Hobby/model shops in Tokyo's Harajuku/Shibuya area

[railsquid]

Today I also happened to be passing through Omotesando in Harajuku, which is not the kind of place you normally associate with hobby shops but there is a branch of IMON right there on the main drag in a building with Body Shop on the ground floor. By the looks of it IMON own the building, I'd guess they started out there. Anyway the store itself is in the usual IMON design, however it's mainly HO orientated; while there's some N-gauge stuff it's not worth going there just for that. The store is dominated by a giant HO rental layout; this is the place to come if you want to have a go at running a 12-car HO 0-kei Shinkansen. While it's impressive, I probably won't have any particular reason to go there again.

 

Also now near Shibuya: Modellbahn (moved from Ikebukuro).

 

As keio6000 points out below, Tokyu Hands in Shibuya has a small model railway section; the trains on sale aren't particularly special or cheap, but as befits a hobby/craft store they have a decent amount of scenic items.

Edited January 23, 2016 by railsquid

[Guest keio6000]

that's been there forever.  it's the omote sando enjou kosai handbag shop equivalent for model trains.

 

another thing that has been there forever is tokyu hands shibuya, which has a small amount of model railroad stuff in their hobby floor. while they sell at list price, what you can find there occasionally is things that have sold out elsewhere, since nobody who is serious about trains shops at tokyu hands.  i found a keio 7000 original stripe there at retail price long after the aftermarket price had ballooned.   one of my proudest model train moments was the tokyu hands shopkeeper telling me "I wonder when somebody would be smart enough to find this here"  :)

[railsquid]

I checked out the new branch of Imon in Shibuya as they had a part I wanted. Very spacious (see photos in link) and a fair selection of N scale items as well as Imon's usual range of HO and O eye candy at eye-watering prices. Looks like they are intending to build a layout in there too.

 

In contrast to the very refined atmosphere of the shop, the building it is located in (this one, Google Street View) is largely occupied by a pachinko establishment, so on the way up the elevator doors open directly onto a cacophony of light, sound and cigarette smoke.

 

[cteno4]

wow, looks like you could eat off the floors! not the usual crammed little hobby shop. makes most high end jewelry shops look shabby.

 

man thats a great street of buildings. love japan! 

 

jeff

[Das Steinkopf]

The building is a den of iniquity, if you don't blow your dough on a stack of model rail gear there is the Pachinko Parlour downstairs.

 

I will definitely go and have a look at it when I get a chance to go back to Tokyo, one great thing about it's location is that Shibuya 109 is close by, that way I am guaranteed of not being disturbed by the wife for a while as she will be too busy looking at clothes.

[Kamome]

3 hours ago, railsquid said:

 

I checked out the new branch of Imon in Shibuya as they had a part I wanted.

 

It’s alright Squid, this is a safe place.  You don’t need to justify your visit to us.

But sure, if you want to field excuse ideas for her indoors I’m sure the forum can give you some constructive criticism.

 

Joking aside, looks like a beautifully laid out shop. 

[JR 500系]

yeah it looks really grand! Thanks for sharing squid! That jaw dropping cabinets of cases are like... I could drool there the whole day and make the floor flood with my drool haha !  😛

 

Love that section of DVDs too! 

[cteno4]

I can picture a store employee following jr around the store putting down those little “wet floor” signs behind him...

 

jeff

[railsquid]

2 hours ago, Kamome said:

It’s alright Squid, this is a safe place.  You don’t need to justify your visit to us.

 

Hah, I'm not that far gone yet... Been meaning to go there for a while and it popped up top of a google search for a particular part.

 

Quote

But sure, if you want to field excuse ideas for her indoors I’m sure the forum can give you some constructive criticism.

 

No worries on that part, Mrs. Squid texts me pictures of model shops she comes across on her travels.

[cteno4]

12 hours ago, railsquid said:

No worries on that part, Mrs. Squid texts me pictures of model shops she comes across on her travels.

 

Wow, good marriage! But I guess it keeps you out of trouble other than the model trains!

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Kamome]

I’ll have to check it out as looks like they have an awesome selection of other manufacturers HO too. Can’t quite stretch to ¥275,000 per loco for Imon stock but how do their prices compare to other places?

[railsquid]

Not very hot-off-the-press updates I keep forgetting to mention:

• The IMON in Harajuku is no more
• Tokyu Hands in Shibuya no longer has the model railway department
• The Modelbahn shop in Shibuya is also long gone

Edited June 17, 2022 by railsquid