Is Trader in Akihabara tax-free?
NOTrader's FAQ says it is not a tax-free shop.
Part of: Akihabara Retro Game Shops: Where to Go for Retro Games
Browse more: Akihabara Shopping Guide
Trader is an Akihabara shop for secondhand and new video games, retro games, figures and Blu-rays, with two stores. The main store, at 4-2-1 Sotokanda on Chūō-dōri, runs from B1 to 7F: games and retro games on 1F and 2F, figures on 3F to 5F, plastic models and character goods on 4F, and adult floors on 6F and 7F. Trader No. 2, at 1-4-9 Sotokanda under the JR tracks, is smaller.
Trader says plainly it is not a tax-free shop. I run private anime tours here most weeks, and Trader is a stop for retro-game hunters.
It also sells import games, both secondhand and new, on the main store's 1st floor.
What is on each floor of Trader?
From Trader's own floor table: the main store has games on 1F and 2F (new games on 1F), retro games on 1F and 2F, import games on 1F, Blu-ray and DVD and game CDs on 2F, figures on 3F, 4F and 5F, plastic models and character goods on 4F, and the buying counter in B1. No. 2 has games, Blu-ray, DVD and figures on 1F, and its buying counter on 3F.
| Category (all ages) | Main store | No. 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Video games | 1F, 2F | 1F |
| New video games | 1F | 1F |
| Retro games | 1F, 2F | — |
| Import games (used and new) | 1F | — |
| Blu-ray and DVD | 2F | 1F |
| Game-related CDs | 2F | — |
| Figures | 3F, 4F, 5F | 1F |
| Plastic models | 4F | — |
| Character goods | 4F | — |
| Buying counter | B1 | 3F |
Adult PC games, doujin software, goods and video are on the main store's 6th and 7th floors and on No. 2's 2nd floor. Families can stay on the lower floors. For Akihabara's other retro shops, see Akihabara retro game stores, and for the route around them, my Akihabara anime tour.
Where is Trader in Akihabara?
The main store is at 4-2-1 Sotokanda, facing Chūō-dōri, three minutes from JR Akihabara's Electric Town exit or from Suehirochō Station. Trader No. 2 is at 1-4-9 Sotokanda, a three-storey shop under the JR Sōbu and Chūō line tracks, two minutes from the Electric Town exit.
The two stores on the map. Tap one for directions.
On 15 and 16 October 2026 both stores change their hours for stocktaking, so check the top page if you are visiting then.
What should visitors know before buying at Trader?
Three things from Trader's FAQ. It is not a tax-free shop, so you pay the normal tax-inclusive price. Secondhand items carry a one-week guarantee from purchase, valid in Japan only, with no refunds or exchanges sent abroad. Returns are only for faults found within a week. Payment includes Japanese cash, cards including UnionPay, transport IC cards, PayPay, Alipay and WeChat Pay.
This is the honest section. A one-week, Japan-only guarantee means you should test what you can before leaving the country, and check before you buy that a Japanese console or game will work with your system and your home power.
Akihabara electronics covers Japan's 100-volt power. If you want to check stock first, Trader takes stock questions by phone, per store. Trader has also warned about fake social-media accounts announcing closures or cheap sales; trust only its official site.
Can you sell games to Trader?
Yes, at the buying counters (main store B1, No. 2 3F), with photo ID; Trader says Japanese health insurance cards are no longer accepted as ID. It also runs a by-post buying service, and higher-buyback campaigns that rotate regularly; as of 8 November 2026, the mail-in campaign runs 4–20 November 2026 and the in-store campaign runs 11–29 November 2026.
For tax-free shopping elsewhere, from 1 November 2026 you pay the tax at the till and get it back after a customs check at the airport; tax-free shopping in Japan after November 2026 explains.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Trader main store?
At 4-2-1 Sotokanda, facing Chūō-dōri, three minutes from JR Akihabara's Electric Town exit.
Does Trader sell retro games?
YESOn the main store's 1st and 2nd floors, along with import games on the 1st.
Which floor has figures at Trader?
The main store's 3rd, 4th and 5th floors, and the 1st floor of Trader No. 2.
Does Trader guarantee used games?
Used items have a one-week guarantee from purchase, valid in Japan only.
Retro games at Trader, the rest of Akihabara around it
If you would like Akihabara's game and anime floors chosen around what you collect, Adventure in Akihabara with Anime is my private half-day walk, three to four hours, never shared with other guests. The price is on the tour page.
About the author. I am Yuuki, a Japanese teacher and Akihabara anime tour guide based in Tokyo. I run private anime tours here most weeks, rated 4.96★ on Airbnb across 171 reviews. I have watched over 1,500 anime series, which is either a qualification or a warning depending on your point of view.
See the Akihabara anime tour →
Sources · checked 8 November 2026
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A card-shop route built around your game
A private half-day in Akihabara with a local otaku guide. Three to four hours in English, never mixed with other travelers, rated 4.96 by 171 Airbnb guests. Booking here goes straight into my calendar.
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