Retro Gaming in Japan: A Primer

I’ve seen tons of people post thousands of videos of individual gaming and thrift stores across Japan, but I’ve never seen them all in one place. In this article I would like to give my readers some information about the different type of places you can buy retro video games, some of the chains you can find them at, what you can expect to find and pay at these stores, and some general tips about thrift store/recycle shop buying in Japan.

Places you can find Retro Games

The vast majority of retro game shopping in Japan is going to be done at recycle shops (リサイクルショップ). These are stores that deal in a variety of used goods. You’ll find house things, electronics, tools, anime goods, and most of the time video games too. The type and amount of games you’ll find there will vary depending on the size of the shop and the area it’s located in, but you should always be able to find something.

The other types of shops that have used and retro games are video rental shops like Tsutaya. It used to be one of, if not the biggest, rental chain in Japan. It has since moved into selling used media like games and movies, as well as offering play areas for trading cards. GEO Japan is another rental chain that has retro games from time to time, but it’s rather hit or miss. You should always be able to find modern system games like Nintendo Switch or Playstation 4 and 5 there, but further back really depends on the store.

There are also shops devoted to video games that sell both new and used games, but you’ll usually be paying a premium for games as these places. Almost all the game shops in Akihabara, Tokyo could be lumped into this category. There are also some companies that have been absorbed by larger electronics chains such as Sofmap (run by Bic Camera), and even a few Electronics stores that have started to stock used games along with new ones (e.g. Edion Yokohama’s used game section is decent for a chain store).

Another place you can look for retro games is at Flea Markets (フリーマーケット). I’ve been to some larger ones that had a few booths full of retro games, but smaller ones usually tend to have nothing at all. If you enjoy thrifting in general you should still check out flea markets in whatever area you’re in, but don’t expect to find much. Larger cities such as Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, and Osaka should have these regularly. My favorite place to go is at Nissan Stadium near Shin Yokohama throughout the year. Search online for areas you’re going to visit and you just might be lucky on your trip.

There might be more places for you to find retro games in Japan (online is definitely another possibility), but outside of these four it becomes increasingly more difficult to find them. For the sake of time, it’s best just to focus on these. Don’t expect to find random garage/yard sales (they don’t exist in Japan), and many people don’t use Facebook Marketplace to sell things. Sales on Mercari have picked up, but you’re probably going to be paying more on there instead of just getting them from the places I mentioned because that’s where the online sellers are getting their inventory.

Thrift Shops/Used Game shops

Book off

Book Off is probably the largest thrift store chain in Japan, with stores all over the country. They have multiple types of stores, with Book Off Super Bazaars being the largest type, followed by Book Off Plus, and regular Book Offs.

• Book Off Super Bazaar = this type of Book Off has all types of items. You can find electronics, furniture, anime goods, house things, clothes, movies, and of course video games. Most of the ones I’ve been to have had decent game sections.
• Book Off Plus = These Book Offs have fewer goods than Super Bazaars, but you’ll still find books, movies, video games, and clothing (amongst other things).
• Book Off = these tend to be the most basic type of stores. Some only have books and manga, others books and movies, but larger ones and ones in cities tend to have video games as well. The size of their selection is usually much smaller but there is still a chance to find what you’re looking for.

There are other off-shoots of the Book Off brand that have different focuses, and the Eco Town building in Hachioji, Tokyo brings them all together. Below is some information about what you can expect to find at these stores.

• Hard Off = established a few years after Book Off, this shop focuses mainly on hardware such as electronics. This can range from TVs to stereos to PCs and more. You will usually find a lot of video games, accessories, and game systems at these stores. The big ones also have CRTs for retro gaming, and huge junk sections with broken/dirty items where you can buy gaming stuff for cheap and fix them/clean them up yourself.
• House Off = As the name implies, you’ll find a lot of house things here. This means furniture, clothes, things for the kitchen, etc. But I’ve learned over the years that some of these stores also have games and game stuff. If there isn’t a Hard Off in your area there is a good chance it will have some retro games, but even if there is one House Off is worth checking out. You never know what you might find.
• Hobby Off = this brand’s main focus are hobby goods such as anime figures, models, and toys, but if there aren’t any other shops in the area they can also carry retro games and systems. They usually are paired with other stores like Hard Off though.
• Mode Off = This is a clothing brand from Hard Off that focuses more on high branded clothes.
• Liquor Off = Do you want old whiskey or scotch? Do you have old bottles you’ve never opened? You can sell the expensive stuff here or pick up old bottles of liquor.

Surugaya

Surugaya’s main store is in Shizuoka but they have them located all over Japan. They also operate some local stores in areas outside of main cities. I’ve personally been to about 6 or 7 and they have all been pretty good. Depending on the size of the store you can find just about anything related to nerd culture. They have had very good selections of games (with hit or miss pricing), lots of consoles and accessories, anime and game figures, trading cards, models, and more. You’ll usually find a better selection of games at these stores than at Book Off companies.

Super Potato

I haven’t really taken many pictures of Super Potato stores in Japan, but they tend to be the most popular with foreigners visiting the country. They usually have a great selection of games that are in great condition, but they almost always have the highest prices. If the yen is weak it is a great place to spend your money since everything will look cheap to you, but you can usually find better prices outside of the big city. They only have 6 stores but if you’re in Tokyo, Nagoya, or Osaka you should check them out.

Mandarake

Mandarake has a few more stores than Super Potato does but their focus tends to be more on retro things in general. They have tons of retro anime, manga, toys, and figures (check out their main store in Nakano, Tokyo. It’s a literal museum of nerd culture). And while they do have video games and game systems, their prices tend to be on par with Super Potato if not more. Worth checking out for rarer and harder to find items though. Unlike the Book Off brand that will take anything, both Mandarake and Super Potato tend to take boxed items mostly.

Treasure Factory

The Treasure Factory brand has been expanding aggressively into the thrift store market lately and while they are new to the retro gaming thing a few of their stores carry them. They have a variety of partner brands like TreFac Style, but the only one that has a chance of having games is going to be the Treasure Factory one. Not worth going out of your way for, but if you see one in your area while you’re shopping around they are worth stopping into.

Other Stores

There are many local and regional shops that I won’t talk about in this article because they are too numerous to count, but as I chronicle my retro game adventures in the coming months you can be sure I’ll talk about them then.

Useful Phrases/Words to know

There are a some useful phrases you can use while shopping that can make buying retro games in Japan a lot easier. Here are a few:

• 買取をお願いします (kaitori wo onegaishimasu)= I’d like to sell something
• ショーケースの中を見せて下さい (showcase no naka misete kudasai) = I’d like to see something in the showcase (many expensive items are usually locked away)
• 状態をチェックしたいです(jotai wo checku shitai desu) = I’d like to check the condition (use to check to see if items has all its components)
• キズがあり (kizu ga ari) = has some damage/scratches (written on descriptions)
• (X) なし (nashi) = (X) is missing (written on descriptions)

Using Google Translate or some other app to translate memos/stickers on items you want is also a good way to check information or to communicate with people if you’re worried about miscommunication. It takes longer and it’s not perfect, but it can be really helpful in a pinch.

What’s next?

Now that you all have an idea of what retro game shopping is like in Japan, I can move onto some shop reviews in the future and start to recommend places you should visit if and when you come to Japan. I look forward to talking about my favorite stores and letting people know about places they never would have found on their own. Let’s hunt treasure together!

But wait, there’s more!

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