Shopping Guide
HELP / FAQs
By onemall 
TL;DR
Japanese kpop albums are separate releases made for Japan, with their own catalogue numbers and editions; Stray Kids’ next one, SUIATSU, has 12 formats with different random photocards. Stores, tour venues and a fan club add Japan exclusive photocards on top, and some of those routes are closed to overseas buyers, so buying second-hand is the practical route.
- SUIATSU comes out November 25, 2026, at ¥3,000 to ¥4,200 per edition, tax included.[2]
- Tower Records, HMV/Loppi and Amazon.co.jp each attach a different random SUIATSU photocard.[2]
- HMV’s kpop lucky draw for THIS & THAT gave one card from a nine-card random series per qualifying purchase, while stocks lasted.[4]
- On November 4, 2026, a sealed THIS & THAT album (THIS VER.) was listed on Mercari at ¥800, under a quarter of Sony Music Shop’s ¥3,400 price for that version.[5]
As of November 2026, with SUIATSU due on November 25, a K-pop release made for this market is less a CD than a system: edition letters, store bonus cards, lucky draws, venue lotteries and fan-club formats, each with its own card. Stray Kids’ 2026 releases use all of them.
This Q&A draws on label announcements and store pages our team read on November 4, 2026, plus live Mercari listings and the OneMall K-pop photocards and merch picks.
What Are Japanese Kpop Albums, and Why Do Editions Matter?
A Japanese kpop album is a release made for the local market by a domestic label, with its own catalogue number, editions and packaging. Stray Kids Japanese albums make a good worked example: Sony Music’s discography runs from SKZ2020 and ALL IN (both 2020) through CIRCUS, THE SOUND, GIANT and Hollow (2025).[1]
Japan exclusive kpop albums are not always new songs; some titles carry a “-Japanese ver.-” tag, such as TOP -Japanese ver.- (2020).[1] The collectible part is what’s packed around the disc. For BTS, our guide to how many albums BTS has explains 日本盤 versus 日本仕様盤.
What do the edition names mean?
Among the kpop Japanese releases 2026 still has to come, SUIATSU, a mini album, is a useful example: the group’s first new work for this market in about a year and a half, in 12 formats. In this Japan kpop album, each edition has its own catalogue number; ESCL-6304 is the regular one.[2]
| Edition (label name) | Price, tax included | Format | Photocards inside |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-press limited A (初回生産限定盤A) | ¥4,200 | CD + Blu-ray | 2 random from a 16-card set A, plus 1 random ID photo |
| First-press limited B (初回生産限定盤B) | ¥3,900 | CD + 20-page ZINE | 2 random from a 16-card set B, plus ID photo and bromide |
| Regular, first-press spec (通常盤初回仕様) | ¥3,000 | CD only | 1 random from an 8-card set C, first-press only |
| Limited-period solo editions (期間生産限定盤) | ¥3,200 each | CD only, 8 member versions | 2 random of that member’s 4, first-press only |
| Fan-club members only (FANCLUB会員限定盤) | ¥3,000 | CD only, made to order | 1 random double-sided card from 8 |
Why are Japanese kpop albums so expensive?
It isn’t the list price. SUIATSU’s regular edition is ¥3,000,[2] and Hollow ran from ¥2,800 to ¥4,000 across four editions.[1] That printed number is the kpop album Japan price at a shop counter.
The cost is the design: each format carries a different card set, the cards are random, and first-press-only cards are missing from later pressings. A full SUIATSU run is twelve purchases, and one copy of edition A yields only 2 of its 16 cards.
Where Do Japan Exclusive Photocards Come From?
Beyond the cards packed inside each edition, a Japan exclusive photocard is handed out through a local channel, and the label’s 2026 Stray Kids announcements show four of them.
Store benefits: a different card at every chain
SUIATSU’s benefit list has eleven store entries. Three are photocards, each one random card from eight: design A at Tower Records, a cheki-style design B at HMV and Lawson’s Loppi terminals, and design C at Amazon.co.jp. The rest are acrylics, bromides, stickers, clear files and posters.[2] There is no single kpop photocard shop Japan collectors can point to; the kpop Japan store you order from decides the card.
Imports get the same treatment: for THIS & THAT, sold here as an import, Sony Music Shop added a selfie photocard, one random card from eight per CD.[5]
What is a kpop lucky draw?
A kpop lucky draw is a retail event where each qualifying purchase comes with one card from a limited random series. The Stray Kids Japan lucky draw for THIS & THAT ran at HMV stores, HMV&BOOKS online and Loppi terminals: buyers picked design X or Y, each a nine-card series, and got one random card while stocks lasted.[4] That is the lucky draw meaning in K-pop: with kpop lucky draw photocards you pick the store and series, never the member.
Venue cards and lotteries
The RUN IT JAPAN tour added a third channel: SUIATSU pre-orders at the venue CD booth came with a random solo photocard, its design set by show date, plus one scratch card per copy. Prizes were an all-member hi-touch event (300 winners per day) and autographed instant photos, or cheki (24 per day). Osaka dome pre-orders ship within Japan only, with no hotel or overseas delivery.[3]
Fan-club editions and goods
The fourth channel is the fan club, or FC. SUIATSU’s FANCLUB会員限定盤 is a made-to-order CD for members only,[2] and the club’s join page limits member benefits and services to residents of Japan.[8] Fan-club paper still reaches resale: one NCT WISH listing offers two fan-club bulletins (会報), WISH BOOK Vol.1 and Vol.2, for ¥999.
| Channel | 2026 Stray Kids example | How the card is assigned | Route from abroad |
|---|---|---|---|
| Store benefit (特典) | SUIATSU at Tower Records, HMV/Loppi, Amazon.co.jp | 1 random from 8 per item | Resale after release |
| Lucky draw (ラキドロ) | THIS & THAT at HMV and Loppi | 1 random from the chosen 9-card series | Resale |
| Venue pre-order | SUIATSU at tour venues | Random solo card, design by show date | Resale; booth is in person |
| Fan-club edition | SUIATSU FANCLUB会員限定盤 | 1 random double-sided card from 8 | Resale; club perks are residents-only |
Are Kpop Albums Cheaper in Japan? Live Prices on November 4, 2026
At list price, a new edition costs what the label sets, which for SUIATSU is ¥3,000 to ¥4,200.[2] Resale is where prices move. Two same-item checks:
- THIS & THAT: Sony Music Shop listed THIS VER. and THAT VER. at ¥3,400 each, tax included.[5] A sealed THIS VER. on Mercari is ¥800 today; its description doesn’t mention a store bonus card, so don’t count on one.
- Light stick VER.2: JYP JAPAN ONLINE STORE lists the Stray Kids stick at ¥7,500, marked sold out.[7] A used one on Mercari, graded no obvious damage or stains and sold with its box, manual and strap, is ¥6,590.
So sometimes, yes. Albums are only part of kpop Japan merch, so the table also covers light sticks, fan-club and concert goods listed on Mercari, with the sellers’ own condition tags.
| Listing (seller’s title, translated) | Seller’s condition tag | Price | US$ shown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stray Kids THIS & THAT album, THIS VER., new and sealed | Unused | ¥800 | 5.52 |
| Stray Kids light stick VER.2, used, with box | No obvious damage or stains | ¥6,590 | 45.47 |
| ENHYPEN light stick VER.2 | Nearly unused (description: used once at a concert) | ¥5,000 | 34.50 |
| NCT WISH fan-club bulletins, WISH BOOK Vol.1 and Vol.2 | Nearly unused | ¥999 | 6.89 |
| Stray Kids RUN IT Seoul concert entry bonus card, Lee Know | Unused | ¥1,222 | 8.43 |
| ENHYPEN Jungwon photocard, Yizhiyu 6 Withfans | Unused | ¥3,100 | 21.39 |
| ILLIT NOT CUTE ANYMORE Minju photocards, album card and HMV bonus | Nearly unused | ¥600 | 4.14 |
| NCT WISH Sakuya photocard, Steady | Unused | ¥350 | 2.42 |
Each was a single in-stock item. Not all of it is exclusive stock: the Lee Know card is a Seoul concert entry bonus, per its title, and the Jungwon card’s seller tags it ラキドロ (lucky draw) and UNTOLD.
Kpop lightstick Japan buyers: check the version
For every RUN IT JAPAN show, the label announced wireless light-stick control for the VER.2 stick only, not the first version. Owners connect it in the Stray Kids Light Stick V2 app, enter their ticket details, and unpair it once the show starts.[6] It takes three AAA batteries, not included.[7] The Stray Kids listing above is a VER.2 by its title, and its seller says it connected at a live show; the ENHYPEN seller lists a strap, storage pouch and photocard as included.
For one ILLIT member, see our ILLIT Yunah photocard guide; for more groups, see cheap K-pop merch from Japan.
How to Buy Japanese Kpop Albums and Photocards From Abroad
Lucky draws, venue lotteries and fan-club editions are run for shoppers in Japan, so for those, resale is the practical route from abroad. The routine we recommend:
- Step 1: Pin down the item. Note the edition name, catalogue number and, for bonus cards, the store and design letter.[2]
- Step 2: Search with local terms. A kpop photocard in Japanese is トレカ (toreka; English-speaking fans write PC), a store bonus is 特典, a lucky draw is ラキドロ, a light stick is ペンライト and sealed is 未開封. Only have a screenshot? Try AI image search.
- Step 3: Read the listing. Check the photos, whether the bonus card is included, and whether domestic shipping is in the price (the ILLIT seller above includes it).
- Step 4: Order. The service fee is ¥300 per item on most marketplaces; from ¥200 per item on Yahoo Auctions and LinkBuy. Mercari sellers must ship within 7 days, and in-stock items take an estimated average of 3–5 business days from seller dispatch to the Tokyo warehouse.
- Step 5: Add a check when it matters. For “sealed” or “card included” listings, unboxing photos (¥500 / ¥700) or a wrong/missing item check (¥200 for Mercari purchases) show what arrived. OneMall does not authenticate items, so those photos are your record.
- Step 6: Wait, then consolidate. You get 90 days of free storage after arrival (30 days after consolidation), and the first 6 orders consolidate free, ¥100 per additional order.
- Step 7: Ship. Shipping is priced on chargeable weight: the greater of actual weight and L × W × H ÷ 5000 (cm) of the outer box. Cards and CDs pack small; the VER.2 stick’s retail package alone is 113 × 102 × 260 mm.[7] US parcels go by ECMS or DHL, and international dispatch takes an estimated average of 1–3 business days after the international shipping is paid.
US buyers should budget for import charges: since August 29, 2025, US-bound parcels of any value go through customs and pay applicable duties, taxes and fees — the $800 de minimis exemption no longer applies.
Ordering straight from a label shop? LinkBuy takes any Japanese online store by URL (item price × 5%, ¥200 to ¥1,000), but it cannot buy lottery items, purchase-limited items, or anything that needs Japanese identity verification or a merchant account. That rules out fan-club editions, venue lotteries and pre-orders with purchase limits.
Conclusion: Read the Edition, the Store and the Series
Japanese kpop albums reward collectors who read the small print: the edition letter decides the card set inside, the store decides the bonus card, and a lucky draw or venue booth adds another random layer. Earlier cards already resurface on the resale market, as today’s listings show, and SUIATSU adds 12 formats on November 25, 2026. When you’re ready, browse the K-pop photocards and merch picks on OneMall and ship your finds together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where to buy Japanese kpop albums from abroad?
New editions sell through chains such as Tower Records, HMV and Amazon.co.jp, each with its own bonus card.[2] After release, marketplaces such as Mercari carry sealed and opened copies, which a proxy can buy, store and ship.
How to join Stray Kids Japan fan club from overseas?
There are two courses: STAY JAPAN (annual, with a welcome box) and STAY JAPAN MOBILE (monthly). The join page says member benefits and services are for residents of Japan, so FC-only items such as the SUIATSU fan-club edition are realistically a resale purchase from abroad.[8]
Is there a Stray Kids Japan album 2026 release?
Yes. SUIATSU is coming out on November 25, 2026, in 12 formats.[2] The label also released the dominATE JAPAN tour Blu-ray on July 1, 2026.[1]
How do lucky draws work compared with store benefits?
Both give one random card per qualifying purchase, and both end when stock runs out. A store benefit is fixed to the chain you buy from; a lucky draw lets you pick a series, such as HMV’s design X or Y.[4][5]
Are kpop photocards random?
In the releases we checked, yes: SUIATSU’s edition cards and store bonuses are random, and so was the HMV lucky draw.[2][4] You choose the edition, store or series, not the member, except on the solo editions.
Last updated: 2026-11-04.
References
- Sony Music — Stray Kids discography (ディスコグラフィ)
- Sony Music — SUIATSU release date, editions and store-by-store purchase benefits
- Sony Music — RUN IT tour venue-only SUIATSU pre-order benefit and lottery
- Sony Music — @Loppi and HMV lucky draw event for THIS & THAT
- Sony Music — Sony Music Shop benefit for THIS & THAT (import edition)
- Sony Music — Notice on light-stick show control (ペンライトを使用したライブ演出に関するお知らせ)
- JYP JAPAN ONLINE STORE — Stray Kids OFFICIAL LIGHT STICK VER.2 product page
- Stray Kids fan club (STAY JAPAN) — Membership courses and join page