I just got back from my first trip to Japan in late June to early July. Here are some tips.
Etiquette: Respect and politeness go a long way. This is common sense, but I encountered some vloggers/influencers filming in stores and being loud. Please don’t be that person. Some stores have no photos policies, it varies. There’s usually a sign that says no photos (in Japanese) with a graphic so you get the gist.
Language: Hello (konnichiwa), Can you speak English? (Eigo ga hanasemasuka), excuse me (sunimasen), I’m okay/ no thank you (daijoubu desu) and yes please (hai, onegaishimasu) are the most common phrases I used. I’d usually point at cards in a display case and someone would help me. You can inspect cards before purchasing them.
Stores: When searching for stores, search in Japanese on Google Maps, using ポケモン カード、です (Pokemon Cards in Japanese.)
Our trip wasn’t centered around Pokémon card shopping. I fit them in when I could, but there are also so many things to see/do in Japan other than cards. Most card store open in the early afternoon so be sure to keep that in mind for your itinerary. Stores are often hidden upstairs in buildings and they’re only accessible via stairs.
Tokyo: We went to Card Secret in Ikebukuro. It was heavily recommend online, but in my opinion it wasn’t worth it. The staff wasn’t very helpful and their stock for both modern and old cards was picked out.
In Akihabara, we stopped at Mandarake. The selection was slim and unfortunately I didn’t see any of those mystery cubes on sale. The neighborhood is super crowded and crazy. Junk Street has a lot of hidden stores. I bought an WOTC oripa block from おたちゅう。秋葉原2号店 トレカ館.
Kyoto: Mandarake in Kyoto is located in Takashimaya, a large department store. Again, the selection was okay. I really liked Champion, located in Gion. They had a nice selection of newer and older cards. Check out their Instagram page. The Pokémon Center in Kyoto was significantly less crowded than the one we visited in Shibuya.
Osaka: I had the best time card hunting in Osaka. Nipponbashi is the place to visit. There are a ton of card stores on Ota Road. I easily could’ve spent an entire day card hunting here if my schedule allowed.
Tips: Be sure to check out Bookoffs (a thrift store). They’re located throughout Japan and sell a lot of modern cards, often at a discount.
For reference, 1,000 yen equals about $6.75. Old WOTC Japanese cards were significantly cheaper than U.S.prices.
Yellow stickers indicate damaged cards, but even then they’re fine to throw in a binder. Japanese card quality is better than English cards.
I didn’t have the time to meticulously sort through each store’s bargain bin. If you can, I’m sure you’ll find some cool cards.
If you see something, don’t be hesitant to buy it as long as it’s within your price range. I’m kicking myself for saying I’d come back to a store, only to lose its location and/or forget about it.
Vending machine card packs can be a hit or miss. If you find one in a touristy area, you’ll probably be dinged.
Get lost! Sometimes traveling can just feel like you’re going through a checklist of things to see. I stumbled upon some of the best card stores by random chance.
I can PM a list of stores on Google Maps if you’re interested.
Safe travels and happy hunting!