Gachapon Capsule Toy Experience: Akihabara 360 ★ ONLY in JAPAN

Japanese capsule toy mania is here! So -- what's inside this famous gachapon game center in Akihabara? Join John on a virtual tour and adventure in a shop with hundreds of them stacked to the ceiling. These machines have been booming around Japan, especially with foreign tourists where it's become a place for quick souvenir shopping and getting rid of your pocket change before flying back home.

It's hard to miss GACHAPON machines. They're everywhere around Tokyo and Japan from Narita Airport to the local supermarket.

This time, John heads to Akihabara for another trip to Gachapon Kaikan (ガチャポン会館) for a virtual reality tour of the show. The machines go all the way to the ceiling! It's his first time back since cutting open a gachapon machine on WHAT'S INSIDE in 2016:    • What's inside a Japanese Capsule Toy Machine?   (Cutting Open a Gachapon Machine!)

WHAT ARE GACHAPON?
Gachapon items are collectables. Some have value and many sell out fast. The name "gachapon" is actually an onomonopia - it comes from the sound the machine makes when you turn the handle ("gacha gacha") and the capsule hits the bottom ("pon").

HOW MUCH ARE GACHAPON?
Prices for gachapon goods range from 200 to 500 yen ($2 to $5) and price has a big impact on quality.
Collections range from anime and manga figures and goods to Japanese souvenirs and cultural trinkets.

Gachapon series are always changing and are limited in nature.
Items you see in this video may not be available when you visit. There is also newer and cooler stuff every month!

About the 360 VR camera used in this video:
I shoot with the SAMSUNG GEAR 360 in 4K.
It's best viewed on wifi in full 4K size.

URL:
Gachapon Kaikan
Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/xSCmNKC6qX42
Open 11:00am to 8pm on weekdays / until 10pm on Friday & Saturday

THANK YOU to our co-reporters!
Monami Brown and Kai Okudara.
Kai on Instagram:   / sneakermania  
Monami on Instagram:   / chrry_b99  

Thank you to "Rash" Rashed Alsumaiti for his help! Check out his YouTube channel!    / @tourisman  

ONLY in JAPAN on INSTAGRAM:
  / onlyinjapantv   (photos on location around Japan!)

Music Credit:
Teknoaxe! Definitely check out this amazing channel for 8-bit tunes.
   / teknoaxe  

This show has been created and produced by John Daub ジョン・ドーブ. He's been living and working in Japan for over 18 years and regularly reports on TV for Japan's International Channel.