Capsule toys, also known as "gachapon," is a cute toy enclosed in a capsule.
In Japan, you can find capsule toys vending machines not only in toy stores but also in supermarkets, bookstores, home centers, and various other places. These machines provide a wide range of toys, and you can easily get them at affordable prices. Moreover, in Japan, capsule toys are such a major cultural phenomenon that there are dedicated stores in airports, stations, and shopping malls exclusively for them! In Japan, capsule toys are called "gacha-gacha" because of the sound they make when you turn the handle and drop a capsule.
In this article, we'll share the charm of Japanese capsule toys, known for their high-quality craftsmanship at an affordable price!
Attractive Capsule Toys Available in Japan.
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Alongside Hello Kitty are miniature-sized sweets! In addition to Haribo gummies from Europe, konjac jelly and even popcorn pans are faithfully reproduced.
Credit：gacha.gacha__s2
The candies in plastic cases are all capsule toys!
The Japanese trend is to put collected toys through carabiners or in clear plastic cases! It is very cute to collect the same kind of items as shown in the image, or just put them together in one color.
Credit：gacha.gacha__s2
This item actually appears in the Japanese anime series "Pretty Cure," targeting young girls! The quality of the items used by the main characters in the anime is faithfully reproduced, and by pressing a button, the characters can move or rotate a dial to change modes.
Especially since the Pretty Cure series is a very popular anime, little girls might even pester their parents saying, "I want this item." Despite being a series that has been ongoing for almost 20 years, it continues to be loved by children and adults alike.
In this way, there are still many capsule toys that faithfully recreate items from anime series! Items from Japanese anime that you are familiar with might also be available as capsule toys.
A Big Hit: "Souvenirs" Installed at Airports.
Credit：photoAC
Capsule toys installed at airports originally began as a response to the needs of tourists who wanted to use their small Japanese yen coins.
Priced between 100 yen to 500 yen per capsule, these toys are ideal souvenir choices. They have become a huge hit among tourists because of the wide variety available, including Japanese-style items and those originating from Japan. Additionally, since the toys are inside capsules, they are liked for the convenience of not breaking even when placed directly into suitcases.
Japanese who travel abroad also often buy them as souvenirs for their friends overseas.
Capsule Toys: Toys That Bring Excitement to Ordinary Days.
Japanese capsule toys range from the meticulously detailed to the surreal and funny toys. Capsule toys used to have a strong image of being for children, but recently they have become very popular among adults as well!
Capsule toys provide a sense of surprise as you never know what you'll get. When you visit Japan, be sure to turn the handle and try to find the toy you're looking for – it's a fun experience for everyone!
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