How to Buy Switch Games Cheaper from Amazon Japan

Digital games on Amazon Japan are often 15–40% cheaper than the European or American eShop. This guide walks you through every step — from creating an account to redeeming your code — so you can start saving today.

1. Why Are Games Cheaper on Amazon Japan?

Nintendo sets different prices for each regional market. Due to the persistent weakness of the Japanese yen against the euro and the US dollar, game prices in Japan often translate to significantly less than what you would pay on the European or American Nintendo eShop. This difference typically means savings of 15–40% on the same game.

On top of that, Amazon Japan is a highly competitive marketplace where third-party sellers and Amazon itself compete on price. This marketplace competition drives digital game code prices even lower than the official Japanese eShop prices.

Amazon Japan sells digital download codes — not physical cartridges. When you purchase a game, you receive an alphanumeric code that you redeem directly on the Nintendo eShop. There is no shipping, no customs, and no waiting. You get the code instantly in your Amazon account.

These codes work on any Nintendo Switch console worldwide. The Switch has no hardware-level region locking, and Nintendo officially allows players to switch their account region. A code purchased from Amazon Japan will download and play exactly the same game — in the same languages — as one bought from your local eShop.

The savings are especially notable on first-party Nintendo titles like Mario Kart, The Legend of Zelda, and Splatoon, which rarely go on sale in Western stores but are consistently priced lower in Japan.

2. Create an Amazon Japan Account

Your regular Amazon account (US, UK, etc.) does not work on Amazon Japan — it is a separate account. Setting one up takes just a couple of minutes:

  1. 1

    Go to amazon.co.jp in your web browser.

  2. 2

    Click "New customer? Start here" (or "新規登録はこちら") beneath the sign-in button.

  3. 3

    Enter your name, email address, and choose a password. You can use your regular email — it does not need to be a Japanese address.

  4. 4

    Verify your email address with the confirmation code Amazon sends you.

  5. 5

    Set up an address if prompted. For digital items, any address works — you can use your real home address.

Tip: The site is in Japanese by default, but Chrome and other modern browsers will offer to auto-translate the page. You can also look for the language/globe icon near the top to switch to English.

3. How to Buy a Digital Game Code

Once your account is set up, buying a digital code is straightforward:

  1. 1

    Search for the game by title on Amazon Japan, or use the direct links from our catalogue. Each game listing links you straight to the correct product page.

  2. 2

    Make sure the listing says "オンラインコード" (Online Code / Digital). This indicates a digital download code rather than a physical cartridge. Our site only links to digital code editions.

  3. 3

    Add to cart and proceed to checkout.

  4. 4

    Payment: International Visa, Mastercard, and American Express credit cards are accepted. You can also use Amazon Japan gift cards.

  5. 5

    Complete the purchase. The code will be emailed to you and also shown in your Amazon Japan order history under "Games & Software Downloads."

Note: The code is a 16-character alphanumeric string (e.g., B0DY HKWM R9JX P4FT). Keep it safe until you are ready to redeem it.

4. Change Your Switch Region to Japan

Before you can redeem a Japanese download code, your Nintendo Account needs to be temporarily set to the Japan region. This is a quick, safe change:

  1. 1

    Open a web browser and go to accounts.nintendo.com.

  2. 2

    Sign in with your Nintendo Account credentials.

  3. 3

    Under "User Info", go to "Profile".

  4. 4

    Change the "Country/Region" setting to "Japan".

  5. 5

    Save your changes.

Important: This is temporary — you will switch back after redeeming. You can only change your region if you have no remaining eShop balance in your current region. If you have funds, spend them first. You will not lose any existing purchases, save data, or game progress.

5. Redeem the Code

Now that your account is set to Japan, you can redeem the code:

  1. 1

    Open the Nintendo eShop on your Nintendo Switch console.

  2. 2

    Select "Enter Code" (or "Redeem Code") from the menu.

  3. 3

    Type in the 16-character code from your Amazon Japan purchase. Double-check each character carefully.

  4. 4

    Confirm the redemption. The game will begin downloading automatically to your console.

Alternative: You can also redeem codes via the Nintendo eShop website at ec.nintendo.com/redeem while signed in to your account.

6. Switch Back to Your Original Region

Once your code is redeemed and the game is downloading, switch your account back to your home region:

  1. 1

    Go back to accounts.nintendo.com.

  2. 2

    Navigate to "User Info" then "Profile" then "Country/Region".

  3. 3

    Change your country back to your original region (e.g., United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, etc.).

  4. 4

    Save your changes. That is it — you are done.

Rest assured: Everything works normally after switching back. Your downloaded games remain installed, game updates download automatically, online play works as usual, and your save data is completely unaffected. The game stays in your library forever.

7. Frequently Asked Questions

Is it legal to buy digital games from Amazon Japan? +

Yes, it is completely legal. You are purchasing a legitimate digital code from an authorized retailer. Nintendo allows region-switching on the Switch.

Do game updates and DLC work normally? +

Yes. Once redeemed, the game behaves identically to a game purchased from your local eShop. Updates and DLC download automatically.

Can I play online with friends? +

Yes. Online play works exactly the same regardless of where the game was purchased. You need a Nintendo Switch Online subscription as usual.

Will my save data be affected? +

No. Save data is tied to your user profile, not the game region. Your progress is safe.

What payment methods does Amazon Japan accept? +

Amazon Japan accepts international Visa, Mastercard, and American Express credit cards. You can also use Amazon gift cards (Japan).

Ready to Save?

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