Tokyo model shops 2023

[keefr22]

4 hours ago, Malc2 said:

Hi @galaxyg, is there any chance you could pick up some decals for me?

They are Shunko brand for the Lotus 72D 1972/1973 in 1/12 scale

They are shown on the Shunko webpage here - 7th one down:-

http://www.shunko-models.com/catalog/decals/decals-en.html

 

Would much appreciate if you could squeeze them in!

 

Malc.

 

 

 

Don't know if you use Spotmodel Malc, but if not they show stock of that sheet arriving, estimated April 3rd;

 

https://www.spotmodel.com/product_info.php?products_id=57751

 

HTH

 

Keith

[Malc2]

Thanks both.

@galaxyg have you tried Tokyu Hands? Its a department store for crafts but they have a whole floor dedicated to models. in 2006 there were two of these stores in Tokyo.

 

M.

[galaxyg]

2 hours ago, Malc2 said:

Thanks both.

@galaxyg have you tried Tokyu Hands? Its a department store for crafts but they have a whole floor dedicated to models. in 2006 there were two of these stores in Tokyo.

 

M.

Mrs Galaxyg loves that shop, though I'd not seen kits in there on the last occasion (2019) I will have another look however next week once back in Tokyo.

[galaxyg]

Top photo. I don't know what's more annoying, that this gloss coat is one third of the UK price, or that I can't bring it back. 

 

All of the shops that sell model paint have signs in English saying that it is not permitted to put paint (compressed or otherwise) in either hand or check in luggage . The question becomes "do they know" and the answer is "yes they do". I've tried it before in check-in bags and 5 minutes after my case went down that little chute, an airport person came after me asking if there was paint in my luggage.  Then I was briefly reunited with my case in order to remove it.

 

 

And this stuff, impossible to find in UK. And so easy here. Same rules as paint.

 

Edited March 13, 2023 by galaxyg

[Malc2]

 

13 hours ago, galaxyg said:

Top photo. I don't know what's more annoying, that this gloss coat is one third of the UK price, or that I can't bring it back. 

Yes, I found this out too, I tried to tell a Shanghai airport official it was a can of special deoderant, but he was having none of it🤣

Another tip that worked for me was to find local Japanese model mags for sale and go through the small ads to find the smaller more out of the way model shops.

With moden translation aps on your phone thats now easy, back in 2005 I had to do it the hard way!

 

M.

[keefr22]

15 hours ago, galaxyg said:

And this stuff, impossible to find in UK.

 

Hiroboy had some in recently, but that sold out as quickly as Led zeppelin tickets!! 

 

What annoys me about stuff like this is that it used to be easily available (at a price of course) from Spotmodel - but since the dreaded B word they won't ship to the UK using couriers any more....

 

I do have to say though that my model club mate did manage to bring me back 4 bottles of the accent colors from his last Japan trip - perhaps they weren't looking so hard back then! 

 

And it always makes me laugh that you can't hand carry a few bottles back in a jet full of booze that they'll happily sell you....!!

 

Keith

[malpaso]

Decant it into bottles of Sake?

[Spiny]

7 hours ago, Malc2 said:

 

Yes, I found this out too, I tried to tell a Shanghai airport official it was a can of special deoderant, but he was having none of it🤣

 

At least he didn't ask you to test it by spraying your 'pits with it!

[galaxyg]

On 3/12/2023 at 1:26 AM, keefr22 said:

 

If you should see any Hasegawa mirror finish foil I would really appreciate 1 or 2 (preferably the latter  ) packs if you can squeeze them in!

 

Got 2 packs for you today in Yodobashi Camera, Sendai. For packing back to the UK and later on to you, I will put both sheets together into one of the plastic sheet container/boxes they come in.

[galaxyg]

A model shop in Sendai. Good choice of new kits but prices £4 - £8 higher per kit than Tokyo. 

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile in Yodobashi Camera, Sendai. Two of the cheapest new kits you can buy.

 

 

 

 

[keefr22]

6 hours ago, galaxyg said:

 

Got 2 packs for you today in Yodobashi Camera, Sendai. For packing back to the UK and later on to you, I will put both sheets together into one of the plastic sheet container/boxes they come in.

 

Excellent, many thanks indeed, will you PM me when home?

 

Thanks again

 

Keith

[galaxyg]

3 hours ago, keefr22 said:

 

Excellent, many thanks indeed, will you PM me when home?

 

Thanks again

 

Keith

 

Yeah. Will do 

[McG]

On 3/13/2023 at 11:35 PM, galaxyg said:

Top photo. I don't know what's more annoying, that this gloss coat is one third of the UK price, or that I can't bring it back. 

 

All of the shops that sell model paint have signs in English saying that it is not permitted to put paint (compressed or otherwise) in either hand or check in luggage . The question becomes "do they know" and the answer is "yes they do". I've tried it before in check-in bags and 5 minutes after my case went down that little chute, an airport person came after me asking if there was paint in my luggage.  Then I was briefly reunited with my case in order to remove it.

 

 

And this stuff, impossible to find in UK. And so easy here. Same rules as paint.

 

If only there was an easy way to get surface shipping from Tokyo. 

[Peter2]

Why doesn't Britain produce its own quality model paints, like it used to, even when it was part of the EU? Then there would be fewer complaints of this nature. 

[Graham Boak]

It does.  Colourcoats. Phoenix Precision Paints.  Xtracolour.  Humbrol.  There are always someone who doesn't like any particular one of those, and sometimes with good reason, but to make a generic criticism against the entire British industry is far from credible.  (The more apt phrase would not be acceptable.)

[malpaso]

Apart from Colourcoats and others listed by @Graham Boak there’s Citadel also made in UK.  People may have an opinion on GW pricing but the paint is excellent.

No doubt there’s other UK-made model paint outside the immediate knowledge of plastic-kit modellers, not least some of the model automotive paints?

 

Anyway this is nothing to do with Japanese model shops so please can @galaxyg get back to the car model shelf porn!

[galaxyg]

[malpaso]

5 minutes ago, galaxyg said:

Presumably that’s Mr. Electric Toothbrush?

[Fnick]

1 hour ago, galaxyg said:

Don't know whether to laugh or cry!

[Windy37]

1 hour ago, galaxyg said:

Makes Hobbycraft look understocked ....

Gary . 

[Neddy]

Holy 💩!

[keefr22]

1 hour ago, Fnick said:

Don't know whether to laugh or cry!

 

I had to give it a sad emoticon, too upset to do anything else....!!

 

What I don't get is why some of the stuff is imported to the UK (thankfully, even if it's much more spendy!) but other stuff isn't - like the earlier mentioned panel liners, or Tamiya epoxy putty, or Mr Color weathering liquids, etc, etc.....

 

Keith

[psdavidson]

The only thing saving me from all of that is the cost (and difficulty these days) of shipping to GB through an Ebay seller

[galaxyg]

I've just two days left in Japan now, and a *lot* of kits in my case. Not wanting to count my chickens before they hatch, I will reveal what once British Airways have brought them back to the UK. It is a stash within itself now and does include quite a few of my "most wanted" list, although not my top two. 

 

As I earlier thought, not enough room for any requests sadly, aside from keefr' mirror finish stickers.

[johnlambert]

I look forward to seeing what you've bought.  I'll have to visit Tokyo myself sometime.