How To Pimp My iTouch

How To Download Free iPhone Apps from Japan App Store

How To Download Free iPhone Apps from Japan App Store
Shortly after I posted the demo video of Taikono Tatsujin, a great Japanese game for both iPhone and iPad, I received a number of questions in my email box: Is the game free? How can I download it? The game is only available in Japan App Store. Any way to register an iTunes account for Japan App [...]

Shortly after I posted the demo video of Taikono Tatsujin, a great Japanese game for both iPhone and iPad, I received a number of questions in my email box:

Is the game free?

How can I download it? The game is only available in Japan App Store.

Any way to register an iTunes account for Japan App Store to download the game? I do not have a credit card from Japan.

Okay, first thing first. The game is free for both iPhone and iPad. So, it comes to the second and third questions. As you know, App Store is not universal. Apple organizes the App Store by country and your iTunes account is associated with a specific App Store. Say, by using an U.S. iTunes account, you can only access the U.S. App Store.

In this case, to download the game or other applications in Japan App Store, you need to have the corresponding iTunes account registered under the Japan App Store. However, if you are not from Japan, you probably do not own a Japan credit card. Apparently, you need a credit card to register an iTunes account. In reality, Apple offers you an option to create an iTunes account without credit card.

About a year ago, I wrote a guide to show you how to register an iTunes account without the need of a credit card. The guide is written particularly for US app store. But, it also applies to Japan App Store (or store in other countries).

To download the “Taikono Tatsujin” game, simply hit this iTunes link. Then follow step 4-12 of this guide to register the Japanese iTunes account and download the game.