How to Buy Visual Kei Cheki & Merch Internationally
A current, no-nonsense guide to where fans actually buy cheki, tour goods, and rare VK merch from outside Japan — including which proxy services are worth it, where the real deals are, and what to avoid.
What is cheki?
Cheki (チェキ) are instant photos — taken with a Polaroid-style camera — that Visual Kei bands sell at live shows, in-store events, and occasionally through official online stores. Each one is unique: hand-signed, posed differently, sometimes personalised with a message.
That uniqueness is what makes them collectible. A cheki of your favourite band member at a small live in 2019 doesn't exist anywhere else in the world. Fans who attend shows sell them on secondhand markets, which is how international buyers access them at all.
Tier 1 Direct international shipping — no proxy needed
These ship overseas themselves. Start here if you're new.
CDJapan
The default starting point for newcomers. Reliable stock of new releases, some merch, and a full English interface. International shipping via EMS and SAL. Good for CDs, DVDs, and limited edition releases with bonuses. Less useful for secondhand cheki.
Closet Child
Probably the single best source for secondhand VK merch that ships internationally without a proxy. Specialist in Visual Kei and Lolita — CDs, DVDs, photo sets, tour goods, and yes, cheki. Stock turns over quickly and prices are fair. The site is mostly Japanese but navigable. Highly recommended for secondhand cheki and photo sets.
HMV Japan
Good for new releases, preorders, and limited editions. Ships internationally. Useful for HMV-exclusive bonuses on new releases.
JPU Records
UK-based label that carries licensed physical releases for Western markets. Useful if you're in Europe and want faster, cheaper shipping on officially licensed titles.
Tier 2 Japanese secondhand platforms via proxy
This is where serious collectors shop, and where cheki specifically lives. You'll need a proxy service (covered below), but the prices and selection are incomparably better than anything that ships internationally by itself.
Mercari Japan
The goldmine. Individual fans sell cheki, photo sets, tour goods, old magazines, and limited merch — often at a fraction of what aggregator sites charge. Prices reflect what someone actually paid at a live, not a reseller markup. Entirely in Japanese, requires a proxy. The main secondhand cheki source for international buyers.
Yahoo Auctions Japan (rebranded as JDirectItems in some interfaces)
The eBay of Japan. Rare items, bulk lots, old merchandise, out-of-print releases. Auction format means you can find bargains — or get caught in a bidding war on something rare. Better than Mercari for older, rarer material (pre-2010 era especially). Most proxies support it.
Surugaya
Specialist secondhand shop for anime, music, and subculture goods. Fixed prices, broad stock, good for browsing without the pressure of auctions. Now has a basic English interface, though the full stock is better accessible via proxy. Useful for CDs and DVDs at low prices.
mu-mo.net
Major official Japanese merch platform used by many VK bands. Sometimes sells cheki in random packs through official band shops. Requires a proxy for international buyers unless the specific band offers international shipping. Worth checking for current official cheki stock.
Which proxy service to use
A proxy service buys items from Japanese sites on your behalf, receives them at a Japanese warehouse, then ships to you internationally. Fee structures vary significantly — this matters more than people expect.
| Service | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Buyee | Mercari JP, Yahoo Auctions | Most popular, English interface, directly integrated with both platforms. Convenient but charges extra fees for things other proxies do for free. The "default" choice — fine for occasional buyers, pricier for regular use. |
| Zenmarket | Mercari JP, Yahoo Auctions, general | Popular Buyee alternative with lower fees. Well-regarded in VK and anime communities. Good English support. Recommended if you're buying regularly. |
| Neokyo | Most Japanese sites | Highly regarded, covers most Japanese platforms, competitive fees. Becoming increasingly popular as a Buyee alternative. |
| jpshopping.jp | Mercari JP | Lower profile but recommended by fans specifically for Mercari. Fees are cheaper than Buyee. Worth considering if Mercari is your main target. |
| Tenso | Stores that accept foreign cards but won't ship overseas | Forwarding service, not a full proxy — they receive packages but don't purchase on your behalf. Only useful if the Japanese store accepts your card directly. |
Tier 3 Western aggregators — the lazy tax
Sites like GoodRepublic, and to a lesser extent AmiAmi, are largely relisting Mercari Japan and Yahoo Auctions items at a significant markup — sometimes 2–3× the source price, on top of shipping. They're convenient because they handle everything in English with no proxy required, but you pay a lot extra for that convenience.
Worth mentioning to newcomers as an option, but experienced buyers avoid them for anything collectible. The same cheki listed on GoodRepublic for ¥4,500 will often be on Mercari Japan for ¥1,200.
Finding cheki specifically
Official sources
Band official online stores (via fan club sites or mu-mo.net) sometimes sell cheki directly, usually in random packs or mystery sets. These are produced for specific events and sell out fast. International shipping is rare — most require a proxy.
Some bands occasionally do international cheki sales through their own stores or via CDJapan — worth checking your favourite band's official site and CDJapan's shop section directly.
Mercari Japan
The main secondhand cheki source. Search by band name in Japanese (or romanised — Mercari's search handles both reasonably). Filter by price, condition, and date listed. Most cheki listings include photos of the actual item. Always check the image carefully — condition varies and sellers are photographing the specific item being sold.
Twitter/X fan sales
Japanese fans frequently sell directly via posts, often using the hashtag #チェキ販売 (cheki sale). However, Japanese fan sales almost exclusively use Japanese payment apps (PayPay, etc.) — they're essentially inaccessible to overseas buyers without a Japanese contact or middleman. Good for watching market prices, less useful for actually buying.
Closet Child in-store
If you're visiting Japan, Closet Child's physical stores (Harajuku, Ikebukuro, etc.) stock cheki and photo sets at good prices. Their online shop ships internationally but in-store stock is much larger and turns over fast.
Tips & common mistakes
- Most guides online are from 2018–2020. Yahoo Auctions Japan has rebranded (now JDirectItems in international interfaces). Buyee's fee structure changed. Zenmarket and Neokyo are newer and often better — older guides don't mention them.
- Factor in all costs before buying via proxy: item price + domestic shipping (JP) + proxy fee + international shipping + customs/VAT. Proxies will show estimated totals but confirm before committing.
- Closet Child first for secondhand, especially if you're new and don't want to deal with a proxy. They ship internationally and specialise in exactly this stuff.
- Random cheki packs are exactly that — random. If you want a specific member, buy secondhand from Mercari where you can see the actual item.
- Mercari listings expire. If something looks right, move fast — popular items (active band members, rare poses) sell within hours of listing.
- Condition matters. Check listings for yellowing, writing on the back, and creases. Most sellers are honest but photos don't always show everything — read the description carefully (use Google Translate on the listing).