Kaidashi

Gachapon in Japan: where to find the best capsule toys

By Corentin · updated on September 22, 2026

In search of the rare gem among Gachapons
Adam Cohn/Flickr

Gachapon machines are everywhere in Japan, but specialist stores line up hundreds or thousands of them, with the week's new releases. Bring ¥100 coins: most capsules cost between ¥300 and ¥500.

Key facts

Usual price¥300 to ¥500 per capsule, most often ¥400
Payment¥100 coins; change machines in the stores, some machines take other payment
Largest storeGashapon Department Store Ikebukuro, about 3,000 machines
New releasesEvery week, listed on the makers' websites
Tax-freeNo, machine purchases are not tax-free

As of September 22, 2026

What is a gachapon?

A gachapon (also gacha or capsule toy) is a vending machine that sells a random toy in a plastic capsule. Each machine shows the series and all its items; you turn the handle and get one of them at random. Series cover anime characters, animals, miniature food, everyday objects and odd ideas, with new ones every week.

Where can you find the most machines?

Specialist stores gather hundreds of machines in one place, with the latest series.

Gashapon no Depart Ikebukuro Sohontenガシャポンのデパート池袋総本店3F · IkebukuroGachaponSee the shop → Akihabara Gachapon Kaikan秋葉原ガチャポン会館1F · AkihabaraGachaponSee the shop → GORON! Sohonten (Ikebukuro)GORON!総本店2F · IkebukuroGachaponSee the shop → GiGO Akihabara 5GiGO秋葉原5号館AkihabaraGachapon · Figures · CardsSee the shop → Gashapon Bandai Official Shop @TOKYO STATIONガシャポンバンダイオフィシャルショップ＠TOKYO STATIONB1F · Tokyo Station Ichibangai · Tokyo StationGachaponSee the shop →
  • Ikebukuro: the Gashapon Department Store in Sunshine City has about 3,000 machines on one floor. See our Ikebukuro guide.
  • Akihabara: Gachapon Kaikan, a narrow shop lined with machines just off Chuo-dori, and a Gashapon Department Store inside the namco game centre. See our Akihabara guide.
  • Shopping centres: chains like C-pla and gashacoco have stores in malls and stations all over Japan.
  • Airports and stations: POP MART’s ROBO SHOP machines sell its designer figures at Haneda, Narita and Kansai airports, and at Osaka and Kyoto stations. They are on the map.
gashacoco 池袋IkebukuroFiguresSee the shop → Gashapon Bandai Official Shopガシャポンのデパート 浅草花やしき店GachaponSee the shop →

Every capsule store we know is on the map filtered on gachapon, and in Ikebukuro on the Ikebukuro gachapon page.

How much does a capsule cost?

Most capsules cost ¥300 to ¥500, with ¥400 the most common price in 2026. Larger or more detailed items can cost more. The price is on the machine.

Can you choose what you get?

No: the item is random, and the machine shows every item of the series with its picture. That is part of the fun. If one item is rare in a series, the machine does not tell you.

Where can you buy a specific figure without playing?

Second-hand shops sell capsule toys one by one, opened, often cheaper than several tries. Look for shelves or cases marked ガチャ in anime goods and hobby shops in Akihabara and Ikebukuro, and in chains like BOOKOFF and Mandarake.

Frequently asked questions

Do the machines give change?

No. Use the change machines in the store to turn ¥1,000 notes into ¥100 coins before you start.

What do I do with the empty capsule?

Stores have bins for empty capsules next to the machines. Some collect them for recycling.

Can children play on their own?

Yes, machines are designed for children and stores are family places. Watch the budget: capsules at ¥400 add up fast.

Where can I swap or resell duplicates?

Second-hand shops buy and resell capsule toys, and some Akihabara and Ikebukuro shops specialise in them. See our second-hand chains guide.

Where to go

OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap

Open in the full map
Shops in Ikebukuro63See all 63
Shops in Akihabara71See all 71
Gashapon Bandai Official Shop shops11See all 11
C-pla shops154See all 154

Who wrote this

Corentin · Corentin builds and curates Kaidashi from France. He reads the shops' own Japanese pages rather than aggregators, and records where every fact comes from and the day it was checked. A shop he has not stood in is marked as checked online, never verified.

Official sources