Have You Been to Japan?

[Wee67]

I'm hoping to tap into the experience of some of my fellow Museum members. I'm pretty sure some of you have been to Japan and visited vintage toy stores. Or just know of about famed stores.
-Any recommendations about particular stores? I won't have a lot of time for stores, so I'm hoping someone might have a must-visit suggestion or two. Or are there particular neighborhoods?
-Any other non-toy suggestions in Japan?
-Any tips on getting around outside of Tokyo?

Thanks in advance for any guidance!
-Bill

[monitor_ep]

If you can afford it you need to at least spend one night at the Godzilla hotel. Not only is there tons of Godzilla history the food is not with a Godzilla flare to it.

There is also a huge Hello Kitty store that is worth a stop

There are several bar/restaurant located all over the place and each one is decorated in different themes.

I am away from my home computer right now so I will get back to this later tonight.

[Wee67]

If you can afford it you need to at least spend one night at the Godzilla hotel. Not only is there tons of Godzilla history the food is not with a Godzilla flare to it.

There is also a huge Hello Kitty store that is worth a stop

There are several bar/restaurant located all over the place and each one is decorated in different themes.

I am away from my home computer right now so I will get back to this later tonight.

Thanks!! A couple of people have suggested a store called Mandarake. Do you know it?

[neogelion]

You can look at Tokyo Toy ******* on youtube to be some of Mandarake. I was stationed in Japan from 97-99 about 45 minutes from Tokyo by train. It's not how you are probably imagining it. A lot of the stores are hard to locate. They will be on the third floor with only a little sign to indicate it is there. And the sign won't have anything on it that indicates it is a toy store. Make sure you eat at McDonalds while you are there. It is 1000% better than it is here (more like it was here when we were kids (I'm 53)). Also, make sure to visit their version of Toys R Us.

[jwyblejr]

You can look at Tokyo Toy ******* on youtube to be some of Mandarake. I was stationed in Japan from 97-99 about 45 minutes from Tokyo by train. It's not how you are probably imagining it. A lot of the stores are hard to locate. They will be on the third floor with only a little sign to indicate it is there. And the sign won't have anything on it that indicates it is a toy store. Make sure you eat at McDonalds while you are there. It is 1000% better than it is here (more like it was here when we were kids (I'm 53)). Also, make sure to visit their version of Toys R Us.

Also check out some of Toy Polloi's videos of his visits to Japan. He's usually on the lookout for Microman/Micronauts stuff.

[B-Lister]

I'm hoping to tap into the experience of some of my fellow Museum members. I'm pretty sure some of you have been to Japan and visited vintage toy stores. Or just know of about famed stores.
-Any recommendations about particular stores? I won't have a lot of time for stores, so I'm hoping someone might have a must-visit suggestion or two. Or are there particular neighborhoods?
-Any other non-toy suggestions in Japan?
-Any tips on getting around outside of Tokyo?

Thanks in advance for any guidance!
-Bill

1) Nakano Broadway. Get off at Nakano Station, wlk across the street, and enter the Sun Mall. Walk to the end of the Sun Mall and you'll find Nakano Broadway. Four floors of vintage toy bliss. The good stuff is on floors 2-4. Make sure you have time, and a full wallet, you'll be here a while.

2) Akihabara still has vintage toys if you know where to look. The problem is, it can be tough to know where to look. There is a Branch of Jungle inside Radio Kaikan with a lot of vintage. On Chuo Dori, you'll find Toys Golden Age, and along the tracks is Mandarake CoCoo (separate from the Main Mandarake Complex) which specializes in soft vinyl toys. Mandarake Complex is the big hit in this area tho. Tons of toys, manga, and all sorts of other ephemera.

If you're looking for new toys, Yodobashi Camera in Akihabara, or the Tamashii Nations store may have it. I'd also recommend checking out the Sunshine City mall in Ikebukuro, as they have the largest Capsule Machine store in the world (though you'll find Gacha Gacha machines EVERYWHERE).

Parco in Shibuya has a bunch of great shops on the 6th floor if you're into Nintendo, Capcom, Pokémon, or Shonen Jump.

Mandarake has branches in Ikebukuro and Shibuya that are worth checking out too. Kiddyland in Harajuku can also be pretty fun.

When are you going?

[Wee67]

Thanks everyone. I am a bit worried about finding these hidden locations. I am a veteran traveler, but I'm intimidated by the lack of Latin letters to get around, let alone find shops buried in a basement or on the 3rd floor of a building. Also, I can't expect my wife to give up all of her time in Japan with toy shopping I was going to go with a guide or tours in small towns and freelance in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka but I'm having second thought.

When are you going?

I hoping to go in the end of May/beginning of June

[monitor_ep]

There is plenty of stuff to do in and around Tokyo that doesn't include toy hunting. Here are some great places for tourist to go.

Walking Tour: Tokyo Self-Guided Trip Tips | City Unscripted

27 Best Things to Do in Tokyo for Every Type of Traveler | Condé Nast Traveler (cntraveler.com)

14 Best Things to Do in Tokyo | U.S. News Travel (usnews.com)

Tokyo: Tours and Tickets - Tripadvisor

I went way back when I was traveling with a young film maker, so my experience is outdated.

[B-Lister]

Thanks everyone. I am a bit worried about finding these hidden locations. I am a veteran traveler, but I'm intimidated by the lack of Latin letters to get around, let alone find shops buried in a basement or on the 3rd floor of a building.

Most signage in train stations is in English, as are many businesses.

If you need more help, add me on instagram or twitter. My username is henshinbeat.

Message me any time, night or day and I will happily help you find your way around Tokyo.

Also, I can't expect my wife to give up all of her time in Japan with toy shopping I was going to go with a guide or tours in small towns and freelance in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka but I'm having second thought.

Don't give up until you have a look around. You'll be surprised. I didn't learn how to read Japanese until before my second trip. I got around just fine on my first trip, without knowing more than a few basic words/phrases.

I hoping to go in the end of May/beginning of June

You'll miss me by a month. I'll be there from Mid April-Early May.

[Jorge Galvan]

Have You Been to Japan?



Sadly no. That is the dream or was the dream. There is a small possibility this year.




http://www.g-fan.com/html/gtour4.php



But it would be under someone else's THUMB and you go to bed when told, and go to whatever city your told and you eat when they want too...


Have fun.

[Agent4125]

I've been to Japan two times (in 2010 and 2019). And I really enjoyed those trips.
My impression was that the people there are really friendly and helpful.
And there's so much to see. And Tokyo is huge!

One thing I learned though is that many of the people there don't speak English.

Two stories:
I once was in a post office in Shinjuku and wanted to ship a package to my home address
(I had bought to much stuff in Akihabara and it wouldn't fit in my luggage :-) ).
The people working at that post office didn't speak English.
Fortunately the forms that I had to fill out were in Japanese and English.
So in the end I figured out myself what to do and managed to ship the package.

Another time a wanted to buy tickets for the Shinkansen train and
decided to try to get them right after arriving at Haneda airport.
But the lady working at the Japan Rail counter at the airport didn't speak much English and
said to me "only one ticket". I didn't understand what she meant by that.
I needed three tickets for the different train rides that I had planned for the following days.
Why couldn't I buy three tickets? Why just one?
Later I learned that what she really meant was, that at that particular counter
you could only by tickets for traveling at the same day and not in advance.
You had to go to a different counter to buy tickets in advance.
At Tokyo station I eventually found the correct counter and got the tickets.

In the end all went well. I can really recommend using the Shinkansen train.
It's an awesome way to travel.

[B-Lister]

One of the goals for my next trip in April, is to visit the Jet Jaguar House.

also, if anybody is dragging their feet on the giant moving gundam in Yokohama, you've got a little over two months to see it before it takes its final bow.

[KingKickass1983]

When my ship docked outside of Japan, I got a chance to explore a quiet little place called Sasebo(I think that's how it's spelled). Where I ran into two Japanese Jehovah's witnesses...After accepting their watchtower magazine, they gave me a little tour of the place where I was able to find some awesome Captain Harlock and Lupin stuff.

Japanese Jehovah's witnesses speak English, so if you see some...don't be scared to approach. Or if they approach you, chill...they're pretty cool folks.