Must-Visit Hobby & Collectible Shops in Tokyo

A guide to the best shops for fans of Japanese anime, collectible toys, games, and more in Tokyo!

Mar 09, 2025

Fresh from a three week stay in Tokyo, I wanted to share some of my favourite hobby and collectible shops!

Animate Ikebukuro Flagship Store

Area: Ikebukuro

Google Maps 📍: https://maps.app.goo.gl/VQxiTVm1c6caHj387

At a massive 8,554.673 square meters, the flagship Animate store in Ikebukuro was designated by Guinness World Records as the “largest anime shop” on March 1 2024!

If you can only go to one anime shop, this is it! Animate Ikebukuro features a total of 9 floors dedicated to anime shopping, fandom, and experiences. Here’s a floor-by-floor breakdown of the store:

Capsule toy machines, pop up shops, and café
Shonen/seinen manga and light novels
Shojo and BL manga, magazines, and doujinshi
Anime merch
Anime merch
CDs, DVDs/Blu-rays, and video games
Pop up shop space
Exhibition space
Two multi-purpose event spaces (capable of hosting 250 and 150 attendees)

It also has a 208 seat theatre in the basement for stage shows, panels, and script readings!

On March 3, 2025, Toshima Ward announced that Higashi-Ikebukuro 1-chome Street, home to this massive store, would be renamed as Animate Street.

Gashapon Department Store Ikebukuro

Area: Ikebukuro

Google Maps 📍: https://maps.app.goo.gl/hA62evzdTwepYxuD9

Within walking distance of the world’s largest anime store, is the world’s largest capsule toy store! Located in the Sunshine City mall in Ikebukuro, Gashapon Department Store Ikebukuro is registered in the Guinness Book of Records for the largest number of capsule toy machines. At an astounding 3,000 machines, this store is a dream to visit.

Gashapon are one of the most popular and affordable souvenirs you can get in Japan. You can find capsule toys for everyone. Interested in weird anthropomorphic food? Gundam? The latest shonen anime? There’s something for everyone at Gashapon Department Store Ikebukuro. Plus, half the fun is browsing the machines!

Mandarake Shibuya Store

Area: Shibuya

Google Maps 📍: https://maps.app.goo.gl/nXCeokHMDxrfGNB29

Mandarake is easily my favourite chain of second-hand hobby shops in Japan when it comes to toys, books, and games. Every visit feels like a treasure hunt and museum experience.

There are multiple Mandarake locations in Tokyo (I’ve yet to visit the Nakano Broadway location), with the Shibuya and Akihabara locations being the most accessible to where most tourists will be staying. While worth visiting, the Akihabara location is quite cramped and has noticeably less stock than the Shibuya branch.

Just visiting the Shibuya shop is an experience. After descending multiple flights of stairs (this store is also elevator accessible) designed to feel like you’ve been transported to a cyberpunk dungeon, you’re greeted by a awe-inspiring maze of shelves and display cases. From the incredibly organized open shelves to the well-lit and curated display cabinets featuring higher end goods, you could easily spend hours slowly walking up and down the aisles of this store. Despite what I would call a “boutique” second-hand shopping experience of this store, the prices are comparable to other chains like Hobby Off and Book Off!

If you’re visiting Japan for the first time taking the “Golden Route” (Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka) itinerary, the Mandarake location that opened in Kyoto in 2024 is a similar experience to that of Shibuya!

If you’re specifically looking for second-hand electronics, I would recommend checking out Hard Off (the location in Ueno is quite nice).

Mandarake CoCoo

Area: Akihabara

Google Maps 📍: https://maps.app.goo.gl/F7G7w8TnXorbgJ4y7

I’ve always been curious about sofubi - collectible durable vinyl toys made through rotational molding - and was looking for a store in Tokyo to not only learn more, but to also kickstart my own collection.

If you’re already a sofubi enthusiast, or are starting to explore your interest in the distinct style and vintage aesthetic of these toys, Mandarake CoCoo is by far the best location in Tokyo. While you can find sofubi in other Mandarake locations, this one is completely dedicated to this niche toy genre! Similar to the Shibuya store, CoCoo is like walking through both a boutique store and a museum. While I was only willing (at least this time) to buy a couple of interesting pieces under ¥2000, browsing the well-lit rows of high-end toys was an unforgettable experience.

Warhammer Store and Café - Tokyo

Area: Akihabara

Google Maps 📍: https://maps.app.goo.gl/rvbjfUev3QMRxoKd9

If you’re a fan of Warhammer, Warhammer 40K, and other Games Workshop properties, the Warhammer Store and Café is a must-visit shopping experience if you find yourself in Akihabara (let’s face it, you were probably already planning on visiting this area if you like Warhammer).

In addition to the themed café, this store is much larger than the average Games Workshop and sells exclusive merchandise (ex. Forge World miniatures) that would otherwise only be available at Warhammer World or online. With Japan’s tax-free shopping regulations, you will be saving a lot of money purchasing Forge World products here!

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Yellow Submarine Akihabara RPG Shop

Area: Akihabara

Google Maps 📍: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Zb5Cu7aRL5HsGGuo9

If you’re looking for tabletop RPGs (TRPG is the shorthand they use in Japan) and board games, the Yellow Submarine location in Akihabara is the biggest tabletop RPG shop in Tokyo! From Japanese localizations of games like Dungeons & Dragons and Tales from the Loop, to popular local games like Sword World and Shinobigami, this store has an unparalleled selection.

If you’re a Call of Cthulhu enthusiast, you’ll be able to find an impressive selection of Japanese adventures. Did you know that it’s the most popular tabletop RPG in Japan?

Gundam Base Tokyo

Area: Odaiba

Google Maps 📍: https://maps.app.goo.gl/cAgMmvPx7pRa2hYX9 (Gundam Base Tokyo) / https://maps.app.goo.gl/5m6iwU43ajEkymci6 (Gundam Base Tokyo Annex)

A visit to see the famous Unicorn Gundam statue (check out the video below) would be incomplete if you excluded Gundam Base Tokyo! There are technically two Gundam Base locations in Tokyo - both within the Diver City Plaza in Odaiba.

The first is Gundam Base Tokyo Annex, a small store located at the foot of the life-sized Unicorn Gundam statue. This shop has a limited stock of Gunpla (shorthand for Gundam plastic model kits) and primarily serves as a place for folks to buy Gundam-themed souvenirs. If you’re like me and collect the guidebooks for the life-size Gundam statues, this is where you’ll find the one related to the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam.

The second is Gundam Base Tokyo, a sprawling facility where you can buy, build, see, and learn about Gunpla. consisting of four zones: a huge retail zone, a dedicated space where visitors can build the model kits they purchase, an spacious event hall, and a concept shop called STRICT-G that sells high-end Gundam-inspired apparel.

Gundam Base Tokyo also has a shopping space dedicated to exclusive merchandise and Gunpla that can only be found at this store. My recommendation is to browse the impressive selection of standard products, but put your hard-earned Yen towards the exclusive kits.

If you’re a fan of Gundam, this is a MUST VISIT.

Note that even on weekdays, there are typically long waits (up to an hour) to even enter the store! If you plan on visiting both the store and seeing all of the different Unicorn Gundam shows, make sure you take into account any potential lines.