Best Gachapon Capsule Machine Shops in Tokyo
Sometimes nothing beats the thrill of tossing in a couple 100 yen coins into a gachapon machine and opening up the plastic capsule to see your prize.
It’s a gamble, of course, but that’s half the excitement. The feeling of winning the toy you have your eyes on? Priceless. Japan has a gachapon for just about anything you can imagine: anime, game characters, popular snack brands, cars, animal figures, and even “The Goddess of too much freedom”.
If you’re looking to try your luck at gachapon, make sure to save yourself some loose 100 yen coins and try one (or all) of the following options.
Game Centers
Sunshine City Bandai Namco
Sunshine City in Ikebukuro is worth taking a few hours out of your day to visit to do some shopping at its many clothing shops, anime shops, or to grab a snack from the Pikachu Sweets shop or Sanrio Cafe.
Home to one of the largest gachapon halls, Bandai Namco made the Guiness World Record in 2021 with the most gachapon machines, over 3300 in total can be found in the Department Store of Gachapon. You can hunt for the latest gacha offerings on their X account or review the release schedule here.
Taito Statio
Each major stop along the JR East line will have a Taito Station or two nearby. It’s the ultimate game center for crane games, rhythm games, purikura, and gachapon machines. Just be ready to spend some coin in one of these game center havens.
Akihabara Gachapon Kaikan Hall
Akihabara has gachapon machines everywhere you turn, Akihabara Gachapon Kaikan just happens to have the advantage of having gachapon in its name so Google Maps suggests this shop. The front of the shop is full of rows of colorful capsule machines. It also sells other collectables behind the gachapon hall.
Other Locations to Find Gachapon That Aren’t Game Centers
BIC Camera
Like Taito Station, Bic Camera is another common shop to find near the JR Line in Tokyo. Think a mega electronics shop (and then some) that will have you weeping at the price differences compared to the US. Most BIC Camera shops have gachapon near its entrance.
Anime Stores: Animate and Book Off
Where there’s anime and manga there is gachapon. It depends on the location of each shop of which gachapon machines you can find, but your best bet is to try the first floor of the Ikebukuro Animate.
Large Stations
You may not have time to search for capsule machines in the train stations, but if you’re open to checking out your surroundings, they are there! Ikebukuro Station has a large area on its ground floor past the JR line. Follow signs for the Fukotoshin line to find a few rows of machines.
Kaitenzushi
Conveyer Belt Sushi Chains like Sushiro, Kura, and Hamazushi offer their own version of gachapon. Some have machines at the tables and diners can win a chance to play after eating five plates of sushi, like Kura, or Hamazushi typically has a few machines for children at the pay station near the entrance.
Everywhere
Sometimes Gachapon machines can be found where you least expect them. The side of the local Family Mart, on a street corner in Kawagoe (Little Edo), and occasionally at shrines.
Still find yourself with leftover yen? Spend your last bit of cash at the airport. Narita airport has a store dedicated to gachapon found on the basement level of Terminal 2. What a sweet way to end your Tokyo trip.
