I am not a big video games fan (I used to, though), but my imagine of Japan before coming here for the first time, was that there must be video games everywhere. As a matter of fact, video games are almost only sold in big electronic shops or in Akihabara (specialized district). That is a sharp contrast to what I had been used to in Europe, where even the tiniest town had at least one shop that sold only video games (of all kind and description).

But what surprised me the most is the almost total absence of video games rental shop. In Europe, almost every video club has hundreds of video games to rent to, in addition of movies. But in Japan, I have never seen video games rental , except maybe at Tsutaya (not even sure), which is the largest music and video rental shop in Japan (but the nearest from where I live is 30min away by train, eventhough I live in Tokyo).

I suppose that the absence of games rental is made to protect the market and increase sales. However, whether any European can just try almost all the games they want because they can rent it for a weekend for a few euros, the Japanese being forced to buy can only play a few selected games, although it is the country where most of the games are made. Ironic isn't it ?