Question about Yahoo Auctions Japan

[Drexel923]

I noticed that a lot of people have found good import deals on Yahoo Auctions Japan and I would also like to find such deals :D , however I can't read Japanese. :( Is there an option to view the site in english? I doubt that there would be, but I figured that I would ask just in case.

[Vroomfunkel]

The short answer is "no".

(The long answer is "no, there isn't")

If it is any consolation, I have seen a few bargains on Yahoo Japan. I haven't actually got any of them, because it all seems like too much hassle to work it out, especially since most of the sellers won't ship internationally.

Vroomfunkel

[IntvGene]

Ya, I also believe that the days of good deals on Yahoo Japan have come and gone. You might get lucky though..

If you want, look through the site using babelfish (http://babelfish.altavista.com), or some other translation service. I usually use the "show pictures" option for viewing, and avoid the innane translation that is usually given. You get a better idea that way anyway.

[Drexel923]

Ya, I also believe that the days of good deals on Yahoo Japan have come and gone. You might get lucky though..

If you want, look through the site using babelfish (http://babelfish.altavista.com), or some other translation service. I usually use the "show pictures" option for viewing, and avoid the innane translation that is usually given. You get a better idea that way anyway.

Cool, I didn't know that you could use Babelfish to translate a whole site. Definitely info I could use, thanks :)

I guess theres not much to worry about if you guys think the site sucks nowadays. It just sucks cause I really want to buy a bunch of imports, but its just so damn expensive. Guess theres not much one can do about that.

[GaijinPunch]

To browse, you should be fine. To search though, you're screwed. you'll need to at LEAST be able to read some characters (and then cut and paste) to search, if not type them in yourself.

[badinsults]

I think it would be rather rude to buy something off someone from Japan and expect them to understand your babblefished Japanese.

[Push Upstairs]

I think it would be rather rude to buy something off someone from Japan and expect them to understand your babblefished Japanese.

That'd be like terrible engrish......in reverse.

[GaijinPunch]

I think it would be rather rude to buy something off someone from Japan and expect them to understand your babblefished Japanese.

Yeup, it is, and pisses a lot of sellers off in the process.

[Drexel923]

I think it would be rather rude to buy something off someone from Japan and expect them to understand your babblefished Japanese.

I agree with you, but I wasn't planning on doing anything of the sort. I just want to be able to browse the listings. (and other Japanese websites) If I were to buy anything, if would ask my cousin, who knows Japanese, to help me with the communication part. But its easier than having him sitting next to me all the time. ;)

[Funk Buddy]

Ok, I found this site from one of the buying services (can't recall which one). It does a better translation than Babbelfish, at least I think so.

http://www.ocn.ne.jp/translation/

On this page you'll see a box for an URL. Enter the site/page you want translated and click the second dot from the left. Last step is to click the gray box and there you go. It doesn't get everything... but damn close.

[GaijinPunch]

Maybe an interested addition to Japanese Gaming would be a list of games and their Japanese equivalents, to help people for searching.

the only kicker... the MySQL database that classic gaming gives me can't handle Japanese. :(

[Ed Oscuro]

Actually, I was starting to make a list of Mega Drive games with the Japanese titles spelt out underneath and alternate titles. It's still in pretty early stages though.

I've had no problem searching Yahoo! Auctions Japan for stuff using the categories; of course it's not as good as being able to directly search but it works.

The best (and only, really) way to buy stuff off Yahoo! Auctions Japan is through an American living in Japan or an inbetween service. There's Celga, but I guy I've worked with says he can do better than Celga, so...

Also not really impressed with the "stupid gaijin can't speak Japanese!" vibes I'm getting...lack of knowledge of the language hasn't prevented a ton of Japanese sellers from posting auctions on eBay ;) (That said, English doesn't really have politeness levels...I still think that's a load of BS, but again, I wouldn't do it out of courtesy anyhow).

[Bighab]

I have gotten some great deals in the last year off Yahoo Japan auctions. I scored a mint Gley Lancer MegaDrive for $40US.I search for games through www.rinkya.com I translate the pages at this site http://www.excite.co.jp/world/url/ Enter the URL in the URL box. Click the right "button" underneath the URL box and them click the orange box to the right of the URL box. Sometimes when looking for specific titles I get a Japanese friend to find the links on Yahoo Japan.

[GaijinPunch]

Ed:

That's a good idea to get going. I can help if you need -- it's a big project. Woudln't want to handle it myself. If I could figure out a way for the DB to handle Japanese, I'd think about it.

The downside? You may be giving way to bidding wars for items you may want. Might be impossible to get good deals there, and Akihabara is all but gone down the tubes (price wise anyway). I suppose Celga and Rinkya have already opened the doors, and the extra dosh it costs for single items ($10-$20) probably will serve a nice barrier for casual purchases.

On the note of the "cant' speak the language" Japanese who post on Ebay. If you've not lived in Japan, you'd not know, but it's a VERY two-faced society. I would find it normal to post a "Seller won't ship internationally" auction on Yahoo, and then go sell somethng on Ebay. Don't make me go into the two-facedness of the professional world. :)