ChinaJoy is one of the largest gaming exhibitions in China, held in Shanghai every summer. With over 20 years of history, ChinaJoy continues to hold its own despite the growth of newer events such as WePlay and BiliBili World.
Well, in this article, we will tell you about the preparations you need to make when participating in ChinaJoy from Japan.
Especially if you are not used to traveling to China, please check it out.
Preparing travel means and accommodation
Visa arrangements
A visa is now required to travel from Japan to China, although visas were previously exempt for stays of up to 15 days.
Please be aware that there are many people who are unaware of this and decide not to apply for a visa at the last minute because there was an exemption in the past.
If you are entering China for business purposes, you will need an invitation letter from a Chinese company. ChinaJoy’s management did not issue invitation letters until 2023, but I have heard that they will start doing so from 2024. However, there is no proof of this, so it is best to ask a Chinese company that you do business with.
Visas can be issued within Japan, but an examination period is required, so be sure to prepare in advance. There will also be a small fee.
If you don’t feel comfortable going through the procedures yourself, you may want to use an agency.
Although there is some information on the internet saying that “a tourist visa is fine,” we do not recommend entering the country on a tourist visa to conduct business. You also need to be careful with transit visas. I personally recommend following the standard procedure.
Air ticket and hotel arrangements
If you are on a business trip, I think it would be easier to go through a travel agent, but you can also use an online ticket reservation service or hotel reservation service.
I think any plane ticket is fine as long as you arrive in Shanghai properly. Please consider your budget and schedule and book early.
We recommend hotels near the ChinJoy venue. However, it fills up quickly during the ChinaJoy period, so be sure to make your reservation a little early. Some hotels do not accept reservations more than two months in advance, so it is a good idea to book a hotel when the event is less than two months away.
If you don’t go to the venue often and mainly attend parties and meetings, I think it would be a good idea to stay at a hotel near New World in Shanghai. I don’t think this will be affected much by the ChinaJoy period, but I still recommend making reservations early just in case.
If you book a cheap hotel
It’s not a bad idea to book a hotel using a service dedicated to cheap accommodation, such as Hotels.com or Agoda, from a budget-saving perspective. I also use it occasionally.
However, on rare occasions, a situation may occur where you thought you had made a reservation, but when you got there, it wasn’t there.
To avoid this, if you have booked a cheap hotel, we recommend that you call or email in advance to confirm that your reservation is correct.
By the way, there used to be AirBnB (private lodging service), but it seems that the number of them has decreased considerably after the coronavirus pandemic. Although you can still stay in Shanghai with AirBnB, there are rare cases where the location of the accommodation is different from what is displayed on AirBnB, so we do not recommend it unless you are very experienced.
Preparation of means of communication
Google, Yahoo, LINE, Facebook, X (Twitter), etc. are blocked by firewalls in China.
Therefore, in order to use the Internet in the same environment as in Japan, you need to make various preparations.
Smartphone Sim
You will need to prepare a SIM to connect your smartphone to the internet, but we recommend using a Hong Kong SIM. Hong Kong is currently (as of May 2024) not affected by China’s firewall, so you can use the internet just like in Japan if you go through Hong Kong.
In most cases, communication capacity is limited, so it’s best to buy in bulk or use a type that allows you to charge.
VPN
If you plan to hold an online meeting locally or want to upload photos to Google Photos, you will need a large amount of communication capacity.
In that case, the SIM on your smartphone may not be sufficient, so we recommend preparing a VPN service.
Although the speed will be a little slower, you can bypass the firewall and use the Internet as you would in Japan.
However, the use of VPNs to bypass firewalls is increasingly being blocked. It’s common that the VPN that supported you last year won’t work this year, so it’s best to prepare it as a supplement.
I think it would be a good idea to ask local people in China which VPN is best.
Pocket WiFi for China
Another option is to rent a pocket WiFi router for China and bring it with you. Some of these pocket WiFis come with the ability to bypass firewalls from the beginning, so it’s a good idea to check the service details and rent one that does.
The disadvantages are that you have to carry a pocket WiFi separately from your smartphone or PC, and if you lose it, you will have to pay a damage fee.
Convenient local apps
DiDi
This is a Chinese taxi dispatch app.
Since we are also expanding our service in Japan, we also have a Japanese version of the app. It is not easy for foreigners to catch a taxi, and there are still illegal white taxis in Shanghai, so it is safe to call a taxi using DiDi.
By setting up a credit card in the app, paying for taxi fares becomes easier.
Map app
GoogleMap is blocked, and even if you display it with Hong Kong Sim, etc., not enough information is registered.
Be sure to download a map app that is compatible with your local area, such as Baidu Landscape or Gaode Landscape.
Translation app
You can use Google Translate for this as long as you can communicate, but it would be reassuring to have a local translation app in case you can’t get through the firewall.
We recommend translation apps from Baidu and Tencent.
Alipay
China is becoming increasingly cashless, and there are only a few situations where cash can be used. VISA and Master cards are rarely accepted outside the city center, and cannot be used at private stores or taxis.
In China, either WeChat Pay or Alipay is required.
WeChatPay is difficult for foreigners to charge, so Alipay, which allows you to register a credit card, is better.
However, AliPay is not a panacea as there are restrictions on how it can be used if a foreign credit card is registered.
UnionPay card
It is a good idea to prepare a Chinese credit card brand, Union Pay, just in case.
There are also limited situations where you can use it, but there are more shops where you can use it than VISA or MASTER cards.
If you want to make a UnionPay card in Japan, ask your credit card company to issue it for you. Please check with your credit card company to see if it can be issued as a sub-card for your credit card.
By the way, UnionPay cards require a 6-digit PIN number and signature when making a payment. Please be aware that there are many cases where you forget your PIN number and cannot use it on-site. For many credit card companies, the PIN number seems to be “00 + Japanese credit card’s 4-digit PIN number”.
It’s like the Chinese version of LINE. It has more functions than LINE and can be used for various purposes, but as a Japanese person, you can just think of it as LINE.
In China, exchanging WeChat is more common than business cards. First of all, create an account and install the app on your smartphone.
Business appointment
If you are going to go to ChinaJoy, it would be a good idea to have a business meeting rather than just a tour. There are many parties, so you can network there, but in my opinion, a party is just a party, and it often doesn’t lead to actual business.
ChinaJoy matching system
There is a matching system. However, I get the impression that it is not very active, and I think it may be difficult for foreigners to use it. It might be a good idea to think of it as something that won’t hurt if you take a look.
WeChat groups
There are several ChinaJoy-related groups on WeChat. It would be a good idea to ask someone you know in China or someone who has experience with ChinaJoy in Japan to invite you.
An effective way to do this is to introduce yourself and set up a meeting.
direct contact
Another good option is to contact the inquiry desk of a ChinaJoy participating company and have them connect you with a representative.
Half of the participating companies’ purpose is business negotiations, so they will be happy to act as your intermediary.
Ask a friend to introduce you
Introductions are an effective method in China. Moreover, unlike in Japan, there is no hassle of introducing someone and then having them talk to each other, and it seems like it’s OK to contact them straight away. I also receive direct contact from someone who has been introduced to me.
Since you are going to visit us, please introduce yourself to us.
Other small stories
Measures against heat
ChinaJoy is famous for being so hot that it is nicknamed Sauna Joy. Let’s take proper measures against the heat.
There are many meetings and parties during this period, which inevitably puts a strain on your body. Additionally, if you push yourself too hard in a vast venue, you may collapse from heatstroke. Make sure to follow a reasonable schedule and stay well hydrated.
コメントを残す