How To Get Into Mixi (Without A Japanese Cell Phone Email Address)
25. Feb, 2010
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I’ve written two articles about Mixi so far (kind of a love-hate relationship going, I think). The first was about how you can use the Japanese social network Mixi to study Japanese. The second was about how Mixi essentially closed themselves off from all foreigners (or at least people outside of Japan) by making you input a Japanese cell phone e-mail address. This article is all about getting around that restriction and getting you your Mixi invite. Whew. Wait a sec, this reminds me of something…
Perry’s Black Ships Invade Mixi
I think this has happened once before… right? Back in the day, Japan closed Japan off to those damn foreigners. Then, one day Matthew Perry came in with his black ships and told Japan to open up or face the consequences. This work-around, I think, is just like that (though not at all significant in comparison). Mixi started off by letting anyone with an invitation in (and that was swell). Then, they decided, “hey, we don’t like your kind around here” so they made it pretty hard to join (unless you were in Japan / Japanese). Now, the preverbal black ships have come into port, and it’s time to show you how you can get in. We’ll have to see, however… I think this time the black ships could get themselves sunk.
Of course, keep in mind they probably closed Mixi off in the first place because non-Japanese people were probably being super creepy, so make sure you play nice and only request an invite if you really want one (for non-weird purposes, you weirdo).
The following is a video that walks you through it (and also includes a sweet giveaway at the end, which you can get a jump start on before it’s posted here on the actual Tofugu blog!). Of course, you can skip the video and just read the information below, and have your Mixi invite in 24-48 hours. How swell.
How To Get A Mixi Invite
Get a .edu email address
If you already have one, then that’s great. You can skip to the next step and just use that (probably, though I can’t say 100% for everyone). If you don’t have a .edu e-mail address, here’s how you get one.
1. Go to Australia.edu
2. Click on the email banner to request your own australia.edu e-mail account.
3. Fill out the information – there is a waiting period while they decide whether or not to accept you in. If you give them a $20 donation it apparently helps them make their decision more “effectively,” if you know what I mean. You should think about donating, though – they’re going to start hating how many people go over there for .edu e-mail handouts via Tofugu. Sorry Australia.edu folks!
4. Wait for a while.
5. Maybe after 24-48 hours, they’ll send you your australia.edu e-mail address. After that, you’re in business! If they don’t send you one? Well… pony up that donation.
Request a Mixi invite
After you get your .edu email address, you’ll have to get a Mixi invite sent to that address. Because only people who are already in Mixi can send you an invite, you’ll have to ask for one. Even though I HATE HATE HATE sending out Mixi invites, I’ll hook you up (you better really want it… just saying). Click the link below to request one. If you want to make me feel better, or if you want to learn Japanese so you can actually use Mixi (it’s all in Japanese, you know), consider becoming a member of TextFugu, my online Japanese textbook that will help you self-teach yourself Japanese, oh so good. Anyways, here’s the Mixi request form. Please give me a few days to get to the request, as I’m guessing there will be a lot of them coming in :(
UPDATE: INVITES NO LONGER REQUIRED
Whew, okay, I’m nervous, but looking forward to getting your requests.
Receive Your Mixi Invite
After I send out your Mixi invite, you’ll be able to sign up for Mixi (hooray!). Now, here is where I would normally spell out how to fill everything out… but, when it comes down to it, you should know some Japanese if you’re going to be using Mixi. That being said, hopefully you can figure out how to fill the sign up form all on your own. If that doesn’t work, you can always use Rikaichan.
By following all the steps above, you’ll be able to join the Mixi social network without a Japanese cell phone e-mail address. I don’t know how long this will last, but for now, it should do the trick. If it stops working, be sure to let us know so I can add an update up here. Anyways, get your Mixi invites now, while the hole is still open. Until then, best of luck to all of you!
Update: This loophole does not work anymore. The black ship has failed. Retreat! Retreat!
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Right, thanks, a Japanese fiend tried to help me when I tried registering earlier, probably she gave me the address that she herself had used cause it said to her that there couldn't be more than one registration with that address. But I will now try this way of doing it instead!
Yes, I finally got my .edu from Australia.edu and now its too late. Oh well…
oh d*mn..it doesn't work anymore?
crap that I didn't see this before..oh well. I already applied for one of those .edu addresses but I guess that doesn't matter anymore then.
Can you send me an invitation? Plsss >.<
graysonwong_92[at]hotmail.com
.edu doesn´t work anymore. could you please send me an invatation
Oriba06@austrailia.edu
ohh noo.. i just got a .edu … but don't have a japanese mobile #..
if there's still such a thing as invites- i'd do anything to get one..
…
..aaaaanythiiing…..
my main email:
d.giru-san@live.com
ohh noo.. i just got a .edu … but don't have a japanese mobile #..
if there's still such a thing as invites- i'd do anything to get one..
…
..aaaaanythiiing…..
my main email:
d.giru-san@live.com
I have an education email address from Australia and I still can't get through the cell phone restrictions. If someone could help me get a mixi account that would be amazing! I recognise my Japanese is very poor so that may also be playing a part in why I can't get through.
i need a japanese cell number to complete my registration. Any advice Mr. Koichi? :)
Has Mixi always been open to anything.edu addresses? This is the very first time I've heard of it, and I've spent a long time searching for a way around their Japan-only restrictions…
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so, I just got my .edu a while ago and it didn't work does that mean i can still get in with an invite? if so,
crazedidiot@australia.edu
Please and thank you.
so, I just got my .edu a while ago and it didn't work does that mean i can still get in with an invite? if so,
crazedidiot@australia.edu
Please and thank you.
People have reported that the .edu loophole doesn't work anymore (I tried myself to no avail). You're out of luck for now.
I do own an “.co.jp”-e-mail-address ; and this doesn't work either. I'm living in Germany, so I cannot use those mobile-email-addresses anymore either. What a shame -_____-''
At first, i registered mixi with my gmail account, but the 3rd step blocked me from moving on (which is the phone's email) So when i read this post yesterday night, i thought of giving it a try (i remember to listen to a piece of news concerning it found by http://www.mp3hunting.com SE, but wasn't sure if it is worth trying). I signed up for australia.edu and got approved this morning (within 24 hours). So i tried signing up in mixi, and guess what, the 3rd step wasnt needed at all! So i got myself registered and beginning to add my japanese friends (P.S.: invitation is not required, now) ^^ thank you so much for such valuable information =)
i used hungvjnh@australia.edu email to register mixi, but 3rd step dont have skip option, how did you do ?
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Dear tofugu,
the loophole does work, with a .EDU e-mail address. however, i believe that the australia.edu does not. good news is if you have a .EDU you can get a mixi easy!
Can somebody HELP me please?
I got an invite from a friend who has a Japanese cellphone, so I got started on creating my account. However, the last step is to sent a confirmation mail to your Japanese cellphone mail adress, but my friends' adress is already used by herself (obviously). So I can get an invite but can't complete my account registration. Stupid? What's going on. HELP ME :(
Same problem here, today, with tmartin@australia.edu. No longer working?
tried to sign up with my edu address (not australia.edu) today. though it says that an email has been sent to my email address, I never get the email. I also tried with my other edu address, and same thing, no email sent from mixi for me to start the registration process. “.edu” account is blocked completely? … any help would be really appreciated.
yeah i dont think its working anymore with australia.edu. keep trying with alomax@australia.edu and it keeps taking me to the keitai screen:/ any more suggestions?
Has Mixi always been open to anything.edu addresses? This is the very first time I've heard of it, and I've spent a long time searching for a way around their Japan-only restrictions…
I’m running into the same problem. It looks like they might have wised up to the australia.edu workaround. It looks like it doesn’t work anymore. Mixiのばかっ！