We have logged hours and hours of playing the U.S. versions of this game, but always was rather bummed that we could not access Japanese items in our US versions. No more! This is FUN! We know nothing about the language...yet. The Internet really helps there. If you're thinking about it, do it. Fun, fun, fun. (There apparently are copies of the game that are not version 1.1. The game prompts you to do an update so you can visit other towns, etc. if it were not for the awesome assistance from a wonderful person I met on the Internet, I would not have known that, although I wondered about the prompt on the title screen. Just want to pay it forward if someone else hits a stumbling block...)
So this game has low star ratings for stupid reasons, so allow me to be the first to say this is a great game. THIS ONLY PLAYS ON JAPANESE 3DS SYSTEMS! This is what I have on my japanese 3ds, it's a fun game and everyone should at least try it. If your looking for the American version search Animal Crossing: New Leaf. Thanks and hope this is more helpful than the other ones....
Warning: you must be able to understand Japanese (or at least some) to play this. It also ONLY works on a Japanese 3DS! Besides that, it's a great game and super adorable. Was 100% brand new and therefore works perfectly. If you're just learning Japanese, this is great because it has furigana to help you (and small Japanese children) pronounce kanji you don't know. :)
I've been playing the english version since it released in NA. I bought this game because back in November I decided to teach myself Japanese and this whole time I've been practicing kana and basic grammer. Now that I can read kana with no problems I bought the Japan Import to see sentences in action. In game all the kanji have kana over it (I think it's called furigana) so you can read it even if you don't know that kanji yet.
I love this game in english! I can't believe I've been playing it for almost a year now.
If you don't already know the GAME HAS TO MATCH THE DS' REGION. That means if you don't already have a Japan import 3ds and you want the the japan game I recommend you get the 3DS LL. (Japan's 3ds xl) The kana over the kanji is TINY, so the bigger screen helps a lot.