Hard-Off Locations

Hello.

I will be going to Japan in September and trying to find addresses for Hard-Off stores around Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe. Can anyone please help?

William

 

Here you go ! the official hard off map guide from their home page. All in Japanese however. I have no idea where they are in Tokyo or Osaka since I don't live there plus too busy to look at the map :-(

http://www.hardoff.co.jp/block/block.htm

Yakumo

 

The one where I go normally is in Saitama prefecture and it's well supplied. The closest station is Minami-Urawa but it's quite a walk by foot.

 

I think I have said before, although going to Hard Off is nice, be prepared to find nothing of any note and do have a idea on what things cost on Ebay and Akihabara as the pricing does seem to change from store to store and you sometimes will find things more expensive and will less of a warrenty in Hard Off then you could elsewhere.

If you want common or garden Famicom, Super Famicom, Gameboy, Nintendo 64, Playstation and Playstation 2 games quite cheaply (with more horse racing, baseball, pachinko, rpgs and other most unplayable rubbish) or unboxed Gamecubes without controllers, yellowed Famicoms, Playstations or PS2s then you will be in heaven, just don't expect to find anything out of the ordinary in stores near (and I say near, but most are a good 45 minute train journey at least) Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. Also plan to waste a whole day visiting about 2 to 4 if you are lucky as most are quite a walk from a station and nowhere near the main cities.

 

Indeed. The Tokyo area really sucks ass when it comes to good Hard Off stores. The better ones seem to be more in the southern areas of Japan. I know all the ones in yamaguchi and Kita Kyushu are pretty good.

 

It's worth a visit also if you're interested in retro-photography. Found many Polaroid, Spectra, Fuji Instant Cameras and other film cameras for ridiculous prices.

 

Yeah, have fun with the Hard Offs near Tokyo...I rented a car once and went to 15 in one day -- I think I left with just Harvest Moon on PS1 for 50yen...

 

There used to be a relatively large Hard-Off store in Nishijin, Fukuoka city, but unless it's moved location, it appears to have closed down. If you're in the area though, there are at least three small, privately run secondhand games shops nearby...

 

I have a recommendation for a nice, large, mega-Hard-Off, off-house, hobby off location in Hachioji City (West Tokyo.)

Link:
http://www.hardoff.co.jp/info_db.ph...otai05=on&gyotai06=on&gyotai07=on&gyotai08=on

I go there 2 or 3 times a year; they have different "-Off" shops spread over 5 buildings in the area with a decent amount of stuff (Hobby Off is in the basement of the adjoining electronics shop so don't miss it.)

 

I like the concept behind Hard off. Maybe I'll franchise it here in the states.

Call it Hard On

 

I'll pay it a visit in February, when I'll be able to shop again! I've promised I'll stay calm for at least a month after all I've bought in the two hard off next to where I live.

 

Not the best place but figured I could ask here, what do used Wii's/Ps3's/360's go for these days?

 

^^^for far more in japan than in the west! Damn the strong Yen.

 

Forget the Hard-Off in Fukuchiyama (if you ever go there).

I had my family make a detour from our original trip so that I could visit it.
all they had were some PS2, PS3 and DS games

 

There seems to be some sort of mystique built up around Hard-Off, but I've only found them to be a disappointment in terms of gaming - I have been to quite a few around the country and don't plan on doing so in the future. On a national scale, I would say Sofmap's second hand stuff is better priced, the stores are in better (more central) locations and stuff is generally in better condition.

If you really feel a trip to Hard-Off is essential, there's one way south in Osaka near the airport in Izumisunagawa and one near Kyoto in Omihachiman which I've visited before, but neither are worth the trip out of town. In terms of gaming stuff in Kansai, Kyoto and Kobe in general are pretty bad. Just spend a day in Den Den Town in Osaka.

 

Is Hard Off Related to the Book Off locations in the US?

 

It's the same parent company.

The closest Hard Off in central Tokyo is the one in Oimachi but it has very little when it comes to gaming.

Really, for all of the videos that you see on YouTube, these people are mostly English teachers who don't live near a central city and are in remote locations. Anything in the city will be picked over.

 

Hard Off in Shimonoseki is very good for gaming but nothing can beat Mangasoko in Shimosone, Kita Kyushu. I visit there twice a month. takes about 45 minutes to get there by car. Check out my video.

 

Mangasoko can be quite good volume wise but the one I went to in Chiba had stuff in pretty poor condition. I really wanted to go in the one in Okinawa but was there for my own wedding so you can imagine I didn't go inside...