FAQs
Every console on this site was opened, cleaned and gameplay-tested here in Japan before it was listed. We only sell what we have held in our own hands. These are the questions people ask us most often, answered plainly.
Will a Japanese console work where I live?
Yes — with the right power. Japanese consoles run on 100V, and almost everywhere else runs higher: 120V in the US and Canada, 230V in the UK, EU, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. Outside Japan you will normally need a step-down transformer, or a regional power supply made for your country. It is a small extra part, and it is the difference between a console that lasts another twenty years and one that does not.
On region locking: match the game's region to the console's region and you will not see an error. Japanese consoles play Japanese games. If you want to play games from other regions, ask us before you buy — we will tell you honestly whether it is possible for that particular machine.
What does "cleaned and tested" actually mean?
It means the machine was taken apart, not just wiped down. Contacts are cleaned, dust and old residue are removed, worn parts are replaced where they need to be, and then the console is connected to a screen and actually played — not just powered on to see a light. Where a console has been recapped, the description says so and names the parts used.
We do this because a retro console that fails three months after it arrives is not a bargain. It is a disappointment with shipping attached.
These are used machines. What condition are they really in?
Honest answer: they are thirty and forty years old, and they show it. Scuffs, small scratches, yellowing on older plastics, faded labels — we photograph these and describe them in the listing rather than hiding them. If a flaw matters, it is in the description. If you find something we failed to mention, tell us and we will make it right.
How much is shipping, and how long does it take?
Shipping is calculated at checkout, so you see the exact amount before you pay. Orders of $100 USD or more ship free worldwide — no cap, no excluded countries. Below $100, shipping is a flat rate based on where you are and the size of the item.
Orders are processed and dispatched within 1–3 business days (Monday to Friday, Japan time), and you get a tracking number by email as soon as it leaves us. Typical delivery times:
- EMS (Japan Post) — 5–10 business days to North America, Europe and Oceania; 7–14 to Asia, South America and Africa. Tracked and insured.
- FedEx / DHL Express — 3–7 business days to North America, Europe and Oceania; 5–10 to Asia, South America and Africa.
- Small Packet (Airmail) — 1–3 weeks, tracked.
- ePacket Light — 2–4 weeks or more, tracked.
Customs processing can add time. We cannot control that, and we will not pretend otherwise.
Will I be charged customs when it arrives?
It depends on where you live, and we would rather tell you now than have you find out at your door. If you are in the United States, import duties and taxes are calculated and collected at checkout and we pay them for you, so most parcels arrive with nothing further to pay. If you are anywhere else — including the UK and the EU — we are not registered to collect your country’s import tax, and we do not use the EU IOSS scheme, so import VAT and any customs duty are charged separately when the parcel arrives, together with your carrier’s handling fee. Rules differ from country to country and they change, and customs decisions are not ours to make, so please check your own customs guidance before you order. If a carrier presents a charge that looks wrong, email us the paperwork. We would much rather hear about it and look into it with you than have you quietly decide that buying from Japan is a gamble.
What if it arrives damaged, or stops working?
Contact us within 14 days at info@enjoygamejapan.online with your order number and what is happening, and we will make it right. Every console we sell was tested before it left, so if something is wrong, something went wrong — and that is ours to fix, not yours to absorb.
Can I return something if I simply changed my mind?
Yes, within 30 days of delivery. The item needs to come back with all its accessories and in the same condition it arrived in. Original shipping costs are not refunded, and return shipping is yours unless the item was defective or we sent the wrong thing. Please pack it as carefully as we packed it — damage from inadequate packing is not covered.
To start, email info@enjoygamejapan.online with your order number and a short description. We reply with instructions and a return address.
You do not have the thing I am looking for. Can you find it?
Often, yes. We buy in Japan every week, and a good part of what we sell was found because somebody asked for it first. Email info@enjoygamejapan.online and tell us what you are after — the model, the colour, the state you want it in. There is no obligation and no waiting list to join.
Why buy a Japanese console from Japan?
Because this is where they were made, and where the parts, the knowledge and the machines still are. Our family has been selling games here since 1986. What we are really doing is keeping these machines alive and in the hands of people who will use them — a Famicom sitting in a drawer is just plastic; a Famicom being played is a childhood that came back.
Still have a question? Write to us at info@enjoygamejapan.online. A person reads it.