Hobby Center Kato — Attraction in Tokyo

Great place with a very expansive range of products. I would have given five stars but have given only four for the following reasons:

I would have bought my Nozomi 500 starter set at Tam Tam Hobby Shop, and could've saved about $60 AUD as KATO charges MSRP.

When I went there to check if any products were in the sale section, there weren't any I could find

Thirdly, when I went to purchase my Nozomi 500 starter set, it was labelled at a price of 16000 JPY (without tax), but to my surprise when I went to the counter they told me it was 17,000 JPY. I was quite disappointed with this as back in Australia this would be considered misleading advertising. But I thought I might as well buy it, as they had already opened it to test the locomotive. Also, I did request to check the catalogue price and box price on the rear and they both displayed 17,000 JPY (without tax). In the end, they admitted it was a display error, but I thought I might let it slide as I didn't have the time to check other stores.

I would recommend coming here to have a look and note down the model number. Then go to another store like Tam Tam Hobby Shop where they discount the price below MSRP.

Still a fantastic place to go to with all the...

Really cool place if you like model trains.

They have multiple big diaramas full of trains running, and it's lots of fun to find every little detail and to spot your favorite trains amongst it.

They have a huge selection of trains available to purchase mostly from Kato (of course) but surprisingly some tomix and others too. If you're looking for a specific Kato model, good chance they have it, but prices seemed fairly high.

Have a full sized train out the front, which is pretty cool too. They even sell a model of it for 4000 yen.

Had a fun time there, and I arrived nearer to closing, so I'm...

If you have any interest in model trains or miniatures, please take the short subway ride and visit Kato’s hobby center. I purchased a train set, several turnout and crossover sections of track, as well as insulated unijoiners. It’s so much more satisfying than importing through eBay or Amazon. I paid about 40% less than I would have in the states. Plus, if you bring your passport, you will save the 8-10% tax for Japanese residents. You should also take the train to Saitama and visit the...