Softbank is gorgeous.

SOFTBANK is GORGEOUS --> http://mb.softbank.jp/mb/en/

(function on vox not working for me again)

while I know Arashi is for au, I've always been a fan of softbank (although of course that's just the service provider, right?)

The thing is, I really want those phone, Samsung Toshiba and Sharp beat the heck out of Nokia and Motorola for me ANYDAY.

They're flippy and although motorola's are flip-phones, I don't like their flip. I like the rectangular flip-phones *picky* and I'm lucky to have a flipphone myself that is the only decent looking flipphone here in the country (the Nokia 6-somethingsomething. xD)

I would really like to get my hands on those japan textured ones that they're coming out with. I love the black and gold. I love it! I LOVE IT!

but how? I've read a few blogs of people who are lucky enough to have wiggled their way out of getting the services of softbank/vodaphone/etc and just got away with those lovely phones which actually carry japanese language options (nokia used to have a lot of language options. I remember i accidentally switched my 3310 of many years ago into Chinese and had to click on absolutely everything to get it back.) I want those back.

Does anyone happen to know how I can get my hands on any japanese phones (even those they now sell on ebay and all) without having to be in japan or get the service providers?

its one of my bucket list items. Get a japanese phone.