Where is a good place to shop at.....

[PurpleIce]

Hi guys,

Not to sure if posting here is the correct place, but i will be travelling to a few places in the next couple of months. Just wondering if any of you know where is a good place to shop for playing cards at these places?

Bangkok, Phuket - Thailand
Penang - Malaysia (Basically most parts of Malaysia since I will be driving around)
Tokyo, Fukuoka - Japan
Taipei, Taichung - Taiwan (Maybe)
Hong Kong (Maybe)

[sprouts1115]

I sure don't but I heard there is a secret Taiwan card producing factory.  Maybe you can take some pictures and do some recon.
Thread is here: http://aethercards.com/discourse/playing-card-plethora/2nd-edition-fatboys/msg83231/#msg83180

Don said,
"That factory is one of the best-kept industry secrets right about now.  There's only a small number of people who know the name and address of the place, and they're not talking.  I know many people who know it - and they STILL won't tell me!  They're the closest thing to a competitor to USPC in terms of quality of manufacturing.  I've been recently messing with my Legends and I was shocked to find that the quality had actually IMPROVED with use.  They fan completely smoothly now and the stock is still as snappy as it was on day one."

Come back and tell us your findings.  This might help you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ebAssCr990   

[Don Boyer]

I sure don't but I heard there is a secret Taiwan card producing factory.  Maybe you can take some pictures and do some recon.
Thread is here: http://aethercards.com/discourse/playing-card-plethora/2nd-edition-fatboys/msg83231/#msg83180

Don said,
"That factory is one of the best-kept industry secrets right about now.  There's only a small number of people who know the name and address of the place, and they're not talking.  I know many people who know it - and they STILL won't tell me!  They're the closest thing to a competitor to USPC in terms of quality of manufacturing.  I've been recently messing with my Legends and I was shocked to find that the quality had actually IMPROVED with use.  They fan completely smoothly now and the stock is still as snappy as it was on day one."

Come back and tell us your findings.  This might help you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ebAssCr990

Um, I think he'd rather just buy cards and play tourist than skulk around factories in an industrial district... 

[MagikFingerz]

I sure don't but I heard there is a secret Taiwan card producing factory.  Maybe you can take some pictures and do some recon.
Thread is here: http://aethercards.com/discourse/playing-card-plethora/2nd-edition-fatboys/msg83231/#msg83180

Don said,
"That factory is one of the best-kept industry secrets right about now.  There's only a small number of people who know the name and address of the place, and they're not talking.  I know many people who know it - and they STILL won't tell me!  They're the closest thing to a competitor to USPC in terms of quality of manufacturing.  I've been recently messing with my Legends and I was shocked to find that the quality had actually IMPROVED with use.  They fan completely smoothly now and the stock is still as snappy as it was on day one."

Come back and tell us your findings.  This might help you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ebAssCr990

Um, I think he'd rather just buy cards and play tourist than skulk around factories in an industrial district... 

But playing spy is much more fun than playing tourist   

[Don Boyer]

But playing spy is much more fun than playing tourist   

In a place like Taiwan, always looking across the sea at China?!  Yeah, the ROI of one's time is just not cuttin' it.  I prefer hotel beds to jail cots. 

Back to topic, folks - practical suggestions for where to shop in those areas, anyone?

FYI: someone already posted a recent thread about good card shops in Hong Kong - it's worth a search.  I think it might be in the STISO rather than the PCP - and I'm moving this topic there as well, since the PCP is more about new deck releases than where to shop.

[PurpleIce]

I sure don't but I heard there is a secret Taiwan card producing factory.  Maybe you can take some pictures and do some recon.
Come back and tell us your findings. 

I do have a friend who takes personal group tours around the whole of Taiwan. Though i doubt he collects cards, I may get some info from him on possible sites where the factory is located.

But playing spy is much more fun than playing tourist   

I actually do agree with this  But i gotta find more info first...gotta have a target or i will be one dumb "map-looking, direction asking" spy.

FYI: someone already posted a recent thread about good card shops in Hong Kong - it's worth a search.  I think it might be in the STISO rather than the PCP - and I'm moving this topic there as well, since the PCP is more about new deck releases than where to shop.

I did some rummaging through forum posts and i think i found the thread you were mentioning.

http://aethercards.com/discourse/playing-card-plethora/where-to-buy-playing-cards-in-hong-kong/

It is still in PCP though. 

[phantom1412]

I'm Thai student who lives in Japan. So, I guess I could help you with those 2 countries.

In Thai, decks are really expensive and most of them are sold online. Importing playing cards in Thailand is actually illegal. So, most decks you could find are crappy decks or plastic playing cards.

In Japan, I'm not sure about Fukuoka, but you could go to Tokyu Hands or LoFT, there might be some bearbrick or green tally ho sold there. Just looking for the magic tricks corner.

[Don Boyer]

I do have a friend who takes personal group tours around the whole of Taiwan. Though i doubt he collects cards, I may get some info from him on possible sites where the factory is located.

Good luck.  I've heard there's over a hundred playing card factories in Taiwan.  I found dozens in a casual web search.  I was looking for the Legends factory and said to myself, "Well, there can't be that many card printers in Taiwan, right?  There's only a handful in the US that actually print here."  Sh'yeah...

I did some rummaging through forum posts and i think i found the thread you were mentioning.

http://aethercards.com/discourse/playing-card-plethora/where-to-buy-playing-cards-in-hong-kong/

It is still in PCP though. 

Ugh.  Oh, well, back it goes...  I get easily confused... 

[Jonathan]

I do have a friend who takes personal group tours around the whole of Taiwan. Though i doubt he collects cards, I may get some info from him on possible sites where the factory is located.

Good luck.  I've heard there's over a hundred playing card factories in Taiwan.  I found dozens in a casual web search.  I was looking for the Legends factory and said to myself, "Well, there can't be that many card printers in Taiwan, right?  There's only a handful in the US that actually print here."  Sh'yeah...

I did some rummaging through forum posts and i think i found the thread you were mentioning.

http://aethercards.com/discourse/playing-card-plethora/where-to-buy-playing-cards-in-hong-kong/

It is still in PCP though. 

Ugh.  Oh, well, back it goes...  I get easily confused... 

Hey!
That Hong Kong post was my thread.
Lol I think I originally put it in STISO but it got moved to PCP XD bahaha.
Verloren was a huge help on that thread and seeing as you found it looks like you read the thread.

I got back from Hong Kong with a HUGE haul of cards. They weren't particularly cheap but mind you though I come from Australia where you can barely buy any variety of playing cards and international shipping costs a lot.
I managed to find 4 card stores in Hong Kong. 2 of them were in the 188 wan chai building; they have similar but slightly different stock. If you're in the Causeway Bay/Wan Chai district I recommend you check em out they have a lot of variety. Price wise they're about 12 USD a deck on average. They have some 30 USD/deck decks too (more limited/sold out ones like Encarded's Tendrils, JAQKs etc). There's also a card store in Sham Shui Po that again has a slightly different range, something unique about them: they have fake jerry's nuggets for about 10USD.
In my opinion the cheapest store (but a smaller range) was in Mong Kok above a Bauhaus. I think the name of the building is Ginza plaza/place or something.

As for your other destinations; can't help you there sorry. But in Japan I think if you looked around you could find some interesting palying cards. I noticed a fair few japanese brands make playing cards through USPC (eg Rilakkuma's, hello kitty, tokidoki ?Bape not sure if they're Japanese though )

[PurpleIce]

Hey!
That Hong Kong post was my thread.
Lol I think I originally put it in STISO but it got moved to PCP XD bahaha.
Verloren was a huge help on that thread and seeing as you found it looks like you read the thread.

I got back from Hong Kong with a HUGE haul of cards. They weren't particularly cheap but mind you though I come from Australia where you can barely buy any variety of playing cards and international shipping costs a lot.
I managed to find 4 card stores in Hong Kong. 2 of them were in the 188 wan chai building; they have similar but slightly different stock. If you're in the Causeway Bay/Wan Chai district I recommend you check em out they have a lot of variety. Price wise they're about 12 USD a deck on average. They have some 30 USD/deck decks too (more limited/sold out ones like Encarded's Tendrils, JAQKs etc). There's also a card store in Sham Shui Po that again has a slightly different range, something unique about them: they have fake jerry's nuggets for about 10USD.
In my opinion the cheapest store (but a smaller range) was in Mong Kok above a Bauhaus. I think the name of the building is Ginza plaza/place or something.

As for your other destinations; can't help you there sorry. But in Japan I think if you looked around you could find some interesting palying cards. I noticed a fair few japanese brands make playing cards through USPC (eg Rilakkuma's, hello kitty, tokidoki ?Bape not sure if they're Japanese though )

Hey Jonathan,

Thanks for the info. I totally understand about the international shipping. Cards here aren't that cheap as well. Sure there are a few who sell decks at a reasonable price, but for limited/sold out decks, they really cost a bomb. I just asked about a Lu Chen Spar deck, and the guy tried to sell it for about $250.00 USD. 

In Thai, decks are really expensive and most of them are sold online. Importing playing cards in Thailand is actually illegal. So, most decks you could find are crappy decks or plastic playing cards.

Anyway, i was back recently from Thailand, and as phantom1412 said, just crappy decks mostly. Will keep you guys updated if i have any finds in other countries.