SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) — San Francisco’s first Lego store is opening Friday and will have special giveaways through the weekend. Lego’s first store in the city will open at 10 a.m. Friday at the Westfield San Francisco Centre mall at 838 Market St. and will feature kid-friendly designs and displays along with hands-on play areas. Customers during the opening weekend celebration can join a Lego Master Builder in constructing a 8-foot model of Jay, a character from Lego’s Ninjago toy set and TV series. The build will take place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday. The first 400 customers each of the three days to make a qualifying purchase will receive a free giveaway—a backpack on Friday with a purchase of $50 or more, a limited-edition Lego set on Saturday with a purchase of $99 or more, and an exclusive Lego minifigure set on Sunday with a purchase of at least $50. There are three other Lego stores already open in the Bay Area, at the Hillsdale Shopping Center in San Mateo, the Stoneridge Shopping Center in Pleasanton and the Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara.
Join Our Mailing List Stay up to date with announcements, products, news and promotions with Learnit Newsletters.Japan is home to some of the most famous toys in the world, like Furby or the Tamagotchi. So what should you do if you’re in Japan and you—or, um, your kids—feel a sudden urge for toy shopping? Read on to find out some of the best places to buy toys in Japan! 7. Themed Character ShopsFirst of all, if you're particulary obsessed with a specific character or series, chances are there's a shop dedicated to it in Japan. Some examples include:Pokémon CentersCome here for all your poké needs! You can find plushies, all kinds of merchandising and even clothes in these stores. With stores from Sapporo to Fukuoka, you can check out their locations here. Disney Stores Japan is home to one of second-most-visited Disney theme park in the world, and Disney characters are as popular as ever, especially among young girls. With its castle-like entrance, it’s particularly hard to miss the Shibuya branch of the Disney Store, and you can find info about store locations in 20 prefectures across Japan here.
While these shops mostly feature merchandising products, they also carry toys like plushies and dolls as well.Ghibli Stores ('Donguri')If you’ve got even a tangential interest in Japanese culture, there's a good chance you're obsessed—ahem—familiar with Studio Ghibli. While Ghibli merchandise can be found in shops all around Japan—and you can always go to the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka if you really want rare swag—there's also a store chain especially dedicated to Ghibli gear. Called Donguri (which, of course, means acorn), you can find some basic information on a few of the branches in English here—but if you want detailed information on the three dozen locations around the country, you'll have to dive into the Japanese here.One Piece StoreIf you're a fan of these crazy pirates, you can't miss the One Piece shop located inside Shibuya Parco department store. The One Piece Mugiwara Store is on the sixth floor, and sells everything from stationery to gachapon and plushies! You can get access info for Parco in English here, and check out details of the One Piece store in Japanese here.
Sanrio StoresHow can we talk about Japan without mentioning the Sanrio characters? For those of you who are in love with Hello Kitty, My Melody and all their cute companions, one mandatory stop is the Sanrioworld shop in Ginza, the flagship store for all things Sanrio! You can find more info on the shop here before drowning in a sea of cute clothes and plushies. However, this isn't the only location, and Sanrio stores can also be found in airports and department stores all around Japan—including Okinawa! Check here for a complete list!Since you can pretty much buy anything online these days, it's only natural that toys would be no exception! In Japan, you can shop at world-renowned Rakuten (that's the "global" version, but you can also access the Japanese site here) or Amazon (once again, complete with an English version, though some bits don't translate completely), and if you're looking for specific hobby-style products, you can't go wrong with our friends over at Tokyo Otaku Mode.An added bonus for Amazon and Rakuten is that you can pay at any convenience store—perfect for anybody without a credit card!
Just select the "Convenience Store" payment option at check-out and follow the instructions. It’s pretty straightforward, and if you’re lost, both websites provide a step-to-step guide. 5. ¥100 ShopsWhile the selection might not be the biggest, ¥100 shops in Japan do have toys sections where you can find a variety of simple but fairly durable distractions. Daiso and Can☆Do are good chains to hit, and while Seria has toys too, it tends to be more targeted toward DIY and cute stuff. You'll generally be able to find simple playthings like dolls, toy soldiers, plastic animals, fake cellphones and food sets, as well as basic stuffed toys, water guns and ball games. And you might be able to find a traditional toy like a kendama as well! 4.Tokyo Toy ShopsIf you happen to be in Tokyo, there are a few toy spots that you absolutely cannot miss! Kiddy LandWhile there are other locations in Odaiba and Osaka—as well as one out past Kita-Senju near Kameari Station—the Omotesando branch is the most famous thanks to its five floors packed with toys and character goods, including Rilakkuma, Snoopy, Hello Kitty, Disney characters and more.
You can learn more about the various locations on Kiddy Land's English page.Hakuhinkan Toy Park Located in Ginza, this is a spot you cannot miss if you’re a fan of the Japanese equivalent to Barbie, known as Licca-chan. Selling all kinds of toys, the shop opened in 1982, and even offers a slot car race track on the fourth floor! While the Ginza shop is the centerpiece, you can also find branches in Shinjuku, Narita, Haneda Airport, Kansai Airport in Osaka, and the New Chitose Airport area in Hokkaido. Click here for store details!Akihabara Radio KaikanThe Akihabara Radio Kaikan is nothing less than 10 floors of plastic models, figures, rare otaku toys, and even vintage items you might not be able to find elsewhere. This isn't just one shop, but a collection of more than two dozen stores. Take the Electric Town Exit from Akihabara Station and look for the yellow sign.Nakano Broadway*Opened in 1966, Nakano Broadway is a four-story shopping mall that can be found at the end of a short shopping arcade north of Nakano Station.
With its second and third floors (in particular) dedicated to shops selling anime, manga and collectibles, this isn't so much for general toys, but if you're looking for vintage and otaku stuff, as well as second-hand items, it's a great place to start. (*Nakano Broadway added after initial publication.)Yamashiroya Located near Ueno Station, this is a specialty store spanning six floors including everything from action figures to toy guns and babies' toys. You can take a look at the website here (Japanese only), or just head to the store and get lost forever in this huge toy maze!As one of those shops that basically sells everything, it’s no surprise that Don Quijote has toys, too. The selection varies, but tends to feature video games, second-tier toys and somewhat obscure collectibles—meaning you can often find some cool and random stuff in the mix! And keep your eye out for their cute plush mascot (pictured above)! Check out their English website for a full list of all the locations across the country!
2. Electronics Stores (Bic Camera, Yodobashi Camera)Surprisingly, electronics stores like Bic Camera and Yodobashi Camera also have toys sections. And we aren’t talking about just action figures, but all kinds of kids’ toys like model trains, Lego and much more! For example, one of the current best-sellers at Bic Camera is the toy ramen-making machine you can see here.To get an idea of the selection you can check out the Bic Camera online shop (in English) and Yodobashi Camera online shop (Japanese only), and you can also visit any of the locations scattered around the country. 1. Toys 'R' UsWho doesn’t know this world-famous chain? Toys "R" Us has conquered Japan, too, and you can check for locations across the country here.The variety is as broad as you would expect, and you can get a glimpse of it at their online store (Japanese only). If you're looking for something very Japanese, don’t miss out on their toy sushi set!Article courtesy of All About Japan by Diletta Fabiani Related StoriesBetter Know Your ShochuSuntory & Nikka: 6 Whiskys to Die For10 Fancy Chocolates For A Sweet Valentine's