Just Like the Real Thing! “Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten Japanese Tableware” Capsule Toy

Hello, I’m Hakoboya, Kodawari Times’ souvenir promotion captain.╰(·ᴗ·)╯
Capsule toys called “gacha-gacha” are a popular souvenir from Japan. These are small toys that can be purchased for only a few hundred yen, but there are many products on the market that tickle the fancy of enthusiasts.
This time, we would like to introduce “Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten Japanese Tableware,” a new product from the capsule toy lineup! If you are a fan of traditional Japanese crafts and Japanese food, be sure to check it out!

Miniature figures reproducing Japanese crafts

The capsule toys introduced here are the result of a collaboration between Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten, a long-established shop in Nara founded in 1716, and Kenelephant, a designer and manufacturer of capsule toys and figures. The miniatures are made from vessels and food products rooted in the Japanese craftsmanship developed by Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten, a manufacturer of household goods.

The official miniature figure collection “Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten Japanese Tableware” (4 types in total) will be available at capsule toy stores nationwide, some directly managed stores of Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten, and directly managed stores of Kenelephant from the end of October 2024.
Although they are small, the texture of the dishes has been properly reproduced, and they are very cute! Just looking at it makes me feel like I’m eating Japanese food!

Kodawari Times has been promoting the appeal of Japanese local products to the rest of the world, and we thought these new miniature figures would be the perfect product to recreate the fascinating crafts that have been nurtured in various regions of Japan.
Whether you are familiar with crafts or not, the Japanese vessel miniature series will open the “door to the world of crafts” for you!

Total lineup of 4 types

Based on the theme of the four times in daily life: “meal time,” “tea time,” “snack time,” and “evening drink time,” a variety of crafts such as Hasami-ware, Echizen lacquerware, and Nanbu tetsubin are miniaturized in resin material. Even the shimmer and expression of the ceramics and the luster of the lacquer have been elaborately reproduced.
All the models come with miniature shoppers with Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten’s logo, so you can even enjoy the thrill of shopping at the store!
Let’s take a look at the details of each product.

Gohan no Jikan (mealtime)

A set of bento magewappa that prevents rice grains from sticking to the surface
This magewappa is made of Akita cedar and will last a lifetime. Even the grain of the cedar is delicately expressed. When you open the lid, you can serve white rice in a bowl.

Koujitsu Chawan Sabi Shiroshika
A miniature version of an original Chawan (tea bowl) made with a Mino ware kiln. Even the “taste” of the deer painted in white on the brown glaze, which protrudes a little, has been reproduced.

Dishwasher-safe lacquer bowls
This dishwasher-safe lacquer bowl is made of natural genuine lacquer. The glossy finish of the carefully applied lacquer and even the Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten mark visible on the bottom of the bowl have been finely reproduced.

Dishwasher-safe wooden chopsticks
Miniature chopsticks are cut one by one by craftsmen in Wakasa, the largest chopstick production area in Japan.

Japanese tableware that goes well with rice and miso soup, the golden combination of Japanese cuisine

Ocha no jikan (tea time)

Fuyaki Senbei
Fuyaki Senbei (rice crackers) baked by hand by craftsmen in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture. Open the can with the Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten logo, and you will find a small bag of rice crackers.

Shitsurindo Echizen Kataurushi (Hard Lacquer) Cup “Suigetsuki”
This is a cup made by “Shitsurindo,” a lacquer ware shop established more than 230 years ago. The texture of the “Shin-nuri technique,” in which the lacquer is applied in a single coat so as not to leave brush marks, has been carefully reproduced.

Oigen Foundry Nambu Tetsubin Maromi Arare
This tetsubin is made by Oigen Foundry, a long-established manufacturer of Nambu ironware(Nambu tekki). Even the texture created by pouring high-temperature iron into a mold is delicately reproduced.

The texture of Nambu Tetsubin is preserved. Take a breather with tea and fufuyaki rice crackers

Oyatsu no jikan (snack time)

HASAMI Block Mug
Vessels by Maruhiro, a ceramics manufacturer in Hasamiyaki, Nagasaki Prefecture. The finish is even enjoyable with its sturdy texture and colorful shades unique to Hasamiyaki.

HASAMI Plate Mini
Vessels by Maruhiro, a ceramics manufacturer in Hasami-yaki, Nagasaki Prefecture. You can enjoy colorful color matching with block mugs.

Snacks of the region BORO
Boro kneaded with hojicha (roasted green tea) from Tsukigase, Nara Prefecture. Note the delicious appearance peeking through the window of the package and the burro with only two grains flying out.

Colorful HASAMI block mugs add color to snack time

Bansyaku no jikan (evening drink time)

BARBAR Iroha small plates
This small plate is inspired by the “Kurawanka Bowl,” porcelain tableware of the common people in the Edo period. Even the simplified Kuresu pattern on the grayish white porcelain has been carefully reproduced.

Yoshinosugi cedar tray
Trays made of Yoshino cedar from Nara Prefecture, one of the three most beautiful forests in Japan. Even the beautiful natural patterns have been reproduced.

Nabeshima Torasen Kiln, Nabeshima celadon porcelain, Tokkuri, Ochoko
A transparent Nabeshima celadon Tokkuri (sake bottle) and Ochoko (Sake cup) by “Nabeshima Torasen Kiln”. The cross section of the flower is embossed on the surface of the sake cup, giving it the appearance of being the real thing.

Dishwasher-safe wooden chopsticks
Miniature chopsticks are cut one by one by craftsmen in Wakasa, the largest chopstick production area in Japan.

An evening set that makes you want to drink sake in gulps

Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten Japanese tableware details

Release date: Late October 2024
Sales method: capsule machine, blind box
Price (tax included): Capsule toys: 500 yen each, blind boxes: 550 yen each
Lineup: 4 types (all come with logo shopper)
Stores: Capsule toy shops, hobby stores, online stores, loft (Some stores), some bookstores, Kenelephant directly-managed stores nationwide
Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten stores: Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten Bunten Tabi Haneda Airport Terminal 2, Narita International Airport Terminal 1, Bunten Tabi Osaka International Airport (inside security checkpoint), Bunten Tabi Nara Sanjo
Product page: https://kenelestore.jp/products/gc0517c

“Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten Japanese Tableware” are miniature figurines packed with the techniques of traditional Japanese craftsmanship. All of the products that have been made into miniature figures are now available at Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten.
Of course you can enjoy them as capsule toys, but if you compare them with the actual products, you will discover even more depth of Japanese tableware. Please visit Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten to get both capsule toys and actual vessels!

▼Click here for the introduction page of Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten’s Nara Main Store