I am not the most enthusiastic shopper compared to most people. I try to avoid spending money on non-essentials often, especially as a college student, but over my life I have carved out a fairly large niche for retro games. So, when I discovered a store dedicated solely to the sale of second-hand classic video game hardware and memorabilia called Super Potato I was instantly amused. Accounting for my past trips to Japan and now, I still firmly believe I have visited this store more often than shopping for groceries or food. I consider myself a regular as I visit every week as stock always cycles through frequently and there is always something new to see.
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| A wall of Super Famicon in box games. |
Super Potato has two stores in Tokyo, a conveniently located East Ikebukuro store, and a much larger Akihabara store. I take pleasure in going to these stores not for the purpose of buying things but for the sights. Many people state that Super Potato is much as a museum as it is a store and I couldn’t agree more. What makes Super Potato stand out is the sheer quantity and quality of its collection making it unmatched to other used games stores around the world. Super Potato attracts a lot of foreign visitors and surprises them with a working demo unit of a Nintendo Virtual Boy, obscure game systems and much more that you would be bewildered to find back in places such as the United States.
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| Nintendo Virtual Boy Demo Unit |
The people who come from afar usually buy a lot at Super Potato even though the prices are not exactly bargains. Enthusiasts are excited to see things such as more working Sega Saturn units stacked on a shelf than all listings on eBay combined, and to have all of the accessories and games sitting right next to them for sale. Super Potato is an archive of Japanese video games where you will find anything released between 1980 to the early 2000s.
The beauty of it all is that you see gently used stuff from ages ago on display as if it were brand new. The ability to have places such as Super Potato and many other second-hand stores within Japan selling used goods as if it were bulk is definitely surprising. People surprisingly take care of their possessions in Japan allowing for the second-hand market to thrive and allows us visitors to witness parts of history such as through the evolution of consumer Japan.
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| Stacks of Famicon Systems |
In the home entertainment or video game sense, the prevalence of old electronics and media can be also attributed for Japan’s stubborn nature towards adoption of more advanced and more complicated technologies. Games from the 80s and 90s were fun and easy to understand with their plug and play nature. Why would someone want to spend more money on something more complex for the same result on what you already have? Thus, the abundance of second-hand game stores unparalleled to any other place on earth. There is certainly evidence for and against this, but the fondness Japan has developed for older technologies and mediums is well beyond what I have experienced in America. The surging economy in the 80s is another factor into the prevalence of luxury goods, so the record-breaking sales numbers in the mid 80s are no doubt a contributor to the abundance of Nintendo Famicom systems and the sort. The surge of home computer systems and game consoles in Japan had far reaching effects on countries such as the United States, and without it today’s video game scene would be very different.
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| Nintendo Game and Watch |
3 comments:
As someone who enjoys these kinds of stores too, though probably not as much as you do, I find it interesting how you can relate it to a museum. I don't think that people who live here would think of it as such an interesting place, because they live here, and because, as you said, they take care of their things and hang onto past products. Do you think/have you been to anywhere else that may be like that?
It is surprising to see items that are considered "outdated" today in great condition. I like vintage cameras, but it can be difficult to find ones in good condition at second-hand shops. Maybe I will have to see if there are any camera shops before I leave. Also, it is interesting that this store is located in Tokyo which is supposed to have the newest and best thing you can get.
Yes the second hand market in Tokyo is big. Places such as Book Offs and electronics resellers also have a vast amount of second hand stuff unparalleled to what I have seen back in the US even as chain stores. Shinjuku and Nakano are your best bet for finding second hand cameras and lenses even though there seems to be a camera store in every corner of Tokyo.
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