[Exclusive] “The Man Who Sells Crane Game Prizes” Spotted on the Streets of Akihabara: The Truth Behind the Sale of Bizarre Figurines

The Mysterious Figure Seller Who Roams Akihabara

Akihabara is one of Tokyo’s top tourist spots, bustling with visitors from both Japan and abroad. There’s a mysterious man who occasionally wanders onto the streets there selling figurines. He’s apparently a well-known figure among Akihabara enthusiasts, and he’s often been spotted talking to police officers who rush to the scene after receiving reports.

What sets this man apart from street vendors is that he sells figures that are typically used as prizes in arcade crane games. Since he handles a considerable number of items, he loads the figures onto a large cart and pulls it along the street while selling them. Just who is this man, and where does he source these prizes? We went to the scene to try and interview him directly.

The days and times he appears vary, but the most frequent sightings are reported from the evening into the night, with him reportedly appearing around Chuo-dori, not far from the Denki-gai Exit of JR Akihabara Station. After visiting the area several times, we spotted a young man with blond hair walking while pulling two large carts.

He appeared to be in his early 20s and seemed to be Japanese. Holding a sketchbook labeled “1,990 yen,” he was idly looking at his smartphone. He wasn’t making any calls to attract customers.

He uses two carts to transport his figures: one is a giant tote bag with a wheeled platform attached to the bottom and secured with duct tape; the other appears to be a large cart typically used for camping gear.

Both were equipped with LED lights and signs, clearly indicating they had been customized for street vending.

The young man didn’t stay in one spot; he moved about 10 to 20 meters every 10 to 15 minutes. During the hour or so that I was watching, three groups of customers approached him and browsed the figures. Perhaps his business is actually doing quite well. When I spoke to the young man, he responded cheerfully, “Are you an anime fan?”

“I’m good at winning action figures at arcades.”

“How about these? They’re figures from ‘Naruto’ and ‘Bleach,’ and they’re all 1,990 yen. They used to sell for 2,800 yen, but now they’re on sale.”

I’m not sure if these prices are actually lower than the going rate. They might be deliberately listing lower prices to attract customers. The shopkeeper was explaining prices to a foreign tourist browsing figures next to me—pointing at each item and saying, “1,500 yen, 5,500 yen, 1,500 yen”— so it’s possible they adjust their pricing depending on the customer.

Still, where does he source such a large number of figures? Are they prizes from crane games? When I asked the young man, he answered clearly, “That’s right.”

“I can’t say exactly where, but I source them from an arcade outside of Akihabara and sell them here. I’m good at winning figures at arcades, so I started this thinking I might be able to make some money this way, but it’s not really turning a profit. Foreign customers are the ones who buy them most often.”

According to the young man, he gets them at the arcade for less than his selling price. When I told him, “You’re really good at the games,” he looked a little embarrassed and replied, “Thank you. I’m just a little bit good.”

I spoke with an entertainment writer who said, “I’ve bought figures from him before.”

“I struck up a conversation with him about half a year ago and bought a figure. When I asked how much he was making, he said, ‘About 15,000 to 20,000 yen a day.’ Even back then, he was selling figures for around 2,000 yen, and the prices haven’t changed since. I remember he got a little annoyed when I started asking him all sorts of detailed questions.”

Both the ward and the police are aware of the situation

Is the government aware of him? When we spoke with a representative from the Chiyoda Ward Safe Living Division, they stated, “We’ve been aware of him since around the spring of Reiwa 7,” and explained , “We’ve received complaints about him, so we’re keeping an eye on him, but he pays no attention to our warnings and shows absolutely no sign of stopping this behavior.”

“The act of selling figurines and other items on the street while posing as a street vendor—that is, a mobile seller—and moving to a different location when warned, risks circumventing the Road Traffic Act and the Highways Act. We view this as something that cannot be overlooked from the perspectives of both pedestrian safety and the urban environment.

We are sharing information regarding complaints received and intelligence gathered through patrols by contracted security guards with the Manseibashi Police Station, which serves as the traffic authority. Going forward, we will continue to work hand in hand with the police, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government—which has jurisdiction over Chuo-dori—and local neighborhood associations and shopping districts to explore even more effective measures.”

Such street vending is said to “require a permit.”

“Under the Road Traffic Act, setting up a fixed-location street stall requires a road use permit from the chief of the local police station.Mobile vending is exempt from this permit requirement, and the individual in question claims to be ‘constantly moving from place to place while selling.’ However, in reality, they are selling goods while remaining in one spot, and we believe there is a risk that they are circumventing the Road Traffic Act” (ibid.).

When we spoke with the Manseibashi Police Station, they confirmed that they frequently receive complaints about this street vendor and that they have not issued a road use permit for Chuo-dori.

The true identity of the “mysterious figure seller” appearing on the streets of Akihabara was a young man selling crane game prizes he had won himself.

However, unauthorized street vending may violate the Road Traffic Act and the Road Act, and both the police and the ward office were aware of his presence. Profits earned from ongoing resale may also be subject to income tax and resident tax. It is extremely unclear how long he will be able to continue this business.