There are some game corners/game centers/arcades that are nothing but tightly packed rows of crane games, but every arcade will have some. You’ll see those pincer-like ones and also three-clawed grabby ones, with prizes ranging from snacks and small toys, to expensive gadgets, premium figurines, or giant stuffed cats. I generally see these as a bit of a scam, but was tempted to try every now and then. When my wife noticed ones based on the hit iPhone game Neko Atsume which she has become enamoured with, I had a go and managed to win a pouch with a big adorable cat face on it. But it’s all too easy to come away from one feeling cheated.
Gachapon on the other hand guarantee you to get something. You might run into the commoner ones again and again but it’s worth checking whenever you see a big bank of them to see if there’s something that grabs your fancy. And you will see them; in department stores, outside many kinds of shops, in arcades, even at the supermarket. Not as ubiquitous as vending machines but close. Japan loves gachapon. They cost generally between ¥100 and ¥300, and you’ll get a plastic ball containing… well, as an example we found: an Animal Crossing stylus, a fake cactus, Hyrule Warriors figures, a replica casette tape, an LED candle, trading cards, etc. Some even have food!
The most common thing to get is themed phone or bag charms, but they will always show you on the front what you can receive, and it can be fun just to see what’s available—and you just might find yourself blowing a few notes on trying to complete a set (Ganondorf!). On that note, I found several shops in Akihabara (in the building opposite Super Potato) selling specific prizes or sets of them, mostly character figures, which is how I eventually got Ganondorf. Similar shops may also exist elsewhere.
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