the concert venue and raise sign asking for tickets. Obviously, a sign in Japanese is ideal & this can be easily solved by our board member's help. Hope for the best. Fans with extra tickets will approach you. So may some more friendly Dafuyas! But my suggestion is, hold your sign & stand away from Dafuyas. One of our board members got chased away by one as she was in his sale territory or something!! Quite scary! & Yes, we softly but audibly ask out loud for tickets while pacing a stretch of path. If you're lucky, you pay the normal ticket price but unlikely. Usually, it's a little more.** For Dafuya or holding a sign method, remember: Ticket prices may fall once the concert has started. So if you have already watch a previous concert & are willing to sacrifice the first few minutes, hang in there. You can savea bit.5) Bid on Japan Yahoo auctions.Usually a littlecheaper than Dafuya tickets. Must be registered to Japan Yahoo and most instances, be able to email in Japanese. Do Q&A the seller before you bid to ask alternative methods of payment & postage if you cannot pay through a Japanese bank/post office account or do not have aJapanaddress to send the tickets to. Bear in mind that the time is short - from the seller receiving his/her ticket & sending it to you till the date of the concert.6) Ticket shops aroundJapan. Hmmm... I guess they are like licensed Dafuyas! They operate from normal shop units with glass cabinet showcases filled with tickets, and more tickets.