ASAKUSA Underground > Toy-related Manufacturers
If Asakusa represents something old in Japan to you, this shop/wholesaler is a good place to buy gifts for your friends back home. They are specialists for Japanese traditional kites. They also sell fans, glass works, and traditional toys like spins and board games.
-Tako Kimura Yoshiichi Shoten (Yoshiichi Kimura's kite shop)
zip 111-0051, 2-4-3 Kuramae, Taito-ku, Tokyo
tel. 03-3851-5508 fax. 03-3851-5513
e-mail: kimura@tako.shop-site.jp
business hours : 8 :30 - 17 :30
holidays : Sundays, public holidays, the second and the third Saturdays. From December to April, the shop is open every day.
-Tokyo Metro Kuramae station exit A1, one minute's walk
---Language Tips---
Tako is the Japanese word for kite. Tako should not ring a Bell to you. On the other hand, tako also means "octopus". You can cherish famous Tako-yaki. They are fried flour-dough balls with a piece of boiled octopus inside. Delicious and not too expensive. Avoid Tako-yaki stands in a touristy area, though. They are normally horrible.
Do you remember what celluloid is? Decades ago, they used this predecessor of vinyl to make dolls. Once upon a time Japan was the biggest exporter of celluloid dolls. Now we have only one man left to manufacture them. He is Mr. Eiichi Hirai, who is the creator of Miiko ([me-ko]). He "revived" the doll from its mould abandoned before the war. In Japan, the doll has become a cult figure literally.
-Celluloid Dream
Mr. Eiichi Hirai
2-14-2 Tatsunuma, Adachi-ku, Tokyo
tel/fax 03-3605-7724
Celluloid Dream has a beautiful Internet site to look at. You can buy his dolls through it. Since Miiko's cute face has gained some popularity among Japanese connoisseurs, now you can buy her mask from a plastic vacuum moulding specialist, Isseigikousha. Their factory is a little too far from Asakusa, but ASAKUSA Underground mentions its name for the sake of cute Miiko.
-Isseigikousha / Isseigi.co.ltd
zip 340-0835, 651 Ukizuka, Yashio-shi, Saitama-ken
tel. 048-997-2295 fax. 048-997-3544
The heartland of moulding is Yotsugi neighbourhood. You walk across the Sumida River from Asakusa, and head northeast. Kamijo co. is in the area. These days it is not easy to find "made in Japan" signs printed on something, especially on a toy, but here they are proud to keep producing Japanese products really made in Japan. One of their features was a Godzilla figure.
-Kamijo
1-25-3 Yotsugi, Katsusika-ku, Tokyo
tel. 03-3691-0023 No faxes nor e-mails
If you are interested in dolls, why don't you order one of you own? Your doll can be an international best-seller. You never know. The prices are negotiable at Kamijo. So are at Obitsu, another reliable manufacturer. You will be impressed with how meticulously they shape their moulds.
-Obitsu
4-14-6 Kanamachi, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo
tel. 03-3600-2561 fax. 03-3608-7745
Probably, the internationally best-known company in Yotsugi could be Sanko Seisakusho (Sanko Manufacturing). This is the tin car equivalent to Tamiya with Two stars. If you admire Tamiya's plastic planes, surely you like Sanko's tin cars.
-Sanko Seisakusho
zip 124-0014, 4-48-8 Higashi-Yotsugi, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo
tel. 03-3697-0462 fax. 03-3697-0605
Please don't think that Yotsugi area has only toys. They have super hi-tech companies, too. For example, Takara is specialised in super minute moulding. They supply their transfer moulds for semi-conductor manufacturers. Check their English site for details.
-Takara Seisakusho
2-5-17 Yotsugi, Katsushikaku, Tokyo
tel. 03-3693-3388 fax. 03-3694-8060
To find out the exact location, use diddlefinger.
The site is your best guide when you work in Tokyo or travel in Japan.
Toy-related Manufacturers
If Asakusa represents something old in Japan to you, this shop/wholesaler is a good place to buy gifts for your friends back home. They are specialists for Japanese traditional kites. They also sell fans, glass works, and traditional toys like spins and board games.
-Tako Kimura Yoshiichi Shoten (Yoshiichi Kimura's kite shop)
zip 111-0051, 2-4-3 Kuramae, Taito-ku, Tokyo
tel. 03-3851-5508 fax. 03-3851-5513
e-mail: kimura@tako.shop-site.jp
business hours : 8 :30 - 17 :30
holidays : Sundays, public holidays, the second and the third Saturdays. From December to April, the shop is open every day.
-Tokyo Metro Kuramae station exit A1, one minute's walk
---Language Tips---
Tako is the Japanese word for kite. Tako should not ring a Bell to you. On the other hand, tako also means "octopus". You can cherish famous Tako-yaki. They are fried flour-dough balls with a piece of boiled octopus inside. Delicious and not too expensive. Avoid Tako-yaki stands in a touristy area, though. They are normally horrible.
Do you remember what celluloid is? Decades ago, they used this predecessor of vinyl to make dolls. Once upon a time Japan was the biggest exporter of celluloid dolls. Now we have only one man left to manufacture them. He is Mr. Eiichi Hirai, who is the creator of Miiko ([me-ko]). He "revived" the doll from its mould abandoned before the war. In Japan, the doll has become a cult figure literally.
-Celluloid Dream
Mr. Eiichi Hirai
2-14-2 Tatsunuma, Adachi-ku, Tokyo
tel/fax 03-3605-7724
Celluloid Dream has a beautiful Internet site to look at. You can buy his dolls through it. Since Miiko's cute face has gained some popularity among Japanese connoisseurs, now you can buy her mask from a plastic vacuum moulding specialist, Isseigikousha. Their factory is a little too far from Asakusa, but ASAKUSA Underground mentions its name for the sake of cute Miiko.
-Isseigikousha / Isseigi.co.ltd
zip 340-0835, 651 Ukizuka, Yashio-shi, Saitama-ken
tel. 048-997-2295 fax. 048-997-3544
The heartland of moulding is Yotsugi neighbourhood. You walk across the Sumida River from Asakusa, and head northeast. Kamijo co. is in the area. These days it is not easy to find "made in Japan" signs printed on something, especially on a toy, but here they are proud to keep producing Japanese products really made in Japan. One of their features was a Godzilla figure.
-Kamijo
1-25-3 Yotsugi, Katsusika-ku, Tokyo
tel. 03-3691-0023 No faxes nor e-mails
If you are interested in dolls, why don't you order one of you own? Your doll can be an international best-seller. You never know. The prices are negotiable at Kamijo. So are at Obitsu, another reliable manufacturer. You will be impressed with how meticulously they shape their moulds.
-Obitsu
4-14-6 Kanamachi, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo
tel. 03-3600-2561 fax. 03-3608-7745
Probably, the internationally best-known company in Yotsugi could be Sanko Seisakusho (Sanko Manufacturing). This is the tin car equivalent to Tamiya with Two stars. If you admire Tamiya's plastic planes, surely you like Sanko's tin cars.
-Sanko Seisakusho
zip 124-0014, 4-48-8 Higashi-Yotsugi, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo
tel. 03-3697-0462 fax. 03-3697-0605
Please don't think that Yotsugi area has only toys. They have super hi-tech companies, too. For example, Takara is specialised in super minute moulding. They supply their transfer moulds for semi-conductor manufacturers. Check their English site for details.
-Takara Seisakusho
2-5-17 Yotsugi, Katsushikaku, Tokyo
tel. 03-3693-3388 fax. 03-3694-8060
To find out the exact location, use diddlefinger.
The site is your best guide when you work in Tokyo or travel in Japan.