Kaiyodo Figure Museum
Godzilla, Ultraman, and other superstars of Japanese pop culture await at the Kaiyodo Figure Museum, a treasure house of collectible figurines and action figures from Kaiyodo, one of the industry’s leading manufacturers.
Thousands of figures, ranging in size from the tiny to the towering, fill this two-story exhibition space. Many of the shelves and cases display popular anime and manga characters, but Kaiyodo’s artisans can replicate just about anything in molded plastic, from animals and airplanes to dinosaurs or Buddhist deities. The museum’s five permanent exhibition rooms are supplemented by additional spaces for temporary exhibits, such as the diorama gallery, where museum staff exhibit handmade dioramas recreating famous scenes from popular movies, video games, and TV shows.
Kaiyodo began in 1964 as a one-room plastic model shop in Osaka. The company’s most devoted fans know the sculptors who design its figures by name, and the museum has sections showcasing each creator’s top hits.
On weekends and holidays, visitors can create and paint small dioramas of their own. For those who prefer more ready-made souvenirs, there are also rows of capsule-toy vending machines and a gift shop.