E-fran Inc., operator of the high-value purchase service Otakaraya, announced that it will open 18 new directly operated stores in May 2026 across 14 prefectures, including Mie, Kanagawa, Toyama, Yamaguchi, Fukuoka, Hyogo, Tokyo, Aichi, Nagasaki, Tochigi, Saitama, Ibaraki, Osaka, and Hiroshima. As of May 2026, the company operates 1,780 stores nationwide in Japan, and the new openings are intended to further expand its regional coverage. With more people reviewing household items during seasonal wardrobe changes and early-summer home organization, Otakaraya aims to provide more accessible appraisal and purchase services for precious metals, branded goods, jewelry, and related items. The company notes that precious metal prices continue to fluctuate amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, and gold purchase prices are calculated based on market conditions on the appraisal date, meaning timing can affect the final result. Otakaraya recommends that customers use this period to check the current value of items such as precious metals, jewelry, kimono, antiques, gift certificates, brand-name bags, and watches. The May 2026 openings include stores at Kintetsu Department Store Yokkaichi, LaLaport Yokohama, Apple Hill, Westa Maruki Nishi-Ube, Sunlive Koyanose, Comore Tanba no Mori, Tokyu Department Store Kichijoji, Shintomachi Inter, Across Plaza Takaragi, Shibuya Ekimae, Keisei Department Store, Feel Qualite Heiwa Koen, Kobe Sannomiya, Across Plaza Takasago, MEGA Don Quijote UNY Hoshikawa, and The Big Yasu-Furuichi. The stores are located in department stores, shopping centers, supermarkets, and accessible roadside locations to meet regional demand for appraisals and purchases of precious metals, branded items, and jewelry.