The Complete Guide to Importing Games from Japan

Japan is one of the world's most prolific gaming markets. Titles that never see a Western release, limited physical editions, and games with unique regional content make Japanese imports genuinely worth seeking out. But for a first-time importer, the process can feel daunting. This guide covers everything from why you'd bother to what happens when your package hits customs.

Why Import Games from Japan?

Games that never leave Japan. Hundreds of niche titles — niche in the Western sense, anyway — are Japan-only releases. Visual novels, traditional JRPGs, mahjong games, pachinko tie-ins, and local sports titles often never get localised. Importing is your only option.

Physical editions with real extras. Japanese physical releases frequently include artbooks, OST CDs, fabric posters, and figurines that Western versions drop. A Japanese "treasure box" edition often has more content than a Western "collector's edition" at twice the price.

Better pricing on older titles. Japan's used game market is enormous and well-preserved. Pre-owned import games through retailers like Play-Asia often undercut Western resellers significantly for older PS4 and Switch titles.

Region-free hardware. PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch are region-free for game software (with minor caveats — more on that below). You can buy a Japanese game and play it on your US or European console today without any modification.

Where to Buy

Play-Asia

Play-Asia is the dominant English-language import retailer. They stock new and pre-owned titles from Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, and other Asian markets. Shipping is tracked, customer service is responsive, and they've been operating since 2002. Prices are in USD, making it easy to compare. This site tracks their prices automatically.

CDJapan

CDJapan focuses heavily on music and entertainment merchandise but has a strong games section. Useful for soundtrack CDs and limited editions bundled with music releases.

Nin-Nin Game

French-run import retailer with competitive pricing on Japanese games. Good for pre-orders on niche titles that other stores skip.

Amazon Japan

Ships internationally. Has the widest selection of any single retailer. The catch: not all sellers ship overseas, and navigating the site in Japanese requires either translation tools or patience. Payment can also be fiddly for non-Japanese cards.

Used import games

Stores like Suruga-ya and Mercari Japan sell pre-owned titles at very low prices. Getting purchases forwarded internationally typically requires a proxy/forwarding service like Tenso or FromJapan. Higher effort but potentially significant savings.

Understanding What You're Buying

Japanese physical games come in several region variants:

• JPN — Japanese market. Usually Japanese text only, sometimes has partial English.
• AS / ASIA — Pan-Asian release, often includes English alongside multiple Asian languages.
• HK / Hong Kong — Similar to AS, usually includes Chinese and English.
• KR / Korea — Korean market; Korean text, may have limited English.

For Switch and PS4/PS5, the "AS" and "HK" versions frequently have English language options, making them practical purchases even if you don't read Japanese. Always check the product listing for confirmed language support before buying.

Region Locking: What You Need to Know

PlayStation 5: Fully region-free for game discs. Any PS5 game plays on any PS5. DLC, however, must match the game's region — Japanese DLC for a Japanese game, etc.

PlayStation 4: Region-free for game software. Same DLC caveat applies.

Nintendo Switch: Region-free for game cards. Cartridges play on any Switch regardless of region. The same DLC restriction applies — Japanese eShop DLC requires a Japanese Nintendo Account.

Xbox Series X / One: Region-free for all software.

PS3 / older: Blu-ray movies are region-locked; PS3 games were mostly region-free (Sony never mandated locking) but a minority of titles were region-locked. Check before you buy.

Older hardware (PS2, GameCube, etc.): Generally region-locked. Playing these requires either a region-matching console, modification chips, or region-bypass methods specific to each platform.

Shipping and Costs

Most import retailers offer several shipping methods:

For single games under $40, economy shipping is often worth the wait. For expensive limited editions or time-sensitive purchases (you want to play on release day), express is worth the premium.

Customs and Duties

Whether you pay import duties depends on your country and the declared value of the package.

United States: Imports under $800 (de minimis threshold) enter duty-free. A single game well below this threshold will not attract duties.

United Kingdom: De minimis is £135. Above that, import VAT (20%) and potentially customs duty applies. Post-Brexit, this hits more purchases than it used to.

European Union: The €22 duty-free threshold was abolished in 2021. All imports now attract VAT (rate varies by country, typically 19-25%). Goods above €150 also attract customs duty.

Australia: GST (10%) applies to imported goods and is collected at point of import for shipments over AUD 1,000, or collected by the retailer for lower-value goods under Australia's Low Value Imports scheme.

Canada: Items under CAD 20 enter duty-free. Above that, duties and GST/HST apply.

Use the cost calculator on any product page on this site to estimate your landed cost including shipping and duties for your country.

Practical Tips

1. Check language support first. A Japanese game in a language you can't read is a collector's piece, not a playable game — unless that's what you want.
2. Factor in total cost. Game price + shipping + duties = landed cost. Use the calculator.
3. Pre-order cautiously. Release dates slip. Pre-ordering through Play-Asia charges on shipment, so you're not out of pocket if it's delayed.
4. Buy sealed for collectability. Japanese games in sealed condition hold value well. Open if you're playing, keep sealed if you're collecting.
5. Watch the JAN code. The JAN barcode uniquely identifies each edition of a game. If you're hunting a specific print run or variant, the JAN is definitive.