100 Copies of *Game* Stuffed into a Suitcase — Has Japan Really Become a Pilgrimage Site for Gamers Paying Extra Baggage Fees?

Starting at 120 hours, completionists really do get instinctively excited when they see news like this. Recently, a foreign gamer shared on social media that they hadn’t especially packed their Japan trip with a tight itinerary, yet somehow casually ended up buying nearly 100 game discs. Before leaving the country, the biggest suspense had even become their luggage and customs. For people who love physical copies and miss the feel of manuals and cover art, this kind of development is basically like stumbling into a hidden shop in a JRPG—open the door, and it’s treasure chests everywhere.

The core reason this player gave was very straightforward: local game prices in Japan were far cheaper than expected. The most eye-catching line in the original post was: “Today, my trip to Japan officially comes to an end. Prices are absurdly low, and I ended up buying nearly 100 games—wish me luck with customs...”. This wasn’t just a case of getting carried away shopping; the price gap is very real. Especially given that game prices are already relatively high in many overseas regions, Japan’s appeal becomes even more pronounced.

More importantly, Japan itself is a highly mature gaming market, and its second-hand circulation system is also extremely well developed. For JRPG players, the allure of that kind of environment is overwhelming. Classic titles, games for older platforms, and even some relatively recent releases can all show up in stores at very steep discounts. It feels a lot like browsing a late-game town shop in Final Fantasy—you thought you were just there to restock on potions, then you turn your head and realize legendary gear is on sale too. At that point, both your wallet and your self-control disconnect at the same time.

This also highlights a very real trend: there are still obvious pricing gaps for physical games across different regions. For overseas players traveling to Japan, it’s no longer just about visiting Akihabara or taking photos of store signs. For many, it’s effectively a highly efficient “restocking” trip. Especially for collectors, it’s hard not to keep buying when they see well-preserved used copies, classic titles with complete cover art, and attractively priced new releases. In that light, ending up with close to 100 discs really isn’t that surprising.

That said, from the perspective of an ordinary player, I’d still suggest understanding “cheap” on two levels. The first is that the unit price really is low; the second is that the total cost can spiral out of control very easily. One bargain pickup today, two more tomorrow, and it all adds up faster than grinding through a dungeon. Unfortunately, many people focus only on the discount tags and overlook luggage weight, regional language habits, and whether they’ll actually have time to finish the games. In the end, their collection grows like a filling-out compendium, while their progress bar stays locked down like it’s under a status ailment.

It’s also worth noting that posts like this will continue to fuel buying impulses within player communities. A mature, affordable, and richly stocked second-hand market naturally creates a cycle of positive word-of-mouth. After seeing these haul photos, overseas players are even more likely to add “buy games in Japan” to their travel plans. For publishers and retailers, this may be more than just a tourism-consumption story. It also indirectly shows that Japan’s offline game retail scene still retains a kind of appeal that is difficult for other regions to fully replicate. For those who love JRPGs and full collection runs, a place like this is less a store and more the little house next to a save point that hides legendary equipment.