January 13, 2026 – Observing the One Piece Market on the Ground

On January 13, 2026, I decided to visit several familiar locations to observe the current One Piece market firsthand.

I have written many blog articles so far, but one thing I strongly believe is this:
there are things you simply cannot write about without real, personal experience.

Of course, it is possible to rely on AI tools like Gemini or to gather information purely from the internet.
However, that approach lacks the atmosphere, nuance, and realism that only come from actually being there.
That is why I constantly remind myself that my own actions matter, and that I must move before I write.

The same applies to selling.

Whether it is Pokémon cards or One Piece cards, this is ultimately a business, so numbers and prices are important.
But what matters even more is understanding why something is expensive, or why it is cheap.

Anyone can set a price.
But when decisions are made based only on numbers, without understanding what is behind them, problems inevitably arise.
Recently, I have heard more and more stories about counterfeits, resealed shrink wrap, and other issues—things that I believe nearly 80% of people are not even aware of.

If I don’t fully understand both the good and the bad, and explain them clearly to my customers, a true win-win transaction is impossible.
I believe this applies not only to business, but to human relationships as well—trust is built through transparency and understanding.

That is why I want to continue documenting even these “ordinary” experiences on my blog.

Mugiwara Store (PARCO, Fukuoka)

My first stop was the Mugiwara Store located inside PARCO in Fukuoka.

PARCO has long been known for its openness toward anime culture, not just One Piece.
Recently, it even collaborated with the 2006 anime film Paprika to sell exclusive merchandise.

Among all of this, the Mugiwara Store stands out as a major presence.
Every time I visit, it is lively and full of people.

Personally, I don’t only look at cards.
I also check items like badges, plush toys, and clear cases.
There is an entire world beyond cards, and exploring it is genuinely fun.

Official One Piece Card Shop (Bandai Namco)

Next, I visited the official One Piece Card Shop operated by Bandai Namco.

If you are looking to buy One Piece boxes or packs, this is undoubtedly the safest place to do so.
When purchasing a box, the shrink wrap is removed right in front of you.
Because it is an official shop, there is zero concern about tampering or fraud.

As long as you are not buying for resale purposes, this environment offers complete peace of mind.

Jump Shop

My final stop was the Jump Shop.

Weekly Shōnen Jump has produced countless iconic series Dragon Ball, Fist of the North Star, Demon Slayer, One Piece, and many more.

I personally attended Jump-related events as a child and even bought Famicom Jump on the Nintendo Famicom.
I have loved Jump for as long as I can remember, so being able to reconnect with it in this way feels like a meaningful coincidence.

Like the Mugiwara Store, the Jump Shop also carries One Piece merchandise, though the selection differs slightly.
That difference alone makes it worth carefully checking both stores.

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Why Being There Matters

If I were to write this blog based solely on online knowledge without actually visiting these places, I don’t think anyone would trust it nor would anyone reach out to me.

This may seem like a small thing, but being a seller is not just about selling.
In reality, most of our working time is spent learning.

This applies not only to One Piece, but also to Pokémon and other trading card markets.
Collectors are extremely well-informed, and as someone living in Japan, I believe I also have a responsibility to understand Japanese culture and context.

At its core, collecting is about respect—for the hobby, for the culture, and for the people involved.
That is why I see this work as a continuous process of learning.

This post ended up focusing more on daily observations than on card data,
but I hope to continue sharing these perspectives and of course, card-related insights with you going forward.

Thank you for reading.

Shinobu 🇯🇵