Retro Game Store Reviews: Ojamakan Gamo branch (Osaka)

I had no idea this chain of stores existed until Retrogamecentercx on Instagram posted about their favorite shops in Japan on one of their stories. Since then I’ve added them to my list of retro game shops to visit. While it seems like a majority of their stores are located in Osaka, they also have shops near Kobe, Kyoto, Mie, and even as far as Gifu. I hope to eventually visit them all, but in the mean time I’d like to share my favorite ones with my readers. Today is the first one, the Gamo branch shop.

The Selection

As this store was my first exposure to the Ojamakan brand, I have to say I was impressed. They had a lot more selection than your usual Hard Offs and Book Offs, and their style of organization was very interesting. Aside from your usual games sitting side by side on shelves, they had hundreds of Famicom, Super Famicom, and Gameboy games sealed in bags that were attached to wire frames all around the store. It not only used the limited space they had available well, but it also allowed customers to easily see what each title was instead of having to thumb through spines and spines of games on a shelf or in a box.

They also had a very balanced selection of games. On my visit, I didn’t find any system truly lacking in inventory except for maybe their Gamecube section and Dreamcast stuff. I know I complained about the last store having overflowing games in boxes in front of shelves, but this shop had the decency to put them under the shelves so they weren’t in the way. There was a limited amount of accessories scattered around the store, with some stuff being stored in the glass cases, and others were hanging on the edges of the aisles. There was a decent amount of handhelds too at this shop, but not that many consoles. I think it’s due to the limited space the stores has. You’ll find things stuffed into random corners, under shelves, or on top of them, but not in great numbers like you would at Hard Offs. The store actually isn’t that small, but they have a lot of space devoted to trading cards and game tables as well so they are trying to maximize per square foot profit.

The Pricing

This is where the Ojamakan stores really shine to me. They are leaps and bounds better than all of the major retro game specialty shops like Surugaya, but also give countryside Book Offs and Hard Offs a run for their money. The only other chain that is close to Ojamakan in terms of inventory and price is Furuhonichiba (Furuichi), and even then they are about 10-20% less expensive. Most of the games and accessories I found were very affordable, but some of their handhelds/consoles were a little expensive.

Dragonball Z Shin Budokai on the PSP was one game that I had been searching for at the time of my visit. I had seen it as high as 2000 yen in places like Super Potato and even some downtown Book offs, but in general most places were selling it for 1000-1200 yen (like Furuichi). Up until a few years ago, this was probably a 200-300 yen game due to the unpopularity of the PSP in Japan. But the rise in tourists has changed a great many things. The countryside Book Offs probably sell it for slightly cheaper than 480, but good luck finding them in the wild for that price. Most countryside stores have very small retro game sections these days I’ve noticed, especially for less popular consoles. Again, this probably isn’t the cheapest place you’ll be able to find it, but you definitely won’t be ripped off at Ojamakan.

Access

One minute. That’s how long it takes you to get to the store from exit 6 of Gamo-4-Chome station on the Nagahoritsurumiryokuchi subway line. Also, I know what you’re thinking, “those names are long!”, but I didn’t name them (Osaka is just like that). I will say this though, that subway line is full of great retro game stores you can visit. The Furuchi Tsurumi Ryokuchi store I talked about in my last post is one station away, it goes to Shinsaibashi (which is very close to Namba), and the line ends in Taisho where you can find a Super Potato. The best way to get to Gamo-4-Chome station is from Kyobashi, which is on the JR loop line that comes from Osaka station, but if you’re coming in from Shin-Osaka via the bullet train there will be a few more transfers involved.

The Verdict

• Selection: 3.5/5
• Pricing: 4/5
• Ease of Access: 4.5/5

Its less than stellar selection of consoles and handhelds and gaps in some software hurts its score a little bit, but the great prices and ease of access from the nearest subway station make it a great shop for people visiting Osaka for retro games. If you want to beat the crowds in Namba all vying for the same games and hardware at the same stores, it’s a great choice. It’s also very close to Osaka Castle so there is even some good sightseeing in the area if you’re looking to maximize your travel time. From the looks of the store you wouldn’t think it was in a very local area of the city, but it is and that’s what makes it great. It wasn’t packed with people (on a weekday) and I was able to take my time looking through the shelves. You might not be able to find everything you’re looking for, but there’s a good chance you will and you’ll probably save some time and money by coming here before hitting up the tourist spots.

But wait, there’s more!

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