The great hype! The Nintendo Switch 2 was finally announced at Nintendo Direct 2025! The Nintendo Switch 2 will be relased in almost two months on June 5th, 2025.
The prices seem a bit steep, with the base model starting at 449$, and new games being sold digitally at 79$ or physically at 89$ a game. So it would be great if you and I could get one cheaper. Maybe in Japan?
Maybe I should get one cheaper and get a collectors edition Japan Only Nintendo Switch 2? Great news! There is one being sold cheaper in Japan. Which leads to many people who are traveling to Japan in the next few months ask themselves:
Can I take advantage of the weaker Japanese currency (Yen) and get a rare and more affordable Nintendo Switch 2?
Bad news: No, you can’t get a Japan only Nintendo Switch 2 (If you’re not from Japan).
Why you probably won’t be able to get a Nintendo Switch 2 in Japan
Nintendo presumably understanding how the world works, knows that scalpers will be taking advantage of the Japan only released version of the Nintendo Switch 2. It is also speculated that Nintendo wants the Switch 2 to be more affordable for its home market. Which lead to the perfectly simple solution: A cheaper, region-locked version of the new console. Which prices the Japan Only Nintendo Switch 2 significantly cheaper. Still, sounds great, right?
The issue with the Nintendo Switch 2 Japan only version
The Japan only Nintendo Switch 2 version can solely be purchased by winning a lottery. If you got ahold of one of those literal winning lottery tickets there still exists one issue: That device will only be available in a Japanese localisation and only offer access to the Japanese Nintendo eShop. Which results in the slight issue that most people who don’t speak Japanese fluently (I wish I’d be one of them) can’t really use it conveniently. Which leads to the conclusive bad news that in the highly unlikely case of winning the lottery, for most visitors this cheaper console at the 49, 980 Yen (343 US-Dollars) price point won’t simply be of much use.
Light on the horizon?
However, it seems that there is going to be a second Nintendo Switch 2 version, which will be released on the Japanese market. Do we call this good news for Japan travalers who want to pick up a cheap console to enjoy it back home? Well, unfortunately it’s not. The main issue being, that the Nintendo Switch 2 foreigners Version, is in fact, not cheaper at all. Compared to the US version of the Nintendo Switch 2, being at 449$ a piece, the Nintendo Switch 2 in Japan would cost you 69,980 yen (481 US-Dollars). And you still can only buy that second Nintendo Switch 2 Japan only Drop, which also only has access tothe Japanese My Nintendo Store, by winning that Nintendo Switch 2 distribution lottery. Furthermore, only people with certain requirements fulfilled (listed below) can participate in this lottery. Which you probably won’t be able to meet, if you’re traveling to Japan. Besides the issue of receiving packages in Japan since very few hotels & AirBnb apartments allow you to have packages delivered, which makes this whole idea even more into an unlikely endeavour.
So to sum it up again:
No, you (unfortunately) won’t be able buy the Nintendo Switch 2 Japan only version cheap, while you’re traveling in Japan. If you even manage to be able to buy one, you are really just using up precious space in your luggage that you should be using for other things that you can only get in Japan.
Overview of the Japan-only and international versions of Nintendo Switch 2 and how to purchase them:
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Nintendo Switch 2 日本語·国内専用 Japanese-Language System (Japan Only) |
Nintendo Switch 2 多言語対応 Multi-Language System |
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Release Date: June 5, 2025 Retail Price: 49, 980 yen (tax included) = 343 US-Dollar |
Release Date: June 5, 2025 Retail Price: 69, 980 yen (tax included) = 481 US-Dollar |
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How to buy: 1. Some game stores and online stores nationwide will accept reservations and lottery entries starting April 24. 2. Through the My Nintendo Store lottery (register by April 16). If you win the lottery, you will receive a ticket that allows you to purchase (1) Nintendo Switch 2. Only people with a Nintendo Account whose "Country/Region" is set to Japan are eligible to enter the lottery. You must also have played at least 50 hours of Nintendo Switch software (excluding trial versions and free software) as of Friday, February 28, 2025. Must have been a Nintendo Switch Online member for a cumulative total of at least one year at the time of entry and still be a member at the time of entry. In the case of Family Plan subscribers, only the purchaser of the usage ticket is eligible to fulfill the above requirements. |
How to buy: The multilingual Nintendo Switch 2 console will be available exclusively from My Nintendo Store. You can enter the My Nintendo Store lottery until April 16, and if you win the lottery, you will receive a ticket that allows you to purchase (1) Nintendo Switch 2. Only people with a Nintendo Account whose "Country/Region" is set to Japan are eligible to enter the lottery. In addition, you must have played at least 50 hours of Nintendo Switch software (excluding trial and free software) as of Friday, February 28, 2025. Must have been a Nintendo Switch Online member for a cumulative total of at least one year at the time of entry and still be a member at the time of entry. In the case of Family Plan subscribers, only the purchaser of the usage ticket is eligible to fulfill the above requirements. |
Sources (Japanese):
https://www.nintendo.com/jp/hardware/switch2/index.html
https://www.nintendo.com/jp/switch2/faq/index.html
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