Get off at Keisei Shibamata Station and face the main walk leading to Taishakuten temple to find a building with an extra special flair. This former “dagashi” or retro sweets shop in Katsushika-ku was turned into Shibamata Haikara Yokocho & Toy Museum in 2004, by its owner who specializes in children’s candy and toys.
It’s a common stop for visitors on their way to Taishakuten, getting a snap with the two-story retro store as a backdrop.
The first floor, Shibamata Haikara Yokocho, is home to a wide array of candies, goodies and other fun surprises that always feel like a party. The interior is packed with the memory of old-time flair that Japanese people know and love, countless stores of dagashi candies and little souvenirs that will leave you itching for more. Head to the back and find a lineup of toys and trinkets await. You can play old-school arcade games or try your hand at the shooting gallery for 300 yen a pop! The second floor is home to the Shibamata Toy Museum, a space filled with old Showa-era game machines that you’re not likely to find anywhere else (entry to the 2nd floor requires a 200 yen entrance fee). There are 10-yen game machines that still work, creating a world that 80’s kids and up will remember fondly. There’s also a corner recreating an old Japanese house, giving you the old-timey feel of what it was like to grow up in Japan.
Whether the 1st or 2nd floor, each space will show you a world of oldtown toys and Showa era charm you thought you forgot. If you’re on your way to visit Taishakuten, this is one shop you won’t want to miss.