My trip to the Bandai Museum in Japan (circa 2005)

[cjefferys]

And great to see you in there, too. Always fun to see the real person behind the drunk posting alien avatar.

There's goes my plan to stay incognito and have people imagine that I in fact really am a drunk alien.

Awesome!!! 2 years ago my son, then 5 got totally hooked on the old school Godzilla movies when i put on Godzilla vs King Kong! Anyway, now he has a massive collection of the bandai Godzilla toys! Recently i just picked up the hard to find -Bandai Vinyl King Kong, Mecha King Kong and the super rare bandai Praying mantis!!

Sounds like your son has a great collection. I have a small Bandai Godzilla vinyl collection and still need the Mecha Kong and Kamakiras (Praying Mantis). I'd love to see pics of his collection.

Very cool pictures. I really like the vinyl Bandai Godzilla figures. It seems that the line has really slowed down although they had some Bandai US versions that may still be on Toys R Us shelves. The Machinders are awesome - I just can't afford to go down that road and would never have room for such wonderful figures.

Yeah, after the last movie, Bandai pretty well stopped making Godzilla vinyls for awhile (no great loss for them, they were always rather slow sellers compared to evergreen stuff like Ultraman and Kamen Rider). The same thing happened after Godzilla Vs. Destroyer in 1995. Toho took a several year break in Godzilla movies and there was very little mass produced Godzilla toys made during that time.

I can't really afford hardcore Jumbo collecting either. I'm mostly limiting myself to the much more affordable Mattel versions and more recent Unifive reproductions. It's too bad that most of the Japanese versions are so expensive, because these are incredibly cool toys.

Question - What does a trip like that cost? I heard there was also an Ultraman "mall" or superstore out there. Is that correct? I would love to take my family.

Getting to Japan is the expensive part of course. From Yokohama (where I stay in Japan because my wife's family live there) it was only a few public transportation train rides to an area a bit outside of Tokyo to go to the museum. And it only cost a few hundred yen (around $3.00 or so) for admission. I know there is an "Ultraman Land" (or something like that) somewhere in Japan, but I'm not sure of where or what it exactly is. I'll try to find some info for you.

Thanks for the comments guys. I had nearly forgotten I had these photos, and I'm glad I could share them.

[palitoy]

Nifty, I've always wanted to visit Japan and see this place. I love looking at JUmbo Machinders and that V-3 makes me crazy. I once found a Mexican bootleg of it but didn't pick it up, still kicking myself.

[vulcan2074]

Those are some fantastic pictures. Wow!
Sammy

[Jerry68]

Very cool pictures! Thanks for sharring. I have always wanted to go to Japan.
So many toys, so little money.

[AcroRay]

Nifty, I've always wanted to visit Japan and see this place. I love looking at JUmbo Machinders and that V-3 makes me crazy. I once found a Mexican bootleg of it but didn't pick it up, still kicking myself.

AAAARRRHHHHGGGGG!

[cjefferys]

Found another pic, they even had a minty boxed V3 Jumbo (and a Gaiking too):



And a close up of the Garada K7 Jumbo:

[starsky]

being a huge japanese toy collector as well, i am floored by those pics!! i had no idea bandai had a toy museum!! was there a gift shop?

[highquality]

That Garada is wicked BAD!!

Oooh if I were a richer man..

I'd probably still be outbid by even richer Japanese.

[Evel KMego]

Very cool to put a face to your name. That place is awesome!!! I've been to Japan twice on business, but never got to see any vintage toys. I went to a Toys R' Us there and other stores that had modern toys (I picked up an Ultraman). If I ever go back I'm asking directions to the nearest vintage store!!!!!!

[Marvelmania]

I'm so loving these pictures! Thanks for posting them! Where was this located (in what district) and do you know where it's moved to? I've been to Japan a few times but have never seen anything like this. I've got to hit it next time I'm there.