model train stores/museums Tokyo and Osaka?

[sleon]

It appears that the most recent list of hobby stores in the forum dates back to 2010. Forgive me if I got this wrong ...

 

Wife and I are traveling to Osaka and Tokyo in October 2019. We're trying to build a list of stores and model-train museums to visit.

 

Where might a current list be posted in the forum? Does it include the Kato, Tomix, Greenmax shops? Discount retailers? Museums?

 

Anyone got recommendations? links to click to?

 

In advance, much and many thanks. 

[katoftw]

In this section you posted in. There are multiple threads about various areas. Most have last be replied to in the past 2 years.

[cteno4]

I moved the post into the sub forum here, I think Leon did not see it was here.

 

the 2010 thread was when it was started and it’s had a lot of update posts since then on details and other stores that may or may not have been updated to the google map

 

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=fr&msa=0&ll=35.701274,139.770354&spn=0.001146,0.002642&t=h&z=19&lci=transit&msid=114074710234106649283.000481843669b2bd0b312

 

there is also another google map of shops one of the members here (Yavianice) has created

 

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/embed?mid=1hdNtjHkN-VA23kFcYX4JuEjjc8APb-Ys 

(if you are on a pad paste into the browser as it doesn’t load in the google map app)

 

also take a look in the travel forum for info on museums and a bit of shop and train travel ideas.

 

Jeff

[railsquid]

Do be sure to double-check any maps/lists first, as there is a constant flux. For example the Tenshodo location on the second map above is now incorrect.

 

 

[Yavianice]

On 8/4/2019 at 3:25 AM, railsquid said:

Do be sure to double-check any maps/lists first, as there is a constant flux. For example the Tenshodo location on the second map above is now incorrect.

 

 

wait, what?

 

if there is something wrong in my map then I’d be happy to correct it. 
 

also the Ginza Tenshodo is in the unconfirmed section since I was trying to find it in July but couldn’t. Do you know where it is or how to find it? Then I can visit it this December.

Edited September 30, 2019 by Yavianice

[railsquid]

45 minutes ago, Yavianice said:

wait, what?

 

if there is something wrong in my map then I’d be happy to correct it. 
 

also the Ginza Tenshodo is in the unconfirmed section since I was trying to find it in July but couldn’t. Do you know where it is or how to find it? Then I can visit it this December.

 

 

FWIW I don't see anything on the linked map which indicates it's "unconfirmed".

 

Anyway the model train part of the store has moved to a much smaller location in the Ginza area; details here:

 

http://www.tenshodo.co.jp/about/storeinfo/ginza_ms/tabid/1102/Default.aspx

 

Not sure if that's a temporary thing as the main building is being refurbished, but it's very downsized (only a couple of staff) and only really of interest if you're specifically interested in Tenshodo stuff or have some money to burn on a very limited range of overpriced stock from other manufacturers.

 

I stand by my assertion that people planning to visit specific locations should double-check, preferably against the shop's own website, as there is quite a bit of flux, and any second-hand source is liable to get outdated.

[Claude_Dreyfus]

Perhaps a little offbeat, but one place I do recommend is Yodobashi Camera Multimedia in Osaka. It is pretty much next to Osaka main station (not Shin-Osaka). It is a large electrical store, but has a decent sized model railway department in the basement (mainly Kato and Tomix). No second-hand as far as I could see, but some competitive prices going on.

[Yavianice]

3 hours ago, railsquid said:

FWIW I don't see anything on the linked map which indicates it's "unconfirmed".

If you open the map then you can click on the top left button with an arrow on your screen and there it says the legend. There are model train attractions, stores, former stores (the little ghosts), X (stores with hardly any N gauge), museums etc. If anyone notices that a store has closed or moved I'd be happy to adjust/correct it to keep it as updated as possible, or I could also give out an editor key for locals like you to update it.

 

@Claude_Dreyfus Yodobashi is super expensive though. The best place in Osaka to go for new stuff is Joshin Kids Land, in my opinion.

Edited September 30, 2019 by Yavianice

[Claude_Dreyfus]

I found them not too bad...but maybe the other places I looked at were even more expensive! I didn't succumb as I had already done my purchases. That said, I was not aware of Joshin Kids Land, so will check that out next time I am in Japan.

[Yavianice]

You definitely should! They are awesome and have some of the best prices, and a well filled sales bin, and sell pretty much anything model train related. Joshin Kids Land is in Nagoya and Osaka (Osaka is the larger one). Tokyo unfortunately does not have one, but the larger Joshin electric appliance stores have a train segment as well though small but with the same prices. They have cheaper prices than the usual suspect stores (e.g. yodobashi), and foreigners get the VAT off at any store and another 3-5% discount on top of it when they present a VISA card.

Edited September 30, 2019 by Yavianice

[The Next Station Is...]

Popondetta and Hobbyland Pochi in Osaka are also worth checking out if making the trip out to Namba and Joshin Kids Land. 

Edited October 16, 2019 by The Next Station Is...

[chadbag]

On 9/30/2019 at 3:12 AM, Yavianice said:

You definitely should! ...  They have cheaper prices than the usual suspect stores (e.g. yodobashi), and foreigners get the VAT off at any store and another 3-5% discount on top of it when they present a VISA card.

 

My experience is not that Joshin Kids Land has cheaper prices than Yodobashi (not including sale bins).   In most cases Yodobashi is cheaper in my experience.  The problem is that Yodobashi shows the price with consumption tax built into the price and Joshin Kids Land shows it without consumption tax built in to the price (they show a total price on the label, but smaller and less conspicuous), so at first glance Joshin may appear to be cheaper.  (And it is possible on some items they are, but as I said, in my experience where I have compared, Yodobashi usually has the absolute edge).

 

Both of them will sell to foreigners without the consumption tax (with minimum purchase amount of around 4000 yen without tax) and both have a 5% discount for foreigners who are buying without consumption tax who also use a Visa (as of the last time I was  there in August 2019  -- their policies may change at any time).

 

That being said, the price differences are not that great and Joshin Kids Land (Osaka Den Den town) definitely has a lot bigger selection (by a huge magnitude) than Yodobashi Umeda does.  My last trip I really did not buy anything at Yodobashi train related and bought almost everything at Joshin.  I would not go to Joshin first and then expect to find what you want at Yodobashi to perhaps save a small amount.  Just buy at Joshin if you are there.  The hassle to then go to Yodobashi for a very small savings is not worth it.

 

If you go to Yodobashi anyway (as my kids demand), go first, and then go to Joshin and get everything you did not find at Yodobashi.  As mentioned, Joshin has a lot more stuff and stuff from many more manufacturers.

Edited October 21, 2019 by chadbag

[matt_d10]

On 9/30/2019 at 5:55 AM, railsquid said:

 

 

FWIW I don't see anything on the linked map which indicates it's "unconfirmed".

 

Anyway the model train part of the store has moved to a much smaller location in the Ginza area; details here:

 

http://www.tenshodo.co.jp/about/storeinfo/ginza_ms/tabid/1102/Default.aspx

 

Not sure if that's a temporary thing as the main building is being refurbished, but it's very downsized (only a couple of staff) and only really of interest if you're specifically interested in Tenshodo stuff or have some money to burn on a very limited range of overpriced stock from other manufacturers.

 

I stand by my assertion that people planning to visit specific locations should double-check, preferably against the shop's own website, as there is quite a bit of flux, and any second-hand source is liable to get outdated.

 

Doh! Wish I'd seen this before today. Was in town for a few days and went to find what was my favourite model shop in Tokyo...only to find the building gone! After a bit of headscratching I managed to follow the map on the construction board (also on their website) to the new site. Hopefully it is just temporary because it's not great...