Next week I’ll be beginning a trip around the world. Whilst this is a journey of self-discovery, a search for true meaning, it is also a chance to visit Japan and BUY STUFF.

That said, I would like some advice on the best places to shop. My tastes typically lean towards the Modern-Age: Beast Wars onwards. Despite being a child of Gen 1, I’m typically content with the reissues. Then again, who knows what I'll find...

I’m not expecting dirt-cheap bargains: just the opportunity to check out and/or buy some truly cool stuff (I may very well Die without a Takto Tank).

Thanks in advance.

Try at Joshins, but my Sister just moved back from Japan last week (she was in Osaka), and i've been asking her to get me a GF Soundwave from there since he released, she went nearly every weekend that she was there (thats about 6+ months) and she said EVERY time she went to ToysRUs or Joshins or this other place called Kiddyland they had less and less TF's each time,
she ended up getting me the BW Optimus Primal/ Megatron reissue set, but she said a week after she bought them (which was the first week they came out) they had NO Transformers at Joshins, ToysRUs or ANY other store.
So I'm not sure if you'll find anything other than the VERY latest stuff, I happen to know (from when I went last year) that some small backalley capsule toy shops sell older TFs, theres also this one store chain called Mandarake which MIGHT have them (they didn't have many when I went, but they had a few G1 and Beast Wars).
I saw ALOT of BWNeo Stampy's.
So good luck finding any, the best place I would recommand for the latest stuff is Joshins, for older stuff look in ALOT (and I mean ALOT) of capsule toy stores, some capsule toy stores sell stuff cheaper (Stampy = 750 yen) and some can be more expensive (Stampy = 3500 yen) so you'll have to do alot of looking.

Tokyo - Akihabara

That's you best bet.  The big retail and Toy Shops only have very recent stuff.  Remember that Galaxay Force is finished in Japan.

You will have to go to specialty Toy shops to find TFs.  They arent populart here compared to all the other Mecha and Action figure lines.  Hell, even the hentai school girl stuff is more popular.

Check out any local department store (e.g.: Daimaru, Seibu, Tobu, Itoyokado etc) - the toy section is usually on the fourth floor. Also, Bic Camera also stocks TFs. Tokyowise, I'd say Ikebukuro is also worth checking out, and there's a Mandarake in Shibuya.

It may also be useful to hook up with some local fans to help you out. Go forth and hit them Japanese TF boards!!

Isn't mandarake the shop that sells stolen products?

Theft is very low in Japan.  I think Ebay is probably more likely to sell stolen stuff.  I would definitely check out Mandrake.    That is where I usually get my best TF deals.  Their business model depends upon rapid turnover, so the prices are pretty low and new TFs come in often.  I picked up a mint condition Star Saber (stickers unapplied, MIB) for for about $135

TFs are very hard to come by at the department stores right now.  You are better off focusing on the the smaller specialty shops.

I will be visting Tokyo too.  Are these smaller specialty toy shops you guys mentioned easy to find in Tokyo?  anywhere I can search for them online?

Thx.

here:

Akihabara-
http://www.mandarake.co.jp/english/shop/akb.html

Shibuya-
http://www.mandarake.co.jp/english/shop/sby.html

Before I rabbit on about the great things I found in Japan...

I had my heart set on buying certain things from a store Asakusa - nothing else mattered. So there I was was strolling along, when I noticed a smaller hobby stall on the same street.

Every other time it had been closed, so I just just had to check it out.

It had the Robot Masters Victory Sabre twin-pack. It also had the Convoy/Kicker Pack I had always wanted: another plus. But then there it was: Star Sabre.

A part of me had always wanted to own him, yet my practical side, the side that holds the money, knew he would always too expensive.. best to hold out out for the reissuie..

As always...

After all, 15,000yen is alot to pay. But then...

Not just Star Sabre, but Victory Leo too: a Two Pack for 16000 yen. I asked the shop keeper about the price difference: no liner notes he said, USED.

I know that USED brings up certain connotations for all of us. We were all kids once, and they were toys to be played with. But as he opened up the packaging... they were immaculate (do japanese kids even PLAY with their toys).

As it turns out Victory Leo has a bit of yellowing on his central wing, a scratch on the gold-plating on his chest and he`s missing he`s missiles. Beyong that the combo is Perfect. Even the stickers.

As i handed over the money I was just... shaking.

I truly hope this post does not feel that I`m sticking it to anybody. I`m not a completist, I don`t have the money, or the inclination,  to be like that. But there are tiny moments that as a collector that just make you feel just so Excited, you need to share it with somebody.

any reason why???
transformers are like the best thing that happen to the 80's and they sure are more popular here in the states so wny not in japan.
what does hentai have over transformers?

i know the feeling when i drop 2Gs n my bom bom.
im happy you got something that madeyou happy.
i am a completist and i hate lol

I@m just worried something will happen by the time I get back. I intend to travel around the world, so who knows what may happen to them. Even if they do arrive safely, there`s always the risk of fire, flood, earthquake, FAMINE.

Madarake is cool (been to the Shibuya one).  There is a smaller place that had some stuff on the same street (not sure which of streets since Madarake borders multiple streats.  Also I like to visit Yodabashi Camera and Hobby (this is different from just yodabashi camera) in shinjuku.  There is yellow submarine there, but it doesn't have TF.  There is a nearby yellow submarine on the other side of the Shinjuku station that does have some TF stuff sometimes.  Generally I can walk around the hobby shops for hours, even though I only collect transformers.

I know there are a lot of shops in Akihabara, but I've only found one that consistently has TF's and it's only the newest ones :-(  I just don't know where they are.  If anyone feels like sharing. I would appreciate it...

I havent been to Tokyo yet for TF shopping, but in Osaka there is an amazing robot shop for TFs, Diaclones, you name it...

Nakano. Few stops down from Shinjuku station.

Transformers is considered firstly and foremostly a WESTERN or AMERICAN toy line by most Japanese collectors, even thouigh in essence its a Japanese toy line. The actual storyline came from the USA and Uk so TFs are foreign.

Also, its mainly aimed at young boys and NOT the adult collector. Although there are some collector stuff out there, the collectors market is dominated by Gundam. THe kids market is dominated by masked rider, ultraman, sentai ranger and of course, Gundam.

Gundam is HUGE over here. There honestly isnt a single shop in Japan that doesnt have at least ONE Gundam product. Even car repair stores have Gundams for sale in one form or another. If you show Optimus Prime to most Japanese they will ask if its a Gundam. Other older guys might recognise it but then ask you if you are "otaku".

And with otaku, sex and Gundam sell, so you see, underaged illegal hentai anime smut figurines are easier to get hold of than some Tf merchandise. The figs are easy to get in toys r us but in many smaller department stores the toy dept they have should be renamed the "bandai department". Thats how much market saturation they have.

Mind you it blows many Japanese minds when i show them that although sony and dovomo are number one in japan, and so too are toyoto, outside japan they are nothing special. THey get really shocked when i show em stuff like the latest samsung/nokia phones, european cars or..that gundam isnt half as popular globally as Transformers.

Japans a bit like that u see.

Is the Mandrake in Akihabara the place that keeps having those "Brown bag" sales? Because those are Powerglideing sweet... It's a big grab-bag for a set price that has random toys in it. I think 3500 yen got me BT Deadend, RM Psycho-Orb, RM Starscream and two or three others. INSANELY good deal.

Of course, I had some of the things... I just resold them for more than the bag cost to begin with... :-p