Hey folks! I'm going to Japan for the second time, staying few days in Tokyo and Osaka, but doing side trips to Kyoto and Kobe. I was wondering if anyone can suggest stores to go and check for NeoGeo and other retrograming items. I'm expecting to buy 1 or 2 cheaper AES games (such as Samurai Spirits 2) but would love to see what they have. Also looking for some Japan-exclusive PS3/PS4/Switch games so any suggestion is appreciated.
Let me know which stores are the best ones to visit! Thanks for the help!
I've been to Japan a few times in the last couple years. First time was sensory overload, but since you're going back a second time I think you'll enjoy it much more. Anyways, gaming suggestions:
1. DO NOT shop in Akihabara in Tokyo. Prices are super overpriced, especially places like Super Potato. DenDen town in Osaka is a much better location if you're looking for the rare stuff, I found pretty much everything they have in Akihabara but at a lower price over there. My favorite store in DenDen town is called "Surigaya speciality shop" (I believe that's the name). Really hard to miss but they have an incredible selection of rare stuff in good shape and very reasonable prices.
2. Book-Off and Hard-Off are your friends! The "Goodwill" of Japan, everything I bought from those stores was in amazing condition, and even the stuff in the "junk" section was in relatively good shape and all worked! Main issue is that you probably won't find any Neo Geo stuff there, it's all second hand stuff that people donated or traded in, so the real rare and expensive stuff isn't always around, but you might get lucky.
3. Go to some of the smaller, less touristy cities or areas of a city. When you start seeing that everyone around you is Japanese, that's a good sign. I've stumbled upon some mom-and-pop game stores in more suburban areas that had really good prices and things weren't so picked over like they were in main parts of Tokyo and Osaka.
4. Remember to bring your passport wherever you go. Most stores in Japan offer you to pay everything tax-free if you spend over 5,000 yen, so that's 10% off. Quite a savings.
Enjoy your time in Japan, hope I was able to help a bit!
P.S: Don't forget to check out the nature and countryside of that beatiful country. The big cities are overrated, going through a forest during a typhoon- that is my favorite Japan experience.