Subject:
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Lego in Japan
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.loc.au
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Date:
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Sun, 1 Oct 2000 15:11:43 GMT
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Just back from my trip to Japan. For those who know the geography, I was
visiting Makuhari which is at the northern end of Tokyo Bay. While there, I
had the chance to check out the Lego scene.
Firstly, model building is very popular in Japan; I found a number of large
stores devoted to the building of models. By sheer chance, Makuhari (which
boasts enormous exhibition and convention centre facilities) had a large
Hobby Model show on the weekend of my arrival. Since admission was a mere
JPY 500 (AUD 8.50), I checked it out. There were many exhibitors but no
Lego. The range of model-building kits ranged from fantasy robots (small
sets probably aimed at kids) through to large models of racing cars,
armoured tanks, aircraft etc. Many sets were radio-controlled. There was
also a very large section devoted to model guns (handguns, rifles, machine
guns), which looked so realistic that I think most people would take them
for the real thing; I felt a bit uneasy about such a "hobby" product!
Although there were some sets obviously aimed at kids, it was evident from
the attendees and the price tags that the bulk of the hobby model market is
adult males (the women present mostly had that "long-suffering
wife/girlfriend" look). So being female and visibly not-Japanese, I did feel
a bit of a fish out of water. But I digress ...
As the exhibition and store visits showed, model-building is big in Japan
but Lego is clearly not seen as being part of that scene. The only Lego I
found in Japan was being sold in toy shops (or toy sections of dept stores)
rather than these specialist model-building stores. Many toy shops didn't
have any Lego at all, and the few that did had a very small selection. Maybe
there were stores brimming with Lego, but I didn't happen upon them. I did
see a Toys R Us sign in the distance when I was on a train, but I didn't get
to visit a TRU so I have no idea if they had a much better selection.
So, what's popular in Japan in Lego? Most sets on the shelves were Star Wars
sets, mostly the smaller sets. The Naboo fighter and Snowspeeder were the
largest Star Wars sets in most stores, although I did see some B-Wings in
one store. I didn't see any Millennium Falcons or either of the UCS sets.
For that matter, I didn't see Gungan Subs, Y-wing & Tie Fighter, or regular
X-Wings. The reason for this might be price. Lego in Japan (like almost
everything else in Japan) is expensive. For example, the Snowspeeder was JPY
4000 (AUD 68). One store had signage that seemed to suggest (given I can't
read Japanese) that the Naboo Fighter was sale-priced at JPY 3500 (AUD 60),
I had seen it elsewhere for JPY 4000 (AUD 68).
Most Lego-selling stores also had a selection of Ninja castle sets (again
small to medium sets). I wonder if the Japanese-ness of the Ninja theme
might make it more popular in Japan, but I have no way of knowing as I never
saw anyone else even looking at the Lego in the stores (apart from me!). A
few stores had some Soccer team bus sets at JPY 3500 (AUD 60) which seemed a
pretty outrageous price compared with Australia; we definitely seem to be
doing well with the price of Soccer sets here. Apart from that, I saw a fair
few Slizer sets, a couple of Rockraiders, and a handful of basic and Duplo
sets. All in all, not a huge selection, but I stress that these conclusions
are based on random samplings of stores convenient to me and may not be a
comprehensive picture of the Japanese Lego scene.
One thing I did see at Haneda airport in Tokyo was Lego watches (2 varieties
available - Time Cruiser and Team Spirit). I've never seen Lego watches here
in Australia (although I did see some in the latest catalogue). Suffering
from terminal boredom, I decided to treat myself to the Time Cruiser watch
(despite knowing perfectly well that Lego is overpriced in Japan and that
airports are overpriced throughout the world). I preferred the analogue face
and the bright primary colours of the Time Cruiser watch to the digital
display and more muted colours of the Team Spirit watch. If you are going to
wear a Lego watch, you might as well flaunt it, I figured. It is instructive
to note that the marketing statistics all show that most airport purchases
are made to relieve boredom, and therefore my purchase of the watch should
be seen as an occupational hazard of my profession rather than any rational
act :-)
Putting together the watch band (similar to the chain links found in a
number of the Technics motorbike sets) and then rearranging it kept me
entertained throughout the enforced idleness of both Haneda and Kansai
(Osaka) airports, so my new Lego Time Cruiser watch achieved at least its
short-term purpose. There are 40 links (10 each in red, blue, yellow and
green) plus a few other connector pieces in blue. One downside of the watch
is that there is only a very simple clasp on the watch band which means it
can come undone more easily than a conventional watch, but on the upside,
you can put the clasp wherever you like. I dislike having the clasp of a
watchband under my wrist (interferes with my typing) so being able to put it
up beside the watch face makes it easier to put on and more comfortable to
wear. There is also a Velcro band alternative but I don't like it
personally; I infinitely prefer having a watch band of plastic links. There
are also three different rings you can put around the watch face (in red,
blue, and yellow) to further customise the watch.
The Lego watch is slightly larger and clunkier-looking than the normal watch
I wear, but probably a bit smaller than a man's watch. I guess it has to be
an intermediate size given the wearer could be adult or child, male or
female. With the Velcro band, it is a lot larger and more man's watch in
size (possibly why I don't like the Velcro band).
Miscellaneous other info. I saw that great Aussie delicacy, the Tim Tam, on
sale at Kansai airport. The standard supermarket-sized packet (200g) was a
princely JPY 400 (AUD $6.80), so ex-pat Aussies will have to save up to buy
a pack. However, the full range of Tim Tam varieties was available.
Kerry Raymond
kerry@dstc.edu.au
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