Toys in Japan are big business, with an astonishing range of products—many of which you’d never see outside Japan. The average toy shop is a wondrous place, typically spanning four to seven stories, packed from floor to ceiling with marvellous fun for all ages.
Japan is home to countless cute characters, and a Japanese toy shop has more than anywhere else. You’ll find thousands of Hello Kitty products, Pokémon and friends, dolls, penguins, dogs, and, of course, a dedicated Disney section—no toy store would be complete without one.
Japan still cherishes the old favourites, such as Godzilla, Astro Boy, and action figures like Transformers. These classics never go out of fashion, nor do Western icons like Snoopy and the Sesame Street gang.
Then there’s the unusual but beloved Domo-kun—a square, brown, angry-looking monster who hatched from an egg and passes gas when he’s nervous. He may have some questionable habits, but he’s undeniably cute—and in Japan, that’s often all a product needs to sell.
Inside a Japanese Toy Store
Most toy shops dedicate entire floors to specific interests, such as:
- Model cars, planes, and trains
- Electronic games and traditional board games
- Hundreds of novelty toys, often priced at just a few hundred yen
- Gachapon (capsule toy) vending machines, where you can test your luck for a surprise collectible
Some of the toys you’ll encounter are quite bizarre, including:
- A Hello Kitty doctor’s kit, complete with fake morphine injections
- Pacifiers with tiny characters that move when the baby sucks
- Plush burgers with animals popping out of them
- Robots, anime figures, and endless manga merchandise
The Otaku Influence
Anime, manga, model trains, and cars are hugely popular among Japanese geeks, known as Otaku. Because of this, Japan’s electronics districts—like Akihabara in Tokyo and Den Den Town in Osaka—are home to large hobby stores where enthusiasts can find thousands of model cars, trains, and collectibles.
