Google Maps continues to amaze me. This is kind of like how our family was amazed by our encyclopedia on CD in 1992- spent hours watching those damn animal videos.

Anyway, I was tracking down the location of a Japanese store last night, and thought it might be interesting share G-Map street views of certain toy-related points of interest. Tokyo Underground is really useful, but some of the stores can be VERY difficult to find even with the map. I'm sort of a visual, turn-left-at-the-red-house person when it comes to navigating.

And hey, let's make it a game. Guess what stores are shown in these photos (Japanese residents and a few of you other folks should probably be d/q-ed).

I haven't visited most of these personally, so you can figure out what they are by visual clues in the photo.

1. This one is kind of a gimme.



2. No, it's not the Kumon center.



3. Hint: this one recently changed location.



4. Coca-cola?



5. This one is hard- the storefront is hidden by trees. But there is a good clue next door.





6. There might be a giveaway here. But the second photo is further down the street from the first.





Answers will be put up tomorrow evening.

Having never been...my only guesses are. Without anything else, I can't even make an educated guess. I'll try again when I get home from work.
3-Secret Base (because they changed location)
6-Real x Head (easy clue)

Kind of tough, but I'll try

1. Yama-something-anime/new-toy-shop.

(Anyway, I'm pretty sure it's the 5-6 floor shop across from Ueno station. )

2. Godzilla? I think I see the Robot Robot logo...

3. Akihabara Mandarake?

4. Ichibanboshi?

5. Golden Age

6. RxH

Wow, you guys are good. Andy is correct on no. 3. Nos. 2 and 4 are still out there.

If anyone else has interesting locations, please add.

Ok... so I guess this was either not interesting or too hard.

Here's the answers:

1. Yamashiroya in Ueno. Great toy store that's been there since I was a kid.

2. Cosmo Knight Alpha. Minus 30 Bemons.



3. Mandarake "Complex" Akihabara.

4. Manga Jyuku, aka, Shikaruna-Koubou HQ.



5. Toys Golden Age, next door to one of the many Liberty hobby shops.

6. Shinto Gangu- what else could it be with the mohawked crossbones in the window?

I was going to guess Ekoda for #2 but the shot didn't quite remind me of the little road the shop is on. Really quiet area and a very cool shop!

...cka shop in a real nice cosy neighborhood absolutely - nice trip out there.
fotos bring back very good feelings - i wanna go back!!!

i missed cosmo knight! i will definitely need to get there next time, along with jyarinco. its nice to see the photos, tokyo toy shopping was a blast!

That's too funny...I did the SAME thing once I figured out you could look at "street view" Tokyo on Google Maps. CKA is cool...lots of good vintage, but very very small. When we went Jyarinco was closed. So painful...you could SEE all the great stuff, but couldn't get to it.