Visit To Tamiya Headquarters In Japan - Part 2

Part 2 of my visit To Tamiya Plastic Model HQ in Shizuoka, Japan, where I view Tamiya’s company archive, new releases, museum of historic vehicles, and more. Watch me fanboy! Apologies for the audio quality, I’ve done what I can to bump up the audio, but their corporate HQ just isn’t the place to rudely and loudly chat while recording! Enjoy.

[@CptCoitus]

Thanks for posting this. Very cool! I've always loved Tamiya stuff.

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

Glad you liked it MrIgnition!

[@soonersteve3733]

Great video Dave. Really cool to see all that Tamiya history. So jealous dude!

[@UNBOXINGRADIOCONTROL]

Thanks for sharing mate, that was very interesting to watch.📹👍

[@ottonichols3433]

Absolutely amazing walkthrough. Felt like a giddy child watching. Can't imagine being there in person. Saw so many things I would have grabbed. Probably should never go there myself for that reason. Hope your holiday is going well Dave!

[@mikewashington88]

The Frog! Had one in 87! Thanks for pointing it out. So cool to see it so many years later in that glass case. Good memories! Thanks!

[@technohaunt1949]

Fantastic video. Thanks for taking the time to create this. Had I been there, we would have giggled like little school girls. 😃😃 - Jeff

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

TechnoHAUNT oh yes. Yes, we would have.

[@douglasstreet7304]

What a company. I'm so happy the modeling hobby is alive and stronger than ever. ART is great.

[@duckman5642]

Super cool, thanks for sharing.

[@BrettG64]

Great videos, Dave. Yousa one lucky dog. I really dig that kind of dtuff... lots of history and some really nice models. Too bad one couldn't tour the manufacturing part of Tamiya (if they do any onsite.) Thanks for posting, and looking forward to more!

[@paulcrocker7347]

Wow..had memories of the same trip watching that..I did the very same tour in June this year and also there couple hrs(my poor girlfriend lol) also did see another soul , loved the historical model room and also the real cars and bikes up on the upper deck there,..the Carp were very friendly and hungry ..and huge.. also did Hobby square same day also awesome perhaps better, much better shop.. but a bit pricy .was worth the trip on the Shinkansen there.cheers Dave love all your work bro, learn alot...fellow Aussie !

[@ronzelina6682]

Nice Dave, that Baja in the foyer I had as an RC in 82, as a beetle fan I built a 1:1 version of it in the early 80's. Sadly sold both. Loved the tour, thanks

[@stephenmanley4097]

Everything Tamiya do is so detailed & done properly. There box art is the best. 👍

[@KecilinAja]

Cool, thanks for share this

[@reconranger1370]

Nice video Dave! I would feel like a kid in a candy shop myself!

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

It did feel that way mate ;)

[@SC457A]

That was really neat. I think I saw at least 6 kits I know I have, maybe a few more in the bikes and ships sections.

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

SC457A I know, right? It was a joy to me spotting stuff I had made back in the 1980s!

[@sexygirlove20]

going there tomorrow... your visit was a lot of help... thanks from a fellow aussie

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

It's just the best. I wish I could visit it again! Enjoy.

[@brabopainter8282]

Am so jealous, nice video. Be cool that you are the only who runs around, lucky. Thanks for sharing this experience.

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

Brabo Painter I feel so lucky to have had the place to myself. My wife asked yesterday if other people being there would have ruined it for me, and yes, yes it would have!

[@pzkpfwivfreak2473]

sweet tour,am jealous ,would love to tour the factory,too!just an interesting side note,the shep paine diorama featuring the 88mm anti tank gun in a church,was actually banned from a model show,i dont remember where,possibly germany,because the idea of German soldiers using a church as an ambush point was considered "obscene"at the time of its reveal.just something i read somewhere.thanks again for the tour,was kind of church quiet in there,huh?

[@aussiemedic3842]

Once again thank you so much Dave is there an chance that we could see an actual model being made and packaged??

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

Aussie Medic I wish...I tried to get an interview and behind the scenes visit, but unless you are reporting for traditional media like a model magazine, it simply isn’t possible :(

[@TacticalJackalope]

That "new" Panhard is just a reboxed ICM kit but the ICM kit was excellent.

[@CarlosRamos-ps7zw]

Falcon, 959,bigwig 1986 what a year!

[@LuisLPRCs]

Cool Vid! 👍👍👍👍👍

[@hissingsidll750]

I would LOVE to see the shop floor where they are made and what goes in to developing a new model at Tamiya. Any ideas ?

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

I would too! Sadly that wasn’t an option when I visited…

[@hissingsidll750]

@@DavesModelWorkshop I`m not surprised, I don`t think they want to give any secrets away, although I would think plastic injection moulding is pretty much the same the world over

[@jameshanscombe2530]

This was an example of Japanese customer service. I went a bit nuts in the hobby shop there and the sales clerk was trying to let us know about an offer we could redeem if we paid for items separately. She called the upstairs offices and a young Japanese/Hawaiian guy named Paul came down who translated for us. Interestingly enough he was one of the staff writers that translated kit instructions from Japanese to English. Had a fantastic chat with him.

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

Japanese customer service is incredible, isn't it? I had someone warm me while I was in Japan that once you come back to Australia and receive your first instance of bad customer service, you'll want to hit the sales staff!

[@modelman424]

Was that building handicapped accessible. Looking to visit there next year but am wheelchair bound.

[@cendolngeunah4350]

this is awesome! but why i didnt see any mini 4wd?

[@arthurortega9701]

Awesome

[@elricarevalo9348]

Are discontinued Tamiya products found there?

[@user-tr7iw1fc5c]

你好！……個人來自中華民國(R. O. C.) 的台灣省，有機會藉由網路方式瀏覽到此影片，也得知 TAMIYA 公司的模型享譽全球之外在展示間所羅列了許多經典的各類模型也相當的有價值感……！個人在15歲時曾組合過 TAMIYA 公司生產的模型，現已沒在搜集或玩模型了，但對 TAMIYA 公司的產品品質留有極佳的好印象到至今……！

[@Captain-Nostromo]

This is really great thanks a lot, now You must pay a visit at hasegawa as well😀

[@TheInnacity]

i agree amazing walk through but what is the mumbling audio is not clear,

[@jeremytan680]

The 50% discount appeals to me!

[@WHOHATESTOWORK]

Waiting for the 1/10+ scale rc,wanted see if they got a clodbuster collection,lunchbox etc

[@MrAlumni72]

1:23 - is that a see-thru ME-262? Wasn't aware that even existed!

[@lordlorenzo5835]

Two great looks at the HQ. I was wondering, could you tell me when you were there and at what time? Most of the other videos I have seen of Tamiya HQ the place was packed. Did you get a private tour? Thanks for the vids....:-)

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

Lord Lorenzo I was there at 10am on a weekday. I expected a lot of people as well, guess I was just lucky.

[@lordlorenzo5835]

Wow its like getting the golden ticket in a Wonka bar. :-). Keep up the good work...

[@elricarevalo9348]

Do they sell Tamiya RC tanks there?

[@jlpytlewski]

I wish I could hear what you're saying Dave, sounds very bassy, but thanks for sharing!

[@oiuhwoechwe]

thanks dude. now i don't have to go!

[@chefjness]

great vid. Where are the RC's?

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

The Life of John Ness I didn’t cover them too much. They definitely showcase them in the current product range room though.

[@elricarevalo9348]

Is the price cheaper than other hobby shops?

[@lancecaldwell3874]

WOW!!!!

[@DrewsModels]

Very cool! Did you create an international incident by demanding that they start making more FS and RLM paint colors? Beats mixing!!😜

[@DJJAW11]

No 1/35 scale Pumas, or did i miss it :) ?.

[@mrkouki180sx]

i started breathing very heavy when i saw the super gt nsx

[@Cake_Doge]

I love Japanese people. They are so tidy and serious about their job. Would like to go there.

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

It is a very, very orderly place. I loved visiting Japan, I miss it every day!

[@elricarevalo9348]

Do they sell their products there?

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

Yes. Not the entire range, but a large proportion of it, as well as souvenirs and Tamiya merchandise you can't get elsewhere.

[@flyin7075]

Ah australian hell yeah, me 2,great vid thanks

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

Cheers mate! Dave

[@d.dominguez5280]

Dave, please next time you go to the effort of a models builders Mecca, can you please do a clean audio dub or start with a good audio recording. it would be really cool to hear all your comments, Keep the faith.

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

I understand where you're coming from. I was recording with an ipad, and didn't have my usual video editing software that I use at home. That combined with the quiet of the office itself, and me not wanting to be a loud obnoxious Westerner, combined for a bit of a perfect storm of Too Quiet... Sorry, Dave

[@AlexLares]

I have a big question, in one moth ill visit tamiya HQ, and i will travel Mexico city - Tokyo - Tokyo Mexico city. I want buy a lot of tools, and some paint. Can I put the acrilic paint, the enamel paint, or the new lacquer paint in my lugage? did you?

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

Oooh, I'm not sure. I considered buying paint, but I decided not to for precisely that reason. Check with your airline and see what their advice is. I know some people have had bad experiences having paint confiscated.

[@AlexLares]

Dave's Model Workshop really? In the Narita airport ? Here in Mexico Tamils mini is in 4 - 5 usd !! Maybe I'll buy a 1 or 2 paints. But, with tools and kits is no problem. Right?

[@sunahamanagai9039]

Must be a fun job if you're a developer of models for these companies.

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

Oh, wouldn't that be the best job in the world?

[@inclusivemodeldesigns16]

Most of my kits that I build are all Tamiya.

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

I'm a self-confessed Tamiya fan, I can't deny.

[@niceslippers]

Ok, I'm jelly.

[@bmw128racer]

You probably should have re-recorded your in-store audio commentary after the fact.

[@SteveSuriadjaja]

13:28 aren't RC stuff. They're Mini 4WD stuff. Very unfortunate Mini 4WD isn't popular in AUS, there's no track to play around AUS, no shops selling Mini 4WD spare parts. I had to buy everything online and build my own track. Mini 4WD is very popular in JPN, SG, MAL, INA, and the US. It's a cheaper solution for those who can't afford to buy RCs.

[@paulmaseratimaserati3280]

You saved meANOTHERtrip&I'll try to💸theirCO 👕; your trip was a neat48th🎂🎉🎁present to meToo;just wish it was2hoursLonger🎅MerryXmas/HappyBirthday🎅

[@morriganravenchild6613]

Japanese customer service? At one time I used to make a lot of the 1/32 aircraft. Lovely precisely molded kits - a joy to make. But then I bought one and there were bits missing. Eventually did get these but at quite a cost whereas Airfix always supplied missing bits for free. Think TAMIYA could learn something from Airfix,

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

That's interesting... Did it cost a lot? I've often seen the little box on the Tamiya instructions where you can order replacement pieces, but I've never had to.

[@MastinoNapoletano420]

Neat! The BV-238 diorama is tits!

[@Andy205ro]

There is no B29

[@noahandgabrielsmodels3387]

Where is everybody ?

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

noahandgabriels models it was strange how quiet it was. I was the only person there for two hours!

[@noahandgabrielsmodels3387]

I thought you had a special a special tour for one minute there. lol. Looks fantastic tough, great upload.

[@quangle388]

Can you just walk in there or do you beed some sort of permission Ps: sorry for the bad english

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

Hi Quang, you don't have to book, but I think you'll have a better experience if you contact Tamiya HQ before you visit. It was very easy to do - check out this page : www.tamiya.com/english/news/event/visit/visit.htm

[@LiberalsArePoop]

I would be creaming my jeans!!

[@MottysMilitaryModels]

That's the best porn film I've seen for years !!

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

Mottys Military Models - Steve Mottram I’m chuffed to have been involved, I watched Boogie Nights years ago and always felt I missed my calling... ;)

[@luizaugustodasilvajunior6159]

Dream´s II....

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

Heh heh - definitely worth a visit some day Luiz!

[@luizaugustodasilvajunior6159]

You're right. One day I will! Certainly.

[@casierrah]

99% WAR!

[@fubarmodelyard1392]

Tooooooools

[@dennishorwath1482]

Sounds like he has a mouthful of somthing

[@billwelch2842]

Why are you whispering, are you in a Library?

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

Hi Bill, as I mentioned in the video description, a Japanese office just isn't the kind of place where you can loudly chat away to yourself. Everywhere in Japan people are ultra considerate of others, and everyone is very quiet (unlike their advertising which is loud and everywhere!). I didn't want to be an obnoxious Westerner wandering around being loud and rude! Cheers, Dave

[@billwelch2842]

I watched Part Two before I watched Part One. Good for you for being Culturally Aware. Best regards, Bill

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

Bill Welch - "Culturally aware" - hah, pish posh! He's just being polite, like any normal human being would. How I hate the PC bullcrap language of our times.

[@kenmartin861]

All that way and he wouldn't put the camera on a motorcycle kit. Thumbs down.

[@MVeminor7]

Thanks so much for sharing your visit. I often wondered what Tamiya is really like. Too bad we can't tour the factory. I love Tamiya products

[@whatshottv3477]

Video kept pissing me off . i hate that you give close ups of tanks and planes but anytime it was car models you would just pan across . . you seem to favor tsnks and planes over cars and thats not cool ..

[@DavesModelWorkshop]

Sorry, I concentrated on what interests me. Yeah, I'm not much of a car modeller. Dave

[@tanyaswaycool]

I hear ya. I wasn't really pissed off, per se. I'm glad I was able to get there through someone else's camera, at least but I've watched a few of these vids and they all seem to be plane/military modelers. 8 minutes of video with about 7 seconds of cars and bikes! If any car/bike builders are taking this trip, please upload for us, too!

[@niceslippers]

Ok, I'm jelly.