What is the difference between gachapon, gashapon and gacha?
They are the same thing. Gashapon is Bandai's registered name for its own capsules; gachapon and the short form gacha are what everyone calls capsule toys in general.
Part of: Akihabara Figures: Where to Buy New vs Used
Browse more: Akihabara Shopping Guide
Go to two places. Bandai's GASHAPON Department Store on the 4th floor of 1-15-9 Sotokanda, a minute from the station, has about 500 machines of current Bandai capsules. The Akihabara Gachapon Kaikan, a seven-minute walk north near Suehirocho, is the old, cramped, much-loved one. Most capsules cost ¥300 to ¥500. I run private anime tours here most weeks, and a gacha stop is the cheapest souvenir run in the district.
Gachapon (also written gashapon or gacha) are capsule toys from coin machines: you put coins in, turn the handle, and get one random item from the series pictured on the front. In Akihabara they sit in whole halls of their own, and they are one of the few things here that cost less than a coffee.
Where are the gachapon halls in Akihabara?
The big one is right by the station: the GASHAPON Department Store, run by Bandai Namco, on the 4th floor of 1-15-9 Sotokanda, which Bandai Namco lists as one minute from Akihabara Station with about 500 machines. The other is the Akihabara Gachapon Kaikan at 3-15-5 Sotokanda, two minutes from Suehirocho on the Ginza line or seven from the JR Electric Town Exit.
When guests on my Akihabara anime tour want capsules, this is how I split the two:
| GASHAPON Department Store Akihabara | Akihabara Gachapon Kaikan | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | 4F, 1-15-9 Sotokanda | 1F, MN Building, 3-15-5 Sotokanda |
| From the station | About 1 minute (operator's figure) | 7 minutes from the JR Electric Town Exit; 2 from Suehirocho (Ginza line) |
| Size | About 500 machines | One packed ground-floor room |
| What it stocks | Bandai's own capsules, new releases | Many makers, older and odder series |
| Stock online | Yes, on Bandai's official site | No; news is posted on its X account |
| Best for | Finding a specific current series | Browsing for something you did not know existed |
Both halls on the map. Tap one for directions.
Bandai's official site lists two shop names on that same 4th floor, the GASHAPON Department Store and the Gashapon Bandai Official Shop, each with its own stock page. Both are on the same floor, so you will not miss either.
Capsules are also scattered elsewhere: animate Akihabara opened a capsule-toy floor, POP @P CAPSULE -AKIHABARA-, on the B1 and 1F of its ANNEX in August 2026, and GiGO Buildings 3 and 5 both list capsule machines among their games.
Capsule machines in Akihabara
Photos: Yuuki (Anime Sensei)
How much does gachapon cost in Akihabara?
Most capsules cost ¥300 to ¥500 a turn. On Bandai's official stock list for its Akihabara shops on 4 October 2026, ordinary capsules were ¥300, ¥400 or ¥500, flat capsules ¥500, and premium capsules ¥1,500. The price is printed on the front of every machine.
Two things to know before you start:
- The prize is random. The front of the machine shows the whole series. You get one item, and you do not choose which.
- Bring coins. Most capsule machines take coins rather than notes. If you run out, ask staff where the change machine (両替機, ryōgae-ki) is.
Can you check what is in stock before you go?
Yes, for the Bandai shops. Bandai's official gashapon site has a page for each Akihabara shop listing the series in stock, the price, and a stock mark: ○ for 11 or more, △ for 10 or fewer. It updates through the day. The site warns that the real stock may differ, but it is the best check there is.
This is the single most useful thing on this page if you are hunting one series. Search the series on the shop's stock page the night before. If it shows △, go early. If it is not listed at all, the site also says it may still carry things not shown, but do not build your day around finding it.
The Gachapon Kaikan does not publish stock. It posts news on its X account instead, and its own website points there for the latest information.
Is gachapon worth it, or a waste of money?
Worth it in small doses. A few turns on a series you love is a cheap, very Japanese souvenir. Chasing one specific item from a series of six is how ¥300 turns into ¥3,000. Decide how many turns you will take before the first coin goes in.
This is the honest section. Gachapon is a lottery with a toy at the end, and the toys are good: small, well made, often only sold in capsule form. But if you want one particular item, buying it is often cheaper than chasing it. Secondhand shops often sell single capsule items, opened, with the one you want in a bag, and where to buy anime figures in Akihabara covers how those floors work.
What do you do with the empty capsules?
Look for the capsule collection box next to the machines, and put them there rather than in your bag. Bandai Namco's shops even have an empty-capsule collection machine that gives app points. Do not leave capsules on top of the machines.
It matters more in Japan than it would at home, because there are almost no public bins on the street; no trash cans in Japan explains why. Open the capsule at the machine, keep the toy, drop the shell in the box.
Is gachapon good for kids?
It is one of the best things in Akihabara for children: cheap, quick, and every turn is a small event. Set a number of turns per child before you arrive. In the evening, stick to the capsule halls rather than the capsule corners inside arcades, because arcades have age limits after dark.
The rest of a family day is in Akihabara with kids.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the biggest gachapon shop in Akihabara?
The GASHAPON Department Store on the 4th floor of 1-15-9 Sotokanda, which Bandai Namco lists with about 500 machines, a minute from Akihabara Station.
How much is one gachapon turn?
Usually ¥300 to ¥500. Premium capsules can be ¥1,500. The price is on every machine.
Can I choose which item I get?
NOEach turn gives one random item from the series shown on the machine. If you want one particular item, look for it in the secondhand shops instead.
Do gachapon machines take cards?
Bring coins. Most capsule machines take coins, and staff can point you to a change machine if you only have notes.
Coins in one pocket, a list in the other
Gachapon is the fifteen-minute stop between two bigger floors. If you would like those floors chosen around the anime you watch, Adventure in Akihabara with Anime is my private half-day walk, three to four hours, never shared with other guests. The price is on the tour page.
About the author. I am Yuuki, a Japanese teacher and Akihabara anime tour guide based in Tokyo. I run private anime tours here most weeks, rated 4.96★ on Airbnb across 171 reviews. I have watched over 1,500 anime series, and I still lose to the gacha machine more often than not.
See the Akihabara anime tour →
Sources · checked 4 October 2026
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