Capsule Toys Are Booming — and They Symbolize the Stagnant Japanese Economy
Looking for funny souvenirs in Japan? Here’s what you want
Capsule toy stores are increasing in Japan. According to available data, the market size has been stable at around $187 million to $246 million (250億円 to 330億円) over the past two decades. Recently, however, it has grown to $336 million (450億円).
I wasn’t aware of their popularity—especially among adults—until recently. But last week, I witnessed the trend firsthand (my analysis is at the end of this article).
That day, I was meeting my best friend in Shinjuku. We chit-chatted at a French restaurant, enjoying smoked salmon couscous and blue cheese meat pie, and after finishing a cup of coffee, heading to a department store.
I wanted to check すみっコぐらし (sumikko-gurashi, a set of little characters produced by San-X) items there since my daughter was into them. And I happened to walk into a forest of capsule toys, which seemed very new and similar to the photo above.
What the heck were all these machines??! This is supposed to be the fashionable district in…
