Ever since my three year old nephew discovered last year that I have a cupboard full of boxes containing Star Wars toys (and a few other things), he has wanted to come round a bit more often to play with them. He has no idea who anyone other than Darth Vader is but that doesn’t stop him emptying out bag after bag of what are mostly 3.75 inch figures!

For better or worse, my collection has barely grown at all in the years since I started living with my wife, and the majority of it is confined to boxes in cupboards so it is quite nice to see them used and enjoyed whenever he’s at our house. I may be out of the collection business but that certainly doesn’t stop me from browsing and so here is a compilation of the best places in Tokyo (which I’m aware of!) that I like to look round for western toys. They are listed in no particular order other than by the area where they are located and there is admittedly a heavy Star Wars bias towards which shops I have included in this list.

• Mandarake @ Nakano Broadway, Nakano 5-52-15, Nakano-Ku.

• Star Case @ 3-25-25 Koenjikita, Suginami-Ku. More details here.

• Happy Go Lucky (13:00 – 20:00) @ 3-36-16 Koenjiminami, Suginami-Ku.

• 2000 Toys (12:00 – 21:00) @ 2−43-9 Koenjiminami, Suginami-Ku.

• Comic Collectors (12:00 – 20:30) @ 4-21-6 Koenjiminami, Suginami-Ku.

• Mamegyoarai (12:00 – 21:00) @ 4-29-2 Koenji Minami, Suginami-Ku.

• Village Vanguard (10:00 – Midnight) @ 3-46-10 Koenjiminami, Suginami-Ku.

• Red Mercury (11:00 – 21:00) @ 4-2 Ueno, Taitō-Ku.

• Yamashiroya (10:00 – 21:30) @ 6-14-6 Ueno, Taitō-Ku.

• Mandarake (12:00 – 20:00) @ 3-12-11 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-Ku.

• Kotobukiya (10:00 – 20:00) @ 1-8-8 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-Ku.

• Blister Comics (11:00 – 20:00) @ 4-3-10 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-Ku.

• Goldenage (11:30 – 21:00) @ 4-7-2 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-Ku.

• Toy Sapiens (11:00 – 19:00) @ 3-30-12 Jingumae, Shibuya-Ku.

• Kiddy Land (11:00 – ) @ 6-1-9 Jingumae, Shibuya-Ku.

• Monster Japan (12:30 – 20:30) @ 1-6-1 Ebisunishi, Shibuya-Ku.

• Bandit (11:00 – 21:00) @ 1-58-7-103 Yoyogi, Shibuya-Ku.

• Bonus: Kanda Flux @ 3-16-10 Uchikanda, Chiyoda-Ku. More details here.

• Bonus bonus: House Vader @ 687 Yumoto, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-Gun (Kanagawa)

Many thanks to my friend Yoshinori a.k.a. “John” of Tokyo Character Map fame who you can find on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Click here to read ‘TF Top 5……Otaku Shops In Tokyo’