Tag Archives: tomica
Here are some actual Tomica cars to go with your Tomica chocolates
For a number of years now Tomica has been offering car-shaped chocolates. The unfortunate thing with chocolate, though, is that once you eat it it’s gone. The alternative would be to get this newer form Tomica valentine, where you receive … Continue reading
Inside the world of Kimono My House, one of the oldest Japanese hobby shops in the US
Before anime and Japanese sci-fi became mainstream on US shores, a small hobby shop in Emeryville, California filled that niche for those in the know. Kimono My House is probably the oldest Japanese toy store in the United States, its … Continue reading
MINICARS: The classic Tomica Building playset updated and re-released for 50th anniversary
Originally released in 1971, the Tomica Building was one of the most popular and iconic playsets from the diecast company’s early years. The palm-sized diecast cars that had debuted in 1970 had turned out to be a big success, so … Continue reading
50 YEAR CLUB: Tomica
Fifty years ago today, car culture in Japan was forever changed with the introduction of Tomica, the country’s first authentic diecast miniature cars in the 3-inch range. Launched on August 18, 1970, they quickly became the most popular diecast toys … Continue reading
MINICARS: Diecast Racing League is the best sport to watch during quarantine
Actual motorsports might be on hiatus while the coronavirus quarantine is in effect, but that doesn’t mean all auto racing has to grind to a halt. Turns out, there’s a thriving community of drivers who compete in diecast cars. The … Continue reading
Civic Type R’s chief engineer’s love for cars began with a toy Toyota Celica
Last week Tomica announced for its 50th anniversary that it would be collaborating with several Japanese carmakers for special edition toy cars. One of them was Honda, represented by the new FK8 Civic Type R. At the press conference Hideki … Continue reading
MINICARS: Stay in this Tomica-themed hotel room in Japan
To coincide with 50th anniversary of Japan’s favorite toy cars, a hotel in Tokyo has created a Tomica-themed room that kids (and presumably adults, too) can stay in. The hotel is the Maihama First Resort overlooking Tokyo Bay and is … Continue reading
MINICARS: Tomica collaborates with carmakers for 50th anniversary
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Tomica, Japan’s favorite diecast metal cars. The childhood toy of almost every car aficionado in Japan, they are as imprinted onto the minds of enthusiasts there as Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars are … Continue reading
Happy Independence Day from JNC
Released in 2017, the US-flag Tomica Toyota 2000GT was part of a special edition Flags of the World series that decked out Japan’s O.G. supercar with — you guessed it — flags of the world. In fact, it is the second … Continue reading
MINICARS: Tomica Limited Vintage made an FD3S Mazda RX-7 and it looks amazing
We haven’t written about Tomica Limited Vintage in a while, but the collectors’ offshoot of Japan’s most popular diecast cars has been quietly churning out excellent 1:64-scale models of classics for a while. The latest, however, is sure to make … Continue reading
MINICARS: Amazing miniature kaido racer models at the Tokyo Auto Salon
One of the coolest and most popular displays at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon wasn’t from an automaker, tuning house, or aftermarket parts company. In fact, it didn’t feature real cars at all. Instead, it was a lineup of miniature kaido … Continue reading
PIXELATED: Toyota C-HR ad stars cast of Street Fighter game
The car may not be nostalgic, but the game certainly is. Toyota has enlisted the help of the Street Fighter II cast to promote the new C-HR. In the new ad, Ryu drives the car around the world through some familiar … Continue reading
MINICARS: Have some chocolate cars for Valentine’s Day
Tomica is back with a line of chocolate minicars for this Valentine’s Day. The Japanese diecast carmaker is giving us six cars to drool over, with modern version of two sports car icons — the Nissan GT-R and Fairlady Z — … Continue reading
MINICARS: New Japanese classics in Tomica line, sort of
Japanese diecast manufacturer Tomica is about to release its first Japanese classics into their main line since, well, since most similar classics were still new cars. The cars in question are an Isuzu 117 and Bellett, but there’s a catch. Both … Continue reading
MILESTONES: Neoclassic Magazine celebrates 50 volumes
Our friends at Kousoku Yuen magazine in Japan recently published their 50th volume. The bimonthly publication, whom some of you may know as NeoClassic, specializes in Japanese cars, but you’ll rarely see a 2000GT or Hakosuka GT-R on the cover. Instead, you’re more likely … Continue reading