[Photo] A Feast of Gacha Machines, Japan's 60th Anniversary Gacha Gacha Exhibition

[포토] 뽑기 기계의 향연, 日 가챠폰 60주년 기념전

gamemeca Ⅰ Kim Hyung-jong 게임메카 김형종 기자 2025.08.07 16:08 UTC+9

AI Summary

Japan celebrates 60 years of Gachapon with a massive exhibition at the Marunouchi Building. The show highlights the evolution from simple toys to bizarre, high-concept collectibles. Visitors can explore decades of history and try their luck at various machines on site.

In Japan, the act of dropping coins to snag a capsule toy is known as Gachapon or Gacha. While originally the territory of industry giants Bandai and Takara Tomy Arts, the term has evolved to represent the entire capsule toy scene. Today, these machines are a staple of Japanese culture, luring in passersby with everything from miniature sushi sets to faux coins.

These Gachapon machines first arrived in Japan from the US in 1965. Marking their 60th anniversary, the 'Gacha Gacha 60th Anniversary Exhibition' is currently being held on the 7th floor of the Marunouchi Building in Ginza. Renowned manufacturers and creators such as Kitan Club, Bushiroad Creative, Qualia, and Kenelephant are showcasing their unique wares, with a large interactive zone for those eager to test their luck.

▲ The Gacha Gacha 60th Anniversary Exhibition at Marunouchi Building (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ Machines greet you right at the entrance. The place is bustling even on a weekday morning (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ Entering the exhibition hall (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ A very brief history of Gachapon is on display (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ Early capsule collectibles (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ Vintage machines showing their age (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ The main exhibition begins here (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ A vast array of capsule goods to discover (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ Miniature figures designed to perch on your cup rim (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ A figure showing contrition, though the ring placement is... questionable (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ Creator Masami Iida of 'Grey Melon' (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ An undeniable obsession with sushi-themed items (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ Miniature TVs and more (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ Knock-off monsters are a common sight (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ Creations by the duo 'Contemporary Art Private' (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ Familiar-looking soy sauce bottles and... (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ ...cute cat snow globes living in harmony (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ The quirky display from K2 Station (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ From real-life product miniatures... (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ ...to miniature restaurant franchise sets (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ Even 'Eco-pon' aimed at environmental protection. You can even find bizarre miniatures like enema kits here (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ Gacha works by artist Keiko Otohata (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ A distinct philosophy regarding fish and shellfish is on display (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ Moving to the next section (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ You can spot the 'Work Cat' (Shigoto Neko), famous in Korea as the 'Site Cat' (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ ...things like rocks... (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ ...and wooden boards are just some of the oddities you will find (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ Of course, there are plenty of sleek and flashy items too (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ Studio Sota's kaiju collection (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ The center features a variety of machines ready for play (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ A familiar face with the 'Site Cat' again (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ Try your hand at the machines yourself (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ Making our way out after exploring every piece (Photo: Gamemeca)

▲ Machines greet you until the very last moment (Photo: Gamemeca)

일본에서 동전을 넣고 캡슐 상품을 뽑는 것을 가챠폰(가샤폰) 혹은 가챠라고 부른다. 본래는 캡슐 장난감 업계를 양분하는 반다이와 타카라토미 아츠의 캡슐 뽑기 브랜드였지만, 현재는 캡슐 뽑기 상품 자체를 상징하는 표현이 됐다. 가챠폰은 현재도 수많은 캐릭터 상품이 담겨 수많은 사람들을 유혹하며, 미니어처 초밥 정식이나 가짜 동전 등 상당히 독특한 상품까지 판매되는 등 일본 문화를 상징하는 요소 중 하나로 자리매김했다.

이런 가챠폰은 1965년 미국에서 일본으로 처음 건너왔다. 올해로 60주년인 셈인데, 이를 기념한 '가챠가챠 60주년 기념전'이 긴자 마루노우치 빌딩 7층에서 열렸다. 기담클럽, 부시로드 크리에이티브, 퀄리아(Qualia), 케넬레판트(Kenelepahnt) 등 유명 가챠폰 제조 기업과 제작자가 여러 독특한 가챠폰을 선보였다. 전시장 중앙에는 실제 뽑기를 할 수 있는 큰 공간도 마련됐다.