#3606

Tamiya Playmodel Factory - and race track

Kids of all ages...

While I thought it would be just an interesting shopping experience, the Tamiya Playmodel Factory turned into a 3 hour stop with my 8 year old son.

Three floors total. Bottom two are dedicated to models, radio-controled cars, and race cars kits for the second floor circuit track. Models are a mini museum of sports and race cars along with military vehicles of every vintage.

But the real fun is the 2nd floor.

Slot Cars - Up and racing in 30 minutes.

Go up and view the action on the second floor and your inner kid will soon come out. When we were there (Saturday afternoon), about 30 Japanese young men were tuning their slot cars for maximum speed. Very interesting to watch.

My 8 year old was soon captivated by it all to the point where NOT racing was going to be a major life disappointment. While I thought I had yet been entrapped by anther expensive Japanese retail experience, I was soon pleasantly surprised.

For about ¥2,000, you can get the car, racing motor, batteries, and everything you need to race on their huge 2nd floor track. Buy the car in the basement. Their English is good enough. Just tell them you want to race. Pick you car and head upstairs.

Directions to assemble your car are in English takes about 30 minutes - a little longer if your 8 year old does it. Then put in the batteries and go.

The guys - 99% were guys - are quite friendly and find it novel that a couple of foreigners. Look for someone smiling and they will help.

All in all, a great way to do something fun, interesting, and constructive with your child - for under ¥2,000.

Getting there.

Location is in the business district of Shinbashi. Centrally located and about five minutes walk from a Shinbashi and Uchisaiwaicho stations.

Easy to find. Website has English directions.

http://www.tamiya-plamodelfactory.co.jp/shimbashi/index.htm

JiyugaokaPaul image

JiyugaokaPaul

United States

JiyugaokaPaul's other advice

HoneyBaked Ham - Now a new store in Tokyo images

HoneyBaked Ham - Now a new store in Tokyo

Just an FYI that you can now get HoneyBaked Ham in Japan. We used to always have this growing up so happy to share it with Japanese friends. They are always amazed to try what we call 'real' ham.…

HoneyBaked Ham - Now in Japan images

HoneyBaked Ham - Now in Japan

Just an FYI that you can now get HoneyBaked Ham in Japan. We used to always have this growing up so happy to share it with Japanese friends. They are always amazed to try what we call 'real' ham.…

Whitewater Rafting in Gunma Pref. images

Whitewater Rafting in Gunma Pref.

Living in the concrete jungle of Tokyo can be overwhelming after a while. (Like the frog being boiled in a pot.)I was looking for a place to get back to nature within a short Shinkansen ride fro…

Jiyugaoka is one of Japanese ladies' favorites images

Jiyugaoka is one of Japanese ladies' favorites

Recently, the area surrounding Jiyugaoka Station was voted the place where young women would most like to live. In addition to the foreign brands that have shops there, there are literally dozens an…

HoneyBaked Ham also available from fall 2013. images

HoneyBaked Ham also available from fall 2013.

I did just learn that HoneyBaked Ham (available only in US) will also begin selling in Japan this coming fall. www.honeybaked.co.jp.

If you like potato chips - you MUST try "Jagariko" "じゃがりこ” images

If you like potato chips - you MUST try "Jagariko" "じゃがりこ”

I don't know why these are not in the States yet. Just think of a potato chip but shaped like a french fry. Many flavors, easy to eat, and they don't crumble all over you or your keyboard!I kno…

You might also like

What to do at a Japanese Funeral | Funeral Etiquette images

What to do at a Japanese Funeral | Funeral Etiquette

Attending a Japanese funeral can be stressful, even shocking, if you don't know what to do. The more you know beforehand the better, as you'll be able to comfort and support mutual friends and their …

Former Deep Japan Writer image

Former Deep Japan Writer

Don't Wear Black in Japan images

Don't Wear Black in Japan

In Japan, the color white is attributed to happiness and good times. Death is a time of mourning and so people must dress in the color of depression, black. Men usually wear a black suit with a black…

GenS image

GenS

Yurei, Yokai and Obake: Japan's Very Busy Ghost Scene images

Yurei, Yokai and Obake: Japan's Very Busy Ghost Scene

Ghosts and spirits hold a place in the folklore of many cultures around the world. In the western world, Halloween, observed on October 31st, is a time for scary, spooky tales, while Latin America…

jdlawrence image

jdlawrence

Enjoy bath, Japanese style images

Enjoy bath, Japanese style

Enjoy taking bath with Babu(Bub), a popular Japanese bath tablet to Relax after Exploring Japan on Foot.All travelers know how sight seeing can be exhausting. Especially walking around on foo…

mimichan image

mimichan

Ride The Tokyo Metro Like A Boss With These Apps images

Ride The Tokyo Metro Like A Boss With These Apps

To people new to Japan, the Tokyo subway system, stylishly called "Tokyo Metro" is a confusing labyrinth of lines going every which way. Orderly thought and planning, it would appear, seem to be the…

jdlawrence image

jdlawrence

Why Do Japanese People Call Mt. Fuji, Mr. Fuji? images

Why Do Japanese People Call Mt. Fuji, Mr. Fuji?

If you wondered why Japanese people refer to Mt. Fuji as Mr. Fuji, you are not alone.When I first came to Japan, and actually until about two years ago, well okay, actually it still happens a lot…

5@example.com image

5@example.com