Wow! I recall going to a few shops in both Japan and Korea, but they weren't as large as that.  The biggest ones I can recall here in the Chicago area back in the day, including the old Squadron store, didn't carry as much merchandise as a few shown in those photos. And, I do remember that the Tamiya kits I purchased in Japan were around two-thirds the cost of the same kit here in CONUS.

I didn't see this. HOLY MACKEREL!!! I had to sit down while I was looking at the pictures. I'm checking flights! WOW WEEEE.

Thank you for sharing these photos with forum members.  You've brought back fond memories of my time in Asakusa, Tokyo back in 1979.  There were toy and model shops just filled from top to bottom.  I couldn't believe the massive amounts of models and model supplies.  I stood in awe.  I was 13 years old.  

The most popular model kit was the "Uchusenkan Yamato" (Space battleship  Yamato) and the Lamboghini LP500 SS Countach!  Every Japanese kid was crazy for the Lamborgini LP500 SS Countach!  And I mean every Japanese kid including the weird looking long haired kid from Hawaii.  I'll never forget that summer!!!

Toshi

Ouch quit it thats a yad more than I need to spend. Who knows though I have been known to go on a styrene bender now and again. Thanks for the info.

armornut

Hello, like my monicar says I am an armor nut, however I do have a soft spot for Formula 1, and Le Mans race cars. The ones you show in your pix are they 1/12 scale? Ate they static models or R/C? Man, if they're static I'm going there with a pocket full of cash. Thank you.

 

ya. Metal body 1/12 or 1/18

That Leman Porsche is $430 US

Wow.  Just wow.  I haven't seen model stores like that in years.  Drool.

John

Hello, like my monicar says I am an armor nut, however I do have a soft spot for Formula 1, and Le Mans race cars. The ones you show in your pix are they 1/12 scale? Ate they static models or R/C? Man, if they're static I'm going there with a pocket full of cash. Thank you.

If I was standing in any of those places, I'd have to paraphrase a well-known movie....

Is this Heaven?

No, it's Japan (or Korea) model shops.

Glad you guys enjoyed the photos.

Sadly, the number of hobby shops have dramitcally decreased in Korea compare to when I grew up in the 80-90's. I could walk to 3 different hobby shops when I was a kid, and there were small 4-5 stationary stores in the neighbourhood who carried many Academy model kits. I went back to the area and there were all gone.

But now a lot of people are building Gundams instead and those shops are much easy to find. I hace built one of those Bandai Master Grade gundam kits, and it was incredible. They fit 4 different colors into one runner. Never seen that in other kits. And everything was a tight fit. No glue needed, and all the body parts are movable.

North America is just too wide to have such model shops. You need a condensed population and easy transporation system to run places like these. Lower cost helps too to get younger crowds started. We don't have enough people to support big shops over here.

I worry about the future of our hobby.  It seems like local hobby shops keep going under as kids become more captivated by electronics.  However, seeing these photos make me think that the hobby is healthier than I thought, at least in Asia.   

And, WOW!

BlackSheepTwoOneFour

This can be a useful role reversal test for our better halves. Since our wives always make us go to the store to "pick up a few things", let's send them there with our list to pick up at the store with SPECIFIC instructions like scale, kit manufacturer, type, paint colors by manufacturer; enamel, acrylic or lacquer, etc... LOL!

 

I see you really don't understand what a happy marriage consists of just quite yet.  As long as the other half is happy, all is well.  Besides that, for every dollar they spend on your list they are likely to spend 10 on what they find.  And the costs of the divorce, not to mention no longer having a space to build, renders that point moot.  Nice to think and fantazie about that scenario though

This can be a useful role reversal test for our better halves. Since our wives always make us go to the store to "pick up a few things", let's send them there with our list to pick up at the store with SPECIFIC instructions like scale, kit manufacturer, type, paint colors by manufacturer; enamel, acrylic or lacquer, etc... LOL!

goldhammer

Don't kid yourself, they all know enough english to do business, and (not sure about now, but) $$$ go along way to overcoming language barriers. Granted, it would be nice to haggle like a local.   Would hate to pay the duty on a mass but though.

 

Lol, very true- I think the hand full of cash is the universal language... 

For sure on that! Dang, I'd be in hog heaven in a place like that.  

Don't kid yourself, they all know enough english to do business, and (not sure about now, but) $$$ go along way to overcoming language barriers. Granted, it would be nice to haggle like a local.   Would hate to pay the duty on a mass but though.

Wow. That is insanely cool.

WHHHHHOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I finally got the time to scroll though all your photos, thanks so much for sharing!!! It's like Disney World for modelers!!! 

I have to get over to Korea, Japan, Taiwon etc some day, I just don't want to do the ugly American thing since I don't know more than a dozen or so words in their languages. 

I drooled a little bit whilst scrolling through these pics.

3 words to describe those pics:

Model Kit Porn....

Sorry, I just couldn't resist. LOL!!!

Did any of the shops carried aftermarket items like canopies, wheels/gears, decals, etc...?

Sorry TB I should have been more specific.

I had thought the US was the main push for plastic kits. Yes scale models have been around since the start of man.

Well;

   I am surprised to hear you say that !  According to archeologists , Miniatures of real objects have been found in tombs older than the Egyptian ones . So I don't think we started it . Maybe made it what it is now .

  T.B.

tempestjohnny

They put our local hobby stores to shame.

 

There are probably more kits in those photos than all the kits in hobby shops across America...and we started the stupid hobby.

Not to mention how many packages you'd have to mail them home to the US.

I would seriously blow SO MUCH money in places like that!  Thanks for sharing the pics!

If you guys like Academy products, Korea is the place to be.

At one of the shops, all 1/72 planes were $5-6US

1/48 F-22A was $26, 1/35 M1A1 $23, bought 1/72 B-17E for $18

ecotec83

I would run out of money if they had a stores like that locally. Especially the Tamiya store with aisles and aisles of products.  My local shop only has one double sided 20 foot rack of models, 1 tool rack and 4 paint racks. 

 

Pffffttt.... I'd have to take out a 2nd, 3rd, maybe a 4th mortgage. LOL!

But, dayum! Screw the sightseeing, let's going shopping instead.

I'dlike to know how come we don't have hobby shops like them? LOL!

I would run out of money if they had a stores like that locally. Especially the Tamiya store with aisles and aisles of products.  My local shop only has one double sided 20 foot rack of models, 1 tool rack and 4 paint racks. 

Wow...