Starting vaping in Japan

[kamatz]

Hello guys and gals!
Found this place on the vast plains of Google and decided to ask for help.

I've been smoking for 7 years now, went from a heavy smoker to smoking 1mg cigarettes (coz they're healthier than 8mg(?)) on a regular basis. And this Christmas I decided to make a switch to e-cigs. Now I have next to zero experience in everything "e", I tried a disposable one you can buy in almost any konbini and to say it was awful is an understatement. I did my reading and found out that mod is the way to go. Well surprise-surprise - they don't sell those in Japan! As far as I understand everyone here orders from overseas...

So, with all the diversity in every component of vapering equipment, what do you think is a good starter kit for a total noob? Also any tips on what web-shop to buy from (shipping price/quality/speed/reliability) would be much appreciated.

Cheers!

P.S. I live in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo. If there's anyone around who is willing to show me in person what it's all about and how it even looks (and get a beer or smth in the process) - would be really nice

 

[Harlen]

Hello and welcome
I would go with the SVD if you wish to get into all the voltages
But I still love my ego for day to day on the go.
Best wishes
H

 

[mbottema]

Hi kamatz. Welcome to the forum. I too did the same as you. I switched for my 46th birthday this year in July. It took a couple of weeks research and then a couple of tries with different delivery options to Japan.
I went with a reputable company to insure quality. The first vendor (V2) I used a regular e-cig but the batteries are small and I was constantly monitoring the four batteries. But it got me convinced that ecigs were for me. Shipping was $50 bucks and that was too steep a price.
The second company and now my go to company doesn't charge shipping with orders over $150. And I can use my cc with an address in Japan. I use Vapor4Life E-Cigarette
I use a battery that looks kind of like a small cigar, Zues, and a refillable cartomizer called a smileomizer. You can get the starter kit here. Vapor Zeus Auto Starter Kit | Vapor4Life E-Cigarette
Make sure you get some bottles of ejuice to refill your cartmomizers. You will also have to get more cartomizers. I keep a stock of around 5-10 cartomizers and 5-10 bottles of juice. If I get below 5 of either, I make another order. This way I don't run out and there a no red flags at customs. Smileomizers last a long time, 2 weeks each and then I can clean them and get another 2 weeks. The battery can last for over ever on one charge, I can go all night at my local pub on one full charge. And it can be used while I charge it at my home using the USB charge cord.
I like this company because the shipping is quick and free with large orders, customer service is good, the Zues batteries last a long time, the flavors of ejuice are good and it still looks like smoking which is a plus in Japan.
I just order my second battery from them and also started a friend here in Gunma on the same brand. She was new and it was very easy for her to start and now she loves vaping too.
Vaping in Japan takes patients and research. It's just not popular here. But I have been cigarette free since August and I am not going back to those nasty analogs. I uh ought I would never say that because I was a pack a day plus smoker since my early teens.
Good luck, if I was up in Tokyo I would be glad to show you.

 

[mbottema]

And if you want to take a trip to Gunma, I'd be glad to show you how one works. Or send me a PM and we can connect on skype.

 

[kamatz]

Hi mbottema, Thanks for the answer!

Just checked the starter kit - looks nice and the reviews are great. Just one thing bugs me - the whole package + 10 juices + 10 cartomizers easily go beyond 150$. I know it's a starter and then you just basically buy juices when you're out but, how much do you spend per month on it? The way I see it, it's way above what I spend on smokes (quick math, i spend about 3500yen per month on tobacco, don't really think that's much, so if I'll do the switch it ain't gonna be to save money )

 

[kamatz]

@Harlen, hi and thanks for the answer! What kind of eGo are you using? I've heard nothing but good things about the brand

 

[mbottema]

I use about one 30ml tank a week. That's ¥170 a day. You don't need to buy so much. Just get to the $150 for the free shipping ($25 for shipping below that number). Smileomizers cost $7.50 each, so they are not cheap. But I can use one for about a week, then I clean it and use it again. I have been using the same ones for over a month now. So the total cost is still less than ¥200 yen a day. But the other benefits are not actually smoking, coughing, stinking up the house, car and clothes. Priceless!
Add a couple of smileos and a couple of bottles of different flavors, to see what you like.
If you like it, order more based on your usage.

 

[mbottema]

Sorry, that should read bottle not tank. 30ml bottle. I'm consider my self a heavy vapor, I know others that get by with less. Everyone vape sat their own rate.

 

[kamatz]

I guess that's fair.
So, those smileomizers, you can technically clean them indefinitely or do they eventually go bad no matter what you do?

 

[mbottema]

Depending on how you clean them I've heard of them lasting a long time and others who had no success. I have cleaned them 3-4 time with no problems and they are stil working. So one can last 3-4 weeks in my experience. But I rotate 3-4 cartomizers (smileomizers). Cleaning, and drying is the hardest part. There are some rules to using tanks, it takes practice to get maximum life.
I just ordered a tank to see if they work well as the replacement carts that go in them, they are much cheaper. If I can clean them a couple of times, it will be very very cheap.
I hope to get my tanks (clearomizer) Saturday or Monday.

 

[kamatz]

I see, please update when you get them, always up for a cheaper alternative.

Also, anyone interested in batch purchasing? Any experience on sending nic juice by Japan Post?

 

[Vo0Do0]

Hello guys and gals!
Found this place on the vast plains of Google and decided to ask for help.

I've been smoking for 7 years now, went from a heavy smoker to smoking 1mg cigarettes (coz they're healthier than 8mg(?)) on a regular basis. And this Christmas I decided to make a switch to e-cigs. Now I have next to zero experience in everything "e", I tried a disposable one you can buy in almost any konbini and to say it was awful is an understatement. I did my reading and found out that mod is the way to go. Well surprise-surprise - they don't sell those in Japan! As far as I understand everyone here orders from overseas...

So, with all the diversity in every component of vapering equipment, what do you think is a good starter kit for a total noob? Also any tips on what web-shop to buy from (shipping price/quality/speed/reliability) would be much appreciated.

Cheers!

P.S. I live in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo. If there's anyone around who is willing to show me in person what it's all about and how it even looks (and get a beer or smth in the process) - would be really nice

If you are looking for mods fast tech has a shi7load for cheap. They are bootlegs mostly but something like the nemesis bootleg is pretty great and for $23-30 it's hard to pass up. I got 2, one for me and another for my girl and got a brass one coming in the mail. Unless you want the real thing, that'll run ya $200. Which makes no sense to me since it's a damn metal tube. I'd say go find YouTube reviewers for the nemesis mod and hear what they have to say.

They do sell a Japanese made mod here in Japan and looks pretty nice but it's also around $150. I think they have em at vaporcone.

Then there's the tank/atomizers and/or drippers. They have rebuildable ones and replacement atomizers. I got a couple protanks 2's (it's what my buddy recommended since I'm new to this). They're pretty easy to maintain and fill but I'm getting tired of gurggling and minor leaking. I know there's fixes like always keeping the tank filled more than 50%.

After a month though I'm ready to move on to the good shi7 though (The Russian 91% or the Kayfun lite) . The RBA's and the RBD's ( rebuilable drippers ). Those are more advanced but supposedly give a much better taste, so everyone says.

Also everything here is 510 but it seems thats what all the "best" stuff seems to be.

But get your liquid from the US, don't mess with China juice, maybe it's just me but I just don't trust China when it comes to ejuice.

And you're talking about 8mg of tar cigs right? Cause I've never heard of a cig with 8mg of nicotine. Haha. The American spirits I smoked were 1mg of nic & 8mg of tar. And Theyre one of the stronger cigs around.

 

[Vo0Do0]

I see, please update when you get them, always up for a cheaper alternative.

Also, anyone interested in batch purchasing? Any experience on sending nic juice by Japan Post?

Haven't had any problems receiving nic juice in Japan but I've never tried sending it. Hopefully there won't be a prob in my newest shipment, it'll be the first time getting 250ml of nic juice from the US.

 

[kamatz]

Vo0Do0, thanks for the answer! For now I checked a bunch of YouTube and decided to go for Vapor Zeus kit. I will check nemesis though, as I will most probably need another device in case I run out of batteries As for RBA's and RBD's - I will probably get there when I'm more comfortable with vaping. I mean, there's always a risk of me fully rejecting it (not likely though, but still), and I'm already taking a risk of getting the more expensive one.

Ah, China juice, sounds like something else but I do agree, will get the stuff from the US for now, until we find a steady supply here in Japan.

Yup, 8mg of tar obviously Right now I'm on those 1mg tar, 0.1mg nic cigarettes but those still taste like sh i t

 

[Vo0Do0]

Sorry, that should read bottle not tank. 30ml bottle. I'm consider my self a heavy vapor, I know others that get by with less. Everyone vape sat their own rate.

Damn! That seems like a lot. I thought I was a heavy vapor. How many mg of nic do you use?

 

[Vo0Do0]

Vo0Do0, thanks for the answer! For now I checked a bunch of YouTube and decided to go for Vapor Zeus kit. I will check nemesis though, as I will most probably need another device in case I run out of batteries As for RBA's and RBD's - I will probably get there when I'm more comfortable with vaping. I mean, there's always a risk of me fully rejecting it (not likely though, but still), and I'm already taking a risk of getting the more expensive one.

Ah, China juice, sounds like something else but I do agree, will get the stuff from the US for now, until we find a steady supply here in Japan.

Yup, 8mg of tar obviously Right now I'm on those 1mg tar, 0.1mg nic cigarettes but those still taste like sh i t

Kinda seems expensive for that type of set-up. I hope it works out for ya.

I've used both those cig types and now these mods/tanks and IMO there's no contest, mods and tanks kill the little ecig/carts.

There's this site too that keeps track of a lot of good deals.

http://.........blogspot.com

 

[mbottema]

Damn! That seems like a lot. I thought I was a heavy vapor. How many mg of nic do you use?

I use between 4 and 8. The reason I say between is sometime I mix the two for flavors, like menthol 8 with an apple 4. So that would like a 6 or 7.
I've heard of some people going through a 30ml bottle in two days. I read that an average heavy vaper is around 6-7ml's a day. Light vapers are under 1ml-2ml a day.
I was a heavy smoker (1-2 packs a day) so it's probably normal that I would be a heavy vapor too as nicotine is absorbed into the system slower when vaping.

 

[mbottema]

Kinda seems expensive for that type of set-up. I hope it works out for ya.

I've used both those cig types and now these mods/tanks and IMO there's no contest, mods and tanks kill the little ecig/carts.

There's this site too that keeps track of a lot of good deals.

http://.........blogspot.com

Just to back up kamatz decision, the Zeus is not a small battery. The large I have is more like a cigar packing 900mAh and the XL packs a whopping 1300mAh. Thee large has lasted me up to six hours between charges and I am a heavy vapor. Tests have shown over 250 charges and it still keeps going with very little degradation in performance. Not bad for a stick.
Mods sound like fun, but there is no one around here to show me how to build one on my own. I may get into later when my Zeus poops out.

 

[Vo0Do0]

Ahh I'm usually around 3ml a day sometimes a little less and I thought it was a lot cause I'm always toking thing . How is 30ml a day even possible? Do they drink it?!? Hahaha. I'm at 18mg of nic though. I used to smoke about a pack a day, then slowed to about 3\4 a day of american spirits.

Maybe try a higher nic mg. I've thought about going up to 24mg but I might be content at 18mg.

 

[Fantasio]

kamatz,
I'm also new to vaping, it has been only 2 months (cigarette free!), and I've been using quite basic stuff, kanger pro tank II, vision VV batteries (both bought in Japan, from japanese online shops) and a bunch of Halo Juices 12mg (ordered online from US).
I still don't know much, but if it can help, I'd be glad to show you that, as I live on the den-en-toshi line, 20 minutes away from setagaya-ku.
Actually I don't know any vapers here, but if you speak japanese, there's a vapers' community, and they're gathering sometimes in Tokyo. I missed it last week because I was sick, and the next gathering might be few months away, but if you're interested here is the link:
JP Vapers •

Feel free to contact me, I can share my little knowledge about the subject around a drink, and you could try my kanger.