Japan model shops

[Red Dot]

Thanks for the information Robert

 

Andy

[Camo Viking]

Hi Andy,

 

I haven't heard of those last two. Sunny is in the list I posted before. Do you have locations for them?

 

Robert - thanks for the heads up. I'll have to try and watch those. (Even if I don't speak Japanese.)

 

Cheers,

V

[Red Dot]

hi V,

 

Dora is in downtown Tokyo and is only a small shop, but let's just say, it is extremely well stocked. It is full of old kits, decals and the like, mostly packed in cardboard boxes that you have to open to explore. Great fun.

 

35.668126, 139.6903 are the co-odinates for pasting into GoogleMaps. On street view, it is the closed shop with the German cross on it.

 

 

Similarly, Keystone is the most amazing shop i have ever been in, but it is north of Tokyo. It is literally rammed full of new and old kits and bits. There are kits behind kits too, but beware, as you may need to go on a diet to get all the way round 😉.

 

35.951649, 139.76337 are the co-odinates for pasting into GoogleMaps. Takesato station is within ten minutes walk.

 

Of course the prices in both are excellent compared to the UK.

 

Have fun

Andy

[Robert]

Oh to be able to go back to Japan, perhaps one day.

 

Regards

Robert

 

[Red Dot]

I second that

 

Andy

[Camo Viking]

Hi Andy,

 

Sorry for the delayed reply. Whilst I'd be up for a trip to Dora and Keystone (and all the shops in Akiba!), I'm not so certain my GF would be.

 

As for getting back there, we had everything booked for 3 weeks earlier this year and then CV-19 stuffed it all up. So we're now looking at March 2021 for our holiday. 😞 

 

Cheers,

V

[Red Dot]

If you walk from the Shibuya crossing, the busiest in the world and something for the gf to see, to Dora, there are some great small cafes and eating places along the way in the small streets. 

 

Andy

[71chally]

@Red Dot Andy, do you see the Doyusha 747 in stores in Japan?

[Red Dot]

Hi,

 

I honestly couldn't say as this is not my thing, but there are a huge amount of airliner kits for sale in  all the model shops I have been too, so the chances would be reasonably high, if it isn't a rare kit

 

Andy

[71chally]

It does seem pretty rare in this hemisphere, and I'm struggling to find one at all.   It's the 1:100 scale one I'm after, if you do see one I would really appreciate a heads up on it.

Interesting that airliners are popular there.

[Red Dot]

Hi Miko,

 

The only place that i know of is Hobby Link Japan for MYK Design sheets https://www.hlj.com/

 

DXM are stocked by the Aviation Megastore https://www.aviationmegastore.com

 

However, there is not much of either. Your only real hope is that the actual comnpany websites will let you order and ship to the UK eventually. I have never tried MYK Design, but DWM offer superb service. I have never had an issue with them, after many orders.

 

Hope this helps

Andy

[Sundowner14]

7 hours ago, Miko said:

I don't suppose you know of a store in Japan that has a mail order service to Europe for 'MYK Design' or 'DXM Decals'? 

 

Their availability in the west is very limited

Not in Japan but Hobbyeasy.com stocks DXM and ships worldwide.

Edited April 23, 2021 by Sundowner14
Sp

[Red Dot]

Hi Mike,

With DXM, the shipping to Europe is the issue at the moment, but I am sure it will change. If you have a friend in one of the countries they ship to, get them to order it for you, and then forward it

 

Andy

[Robert]

I have ordered from DXM own website but that was before the pandemic. The service was good then.

 

Regards

Robert

[Jabba]

9 hours ago, Robert said:

I have ordered from DXM own website but that was before the pandemic. The service was good then.

 

Regards

Robert

Ditto. Also Blackbird models in the UK also stock DXM Decals, bought some just recently. Link:- https://www.blackbirdmodels.co.uk/dxm-decals-396-c.asp

[Red Dot]

For information, @Stilwell and I have put together a large list of the model shops that we know of in Japan, including grid refs.

 

Let me.know if you would like a copy

 

Andy

 

 

[Robert]

Yes please. Have you seen that if you can get to Japan at the moment you have to make a pledge and cannot travel anywhere ? Hopefully that will change in a couple of years.

 

 

 

[Red Dot]

Pm sent Robert, and thanks for the (sad) update. One day we'll get back there

 

Andy

[Cklasse]

On 27/04/2020 at 10:28, Camo Viking said:

 

 

If you ever get to Hiroshima, go to Kure (about 45 minutes by local train) and check out the Yamato museum - they have a 1/10 (yes, one-tenth) scale model of the Yamato on display. There's also a very packed hobby store between the station and the museum... 🙂 

I supposed this is the store. I visited this on the way to check out a huge decommissioned Japanese Navy submarine. I remembered this store has a lot of ship model kits.

For those into sake, there is an alcohol shop nearby. You can get Dasai sake at low price.

Edited January 6, 2023 by Cklasse

[Red Dot]

9 minutes ago, Cklasse said:

I supposed this is the store. I visited this on the way to check out a huge decommissioned Japanese Navy submarine. I remembered this store has a lot of ship model kits.

For those into sake, there is an alcohol shop nearby. You can get Dasai sake at low price.

That's the one

 

Andy

[Camo Viking]

On 07/01/2023 at 03:48, Cklasse said:

I supposed this is the store. I visited this on the way to check out a huge decommissioned Japanese Navy submarine. I remembered this store has a lot of ship model kits.

For those into sake, there is an alcohol shop nearby. You can get Dasai sake at low price.

 

Yep, what Andy said. That be the one. 

[cpoud117]

Hi guys,

 

Having been to Japan recently, seeking out hobby stores in Kyoto and some in Tokyo, I thought I may share my experience.

 

My main interest being 1/72 post-war aircraft, that's what I looked at primarily. 

 

Electronics store like Yodobashi Camera and Joshin have very nicely stocked modelling sections. Most kits you'll find there are from Japanese manufacturers and revolve around standard boxings (think Tamiya or Hasegawa white boxes) and limited editions recently released. No oldies to be found in those electronics stores. They usually have an extensive tool section as well.

The main appeal IMO is that those stores won't require you to get out of your way / drag your significant other to an obscure part of town.

 

Hobby Square (Volks) in Kyoto has a nice hobby shop attached to the Volks showroom but most of their stock mirrors what you'll find at Electronics stores. Same goes for Yellow Submarine in Tokyo.

Universal models in Kyoto had some older Hasegawa boxings but not a whole lot of stock since the store is rather small.

 

A word of caution; a lot of hobby stores stock mostly Gundan kits, military kits are a niche while Gundam/Gunpla is the norm.

 

Having been to about 10 different hobby stores / Electronics store around Tokyo/Kyoto. My take is that Electronics store offer the best option to find recently release Japanese kits and accessories.

Going out of your touristic way to find small stores can be fun but if you're short on time or if your travelling partners aren't cooperative, you're not missing much by sticking to Yodobashi Camera and Joshin.

When it comes to books, I also found Hobby stores to be lacking. Unless you're looking for Japanese translations of Western books, your best bet is to locate a large book store in one of the many shopping malls. That's where I found the largest choice of Japanese language books and magazines.

[Cklasse]

Yodabashi camera is the go to store for me in Japan, simply because they have extensive range of model kits and the other family members can browse their stuff in other levels. One advice, bring your passport along for tax free purchase. 

[Camo Viking]

Just got back from 4 weeks in Japan with the GF (our long-delayed trip that was supposed to happen in 2020). We spent about 45 minutes in Akihabara - I dashed into the Yellow Submarine shop to get some Gaia Notes paint that I can't get down here in Oz (and in hind-sight, should have bought a lot more of them) and picked up a cool Godzilla figure kit from the small shop on the 4th or 5th floor that sells stuff movie-related items such as Godzilla / Ultraman / Evangelion robots.

 

Andy - still haven't forgotten your list of hobby shops, but I think CV19 put a stop to a lot of the smaller family-run places. The one in Kofu (Royal Model) closed down after the owner's wife died and Yodobashi moved into town.

 

Cheers,

V

[Red Dot]

Pm sent

 

Andy