RE: heading to japan
check out a chain hobby/toy store called BAM BAM! i know the name is stupid, but they stock a ton of hobby stuff
there was another store near the base i lived on that was more pro stuff, but i dont even remeber the name.
i was introduced to RC then back in 92 ish as a young kid,grasshopper, black foot, i owned some other stuff. but i know they had HPI at bam bam, but it was to expensive at the time for us.
check it out, im sure the store still exist