Providing a description or even a list of all the modern toys flooding the Japanese consumer market would be practically impossible. Rather than attempting to sum up all the kinds of playthings one might find in a Japanese toy store, this site will provide a sample of a few of the more popular types and/or genres of Japanese toys. Some of these toys are ones that have not only gained immense popularity in Japan, but also in the United States.

Most people living in the U.S. can remember the mania surrounding The Power Rangers action figures, Tamagotchi virtual pet, Pokemon trading cards, and Playstation 2 video game console. Before every making their way across the ocean, these toys were also huge hits in Japan. However, there are many more toys in Japan that never see the light of day in the U.S. By taking a glimpse at any of the various Japanese toy retailers online, one quickly realizes that the country is flooded with different types of action figures, electronic toy gizmos, collectibles, and video games. Hopefully the examples and links provided on the next two pages will not only remind you of popular Japan-to-U.S. import toys from the past, but also open your eyes to this inner world of Japanese toys, beyond the Power Rangers and Pokemon.