5 Much Cheaper Electronics to Buy in Japan

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Have you ever wanted to visit Japan? Of course yes; otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this article. But what to bring back as a souvenir? What about some Nintendo products that aren’t Switch or games (e.g. fidget toys and hanafuda cards)? Or perhaps a unique object from one of the country’s countless shrines? You can’t go wrong with electronics, especially since they’re often cheaper than your home.

Electronics in Japan are cheaper than in the United States for several reasons. First there is the exchange rate. Although you can get a good idea of ​​prices by assuming that ¥100 equals $1, at the time of writing it is closer to $0.62. Exchange rates fluctuate daily, but in general, U.S. currency is worth more than Japanese currency, meaning tourists can get more for their money abroad. Additionally, stores in Japan are required by law to include sales tax in their prices, while American stores often add the tax at checkout. If you see an item in Japan that costs as much as it does in the United States, you still save money if you buy it overseas because the Japanese price takes tax into account. And even if not, tourists are often exempt from sales tax in Japan. As long as the item has a special “duty free shop” symbol and is part of a transaction costing more than $100 (approximately ¥10,000).

You can often find the best electronics sales at stores like Yamada Denki and Yodobashi Camera. Think of them as B&H Photo and Best Buy of Japan, but better. Here are what we think are the best deals.

When many people think of Japanese electronics, Nintendo and Sony are among the first companies that come to mind. After all, they’ve been entertaining audiences for decades. If you think the PlayStation 5 isn’t worth $900, you can buy one in Japan. Just keep in mind that money isn’t the only cost.

The price of a PS5 in the United States varies depending on the model you want. For example, the vanilla version of the PS5 with 1TB of storage costs $649, while the PS5 Pro with 2TB sells for $899 – before taxes, mind you. But in Japan, the PS5 Pro sells for ¥137,980 ($849.67) or less. Assuming you can find one, as they are often sold out. You can also buy an 825GB digital PS5 for just ¥54,950 ($338.37), including tax. But unlike every other PS5, these are region locked and only play Japanese games with Japanese language options. Likewise, the Japanese Switch 2s follow a similar pricing structure: you can buy one for ¥59,980 ($369.38), but it’s Japanese-only.

Buying some electronics from Japan also comes with a particular problem: they use Japanese power adapters that are incompatible with US plugs (yet another factor that sets the Japanese and US Switch 2 consoles apart). However, you can often work around this problem if the device uses a USB power cord. For example, the PS5 DualSense controller. These peripherals start at $74 (plus tax) in the United States, but you can buy them in Japan for just ¥11,190 ($68.90). Hell, the limited edition models that cost $84 in the US are selling for just ¥12,480 ($76.84).

Let’s say you forgot to pack your headphones or headphones before visiting Japan. Or maybe the ones you brought were lost, stolen or broken. You can buy a new pair in Japan for pennies on the yen.

If you walk into a general electronics store, especially in Yodobashi, you will often find a wide range of quality headphones. For example, a pair of Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones (over-ear headphones that are cheaper than the AirPods Max 2) would normally cost you $449 at a Best Buy, but in Japan you can buy them for just ¥59,400 ($365.80). And yes, we are talking about a model with noise reduction technology and spatial sound.

Although you can save a lot of money on Japanese headphones, the headphones are more popular in the country, so you’ll probably find them often. And their regional discounts are just as enticing. Since Sony is based in Japan and does more than just make game consoles, you can buy many audio products and save money doing so. A Sony SF-1000XM6 (another pair of noise-cancelling devices) normally costs $329.99, but in Japanese stores like Yodobashi, they only cost ¥39,600 ($243.91). Don’t expect to get the same savings if you buy devices like the Apple AirPods Pro 3. You can buy them for around $249 (excluding tax) in many US stores, but in Japan they only cost ¥39,800 ($245.11). Even though Apple products are popular in Japan, don’t expect to save a lot of money while in the country.

Many people like to immortalize their vacations with photo albums, and Japan is full of picturesque landscapes and places that beg for a photo (although some areas prohibit photography, so you should always research them in advance). While many popular smartphone cameras work in a pinch, a dedicated camera will give you a better picture. And if you buy the camera in Japan, you’ll save money to boot.

If you want to find the best deals, buy a camera made by a company headquartered in Japan. Sony has appeared several times in this article, and we have to mention the company again, because the Sony ZV-E10 is one of the best travel vlogging cameras you can buy. You’ll need to spend $800 to purchase this item directly from Sony’s US store, but the entry model retails for ¥105,600 ($649.91) in Japan. Even high-end cameras like the Fujifilm

If you prefer video cameras, Japanese stores offer both selection and discounts. The GoPro Hero 12 is one of, if not the best action cameras on the market, but it costs $369.99 in the US. You can buy one in Japan for ¥52,660 ($324.10). If you prefer vlogging with something a little more gimbal, the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 may meet your needs for $439 via Amazon in the US. But in Japan, you can walk into a Yodobashi and buy a Pocket 3 for ¥56,950 ($350.53).

Relying on hotel hairdryers is a breeze, even in Japan. Sure, they’re more likely to work than American hotel hairdryers, but Japanese hotel hairdryers may not be powerful enough for your taste. Depending on your hair’s needs, if you didn’t pack a hair dryer, you may need to purchase one. But you won’t have to spend too much money.

Let’s start with one of the most recognizable names in aerial technology: Dyson. You probably associate the name with vacuum cleaners and bladeless fans, but Dyson also makes a “supersonic” travel hairdryer that runs on the same bladeless technology. Many people like this device because, according to reviews, it gently dries hair without overly moisturizing it. You might be tempted to buy one in the US for $299.99 (excluding tax), but you can buy them from Yodobashi starting at ¥42,800 ($263.51) including tax.

Panasonic is a company that you might be surprised to learn sells hair dryers. Almost everyone is familiar with Panasonic TVs, but Panasonic hair dryers use patented technology to extract moisture from the air to keep hair hydrated and healthy. The company sells compact hair dryers starting at $94.99 in the US, but there are also Nanocare models that add extra features like emitting negative ions, which apparently makes you feel better. If you want to buy a Nanocare dryer in the United States, your options are limited; a model on Amazon sells for $359.99. But in Japan, Panasonic Nanocare devices are much more numerous and retail from ¥20,000 ($123.13).

Rice is one of Japan’s staple foods. In fact, rice was once the country’s national “currency”, so one could argue that it is a cornerstone of Japanese culture and history. Is it any surprise that some of the best rice cookers come from Japanese manufacturers?

If you want the best, fluffiest rice for your meal, many swear by Zojirushi and its line of cookers, some of which use fuzzy logic to autonomously adjust the temperature and heating time to cook the perfect bowl of rice. If you’re wondering why some people think fuzzy logic hard drives are the next evolution in computer storage, cook some rice in a Zojirushi. While the least expensive Zojirushi rice cookers sell for $59.99, they’re little more than electric pots with a “Keep Warm” function. More advanced models add technologies like induction heating and the aforementioned fuzzy logic circuits, retailing from $354.99 in the United States. But you can buy these Zojirushi rice cookers on Amazon Japan starting at ¥20,258 ($124.71).

A word of warning if you buy a rice cooker from Japan, Zojirushi or otherwise. Hell, this might as well apply to virtually any Japanese electronic device: more often than not, their labels will be in Japanese. For some appliances, such as Zojirushi rice cookers, this language barrier is only a minor obstacle, and you can easily get used to the appliance without understanding what the words on the buttons mean. But if you buy the Japan-only Switch 2 and PS5 consoles, good luck learning how to navigate their menus.