Local game stores, Japan style (lots of pics!)

[smork]

So it's been a few weeks since i've posted new pics. I had a different game store than this one in mind, but I had a massively fortuitous find at this one, so it comes next

Monday was a holiday in Japan, so I played golf with some co-workers in Ibaraki prefecture, which is to the north of Chiba (where I live) and NE of Tokyo. It's considered part of the Tokyo region, but it's quite country up there. After my round I decided to poke around the nearest city, Kashima. I found that there was a large Kanteidan there - Ibaraki Kanteidan.



I apologize for the poor pic - I had to take it from my car as it was pouring rain and in the 40s outside. (The rain moved in about halfway through my golf round, which made the last few holes extremely miserable)

Inside was lots of gaming goodness, with pricing totally at random. Still, lots of good stuff to be found! This store is quite well organized for the most part (except for systems -- you'll see in a minute), especially compared to Urayasu Kanteidan. Here's the first aisle I saw while walking into the game department -- DS on the left, GBA on the right, and a tunnel of Famicom at the end.



I found the Famicom section to have universally awful prices for some reason. There's a big wall of FDS games, but I don't think any of them were below 1000 yen.



The Super Famicom section had some deals -- mostly on some nice game bundles that I didn't snap any picture of. They has some nice Mega Drive bundles, too. Here's a view of the SFC section:



Right next to that was a decent sized section of AES games, with some PC-FX games at the bottom.



Look at the wall of loose + boxed Game Boy games, pretty cool.



Here's some more Famicom and PC Engine games.



Almost any system you can think of, they had some games for it. Virtual Boy, SG-1000, Super Cassette Vision, Game Gear, WonderSwan. Here's a Swan section -- too bad it was all overpriced, IMO.



More in part 2!

[smork]

So - Part 2. Here's where I found some deals. In response to a previous question -- I don't think they like people taking pictures so much, so I try to be fairly sly. This day there was a security guard around me pretty much the whole time I was there -- he didn't seem to be too concerned with me, but it still felt a bit odd to have him nearby all the time. I took these pictures when he moved away, but then he saw me later with my camera around my neck and the lens open (but not taking a picture). He gave me a strange look, but said nothing. Perhaps I am paranoid.

To continue with the photos, here's the Saturn section. I thought it and the DC section had quite nice prices -- thought I didn't get any Sega stuff this time.



As I mentioned in the last post, the system section was the only disorganized part of the games area. It still wasn't too bad, especially compared to Urayasu Kanteidan. Here's a view -- check out the loose Twin Famis (sold as Junk as they had no AC adapters and were untested).



And another view, this one not so disorganized:



Look, up there! 3 PC-FX systems.



I found the prices in the system section to be really nice. There was good and bad condition stuff, and the bad was discounted nicely for condition. I like that as a collector -- get the systems you want in great condition, but if you want a 'player's system', you can get that for a cheap price, too. Like this pic:



2 items in that picture are now in my apartment

But the best part for me, a hardcore NeoGeo collector, was the Neo Pocket section. It was a part of this wall here:



A full 90% of the NeoGeo Pocket systems on this wall looked to be NIB, and CHEAP. It was as if someone dumped a few boxes of new old stock on the store -- which someone probably did, maybe a local retailer.

The Neo Pocket game section was the best of all for me -- as I found a game I was REALLY looking for (and for the past 3 years, too!). It was cheap, and NIB. It's in this group:



Hey, look! It's the last super rare Japanese Neo Pocket game I needed, Pachinko Hisshou Guide Pocket Parlor! I grabbed a ladder, dug through the games on the wall. No, it's 6 Pachinko Hisshou Guide Pocket Parlors! All NIB! This is why I root through these game stores, for the FUN of finding something you're really looking for, up on some wall in the middle of nowhere.

Naturally, I bought all 6. Don't they look nice?

[Tron 2.0]

Looks nice damn that shop has a nice selection of fds titles.

Either loose or cib damn i wish i could aford a trip there.

Given when trying to get fds games cib on ebay can be a pain.

[Azraelscross]

whats that interesting konami box at the bottom.

and i always liked the Japanese game stores but all i have in my town in an EB cause microplay got shut down so long ago so its nice to see something different even if its pictures

[MonoTekETeA]

So - Part 2. Here's where I found some deals. In response to a previous question -- I don't think they like people taking pictures so much, so I try to be fairly sly. This day there was a security guard around me pretty much the whole time I was there -- he didn't seem to be too concerned with me, but it still felt a bit odd to have him nearby all the time. I took these pictures when he moved away, but then he saw me later with my camera around my neck and the lens open (but not taking a picture). He gave me a strange look, but said nothing. Perhaps I am paranoid.

Hahah, you dog! You could replace the old Sam Fisher(RIP), all stealth like.

Lol, all of those Gboy Printers, you can probably find extra printing paper over there too.....OH WAIT I SEE A ROLL! Lol, that is crazy.

Recently got some stuff from Japan, and loved how entertained I was to see one of the famicom games still in it's baggy. It is funny how we can get stupid little kicks out of stuff like that, never having it ourselves.

I really like how they package their stuff, the systems and I think the Neo-Geo AES games, they are all in those plastic tube bags and folded over and taped. A real clean look if you ask me.

Another great upload Smork, thanks!

[Hwj_Chim]

Great pics. I love seeing all of those games like that.

[s1lence]

Wow, if I visited or lived there I would be SOOooo broke.

[BenG76]

smork and okagawa, Thanks for the great pics. I would love to dig through a game store like one of these.

[raylydiard]

like aladdin's cave
wow wow
do they have any shenmue stuff
wheres the shop to i know japen or hong kong
could some one give me some idea where they are as some time next year i am takeing a trip there to buy all the sega stuff as i like all this stuff

[ubersaurus]

Hey smork, on that store near Nara...I think I know which one you are talking about! They didn't have any Duos...but I ran into another store nearby that did, pretty cheap >D

[smork]

Hey smork, on that store near Nara...I think I know which one you are talking about! They didn't have any Duos...but I ran into another store nearby that did, pretty cheap >D

There's a couple of good stores there. The one that was a long walk from JR Takada station gets these big lots of super cheap shit now and then. For a while they had boxed Neo CDs for 2000yen, then they had new, boxed NGPC for 500 yen, and they later had loose Twin Famis for 3000 yen. Helluva cool place. I must make a point of going back there in the next few months!

There was another one nearby in Kashihara that had a massive selection of desirably odd stuff. Old computers, Laseractive - stuff you don't find every day. I love the countryside

I should have some more game store pics after this weekend!

[hellfire]

japan is so fucking lucky

[smork]

As promised, more game pics!

I made a little road trip around the area on Sunday and found a few shops I hadn't been to yet. One of them was a really nice Hard-Off that seemed to specialize in games. It had more games than almost any other Hard-Off I've seen, so it's one I'll be going back to.

I went to three other new stores. One had a very small selection of retro (but fantastic prices on what it did have). The other two were great all around, and I can't believe I've missed them till now. I'll get to the one closer to me soon, but tonight I'll share some pictures from Otakara-a! to Market.

This is a little chain - I know of three stores, but this is the first time I've been to the one shown here. I quite frankly wasn't expecting much as the other store I had been to had nice newer stuff, but not so much retro. This store had a neat selection of all sorts of games, and at good prices. The best part of it is, unlike most of the places I go to that are inconvenient from public transport, I can recommend it for anyone visiting Tokyo who takes a train to or from the airport, as it's right across the street from Keisei Kozunomori station, only 10 minutes or so from the airport.

Here's a view of the outside:



Here's the obligatory shot of loose SFC games. I wonder how many loose SFC games there are in Japan? It's gotta be an insane number.



One of the great things about this store is that while they don't have the largest volume of games by a long shot, most of the games were pretty reasonable. Not to mention, they had at least a few games for a staggering amount of systems. Here's a selection of Wonderswan games:



I walked out of here with a few WS games, the Tarepanda LE set, Gransta Chronicles, and Slither Link. Gransta Chronicles in particular was a bargain; it goes for a pretty penny in stores and on the auction sites, but this place had it for ~$15.

Out of one of the showcases I snagged a Super Cassette Vision game as well. Look at some of the handhelds here:



Here's a nice selection of PC Engine and Dreamcast, with PS2 at the end. The other side of this aisle has Sega CD, Saturn, NeoGeo CD, 3DO...



This store wasn't big on systems and accessories, but what systems they had were fairly priced.



This store was alot like a specialty music store, where there is a somewhat eclectic selection of artists but not necessarily everything under the sun. My purpose in this thread isn't to make it into a "Tourist Guide to Japanese Game Shops" - I just want to share some pics of the places I've visited -- but in this case it is so convenient for a collector who's in transit to the airport to make a quick stop here that I can't help but recommend it.

[MonoTekETeA]

Lol, nice, I decided to check DP for the first time in a while saying to myself "I wonder if Smork updated his thread." Still a few acessories that I have never seen before, and the size of the store really surprizes me, unless all of that in width isn't the game store...or maybe just a general store with games. Enlighten me/us if you don't mind Smork. Thanks again holmes.

-Jeremy

[Breetai]

I picked up my complete boxed PC Engine Duo for 5000yen from a Hard-Off, as well as my 3DO for 1500yen (no hook-ups, but that's not a problem). I saw a Neo-Geo CD system for 3000, and the original AES joysticks for 500yen(!) each, but I passed it by as I'd rather score an AES system. I also picked up a complete in box Dragon Quest III for the Famicom for 100yen, whereas it's usually about 1000yen in other used shops.

Hard-Offs are awesome sometimes.

edit: I've now found and bought Final Fantasy I-III (III was CIB) and Dragon Quest I-IV (III was CIB) for the Famicom and Final Fantasy IV-VI and Dragon Quest V & VI (VI was CIB) each for 105yen. I was patient and managed to pay the absolute minimum for each! These are not in perfect condition, but they are all at least in decent condition.

[chrisbid]

the amount of stock those stores carry is insane, i hope to visit the country one day

[slapdash]

Out of one of the showcases I snagged a Super Cassette Vision game as well. [...]

Do you know what system the Casio games (numbered 6, 13, 12) in the upper left were for? MSX maybe? I was thinking they might be PV-1000 or PV-2000 games, in which case I was potentially going to ask you to go back for them for me ;-) but the numbers/names don't match up with the PV info I have.

[smork]

Do you know what system the Casio games (numbered 6, 13, 12) in the upper left were for? MSX maybe? I was thinking they might be PV-1000 or PV-2000 games, in which case I was potentially going to ask you to go back for them for me ;-) but the numbers/names don't match up with the PV info I have.

I'm pretty sure they are MSX games. If they were PV-1000 games I would have picked them up myself

[slapdash]

Heh, good enough...

[Elrinth]

very cool topic...

Me myself I'm currently trying to get my hands on a Pc-Engine Duo (not R or RX) boxed with a few games (none-simulation games). Oh and I also want an FM Towns Marty with one or two games. I'm not really sure how much I'm willing to pay, it all depends on what's included really But definatly 5000 yen for the consoles only.

I've got a friend in Japan, but I don't know where I can direct him to go. He lives in Kyoto.