Which Japanese ticket sites work without a Japanese number?

Why does a phone number matter?

Many Japanese ticket sites check your phone when you sign up, by SMS or by a call. If the site only accepts Japanese numbers, you can't make an account from abroad. The regular e+ site asks for a Japanese mobile number. Ticket PIA's regular membership is for people living in Japan, with Japanese numbers only.

What does each site say?

• LivePocket: Overseas mobile numbers can register, with a check by SMS or phone call. The site switches between Japanese and English, but event text is whatever the organizer wrote. Tickets are e-tickets: a QR code under "My Ticket" on the web, with no app needed. The new LivePocket started on 20 October 2025, so check your purchase email for where your ticket is shown.
• TIGET: An official notice says cards issued outside Japan can be used. You log in with email or a social media account. We found no official English buying flow. Tickets are shown on the web as a QR code or a check-in button.
• ZAIKO: It has an English site. Phone authentication needs a number that can get SMS or calls. Cards from Japan and abroad are accepted. All tickets are e-tickets, with no paper tickets or mail.
• e+: The regular site needs a Japanese mobile number. A separate international site sells tickets for selected shows only. Its current help page lists VISA, Mastercard, JCB, AMEX, Alipay and WeChat Pay. Its old and new pages list different card brands, so follow the sale page for your show.
• Ticket PIA: PIA international sale has its own pages for selected shows. It has sold tickets for at least one small live house show, but not for every show.
• Lawson Ticket: An English guide explains buying general sales from abroad without membership. Pre-sales are not included. Its official pages disagree on access from outside Japan, so check the guide for your show. The ticket app needs a Japanese phone number.
• Rakuten Ticket: Some shows have a sign-up route for people living abroad. Whether your show has one depends on the organizer.

What can still go wrong?

• A card can be declined. "Cards issued abroad are accepted" doesn't mean every card goes through. Have a second card or another way in.
• Where you live matters more than your passport. These pages ask about your phone number, your card and where you live.
• Store pickup happens in Japan. Convenience-store tickets are printed at stores in Japan, after you arrive.
• An English page isn't an English checkout. Some guides are in English, but the sign-up screens may be in Japanese.
• The organizer sets the rules. The sale page for your show can limit who can buy and how you get the ticket.

How do you buy from abroad?

1. Find your show on JGIG and open the official event page.
2. See which ticket site the page links to.
3. Find that site in the table above. For regular e+ or Ticket PIA, look for an international sale link on the event page.
4. Sign up before sales open, and check whether the site sends an SMS.
5. After you buy, keep the e-ticket where you can open it. JGIG's guide suggests a screenshot, as reception can be weak underground.
6. If no site works for you, try torioki or a door ticket. See What is torioki? and Can you buy tickets at the door?.

Buy only through the ticket link on the official event page. Avoid resale listings.

What if you are alone, have no Japanese or cash, or buy at the door?

• Going alone: One ticket in your own name keeps things simple at the entrance.
• No Japanese: LivePocket and ZAIKO have English screens. On the regular Japanese sites, expect some Japanese during sign-up.
• No cash: Buying online means paying by card now. The drink fee, usually ¥600, is still paid in person at the entrance.
• Door ticket: If you can't buy online, a door ticket may be possible on the night, but only if there is space.

What to do next

What to do next