Retail & Shopping · Practical guide
Joshin
Osaka Denden Town, "Super Kids Land" Gunpla & Tax-Free Hobby
What to expect, how it works, payment details, and common mistakes — in one place.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Japanese name | ジョーシン (Joshin) |
| Category | Retail / Consumer Electronics, Scale Model & Hobby Megastore ("Super Kids Land"), Video Games & Duty-Free (Joshin Official Website) |
| Store Count | 220 stores nationwide (as of March 2026, per Joshin Co., Ltd.'s company outline — 210 regular Joshin stores plus affiliated and franchise stores), concentrated in the Kansai region (Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo) and centered on the "Super Kids Land Honten" hobby flagship and "Nipponbashi Store" in Osaka's electronics capital (Denden Town), operated by Joshin Co., Ltd. (Tokyo Prime Listed) (Shop Locator) |
| Ordering Style | Specialty hobby & electronics department store: navigate vast category floors (Plastic Models, RC Cars, Railway Miniatures, Audio/TV, Home Appliances); specialist staff consultation; tax-free handling at the register in licensed tax-free stores |
| Membership Required? | No membership or ID required to purchase (optional Joshin Point Card); physical foreign passport required for Tax-Free purchase registration |
| Approximate Price Range | Model paints, tools & Gundam marker pens ~¥250–¥1,500; HG/MG/PG Gunpla model kits ~¥1,500–¥25,000; Tamiya RC cars & N-scale model trains ~¥12,000–¥65,000; consumer electronics ~¥15,000–¥180,000+ (as of November 8, 2026; subject to revision); Tax-Free available at licensed tax-free stores on purchases of ¥5,000+ (excluding tax, same store, same day) |
| Payment Methods | Cash, all major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, UnionPay with contactless tap), Japanese transit IC cards (ICOCA, Suica, PASMO), electronic money, and QR mobile payments (Alipay, WeChat Pay, PayPay, etc.) |
| Multilingual Support | Osaka's official tourism guide lists English, Korean, and Chinese support at Super Kids Land Honten; staffing varies by day and time, so ask at the counter |
What it is
Joshin (ジョーシン), founded in 1948 in Osaka and operated by Joshin Co., Ltd. (formerly Joshin Denki), is a cornerstone of Kansai consumer electronics retailing, best known among international hobbyists for its Super Kids Land hobby stores. Headquartered in Osaka's electric town—Nipponbashi (でんでんタウン - Denden Town)—its flagship "Super Kids Land Honten" (スーパーキッズランド本店) draws modelers from around the world. Spanning five floors of hobby departments, Super Kids Land is one of Japan's best-known specialty stores for scale models, packing complete walls of Bandai Gundam model kits (Gunpla), Tamiya radio-controlled cars, precision miniature N-scale railway trains, paints, and airbrushes, with tax-free services at licensed stores.
How to shop
- Visit Osaka's Nipponbashi Denden Town: Take the subway to Ebisucho Station or walk south from Namba. Look for the massive yellow-and-red Joshin signboards.
- Explore the Two Specialized Flagship Towers:
- Super Kids Land Honten (スーパーキッズランド本店 - Joshin's Hobby Flagship):
- Floor 1F: Gunpla, character figures, and character model kits.
- Floor 2F: Scale plastic models (aircraft, military tanks, ships, and cars), paints, and tools.
- Floor 3F: Tamiya World (Tamiya RC cars and Mini 4WD).
- Floor 4F: Miniature models, radio-controlled models, and air-gun hobby goods.
- Floor 5F: Precision model trains (N-scale trains, tracks, and miniature layout scenery).
- (Floor layout as described by Osaka's official tourism guide, OSAKA-INFO; Joshin's own store page does not publish a floor guide.)
- Joshin Nipponbashi Store: Multi-story consumer electronics, cameras, audio, and beauty appliances.
- Super Kids Land Honten (スーパーキッズランド本店 - Joshin's Hobby Flagship):
- Inspect Tools and Upgrade Parts:
- Hobbyists can browse hundreds of specialized modeling tools: precision nippers (GodHand style), Mr. Hobby airbrushes, and Tamiya paint racks.
- Checkout & 2026 Tax-Free Refund Registration:
- Proceed to the Tax-Free Counter (免税カウンター).
- Inform staff: "Tax-Free kudasai".
- Present your physical foreign passport with temporary tourist entry stamp.
- Under Japan's refund-based tax-free system (2026 rules), you pay the full tax-inclusive total at the register while staff electronically register your passport and purchase records with Japan Customs.
- When departing Japan, complete the export confirmation before checking your baggage and within 90 days of purchase: present your passport at a tax-free procedure terminal at the airport (Visit Japan Web can be used at eligible airports), and show the purchased goods themselves only if your record is flagged for inspection. Customs confirmation is decided per tax-free purchase record (usually corresponding to a checkout transaction). Take every tax-free item recorded in that transaction out of Japan. If any of those items is missing, the entire tax-free purchase record cannot be confirmed. Non-consumable items such as electronics may be used in Japan as long as they are exported; consumables must not be consumed in Japan.
- Once Customs has confirmed the export, the store refunds the tax through the refund method you registered at purchase — for example back to your card, or cash at a contracted refund counter (a handling fee may be deducted). There is no general airport counter that pays out refunds for every shop, so confirm the store's method when you buy.
Services & options
- Bandai Gundam Model Kits (Gunpla - HG, RG, MG, PG): A huge retail selection of authentic Gundam model kits, including rare mobile suits.
- Tamiya Mini 4WD & Radio-Controlled (RC) Cars: Iconic Tamiya motorized car kits, tuned high-speed motors, and carbon fiber chassis upgrade parts.
- N-Scale Model Trains (KATO & Tomix Shinkansen Bullet Trains): Microscopic, precision-engineered working electric models of Japan's 500-Series, N700S, and Hayabusa Shinkansen trains.
- Precision Modeling Nippers & Airbrush Equipment: Master-grade Japanese single-edge plastic nippers and lacquer paints that make modeling clean and effortless.
Payment & practical info
- Accepted Payment Methods: Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners, UnionPay, ICOCA/Suica, Alipay, WeChat Pay, PayPay, and cash.
- Hours: Super Kids Land Honten is open 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM daily; hours vary by store — check the official store page.
- Tax-Free Minimum: At stores licensed for tax-free sales, your purchase total must reach ¥5,000 or more before tax at the same store on the same day. Physical passport required.
Good to know / Common mistakes
- Luggage Box Dimensions: Master Grade (MG) and Perfect Grade (PG) Gunpla boxes are enormous! Measure your suitcase dimensions before buying three giant kits, or ask staff to package multiple kits tightly with carry handles.
- Liquid Paints in Checked Luggage: Some modeling liquids and sprays are classified as hazardous materials — whether liquid cement, flammable thinners, or compressed airbrush propellant cans may fly (carry-on or checked) depends on the item's classification and your airline's rules, so check with your airline before packing. When in doubt, stick to dry kits, plastic parts, tools, and markers!
- Denden Town Exploration: Super Kids Land sits directly on the main street of Denden Town, surrounded by retro video game shops and anime figure arcades—plan at least half a day here!
FAQ
- Q: Are Gunpla kits cheaper at Joshin than in Akihabara?
- A: Kit prices are set item by item, so compare the shelf tag for the kit you want — Joshin does not publish a general below-list pricing policy. At licensed tax-free stores, the tax-free refund applies on top of the shelf price.
- Q: Can foreign travelers use tourist discount coupons here?
- A: Visitor coupon campaigns run from time to time, but the discount rate, eligible items, and period change with each campaign — check the current offers before you go. A long-running example is the Joshin coupon on LIVE JAPAN (tax-free plus an extra discount at a small number of stores, including Super Kids Land Honten; passport required, and game consoles, Apple products, and other categories are excluded). Card-company campaigns (such as JCB's) also appear seasonally.
- Q: How does the 2026 Tax-Free refund work at departure?
- A: Complete the export confirmation before checking your baggage and within 90 days of purchase: present your passport at the airport's tax-free procedure terminal (Visit Japan Web works at eligible airports), and show the goods only if your record is flagged for inspection. The refund itself is made by the store through the refund method registered at purchase (such as a card refund or a contracted refund counter), not paid out by Customs — check the method and any handling fee when you buy. Customs checks each tax-free purchase record. All tax-free items on that record must leave Japan. Using non-consumable electronics in Japan is allowed if they are exported; consuming consumables in Japan prevents the refund for that purchase record.
Sources
- Joshin Official Corporate Website (Verified: 2026-11-08)
- Joshin Super Kids Land Honten Official Store Page — hours & tax-free shop mark (Verified: 2026-11-09; Joshin publishes no floor guide — the floor layout above follows OSAKA-INFO, Osaka's official tourism guide: https://osaka-info.jp/spot/Joshin/)
- Joshin Company Outline — store count (Verified: 2026-11-09)
- Joshin Visitor Coupon (LIVE JAPAN) — current terms (Verified: 2026-11-09)
- Note: the previously cited https://www.joshin.co.jp/inbound/ page no longer exists (404 as of 2026-11-09).