Guides

How buying trading cards in Japan works, written for visitors.

• How to buy Pokémon and ONE PIECE cards in JapanLotteries, purchase limits, ID checks and release days: how new packs are sold in Japan, where visitors can actually buy them, and what to do instead.
• Akihabara card shop guideOver 50 card shops within a few minutes of Akihabara Station: how the area is laid out, which buildings to check, and how to compare prices.
• Where to buy trading cards in TokyoAkihabara, Ikebukuro, Takadanobaba, Nakano and Shibuya: the best areas in Tokyo for card shops and official stores, with maps.
• Where to buy trading cards in Osaka, Kyoto and KobeNipponbashi (Den Den Town), Umeda and Shinsaibashi in Osaka, central Kyoto, and the card shop building in Sannomiya, Kobe.
• Pokémon Centers and Pokémon Card Stations in JapanWhich Pokémon Centers have a Pokémon Card Station, what you can and cannot buy there, and how card sales work at official stores.
• ONE PIECE Card Game official shops and how their lottery worksThe 20 official ONE PIECE Card Game shops in Japan, the booster pack lottery, ID checks with a passport, and what visitors can buy.
• Yu-Gi-Oh! in Japan: OCG cards and where to buy themHow the Japanese OCG differs from the TCG, why English cards cannot be used at events in Japan, and where to find Yu-Gi-Oh! singles and packs.
• Tax-free shopping for trading cards in Japan (refund system from November 2026)From November 1, 2026 you pay tax at the counter and get it back at the airport. How it works for cards, the ¥5,000 minimum and the 90-day rule.
• Buying single cards at Japanese card shopsHow showcases, condition labels, price tags and graded slabs work at Japanese card shops, plus useful Japanese words and manners.
• Japanese vs English cards: what is differentSet names, pack sizes, prices, card quality and tournament use: what to know before you buy Japanese Pokémon and ONE PIECE cards.
• Playing card games in Japan as a visitorPlay spaces, tournament centers and official events for Pokémon, ONE PIECE and Yu-Gi-Oh!: what you need to join and how events work.
• Card shop chains in JapanPokémon Centers, ONE PIECE official shops, Hareruya, Card Labo, Yellow Submarine and other chains: what each one is and how many stores they have.
• Bringing cards home from JapanProtecting singles and sealed boxes, carry-on or checked bag, tax-free items at the airport, customs at home and shipping by post.
• What is oripa? Original packs in Japan, and why to be carefulOripa are packs made by shops, not by the card makers. How they work, why the odds are hard to check, and what to think about before buying one.
• Avoiding fake cards and resealed packs in JapanCounterfeit cards, searched and resealed packs, and too-good-to-be-true listings: how to protect yourself when buying cards in Japan.
• Where to buy trading cards in NagoyaAbout 30 card shops in Osu, Pokémon Center Nagoya in Sakae, and the card shops around Nagoya Station.
• Where to buy trading cards in FukuokaPokémon Center Fukuoka at Hakata Station, the ONE PIECE official shop in Canal City, and the card shops of Tenjin.
• Where to buy trading cards in Sapporo and SendaiOfficial stores next to Sapporo and Sendai stations, and the card shops a short walk away.