Filipino fans of Japanese toys and anime can now enjoy the thrill of getting capsule surprises from the country’s first Gashapon Bandai Official Shop, which opened at Mitsukoshi BGC on November 8th. The shop features 300 vending machines that offer a wide variety of affordable and high-quality toys such as anime figures, food miniatures, realistic animal replicas, stationeries, accessories, and more.
Gashapon™ is a popular Japanese toy culture that derives its name from the sound of the vending machine handle turning (“Gasha”) and the sound of the toy capsule falling into the bin (“Pon”). The shop has collections from popular anime like Pokemon, Attack on Titan, One Piece, Spy Family, Gundam, Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, and Hunter X Hunter, among others; as well as iconic characters from Disney, Sanrio, Peanuts, and more.
The ribbon cutting ceremony was attended by Mr. Tetsuo Tomizawa, Gashapon Bandai Official’s Representative for Asia; Mr. Konosuke Kamiyama, Gashapon Bandai’s Territory Sales Manager; Mr. Koichi Asakawa, Mitsukoshi Mall Deputy General Manager and the local branch owner, food and tech entrepreneur Charles Paw of Digits Trading Corporation and Tasteless Food Group, alongside his wife and co-owner Anna Paw. Influencers, hobby collectors, and media personnel were given an exclusive store tour and a chance to try out the machines.
Each machine requires a specific number of tokens, which are priced at P65 each. Premium Gashapons are available for 8 tokens or more. Customers who purchase 30 tokens or more in one transaction will receive a free tote bag to store their capsules. The shop also has social media accounts @GBOPhilippines on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, where they post updates on the latest collections available.
The Gashapon Bandai Official Shop is located on the second floor of Mitsukoshi BGC. The shop is open daily from 10 AM to 10 PM.
