新年あけまして！おめでとうございます。

Happy New Year, and thank you for reading.

(This opening greeting is written in Japanese for local readers.)

I took a short break from updating my blog over the past few days.
That said, I wasn’t inactive I was simply taking a moment to reset.

Watching the First Sunrise of 2026 in Aso

On January 1st, I visited Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture with my family to watch the first sunrise of the year.

Aso is one of Japan’s largest active volcanic regions, known for its massive caldera.
It felt like a fitting place to welcome the start of a new year.

The temperature that morning was around 6.5°C (about 44°F).
It wasn’t just “cold” it was the kind of cold that makes your body tense up.

Still, when the first sunlight appeared over the mountains,
I quietly thought to myself, “Alright… the year has truly begun.”

The Atmosphere in Japan After New Year’s

In Japan, many businesses remain closed until around January 4th.
Things usually begin moving again from January 5th onward.

Because of that, the streets felt noticeably quieter than usual less traffic, fewer people, and a calm, almost paused atmosphere.

What I Do During Long Holidays

During these quieter periods, there’s something I often do.
I visit several convenience stores and buy card packs.

This time, I went to about four different stores and mainly picked up One Piece Card Game packs.

Some of you may have noticed that I’ve been talking more about One Piece lately.
The reason is simple:

Pokémon packs and boxes have become very difficult to find in stores right now.

Even living in Japan and visiting shops in person,
I can clearly feel how limited the supply has become.

Normally, limited supply leads to sharp price increases.
But interestingly, prices haven’t exploded yet which makes the current situation feel a bit unusual.

That said, 2026 marks Pokémon’s 30th anniversary,
and a new set, “Munikis Zero,” is scheduled for release on January 23rd.

Personally, I expect the overall mood and market dynamics to shift again around that time.
I’ll be sharing more Pokémon-related updates as things develop.

An Honest Note About Convenience Store Packs

I live in an area where many convenience stores still carry One Piece packs and boxes,
so I was able to purchase a variety this time.

Here’s an honest reality check:

• Buying 2–3 loose packs rarely results in hits
• From experience, buying a full box offers a much better practical chance

At convenience stores, packs are sold individually after being removed from boxes.
This means there’s always a chance that the high-value cards have already been pulled.

This isn’t limited to convenience stores the same applies to Pokémon Centers as well.

You’ll also find many cheap packs online (Mercari, eBay, etc.),
but a significant number of them are searched or filtered packs.

Buying solely because something is “cheap” is usually not a good idea.

How Much I Bought & A Small Update

Between January 1st and January 4th,
I purchased roughly 80 packs, including some boxes.

Before December 31st, 2025,
I had already sold around 50 packs via Instagram,
and I’ll be gradually listing the newly purchased items as well.

To keep things simple:

• Cards already in cases: $2 per card
• Other items: price depends on condition and content

To be honest, there are still many cards I haven’t even sorted yet
—I’m losing track myself (laughs).

Contact Information

For updates or availability, feel free to reach out here:

• Instagram: @pokeshopjp
• WhatsApp: Please contact me here
  (WhatsApp replies are usually faster)

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This year as well,
I’ll continue sharing real, on-the-ground perspectives from Japan,
at a pace that feels natural.

Thank you for reading, and I look forward to another year.

shinobu 🇯🇵