I will be visiting Japan soon. If I want to find a hobby shop, what terminology should I use? For example, do I ask about 'Toy Stores" or do I ask about ‘Model Shops’ or do I ask about Scale Modeling stores? I’m just not sure what catagory or terminology is used in Japan to identify our scale modeling hobby kits and supplies. Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.
4 Likes
Same thing you’d do here.
Tamiya Plamodel Factory (Shimbashi): The ultimate Tamiya destination, offering almost the entire current catalog, tools, paints, and a build space.
Yodobashi Camera Akihabara (Akiba): A massive electronics department store with a huge model kit section (6th floor) at competitive prices, including many military and car kits.
TamTam (Akihabara): Located near the station, it has a dedicated floor for plastic models, including military, car, and Gundam kits.
Volks Hobby Tengoku (Akihabara): A specialized hobby shop offering a wide range of kits.
Yellow Submarine (Radio Kaikan/Akihabara): Known for a diverse collection, including many aftermarket parts and tools.
Surugaya (Akihabara): Great for finding second-hand kits and potential bargains
And that’s just Tokyo. I’ll bet you can’t swing a dead cat in Shizuoku City without hitting three shops that have Tamiya kits in them.
11 Likes
Thank you, much appreciated
1 Like
I’m sure if You ask for ‘Model Shops’, They will know what You’re talking about.
1 Like
I used ホビーショップ 
1 Like
I wish I knew this when I was there. 
They do have some amazing electronic parts, record / CD and musical instrument stores.
I got an entire supply of discontinued NOS electronic parts at a store in Akihabara.
1 Like
Well, if the Japanese is as bad as mine…
Went into the Roppongi McDonald’s on the main drag there.
Tried to order in Japanese. “Chizuburgu o kadasai.”
Was told to “prease poin, prease poin.” and she had me order from pictures.
But that’s not my worst embarrassment. Nope.
1 Like
I used to get Nijūmaru in my writing book, for copying the characters correctly. I still remember the “hand song” as well. But that was 58 years ago,.
2 Likes
I’ve been to Japan in the late-2000s and the hobby shops there are prolific and really, really good. I went to just one Tokyo hobby shop since we were on tour and didn’t have the time to explore. The basement hobby shop stocked very well, and interestingly, they mainly stock Asian kits, hardly any U.S., European, or Russian/Ukrainian kits. They also stocked resin, PE, aftermarket, and a lot of neat tools and paints to make it a very well-rounded hobby shop. Best of all, the Japanese utilize the space extremely well with built models, dioramas, and Gundams all under cases. This hobby shop didn’t skimp on their stock and displays.
Also in Tokyo were Airsoft gun stores and LOTS of keychain and trinket stores that we looked into. Not many of those goods come over to the West, unfortunately, and rumor has it that Japanese electronics and products are 4-6 years ahead of the West in design and technology. None of that comes overseas because the Japanese are pretty fiercely loyal to their products and don’t translate their electronics into English language and instruction manuals, meaning that the software is entirely Japanese and won’t work in the West dominated by the English language and controls. So unless you know Japanese, the robots and electronics won’t work well in the West, hence most of the Japanese electronics in Japan are not even sold in Western Japantowns.
1 Like
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto.
1 Like
Talking about plastic kits. Generally the shops mentioned above is fine but the days of cheap kits are long gone. Import kits may be very expensive. If you are looking for older kits, Leonardo’s in Akihabara has a very wide selection, would visit there first, but in most shops, the popular kits are sold out quickly. For example the Fine Molds F-4 Phantom kits may only have one or two JSDAF kits. Have seen the re-issue of the F-4C kit and the Clark AFB F-4E kit may be all gone. Sunny’s in Shimokitazawa has a very good selection but it is very cramped. The owner hates me. Tam Tam’s selection was so so. I have visited the shops in Akihabara and Shinjuku over the past month after a long pause. Is there something that you are interested in, I could scout the shops for you. Thank you.
1 Like
Again, thank you to all who have replied. It is much appreciated.
1 Like