CDJapan

CDJapan has been around since the early 2000s and is one of the easiest ways to buy Japanese music from abroad. They sell pretty much everything: J-Pop, J-Rock, Visual Kei, anime soundtracks, idol releases, and a strong vinyl section with lots of limited editions and first-press bonuses you won't find on European shops.

The site is fully in English (and also in Chinese), prices are shown in Yen, and the checkout walks you through everything step by step. You don't need a Japanese address or a Japanese card to order.

CDJapan is a good choice for first-time buyers. Their catalog is huge, prices are fair, and they handle international shipping every day, so they know what they're doing.

A few things that make life easier:

• When you pay by credit card, the money isn't actually taken until your order ships. For pre-orders that come out months later, that's really helpful.
• The shipping calculator in your cart shows exactly what every option costs before you pay.
• Their loyalty program gives you points back on every order, and you can actually use them on later orders to save money.

CDJapan ships worldwide, including to all EU countries. There are a few things you should know before ordering to Germany or other EU countries.

Available shipping methods

EMS is currently not available for Germany. This is because Japan Post and Deutsche Post can't share the required tracking data right now. SAL, the slower budget option, was discontinued worldwide in 2021 and doesn't exist anymore either.

So in practice you'll choose between:

• DHL Express. The fastest option. Your package usually arrives within 3 to 7 working days. The only catch is that your order total has to be under 14,000 Yen (roughly 85 Euro at current rates) for DHL to be available.
• FedEx. This is what you'll use for bigger orders, heavy box sets or vinyl. It's a bit pricier than DHL but has no order limit.
• Registered Airmail. The cheapest option, but slow. It takes longer for the package to even leave Japan, and total delivery time can stretch to several weeks.

Calculating shipping cost

Shipping is calculated by weight and box size, so a single CD costs much less to ship than a vinyl set. Run the shipping calculator in your cart before placing an order so there are no surprises.

When you buy from Japan, your package has to clear EU customs and 19% VAT applies (for Germany). CDJapan handles this in one of two ways depending on how big your order is.

Orders up to 150 Euro

CDJapan adds the VAT directly to your order at checkout. You pay it in Yen along with everything else, and CDJapan forwards it to the EU on your behalf. This works thanks to a system called IOSS (Import One-Stop Shop), which is an EU scheme that lets non-European shops collect VAT in advance.

The big advantage: your package goes through customs without being held up, and the courier doesn't charge you any extra fees when it arrives. You get the parcel at your door with nothing more to pay.

Orders above 150 Euro

IOSS doesn't apply anymore. Your package will arrive, but DHL or FedEx will collect the 19% VAT from you on delivery, plus a small handling fee (around 6 Euro for DHL, similar for FedEx). You either pay it online before delivery or in cash to the driver.

In short: if your order stays under 150 Euro, prepay the VAT through CDJapan. It's cleaner, cheaper, and your package won't get stuck. If you're going over 150 Euro anyway, don't bother splitting the order, because the VAT is the same either way and you'll just pay it on delivery.

CDJapan accepts most international cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners Club and JCB. PayPal works too, including PayPal Pay Later, which lets you split the payment into installments without interest if you're ordering from Germany. Alipay and WeChat Pay are also available.

What they don't accept: Klarna, SEPA direct debit, or bank transfer.

Credit card vs PayPal: a key difference

If you pay by credit card, the money is only taken when your order ships. With PayPal, the full amount is charged right away, even on pre-orders. So if you're ordering something that comes out in six months, a credit card is the more relaxed option.

Every order gives you points back through CDJapan Rewards, and they're actually worth something. One point equals one Yen of discount on your next order.

How points are earned

• You get 3% back on most products (CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, merch).
• Books and magazines give 1% back.
• If your order is over 5,000 Yen, you get up to 800 extra bonus points on top.
• If you save your birthday in your account, you get 300 points in your birthday month every year.
• Points are valid for one year before they expire.

Bonus campaigns

A few times a year (often in December and mid-summer), CDJapan runs campaigns where you can earn way more points than usual, sometimes up to 10,000 extra. If you're planning a bigger order, it can be worth waiting for one of these.

A small tip: when you place an order, don't use the orange "Check out with PayPal" button on the cart page. That one skips your account and you won't get any points for the order. Sign in first, then use PayPal as the payment method inside checkout.

If you're ordering to Germany or another EU country for the first time, here's what helps most:

Keep the order under 150 Euro of goods if you can. You'll save the courier handling fee and your package won't be held up at customs. If you're pre-ordering something months in advance, pay by credit card instead of PayPal so you're not charged right away. And if you order more than once or twice a year, sign up for an account so your loyalty points add up.