A paradise for otakus—the Kaiyodo Hobby Museum

 

Text & Photo by Wei Ruiwei

 

Deep in the forests of Kochi Prefecture on Japan’s Shikoku Island, tens of thousands of "Kaiyodo" models reside. Some say it's the most remote museum, but for those passionate about collecting anime figures and models, it's an unmissable pilgrimage site. From its opening in July 2011 to October of that year, it had already attracted over 53,000 visitors, with numbers continuing to grow...

 

Since its founding in 1964, Kaiyodo has grown to become a leader in Japan’s model industry. Many iconic figures from popular franchises such as *Star Wars*, *Fist of the North Star*, *Dragon Ball*, and *Ultraman*, as well as some gashapon and food toys sold in places like Akihabara in Japan, Guanghua Digital Plaza in Taiwan, and Ximending, were created by Kaiyodo. Moreover, Kaiyodo frequently collaborates with various artists. Notably, the life-sized Miss KOKO figure created by Takashi Murakami and BOME in 2003 garnered significant attention. The "Kaiyodo and Otaku Culture" exhibition held at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum in November 2007 also caused a huge sensation.

 

The reason the Kaiyodo Museum was established in a rural part of Kochi Prefecture is that it was built on the site of an abandoned elementary school gymnasium, chosen because it is the birthplace of the founder’s father.

 

Upon entering the gate, a massive wooden ship structure that spans the entire indoor space resembles a vessel sailing through the ocean, naturally drawing visitors into an exploratory mood. Various life-sized three-dimensional models of different sizes on both sides immediately catch the eye, making it hard to decide where to start—there’s so much to see in every direction. It’s not just otakus who go wild here; anyone with a childlike sense of wonder will feel like they’ve stepped into an amusement park. The double-decker structures on either side, as well as the interior and deck of the ship, are packed with delightful models.

 

If you want to take your time and admire everything carefully, one to two hours might not be enough. If you’re lucky, you might even get to watch designers shaping models in the workshop. For those who want to try their hand at creating, the museum offers about a one-hour DIY experience for just 1,000 yen, which makes for a highly memorable souvenir.