A bevy of gachas awaiting your hard-earned 200 yen.
ガチャガチャ。
gacha gacha "capsule machine."
Leaving the bookstore today, I stopped by the gacha gacha machines (quarter/50-cent toy/capsule machines) to have a look. Since I arrived in Japan 7 years ago these have always struck me as funny, weird, and wonderful.
The gacha (an onomatopoeic word for the sound made when turning the dial/lever) machines here often dispense very unexpected (from a typical American perspective, in my opinion) toys which are not really "toys"at all--in the "normal" sense. They are often collectibles, educational science figurines, or keychains of popular Kansai comedians, for example. Gacha is for adults and kids alike. Many of the toys are downright weird, and I love it.
Here are some examples:
Because why DON'T you need a gorilla in a sheep suit??
Learn your mushrooms with these unique collectible keychains/charms.
Need a pudding-head man to keep down the top of your half-eaten pudding in the fridge??? GO FOR IT!!!
Can you guess what the squirrels are eating?
Learn yer beetles, too!
Drink some saké with this Japanese cat!
This cat is in a rabbit suit. Kawaii!
This man is in a dog suit! Kawaii!
Anthropomorphized sushis! Kawaii!
Animal jungle gym!
Kawaii!!!!!!
(Kawaii means "cute," by the way.)
What are you waiting for. Go! Yes! Now! You! Get yer gacha on!
(Thanks for stopping by! If you missed the last Japan Photo Blog: "木曜日の夜。Thursday Night in a Sleepy City," you can find it here.)
~KafkA
Graham Smith is a Voluntaryist activist, creator, and peaceful parent residing in Niigata City, Japan. Graham runs the "Voluntary Japan" online initiative with a presence here on Steem, as well as Facebook and Twitter. (Hit me up so I can stop talking about myself in the third person!)
