...if they don't live in Japan?

Some people say it doesn't matter, some people say it does, there is talk of VPN's floating around, what even is that, can I get my books without it, uuugghhh enter frustration [here].

Explanations to satisfy a noob requested.

Did you look at the kindle thread? forum.koohii.com/viewtopic.php?pid=219912

You really just have to set up an amazon.co.jp account. Make your country / address in Japan and you can get the books.

Some people deal with messages from amazon, which is where the VPNs come in. I don't know if anyone still gets those errors, but I wouldn't really worry about them.

MelonBerry Wrote:Did you look at the kindle thread? forum.koohii.com/viewtopic.php?pid=219912

In the OP it was implied that the TS did read that thread, and I agree with TS: it is a bit confusing...

Also, where do you get "totally real" Japanese addresses? Do you just pick from random places like schools etc.?

There are a couple of ways to do it, but if you don't know anybody there, then I'd recommend just getting a free address from a forwarding service in Japan. Tenso is the one I use, and it works just fine. There's no cost to get the account set up. They only charge you once you have something ordered and shipped through them. (And it's handy for buying some things you can't get any other way.)

Same goes for the phone number. They'll give you their office phone number, so just put that in.

Set up 1-click for your JP address and set up your payment method, too. (Payment can come from an overseas CC/address.)

Also, publishers reserve the right to not sell books to non-JP IP addresses, so that may be where some people have run into trouble with some titles. In that case, a VPN would be handy for buying books you can't otherwise get electronically.

I did read that thread, at it was confusing as hell.

What is a VPN and how would it help me get around overseas copyright issues?

And don't tell me to google it, I want a response from someone on here that has done this before and knows specifically about using them to buy ebooks (or other things) from Amazon.jp.

You need a Japamese IP address to buy from the kindle store. At least in my experience. A VPN or proxy can do that for you.

Apologies for the wall of text, but I hope it helps clear things up.

If your info is set up correctly, you'll have a one-click button on Kindle purchases. If not, there'll be an "unavailable at this time" message on it. You need to register a real Japanese address to one-click, and provide a valid payment method for one-click, too. Payment from non-Japan is okay.

Get an address from Tenso.com. Follow the instructions on their site.

I don't know why some people can only purchase through a VPN. I've been able to purchase both with and without one without problems. Publishers retain the right to sell to "JP IP Only" for some books, in which case a VPN is really handy. (Select a Tokyo server and you're good to go.)

The quoted stuff below explains it in detail. Skip it if you want.

If you want a Kindle device, buy one in your home country. Don't buy one from Amazon.co.jp unless you are living in Japan with a real Japanese residential address. (Or buy one off of eBay.)

In terms of awesomeness for studying Japanese: First gen Paperwhite (EY21) > Second gen Paperwhite, iPad App > Fire App > Android App. The Paperwhites aren't that great for manga.

I find it's easier for me to keep my two Kindle accounts sorted out by using two different email addresses, one for the US, one for Japan. And I have two Kindles, too, one for each. Pain in the butt? You bet. But not a dealbreaker for me.

Sometimes the store will barf on a credit card purchase, just because. Check with your card company to make sure they didn't flag it for possible fraud, then resubmit it using the account pages, and go have a coffee while it sorts itself out. It's happened to me a couple of times, and it's not a big deal.

This following stuff might be helpful for some people. (Might not.)

According to this link:
https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/help/custome...=201270030

Quote:旅行中のコンテンツ購入
海外旅行中でも、Kindle端末からコンテンツを購入できます。購入にはWi-Fi接続が必要です。

旅行先でWi-Fiネットワークを使用できない場合は、コンピュータ上でAmazon.co.jpからコンテンツを購入し、USB経由でKindle Fireに転送すると、端末からそのコンテンツにアクセスできます。

なお、コンテンツの購入には、居住国として日本国内の住所が登録されている必要があります。

Rough translation:

"Buying content in the middle of a trip:

"Even if you're in the middle of an overseas trip, you can buy content for your Kindle. A Wi-Fi connection is required.

"If there is no Wi-Fi at your destination..." (stuff about connecting to website and downloading to Kindle Fire omitted)

"Also, regarding the purchase of content, for your country of residence, a Japanese address must be registered."

and this bit:

Quote:海外での購入制限について
Kindle端末は、日本国内にお住いの方のみへの販売となります。

また、出版者または権利者により地域制限が設定されている場合があるため、一部のKindle本は日本国内のお客様のみに提供しております。この場合、お客様が日本国外にいらっしゃる場合は、ご購入いただけません。

Rough translation:

"About overseas purchasing restrictions:

"Kindle devices will only be sold to residents of Japan." (Don't try to buy one! Buy it locally!)

"Furthermore, in the case that local/regional publishers or rights holders set access restrictions, certain Kindle books will only be sold/provided to customers in Japan. In that case, overseas residents will not be able to purchase these books."

Anyway, there ya go.

EDIT: tried to make it more useful/comprehensible, made wall of text bigger.

Interesting.

People have done it on here though, according to the forums, without being in Japan. Hmm.

I succeeded in getting a Japanese VPN to work. Without it, the 新世界より　上　page wouldn't show the price, and now it's letting me buy it.

Only now it's not recognizing the Kindle that I have registered on my us account. Do I need to deregister it there and re-register it here? I don't understand how amazon handles accounts if you already have an amazon. Do I need to make an entirely new one?

EDIT: Nevermind. Apparently the book isn't even offered for the Touch. *sigh* Why do they make this so hard for people willing to pay?

Any other places to buy ebooks that can be converted for use on the Kindle?
Or does anyone want to *le gasp* give me a digital copy of 新世界より?

Yes.

I just tried the same without a VPN a few minutes ago and it actually worked!

You'll have to set up the Kindle to run off of your Japanese Amazon account, so you'll have to deregister it. That's why i keep two Kindles.

I'm considering buying a Kindle solely for Japanese stuff now... because I use my UK account for German ebooks as well... and having to switch between accounts seems like too much of a hassle.

I was able to buy like 4 or 5 books before it stopped working without a Japanese IP, so be aware.

That's it. I give up. I've registered and deregistered and re-registered my kindle. I've made a new account on amazon.jp which my kindle won't register to. Whether I'm trying with a US IP or a Japanese VPN, I can't buy the book, or any book, from amazon.jp. Literally nothing works.

I would have just pirated it but even /that/ is difficult for this book. UGH. *flips table* Just wanted /one/ book for my Kindle Touch... *grumble grumble*

Hexerein Wrote:That's it. I give up. I've registered and deregistered and re-registered my kindle. I've made a new account on amazon.jp which my kindle won't register to. Whether I'm trying with a US IP or a Japanese VPN, I can't buy the book, or any book, from amazon.jp. Literally nothing works.

I would have just pirated it but even /that/ is difficult for this book. UGH. *flips table* Just wanted /one/ book for my Kindle Touch... *grumble grumble*

I think only the Paperwhites are sold in Japan, right? So it might only work on them. I remember trying to get the Paperwhite version of Daijisen on /my /kindle 3, when I still had it, and Amazon wouldn't let me.

The Paperwhites are sold globally. The first gen (EY21) is the one with the best lookup for reading Japanese.

Of the current generation of Paperwhites, the JP version has 4GB of storage vs. 2GB for all other countries' models of Paperwhite. No idea why. After the system takes its 900MB, there's still 3.1/1.1 GB left over.

Only the paperwhite officially supports Japanese. It's impossible to buy Japanese books for any kindle older than the paperwhite.

I am very interested in buying a kindle paperwhite and I was wondering why the first generation paperwhite would be better than second generation.

Rich_f, could you elaborate a bit on whay you said and explain how the first generation compare to the second generation ?

Many thanks in advance,
-Danodare

EDIT: Okay, that first bit turns out to be wrong now, so I removed it.

Both paperwhites downloaded a software update when I wasn't looking, and both changed the way they do lookups, and it's exactly the same.

If you want to check a different dictionary, now you have to tap the dictionary name at the bottom of the definition, and select from a pop-up list. But you don't have to go into settings.

So get a first or second gen paperwhite, it doesn't matter. Get what you like, and they'll look up words the same way.

Compared to using the Android Kindle app, it's like night and day. The Android app only supports Daijisen, and it doesn't de-conjugate verbs. (So if you come a cross a verb in て form, it won't figure out its dictionary form.) I read a book with this app, and it *really* wasn't fun. There wasn't any advantage over a paper book.

The paperwhite will take that verb, and if it can't find it in て form, it will search for it in dictionary form in all of your dictionaries. Also, the paperwhite comes with the Shogakkan Progressive JP->EN dictionary for free, and you can buy one of the EDICT-based dictionaries as well for a few bucks. (Even though I'm not a huge fan of EDICT, it's worth the money, because it covers some stuff that is not in the Shogakkan dictionary.)

I can get through a light novel in a few hours this way, and have a higher comprehension.

A few things I've noticed: the 1st gen display isn't as nice as the 2nd gen's. The 1st gen tends to slow down after a few hours of reading, requiring a reboot to clear out some sort of cache, I think. It may have to do with the lookups. Also, I wish there was an easy way to export my word list notebook, but I can't figure that out.

There are some words/phrases you're going to run across that won't show up in any of the onboard dictionaries. Alc.co.jp is your friend.

Set up with tenso and just bought 涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱 for the kindle android app.

I had no problems what so ever. I used amazon.co.jp on my computer and just had amazon send it to my phone through wifi. I didn't use a VPN either.

Also, thankfully I have a note 3. The screen isn't teeny tiny.

And I just had a duuuuh moment. I checked out the lookup function on the 2nd gen paperwhite... and it's exactly the same as it is on the 1st gen paperwhite now.

Must have been a software update for both somewhere.

Just a note for anyone else with bank of america.

They actually locked my card a day after my purchase. To them it was an " unauthorized purchase' .

..Off to call the bank. -.-

Note on the haruhi novel : Wow, all the vocab and grammar I don't know! This will be a challenge, but I want to be able to go through my first small novel. Wish me luck~

Haruhi is not the easiest things to read for a first novel, they get pretty philosophical at times and have lots of weird references. If you are about the same level I was when I read my first novel, you'll have trouble following. I tried Haruhi too at first, but then settled for Zero no Tsukaima, which is also on the kindle store, but much easier to understand.

Anyway good luck with your first novel.

apirx Wrote:Haruhi is not the easiest things to read for a first novel, they get pretty philosophical at times and have lots of weird references. If you are about the same level I was when I read my first novel, you'll have trouble following. I tried Haruhi too at first, but then settled for Zero no Tsukaima, which is also on the kindle store, but much easier to understand.

Anyway good luck with your first novel.

I got the version with the furigana and better spacing. I don't mind looking things up to be honest. I've noticed that the sentences are very long. ( Oh boy.. >_> )

I'll look into Zero no Tsuakaima too, thanks.

GJ部 is also an easy LN series. Each novel is broken into 36 or so short stories, and each one is about 4-5 pages. The grammar is pretty easy. The vocab isn't too bad, either, since it's a HS setting. (And there are like 20 novels, so no shortage of matierial.)

The characters are a little caricature-ish, but it's amusing.

apirx Wrote:I was able to buy like 4 or 5 books before it stopped working without a Japanese IP, so be aware.

Funny enough. I hit the 5 books limit too.

Bought to novels in July ( see my post above ) and tried to grab some of the free manga this week.

Got the message of

"please contact us or change your country to complete your purchase.

You attempted to purchase an item while in a different country than listed on your Amazon account.

Please contact customer service in order to continue purchasing Kindle items."

Guess I'll have to start using a VPN now? Bleh, I don't understand why amazon does this.

Do I really have to go through customer service? I don't even know what to tell them.