✨ A Little Day-in-the-Life Update from Fukuoka
Today was a beautiful day here in Fukuoka, so I headed to the post office to ship a large batch of EMS packages.
I always load everything into my car and bring it directly to the post office because, in my experience, the real information from postal staff is often more reliable than what you’ll find online.
For example, just last month I learned from the post office that Japan Post had temporarily suspended shipments to Canada due to a postal strike there.
Most people wouldn’t think to check Canadian postal news, so hearing it directly helped me adjust quickly and avoid delays.
📍 Checking Card Prices at BookOff
After the post office, I stopped by BookOff to check the latest prices and card movement.
I’m not trying to compete with shops, but in many cases my own prices tend to be lower.
What I’m really monitoring is:
- Which cards are gaining traction
- What’s selling
- Inventory movement
- Early signs of price changes
By visiting multiple stores almost every day, you naturally start to feel the “flow” of the market.
There is always a reason for price movement.
Researching the “why?” later is one of the most enjoyable parts of this business.
Occasionally, I even find old-back or rare cards at surprisingly good prices, and when that happens… I never hesitate.
Many foreigners ask me,
“What’s the best card shop in Japan?”
But realistically, there is no single best shop.
Every Japanese card shop has its own personality.
If you’re visiting Japan, I strongly recommend exploring 5–10 shops to feel the differences.
Because your time in Japan is limited,
focus on exploring rather than buying right away.
Just observing is already a huge learning experience.
🛒 A Stop at the 100 Yen Shop — A $0.64 Treasure Chest
Next, I went to a 100 yen shop to restock shipping supplies.
20 years ago, many items there were low-quality imports.
But today the quality is remarkably high.
Foreign tourists often buy tons of stationery, stickers, and cute small items to take home.
My favorite section is the shipping materials:
- Bubble mailers
- Cardboard boxes
- Protection sheets
- Perfectly sized packaging for Pokémon cards
I’m sure many of you have experienced this before…
Sometimes you receive a package that makes you think:
“Did they just use household trash as packing material?” 😅
For me, packaging is part of the service.
Since this is a business, cutting corners is not an option.
I’m very particular about packaging and always pack with great care.
🌏 Working Within Global Time Zones
Japan’s daytime is nighttime in the US and Europe.
So while most of you are asleep, I’m:
- Shipping orders
- Doing market research
- Restocking supplies
Then in the evening, I shift to writing BLOG posts or Reddit articles.
Recently, thanks to Reddit exposure, my BLOG is now appearing in Google search results, and I’ve begun receiving messages from card businesses around the world.
It has led to many great connections.
And of course individual collectors are always welcome.
Many people reach out even for a single card, and I genuinely enjoy the daily communication.
I write this BLOG not just for updates, but so you can also feel a bit of our daily life here in Japan.
👤 A Late but Proper Introduction
I realized I had never properly introduced myself, so:
My name is Shinobu 🇯🇵
I’m based in Fukuoka, and I run my store together with my wife.
- Reddit posts
- Instagram captions
- Every BLOG entry
These are all written by me.
Please feel free to call me Shinobu when you DM it makes me happy.
Also… just a fun fact:
I’m very passionate about retro video games and the Nissan Skyline GT-R (R32).
If you ever bring up the RB26 engine, I can talk forever 😄
I’ll gradually share more of these small personal stories in future BLOG posts too.
📩 Contact Information
If you’re interested in cards or have questions, feel free to reach out anytime:
Instagram: @pokeshopjp
WhatsApp: Click Her
※ WhatsApp replies are usually faster.
HAKATA7 