Akihabara Bazaar is a new Japanese goods store which opened in The Marketplace in Chews Landing Gloucester Township. With a theme based around Japanese Anime, they offer fun Japanese culture characters, toys, trading card games, merchandise, food items and more… it’s like walking into a downtown Tokyo store!
They even offer several Japanese toy vending machines called gashapon, which had to be customized for tokens as these very authentic machines only worked with Japanese Yen!
Akihabara is constantly getting new merchandise in so it’s worthwhile to stop in regularly and see what’s new. Much of the inventory comes directly from Japan which can take weeks or even months to arrive… so it was fun to see the owners opening up recently delivered boxes like it was Christmas Day, and seeing their surprised looks when they saw what Hoteiosho had just delivered!
The shopping center they are located in is on Chews Landing Road, and is also home to the Chews Landing ShopRite. The Akihabara unit is smartly located directly next to Ozaki Japanese and Chinese cuisine.
I always like to call out if a new spot is locally owned.. and Akihabara Bazaar is VERY locally owned.. the Gloucester Township family lives close enough they can walk to the store!
My visit last week had me chatting with Father and Son team Larry and Connor, as well as daughter Tara and Mom Kathy!
The idea for the store came from Larry and Connor who took a Father-Son trip to Tokyo and fell in love with the entire experience and culture, and wanted to bring a small piece of Tokyo back to their hometown.
For Gloucester Township’s version of a Tokyo shopping experience, the Akihabara Bazaar store is larger than you would expect from the outside, as the store runs surprisingly deep.
A large full size Dragon Ball-Z Goku statue greets you at the front door… perfect for photos to share on Instagram. But be careful… It is a true collectors item!
The store is set up into small sections… Japanese snacks and food items positioned at the front of the store, which features very unique Japanese snack items as well as brands we now but with unique Japan only flavors… Including flavored Kit-Kats and Lay’s Chips. I tried “Numb & Spicy Hot Pot Flavor”!
As you move towards the back you’ll find different areas for Pokémon, Mochibi My Hero Academia and other well-known anime oriented brands.
Soft plush toys can be found throughout the store as well as anime character figurines, posters, game cards and more.
And as deep as the store is, it continues on beyond the rear wall and doorway… Into an area which they will be using for Board Game Events. In fact on Facebook they are promoting a Saturday afternoon (9/28 @ 1pm) board game day with free entry! (Facebook Post)
I learned a few things about the Japanese culture while visiting the store including the garapan bingo wheel game. At Akihabara it’s a 10 inch high or so wooden wheel that you spin and colored balls fall out of the wheel… they’re using it as a free bonus spin with a purchase of $50, which then allows you to pick from a basket of small toys.
Larry says garapon and the small free toys is a huge thing in Japanese culture, along with the gashapon toy vending machines!
Maybe for most of us in South Jersey this Japanese culture store is not something that crosses our paths, but honestly that’s exactly why you need to stop in! You’re bound to find something of interest even if it’s just to browse, and the entire family is incredibly nice and helpful.
Oh and don’t miss the Lego robot that Larry created, which solves Rubik’s Cube puzzles!
Links and Location
Akihabara Bazaar
1216B Chews Landing Road
Clementon (Gloucester Twp) NJ
