Introducing Wahou Shouten

Hello travelers! It’s Gussan, your friendly writer from Sarukuma.

Today I’m taking you to Yoshitomi in Shisui-machi, Kikuchi City, to a wonderfully nostalgic spot called
Wahou Shouten (和方商店).
This charming retro toy and traditional Japanese penny candy (dagashi) shop opened on February 5, 2022.
It’s actually located close to LATOBASE (where we’ve hosted events before), but even locals can have trouble finding it!
Coming from LATOBASE, turn left at this road,
keep going straight for about 200 meters, and you’ll find it on your left.
If you turn right at the same intersection instead, you’ll reach Marumi Tebasennin, the chicken wing specialist we featured recently.

Marumi Tebasennin in Yoshitomi, Kikuchi: Can You Find This Hidden Gem of Secret-Recipe Marinated Chicken Wings?

Among rows of ordinary houses, the bright red banners and signs of Wahou Shouten suddenly appear, marking the spot perfectly.

The lot next door serves as a parking area with space for about 6 cars.
Wahou Shouten was created by renovating what used to be a garage.
The right side displays and sells retro toys, while the left side is a traditional dagashi (penny candy) shop.
Though they look like two separate stores, they’re actually connected inside!
Kids will be thrilled, and adults from the Showa generation will get a huge nostalgic rush from the wonderfully old-school exterior!

Why Wahou Shouten Is a Must-Visit

The retro toy area on the right is packed with vintage Japanese toys you’d struggle to find anywhere else today.
Walking inside feels like time-traveling straight to Showa-era Japan.
The legendary sentai (super sentai) heroes that have inspired generations of Japanese boys are all here.
The most excited person? Not me — my husband! He kept saying things like “Wow, I remember this!” and “This is the one I never got as a kid…” (a little heartbreaking, honestly).
Even the latest Kamen Rider toys are here! Not knowing much about this stuff, I was happy to spot at least one character I recognized.
There’s even an American comic character corner!
This amazing collection of retro toys actually started as the owner’s personal hobby. On the way home, my husband sighed, “His life looks so much fun…” (heartbreaking again — round two!).
Now, let’s head over to the dagashi (penny candy) side!
Retro miscellaneous goods and traditional Japanese penny candies fill the shelves — browsing alone is a delight.
A friend to kids and family budgets alike: although Umaibou (a beloved Japanese corn snack) recently increased to 12 yen nationwide, Wahou Shouten still sells them at the classic price of 10 yen so everyone can afford them.
Growing up when Umaibou was always 10 yen, this little kindness genuinely moved me.
Look how neatly everything is organized!
It’s nearly July, and yet our family closet still has long sleeves mixed with short sleeves — I wish someone would organize that too! (haha)
(But the real point here is that traditional Japanese masks are also available for 700 yen!)
Nomu Nomu Jelly drinks at just 55 yen are kept chilled, perfect for a quick refresh on a hot summer day!
Juices are 90 yen for large and 70 yen for medium. Of course, they’re nicely chilled too.
Wahou Shouten’s kindness runs deep!
And then there’s this — beyond kindness, almost surreal!
I’m not sure when capsule toy machines started being called “gashapon” — let me stick with the old-school name “gachagacha” here.
The gachagacha at Wahou Shouten comes with a winning prize feature!
When my son tried it…
out came some 2.5D anime idol figure I’ve never heard of.
I have absolutely no info to share about this character, so I’ll respectfully skip past it.
My son had a confused face too — but for some reason, he still pinned it to his shirt. Why? (haha)

But he also drew a winning ticket! And here’s where things got exciting!
“Please choose your winning prize from here.”
“WHAAAAT?!” The prize was way bigger than I expected! These aren’t your typical gachagacha prizes at all — what a wonderful surprise!

By the way, my daughter also tried the gachagacha — and she won too, scoring a Kamen Rider wall clock!
I hesitated to mention this in case it sounded suspicious, but I promise this isn’t staged.
My kids just got really lucky that day!

From the prices to the prizes, every corner of Wahou Shouten reflects the warm hearts of the owner and his wife.
Come try your luck — you won’t regret it!

Marumi Tebasennin in Yoshitomi, Kikuchi: Can You Find This Hidden Gem of Secret-Recipe Marinated Chicken Wings?

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Frequently Asked Questions

※Information current as of the time of reporting. Prices and opening hours are subject to change. Please confirm before visiting.