Are Takaras easier to find in Japan?

[Phekzhen]

My boyfriend is heading to Japan next week, and he'll be there for 2 months. He knows about me and my ponies, including helping me with blog images and getting me ponies as gifts.


While he's over there, I'm going to ask him to keep an eye out on Takaras, or at least Takara fakies. Will they be easier to find in Japan then in the US? I don't know much about them besides what they look like and the fact that they exist.

Any info you can give would be great :3

[banditpony]

More likely to find in Japan than the US? Yes, for obvious reasons-- they were produced for Japan.

Also I do not believe that there are fakies over there. Those are more so found often found in Europe... The palau ones were from spain, and the lovely pets were from Argentina.. and then found all over for the rest of them.

One member did find a real baby in Japan (I think in a used toy store). If I recall right, MIB adult Takara found in SanDiego, a pair of babies in a thrift store in the US, and an adult at a Finland flea market? -- the rest were found online.

[LadyGuinevere]

Like banditpony, I would presume they are easier to find than in the US, but that doesn't necessarily mean they will be easy to find It has been a long time since they were released, and the more time passes, the less likely  they are to be found, same with any vintage ponies.

[princessluna11706]

Honestly, not at all..  I live in Japan, and I've been searching for two years to no avail.. Hubby and I have looked everywhere, toy/collectible resale shops, donation type stores (and there's not many of those AT ALL, most have disappeared) in several prefectures and cities, you name it..unfortunately no luck whatsoever     He's talked to a few store owners, and many they've said they've heard of them, but never seen them.  Also, yes, no fakies here.

From what I've learned by speaking to friends and family here, they weren't very popular at all when they were made, and Japanese culture for the most part is "if you don't want it, toss it".  Recycle and resale shops only became popular in recent years, so I think many met an unfortunate fate.. I won't quit my search, but yeah.. so far, nada.

[natevansate]

We found our baby out there in a second hand toy shop, but we did search alot when out there last year. Most of the shop owners had never seen or heard of them so no idea what your luck would be. We must have done 90% of the 2nd hand vintage toy shops in tokyo over the 2 trips we made there last year.

[Silversnow]

Nate, I was just going to write about your story, but just saw you already commented hehehe. You were so lucky!

[shelti]

I agree with princessluna11706,  the Japanese People have a very disposable society, they are not big on accepting used items or recycling them.

 I had my friend in Tokyo search for these with no luck and if anyone could have found something Sakurako could have.  I think you would have better luck searching a US or Eur Comic or Hobby Store for Old store Stock then finding them in Japan.  That was where the ones found in San Diego were located, a Comic book store.   Equines hold a very different place in Japanese  Society and I can see why they were never very popular as play items.