Tomica!

[JR 500系]

For the Tomica fans, this event is paradise!

 

 

Lots of special, not-for-sale models are available for winning!

 

 

I am kinda entertained too by this!

Edited June 24, 2016 by JR 500系

[cteno4]

Wow tomica, tomica, tomica!

 

Reminds me of

 

 

Jeff

Edited October 23, 2016 by cteno4

[mirazu]

I am still playing Plarail! :D

[kndy]

I am a Tomica collector.  The latest I purchased was this:

Edited April 15, 2023 by kndy

[Kamome]

You should definitely look at going to one of the Tomica expos when you’re in Japan. We took our boys to one when they were 5 and 3 but it was definitely the adult collectors with sharpened elbows. They were selling a lot of Tomica and Pura rail not on general release. The Daihatsu midget model was as gift with the ticket price so we have 3 of them. 

[Beaver]

Are these cars actually made to any consistent scale, or simply 'box scale' (reduced or increased in scale so they all fit in the same box)?

[bill937ca]

The definition of Tomica 'scale" is what will fit in the hand of a 10 year old child. So a large truck will be smaller and a  small car will be larger. They are after all toys.

 

The Tomica story starts back in 1970, when model cars mainly referred to imported 1/64 scale models of foreign cars or larger 1/43 scale models of Japanese cars for collectors. It was then that Tomica's founders embarked on their mission to give the children of Japan small diecast cars based on the vehicles produced by Japan's own automobile makers. Tomica products were refreshingly different: modeled on made-in-Japan vehicles, they came in sizes that fit easily in the palm of a child's hand. 

 

https://www.takaratomy.co.jp/english/products/tomica/index.html

 

Vehicles of similar prototypical size are generally of similar scale.

[kndy]

Ordered a good number of cars recently...

[bc6]

Wow are those N Gauge?

[cteno4]

They are like matchbox, scaled to fit to to sort of the box size (or how tomica puts it scaled to fit in a child’s hand). A lot of the car / truck sized vehicles work out to around HO scale. Few of the large vehicles get down to around 1/144, but usually to the finer tomytec 1/150 vehicle detail and painting. Also metal so not quite the same level of detail parts as Tomytec can do with plastics.

 

jeff

[Beaver]

Thanks @cteno4 and @bill937ca. Had expected box scale but good to be certain, Was just thinking that the huge variety of cars could be very useful for model railway purposes if around the right sort of scale - the range of HO cars is not that extensive.

[cteno4]

Yes a decade or so ago we were awash in n scale vehicles with all the Tomytec collections, but sadly most all are oop and a limited number kept in the small stocked sets. I hope to open up the box of several hundred vehicles I bought off of Curt’s layout. I can now do some very dense vehicle scenes on modules and not worry about depleting my old collection of vehicles.

 

I got one tomica crane truck that I think was at 1/142 scale, but it looked a bit toy like next to Tomytec vehicles. Ok if over like 2 feet away.

 

jeff

[Guest]

Major toy maker Tomy Company Ltd., based in Japan's capital, has announced upcoming price increases for 73 of its products, including mainstays such as its Licca dolls, Tomica die-cast toy cars and Plarail model trains.

 

The suggested retail price for items shipped from June 1 will go up by an average of 8.5%, the company announced on April 24, citing increased material and logistics costs.

 

Japan toy maker Tomy to hike price of Licca dolls, Tomica cars, other items by avg 8.5%

 

 

Edited May 1, 2023 by Bob Martin

[chadbag]

Tomica cars are cool.  Much better detail and manufacture than the current crop of US Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars.  Just wish it was easier to find the cars you want 🙂  My son was looking for a Honda FIT last time we were there (since he is driving his grandfather's FIT -- we got it after my dad stopped driving and he has since passed on to the pearly gates).  We looked at a few different shops 😞

[James-SNMB]

@chadbag, aw man. I got a Honda fit for my kids just a couple of Christmases ago, so I was sure it would still be available, but alas HobbySearch and PlazaJapan are sold out... Google shows some eBay and other listings, but who knows what shipping turns into on that.

 

Totally agree that they beat the pants off of Hot Wheels and Matchbox. Growing up I remember Majorette having suspension and opening doors, but they don't seem to really be around anymore.

 

I've passed on my preference for realistic toy cars to my kids, so we have a bunch of Tomica cars! I'm now tempted by the Tomica Town sets...

[Zeether]

I bought the Unlimited Premium of Amuro's car from Detective Conan (white FD3S) a while back and then ended up getting a few more. They are REALLY nice, also a fan of the Dream Tomica Initial D/MF Ghost vehicles