Buying a Laptop in Japan: Complete Guide

When buying a laptop or peripherals in Japan, knowing where to shop can make a big difference. Here’s all you need to get your money’s worth! 

Prices of laptops and peripherals in Japan are incredibly competitive, and you can buy from any of the big-box electronic stores like Bic Camera and KS Denki. If you are in Tokyo, check out Bic Camera Ikebukuro, while in Osaka, Yamada Denki Labi 1 Namba is the one to go for the best deals.

Buying laptops and peripherals from electronic stores in Japan is very popular amongst tourists. We have covered the major big chain electronic stores in Japan and how you can get the best deal from these stores. We have all included some of the recommended stores you should check out in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka for buying a laptop.

Looking for more Japanese craftsmanship? Check out my Made in Japan Guide to discover Japan’s best brands and products.

Why Purchase a Laptop in Japan

Japanese electronics (“Denki” in Japanese) are very popular worldwide and that includes shopping for some excellent laptops and peripherals. The electronic stores in Japan are becoming increasingly popular amongst tourists because of their extensive collection, variety, high-quality products, and excellent service. 

Visitors from all over the world come to Japan looking forward to shopping. Tokyo is considered the shopping paradise of the country. Electronics is one of the must-buy things from Japan because of its high-quality electronic products, especially items like laptops, cameras, etc. 

But an important question comes to mind, as a visitor, where to buy electronic products in Japan? 

Japan-specific things to know before you buy

If you are an English-speaking tourist or expat, you can absolutely buy a laptop in Japan, but you will have a much better experience if you check these points before you hand over your credit card.

• Need a US keyboard? Decide this first, because most in-store laptops use the Japanese JIS layout.
• Want tax-free? Make sure you can prove visitor status (passport requirements matter).
• Taking it home? Check whether the warranty is domestic-only or internationally supported.
• Buying online? Amazon Japan is convenient, but double-check seller and return terms.

Japanese keyboard layout (JIS) vs US layout (ANSI)

Laptops sold in Japan typically ship with the JIS keyboard layout. The letters are still QWERTY, but the layout adds several Japanese input keys, uses a shorter space bar, and moves some symbols. If you touch-type, the biggest annoyance is usually punctuation and symbol placement rather than the letters.

Finding a laptop with a US keyboard in Japan: In physical stores it is uncommon, but it is possible. Apple lets you configure a MacBook with a US English keyboard when ordering from the Apple Japan online store, and Apple Stores can often help you order the configuration you want. Some brands (notably Lenovo) also offer English keyboard options when ordering from their Japan site. In electronics districts like Akihabara, a few specialty shops sometimes carry imported models with US keyboard layouts, but stock is unpredictable, so it is worth checking online inventory before you go.

If you cannot find what you want, the simplest workaround is an external USB or Bluetooth keyboard. Many long-term residents do this for heavy typing and keep the laptop keyboard for portability.

Japanese power supply, voltage, and plugs

Japan uses 100V and the common plug is Type A (two flat pins, like the US). The good news is that most modern laptop chargers are dual-voltage (often labeled 100V to 240V), so you typically need only a simple plug adapter, not a heavy voltage converter. Always check the small print on your power brick to be sure.

Warranty and returns

Return policies for electronics in Japan can feel strict compared to North America or Europe. Some stores accept returns only if the item is unopened, and many will push you toward manufacturer warranty service after purchase. Keep your receipt, box, and all accessories until you are 100% sure you are keeping the laptop.

Warranty tip for travelers: Many laptop warranties are Japan-only. If you are taking the laptop out of the country, research international coverage before you buy. Apple’s Mac warranty is generally handled worldwide for Mac computers, which is one reason MacBooks can be a safer purchase for visitors.

Tax-free shopping for tourists

Many major electronics retailers offer tax-free shopping (免税 / menzei) for eligible visitors. In most cases you bring your passport to a dedicated counter after checkout. Be aware that eligibility checks can be strict, and some travelers run into problems if they entered Japan via automated gates and did not receive an entry stamp.

Heads up for future trips: Japan has announced a major change to how tax-free shopping works, planned to start on November 1, 2026. The details may evolve, so if you are traveling close to that date, double-check the latest rules before you plan your budget.

Where to find English-speaking staff

In big-box stores like Bic Camera and Yodobashi, look for a tax-free counter or tourist service desk. These desks are the most likely place to find staff who can help in English. Apple Stores are generally the least stressful option if you want full English support.

Japan laptop prices vs the rest of the world

Whether Japan is cheaper depends on the brand, exchange rate, and whether you can shop tax-free. For MacBooks, Japan is often competitive because Apple pricing varies by region. A simple way to compare is to check the Apple Japan price, remove the 10% consumption tax if you qualify for tax-free, convert to your home currency, and then compare with the after-tax price back home. Also keep your own country’s customs and VAT rules in mind when returning.

Buying laptops on Amazon Japan

Amazon Japan (Amazon.co.jp) can be a great option if you want delivery to a hotel or apartment, or if you are hunting for a specific model. To reduce risk, prioritize listings that are sold and shipped by Amazon.co.jp, and read the return policy carefully for marketplace sellers. Amazon Japan generally allows returns within 30 days, but conditions vary by category and seller.

Big Retail Electronic Stores that Sell Laptops and Peripherals

Big chain electronic stores in Japan deal with a range of electronic appliances, including laptops and peripherals. They have a wide selection of options, and their affordable prices are some of the major selling points for the chain of electronic retail stores.

Sales staff in these big chain electronic stores are very knowledgeable about the different brands of laptops. Some of the stores even provide you with multilingual services, so even if you don’t know Japanese, you’ll still be able to discuss it with them. 

Tip: If you want English help, go straight to the store’s tourist desk or tax-free counter (look for “TAX FREE” or 免税). Those counters are the most likely place to find staff who can assist in English, and they can also explain the store’s discount, point, and tax-free options.

Bic Camera, Yodobashi Camera, and Yamada Denki are the major big-box electronic retailers in Japan. They are known as ‘The Big 3’ electronic big-box retailers. Because of the competition amongst them to defeat one another, you can get some exciting deals in price-cutting wars in regions like Ikebukuro and Shinjuku. 

Almost all of these big-box electronic stores accept international credit cards for payment. So, you don’t have to carry cash around while shopping.

But, if you choose to buy from a smaller shop, the best way to shop is to do a web search. It will ensure that you are not getting overcharged for anything. You might even find that the small shop is a subsidiary of one of the larger electronic stores. 

Bic Camera

Bic Camera is one of the largest electronic stores in Japan, and there are over 30 chains of the store in Japan. Many of the stores are located right next to a station or are even connected to the station. It makes them much more accessible!

Many of the Bic Camera stores offer duty-free shopping and an option to ship your purchased items to either of Japan’s airports. 

Don’t be confused with the store name; they offer a complete variety of electronic products along with cameras. It was the first electronic store in Japan that started offering services to visitors from all over the world. 

Most of the Bic Camera stores have one floor dedicated to selling all kinds of laptops, including laptops and peripherals. They have a curated selection of laptops. You even get an option to reserve a product online.

There is a separate Gaming PC device department, also referred to as a Gaming Zone. Within this section, you can find all kinds of gaming laptops and peripherals, including mouse, keyboard, headsets, VR, and many other accessories. 

It carries an extensive collection of all the major laptops brands, including MSI, Dell, ASUS, Razer, ACER, and HP. Similar options are available in peripherals also. 

Yodobashi Camera

At Yodobashi Camera stores, there is an excellent collection of laptops along with peripheral products that are usually not available in many other stores. The state-of-the-art stores have not only the latest and popular products but also some of the uncommon ones that are rarely in other stores. 

You might even find a collection of a laptop with all the peripherals in an exhibition display. The display generally includes different products or peripherals that can be combined for the best experience. 

In Yodobashi Camera stores, you can freely experience all the products and ask the sales staff is knowledgeable, and you can any question. Along with laptops, there are information displays. You can find all the relevant and necessary information on these displays. There’s even an item popularity ranking which will show you the best sellers. 

The store also has functionality lists, which are useful when you want to compare two different products. 

There is even a Yodobashi Outlet store (Keikyu Kawasaki), where you can find the discontinued products at a bargain price. You can also shop from Yodobashi.com with ease. 

There are 21 Yodobashi Camera stores across Japan, and most of them are in the Kanto region. 

All the products purchased from the store come with a laptop manufacturer’s guarantee. There is no store warranty. 

Yamada Denki

Yamada Denki is one of the electronic sales leaders with around 700 chains all across Japan and a few abroad. It carries electronics from popular brands like Apple, Dell, HP, and many more. 

One of the Yamada Denki stores comes under tax-exemption for tourists as a duty-free store. To avail of the exemption, you have to carry your passport and fill out a tax exemption form. While departing from Japan, you’ve to submit the form and bill along with your passport to the customs officer.

The outlet store of Yamada Denki is famous for offering discounts on old models and products that are on display. So, if you are looking for some really sweet deals, you should definitely visit one of the Yamada Denki stores. 

You can also check out the Twitter feed of the store for tracking any exclusive offers and deals. They even host certain giveaways on social media.

K’s Denki

The electronic store focuses on electric appliances and computers mainly. The main point of difference between K’s Denki and other big players in the market is that they don’t use a point system. 

Stores like Bic Camera, Yodobashi Camera, and even Yamada Denki, have a point system where every time you make a purchase, you collect some points. In K’s Denki, the store gives foreign visitors the best discount on the spot. Now you don’t have to wonder that you might not be getting the best deal because you did not have the store’s point card. 

Most of K’s Denki stores are located in the suburbs, and it has 448 of them across the country. 

EDION

It is the electronic chain with the largest number of stores, more than 1000, across Japan, and most of them are located in western Japan. 

The product catalog is not universal and varies from region to region based on the customer requirements and lifestyle in each area.

Edion sells all kinds of electronics, including laptops, PCs, appliances, and health and beauty products. 

Recommended Stores in Tokyo for Buying a Laptop

There are two famous electronic towns in Tokyo – Ikebukuro and Akihabara. Within these two, there are several stores of these big electronic retail chains. Here are some of the recommended stores that you must check out.

Akihabara is well known for some real bargain deals on used laptops. It is considered as the electric town of Tokyo. There are plenty of shops that sell laptops with English OS and English keyboard systems. 

There is a line up of all the major chain stores on the main streets of Akihabara. The prices are not much different from any other chain stores all across Japan. 

Yodobashi Camera Multimedia Akiba

Yodobashi Camera Multimedia Akiba is a Japanese electronic store that is conveniently located at the Akihabara Station in Akihabara. Its location makes it easy to find.

Out of the nine floors, the second floor displays all the computers, PCs, laptops, and peripherals. You can find laptops from almost all of the major manufacturers including local ones.

There is multi-lingual staff in the store so you can discuss your requirements and ask any relevant questions without any language barriers. They are very helpful, friendly, and professional.

You can get a tax-free discount (8% off) if you are carrying your passport. Sometime, they even have additional offers on Credit Cards like 15% discount on Visa and similar.

The store also has a tourist corner where you can buy some souvenir items. Another interesting fact about the store is that there is a rooftop with a double-decker driving range and batting cages. It is connected to the golf store on the 9th floor of the building.

Bic Camera Ikebukuro

It is the main branch of Big Camera in Tokyo. The store is located at the mecca of electronics in Ikebukuro. This store has nine floors altogether, where you will find all kinds of electronics. They offer an excellent option of delivering your purchased electronics to your departing airport so you won’t have to carry it around! 

Yodobashi Camera Shinjuku West Exit Shop

It is the flagship store of Yodobashi Camera in Shinjuku. The store is huge, with an excellent selection of electronics. The staff is knowledgeable, so you can ask them any questions regarding the laptop you intend to buy. 

The sprawling store covers 28,000 square meters of area and multiple buildings. There is a whole floor dedicated to Laptop PCs in the Multimedia Building North Building. East Building in the Multimedia Hall has the underground first floor dedicated to computer peripherals. 

Along with all this, you can find all kinds of electronics in different buildings and floors of the Ydobashi Camera store in Shinjuku. 

It is the first big electronic retail that opened up its headquarters in Shinjuku and was followed up soon by both Bic Camera and Yamada Denki. 

Yodobashi Camera Shinjuku West Exit Shop is a fun store where you might lose track of time without realizing it! 

Yamada Denki LABI 1 Nihon Sohonten Ikebukuro

The store is spread out over 23,000 square meters, and it is the Yamada Denki flagship store in Japan. The main branch is located at the center of Ikebukuro. It is just opposite the BIC CAMERA, which is undoubtedly benefiting customers. Both stores are always competing, and you can buy products at a competitive rate. 

The floors are sorted by different colors, so it is easy to navigate, and you’ll have many options to choose from the extensive collection of laptops and peripherals. The store originally used to be a department store, and now it has become a large electronic store!

The store is designed with the concepts of bringing the environment, health, and entertainment together. 

G-Tune: Garage

G-Tune: Garage is an exclusive electronic shop in the Akihabara region that is famous for its gaming accessories, laptops, and PCs.

You can try out the different laptops and find the one that works for you. There’s a lot of emphasis on customer testing and trying, and the whole shop is set up to promote it with mood lighting and all. If you are a gamer, then you must visit this store.

The store mainly sells G-Tune computers (from Tokyo-based Mouse Computer), but it also keeps peripherals from other brands like Razer and MadCats.

PC Shop Ark

Ark is another small shop in Akihabara that’s famous for computer parts and laptops. You can find the ideal gaming laptop for you from its collection of some powerful machines.

Although the store might look small, they are better stocked than you might imagine. The prices are competitive, but there is no tax-free option here. There might be some language barriers, as the store staff only speaks Japanese.

Recommended Stores in Kyoto for Buying a Laptop

Yodobashi Camera Multimedia Kyoto Store

The store is located very close to the Kyoto Tower. The basement floor of the building is dedicated to computers and peripherals along with mobile phones. The store has an extensive collection of laptops from different manufacturers and the peripherals. 

It also offers PC security support at a specific consultation counter with knowledgeable staff. 

Recommended Stores in Osaka for Buying a Laptop

Den-den Town, aka Nipponbashi, is Osaka’s electronic district. There are dozens of laptop shops, including second-hand shops and parts shop. Just the large volume of shops in the region can make the shopping experience a bit daunting. Here is one store in Osaka that you can check out for the best deals on laptops.

Yamada Denki Labi 1 Namba

Yamada Denki store near the Namba station is humongous with 20,000 square meter area and around 800,000 items ranging from laptops to books. It includes PCs and LCD televisions under the “Frontier” brand, Yamada’s homegrown brand. 

The store also has a multipurpose space to organize talk shows and live shows. Overall the store has a multi-floor setup with separate floors for different categories of electronics. You will find the laptops and peripherals on the B1 level. The selling prices of the store are competitive and reasonable. 

The store employs knowledgeable staff capable of conversing in foreign languages so that they can explain the products and answer your questions.

Dospara Osaka Namba

Dospara is a multi-store computer shop with 22 stores across Japan. As it is an exclusive PC store, you can find a large variety of laptops and peripherals.

The staff is professional and friendly but might not be multi-lingual. Prices in this store are much more competitive than other major big-box stores.

Deal-hunting tips and buying used safely

Once you have decided on your keyboard layout, warranty comfort level, and whether you will buy tax-free, the rest is about price, timing, and (if you buy used) avoiding surprises.

Quick ways to get a better price

• Compare prices first: Use Kakaku.com to get a quick baseline for the model you want (new and used).
• Ask how discounts work: Big stores often have point cards and tourist discounts, but rules differ. In some cases, tax-free shopping and points cannot be stacked, so ask which option is better for your purchase.
• Do a quick cross-check: In Tokyo, areas like Ikebukuro and Shinjuku have stores facing each other, which makes it easy to compare and negotiate politely.

Buying used in Japan (Akihabara, Den Den Town, and beyond)

Japan is famous for well-kept second-hand electronics. Shops often grade items and keep them clean, but still check the fundamentals. Used deals can be excellent in Akihabara (Tokyo) and Nipponbashi / Den Den Town (Osaka).

• Keyboard layout: Visually confirm it is the layout you want (ANSI vs JIS). Do not rely on a tag alone.
• Battery health: Ask staff to show a battery report (Windows) or battery condition (Mac) before you buy.
• AC adapter included: Confirm the original charger is included (some lower-grade items may not include it).
• Warranty expectations: Assume warranty support is Japan-based unless the brand clearly offers international coverage.

Finding the Best Deals

You can check out the best deals on the kakau.com website. The site tracks the best prices amongst the electronic shops in Japan. While buying a laptop in Japan, you should check the website for the best price. If the listed price is lower than the one in the store, you can bargain. You might get a better deal or some other discounts or benefits. 

Related Questions

Here are some of the frequently asked questions about buying a laptop and peripherals in Japan.

Is it cheaper to buy a laptop in Japan from Big Electronic Stores?

Japanese electronic retail stores are some of the best ones in the world because of their superb product lineup and high-quality. Any laptop and peripherals you buy from Japan are going to be the best and you can get your money’s worth with some exclusive deals and discounts.

Why buy laptops from electronic stores instead of e-commerce? 

Electronic stores offer exciting deals and advantages to the customers, unlike when you’re shopping online. In addition to that, you can also discuss your preferences and requirements with the knowledgeable staff in the store.

But I don’t speak Japanese, so how will the store staff help me, and how will I be able to communicate my requirements? 

Don’t worry; there is generally some staff in the store who can speak foreign languages like Chinese and English.