Hey all,
This is my first post into CAG. I love getting games cheap, and only in rare cases (Zelda:WW pre-order) do I buy a game for the full $50. So I'm looking forward to sharing knowledge here.
Having lived in Japan for 2 years, I can most assuredly tell you that there are great deals to be had there. The trouble is, you pretty much have to be there or know someone over there who is as into gaming as you are to get them. For those of you planning a trip, I will tell you the tips I gleaned while searching for deals over there, as well as a few of the things I managed to buy for real cheap.
As with everything, research is key. Knowing your subject matter makes this a lot easier. Which games are rare? Which games didn't come out in the US? Which ones have differences between the original Japanese version and the US version? What kind of Japanese proficiency do I need to enjoy this game? The more you know, the smarter and more discriminating your search will be.
In the same vein, learning Japanese is pretty useful, unless you're going to find games by their cartridge and box scans.
Some games have an English title on them, but beyond that, you're going to have to know some Japanese. It's not as hard as you think to get started. First off, learn katakana. Katakana is angular, phonetic and hides a powerful secret: Nearly all the words written in katakana are really English words! Learning the 50 symbols of katakana is not so hard - with dedicated study of a few hours a day, you can learn them in a week or two. And practice makes perfect - it took me a while to get used to the Japanese adding extra vowels to the words (McDonald's becomes ma-ku-do-na-ru-do), but it comes naturally for me now.
So once you've done some research, and you've gotten okay at Katakana, it's time to go shopping. Where to go to find games? Well, unlike America, the Japanese have a deep respect for old things, even games. They still play and respect the old NES, the old gameboy games, the PS1, the Saturn, and more. Sometimes, especially in the early days of gaming, people would throw their games and systems away when they got a new one. Whereas people in America use somethig until it breaks and then they throw it away, perfectly good things get thrown away in Japan simply because of space. If you have the guts and patience, scouting the trash on trash day can get you some good finds. Anyway, someone along the line got smart and started "recycle shops" where you can sell your old games/electronics/whatever for cash, instead of throwing them away. They clean it up and sell it again. Basically, it's a thrift store - not a revolutionary concept, to be sure, but there are a few big differences between the US and Japanese concept of thrift store.
First off, the Japanese take care of their stuff. Used games are practically new. Scratch-free, with manual, papers, and box intact, and if it's a special edition, all the special pieces will be there. We're talking immaculate here. If there's a scratch ("kizu ari") on the disc, or no manual ("setsumeisho nashi"), they will give you a discount ("waribiki").
[Currency exchange made easy: $1 is roughly 100 yen]
Secondly, walk into nearly any recycle shop, and you'll see a "junk corner" where they sell older VCRs and computers, laserdiscs, power adapters, controllers, game consoles, and games, all at ridiculously slashed prices. One thing to remember is, just because it's in the Junk Corner doesn't mean it's broken, but you take your chances - there are no refunds on junk. I have bought several several games, peripherals, and even systems from junk bins, and they all worked perfectly. This is good if you are interested in buying a Japanese console. Instead of buying a pre-packaged collection of console, parts, and accessories for 3000 yen($30) and up, you can search for the parts piece by piece and save money. I did this with my Famicom and saved a bundle: console: 1000 yen; AC adapter: 500 yen; TV cable: 350 yen... a great memento and conversation piece: priceless. Everything worked on the first try, too. This is also where your research pays off- knowing what each part looks like is really helpful.
As a rule of thumb, the more flashy the store, the easier it is to find what you want, but the more expensive it will be. If you are willing to dig around in junk bins, there are tons of deals to be had. The best deals come from local shops where the owner runs the shop, sometimes connected directly to his house. If you can talk to and bargain with them in Japanese, you can get some good deals. Bargaining also depends on location. The larger places have a set price. But even there, don't be afraid to ask for a discount.
Finally, as an incentive to encourage customer loyalty, many stores give you "point cards" - these cards give you a percentage of the amount you spent back to you as "points" which let you buy things. For example, if you go to Yodobashi Camera and buy a 300,000 yen laptop, you could possibly get up to 30,000 points (percentages vary from store to store and item to item) that can be redeemed on the next business day same as cash. So in the previous example, you could get a nice printer for your laptop with the points. It is definitely important to consider whether or not the store uses point cards if you are buying a big purchase.
Places to go to get good deals:
Wonder Goo (an electronics chain, kinda like best buy)
Hard-Off (the most well-known recycle shop out there)
Book Tomato (sell old manga, games, and movies)
Famicom House (retro specialty shop)
Book Market
Book-off
Book Ace
Toys R Us
Tsutaya (video/music rental)
Yamada Denki
Hello Mack (not so good, but deals can be had)
Used Bookstores
Local recycle shops
Game specialty shops (also known as "Famicom" shops)
..and of course, Akihabara. definitely check out Super Potato for your retro needs and the little shop right by the train station for some great deals.
There are still tons of games out there in Japan, ready to be found and whisked away by collectors. I lived in the Ibaraki-Tochigi area, and there were tons of great stores within an hour's driving radius. My friend just moved farther north and he says the selection's not so great in Hitachi-Ota and its surroundings.
Online, there are a few import sites that are worthwhile checking out:
http://www.lik-sang.com
http://www.playasia.com
Of course, if you know Japanese, you can chekc out ebay's and yahoo's Japanese listings for some great deals.
Now, for Some more console stories: I went into a locally owned recycle shop. The owner was an older fellow. I found an A/V Famicom there, dusty and dirty. AV Famicoms typically run about 5000 yen to 9800 yen, depending on the condition and whether they still ahve their box. I asked him "How much is it?" ("ikura desu ka?") I was willing to pay 1000 yen for it - he said, "I don't know much about electronics... how about 300 yen?) I couldn't believe my luck. I cleaned it up and ran it - no problems at all.
I went to a Book Ace once and found a "junk" Twin Famicom - it can run the Famicom Disk Cards as well as the cartridges - for 2000 yen. The most I've ever paid for "Junk" but it worked, once I got the elusive AC adapter.
Nearby where I lived, there was a massive store, with the largest collection of games I've ever seen. they had so many Famicom and Super Famicom games that they started hanging them from the ceiling. Just amazing. And the most interesting peripherals and licensed items. I could write an entire post about that place - I loved to go there. I bought a copy of Rez there for 1000 yen. Later I found a new Rez "Trance Vibrator" in Akihabara for 300 - you were supposed to put it under your couch to give you that dance-house feel of the music. Apparently the designers didn't think the Dreamcast's rumble was good enough.
Finally, in Utsunomiya, I found a Family BASIC Keyboard - yes, you could program the Famicom in BASIC and 1K of RAM - with box and manual for 1000 yen. When I went to other stores, the same thing was 10000 yen. Later I found Famicom BASIC V3 (4K of RAM and improvements) and some preprogrammed game tapes at Super Potato for around 4000 yen - pricey but worth it, I think.
The deal in Japan is NOT dead - you just have to know how to look for it, and it helps to have someone on the inside. If you have any questions or comments about gaming deals in Japan, feel free to PM me anytime.
Again, it's nice to be here and I look forward to getting involved with CAG!
-22
I'll definitly learn katakana first, but regardless I'll buy any game if it looks cute and absurd! (Good post OP, nice info, thanks)
