Volks Dollpoint Akihabara was closed ...

... temporary until May 27. I think they are moving to a different building because of some construction work. So just in case you are in Tokyo you can save your money.

 

Edit July-02: Dollpoint is now back open

Edited July 2, 2017 by Guest

Apparently they're moving to the Hobby Tengoku building on the 27th but they're closed since yesterday. It feels like the end of an era, I'm glad I got to go there on one of the last days.

If they're expanding that's cool but man, they didn't even move to the Radiokaikan building that long ago.

I'm gonna miss them being directly above Azone, it was so damn handy having them in the same building.

I wonder if the renewal will tie in with the new standard models, if those are indeed happening?

Edit: in case anyone is currently in Tokyo or will be there before the 27th and wanted to go don't forget there's the Yokohama showroom too!

You had me worried for a second there! I was about to charge in yelling 'I STILL NEED TO BUY HEART HANDS!!'

You had me worried for a second there!

 

Click-bait topic titling...

Interesting. Volks' moving buildings saga in Akiba continues! I suppose they may have wanted to consolidate their leases into a single building, now that it's been three years since they began setting up DollPoint in Radio Kaikan and that lease may be up for renewal. At the time DollPoint opened, Volks was renting a 4-floor building elsewhere in Akiba - they did not have control over the 8-floor monster building that is Hobby Tengoku today! DP was put into Radio Kaikan to get the doll section out of the top floor of that smaller building, and give the DD dolls more prominence / space than they used to have. Maybe now they'll be taking over all of one floor of Hobby Tengoku?

 

BTW, the Azone store used to be in the building that exists as Hobby Tengoku today. It was there until Radio Kaikan reopened in 2014. So, interesting that dolls are moving back, albeit a different brand.

One Dolls Party 37 After event page they say the following:

 

* From May 27th, 2017, Doll Point Akihabara will be temporarily relocated to

VOLKS Akihabara Hobby Paradise 7F in order to carry out refurbishments.

 

So it looks like they are only remodeling.

So it looks like they are only remodeling.

Yep, you're right. Just a temporary move while the Radio Kaikan site gets remodeled. Disregard my previous. I'm glad Volks wrote more about it.

Thank goodness it's temporary because I hate the Hobby Tengoku building (if it's the one I'm thinking of). When Azone was there the tiny elevator was always in use so I had to hike up to the 6th floor via the stairs all the time. The smooth ride up the escalators in the new RadioKaikan is a lot more fun.

I'm very curious about what the renovations are! Hopefully it's all done by September, which is the next time I'm in Tokyo if I manage to get MagicalMirai tickets.

I'm also glad when they are back in the new Radio Kaikan. Much more space than inside the Hobby Tengoku building. Only advantage of the Tengoku is, if you've mangaged to go up the stairs you have a nice view over the Chuo Dori with the Sobu-sen bridge.

Some updates from Volks News about Doll Point's grand reopening on July 2nd. It looks pretty amazing! It's going to be more of a mecca for DD fans than ever before.

There are 5 main points they are super excited about that make it super special.

 

1) DD Dream Choice - the on-the-day Full Choice system for DDs.

 

2) DD Self Care Desk - An array of care items for DDs like wig treatment spray, hair brushes, various tools to help with parts (The pictures show a glueglun and hairdryer), all of which can be used for free. Also includes a space to change clothes, as well as lockers for customers. A great way to spruce up your DD to look their best for the photo spaces, instead of wasting time in the photo space getting them ready. You're only allowed a limited time in the photo booths after all so this will be very useful.

 

3) DD Museum

This i'm really exicted about! There will be a DD museum of previously released DDs, similar to how Sato has the SD museum, and photos are 100% ok!

 

4) Photo Space

They had this before, but now it's expanded to four separate ones (I believe they only had 3 before?? They'll also be a lot fancier, like the ones at Dolpa.

 

5) Tenshi no Sumika Akihabara

Doll Point isn't just for DDs, there is also the SD corner where they will have the SD one-off models and full choice counter. Note that they already had this to begin with, but I assume they're building on it (I dont think they had one-offs).

 

It sounds awesome! Is anyone going to be visiting after July 2nd? I wont be until September, but if no one else does I'll definitely take pics of the museum!

Edited June 14, 2017 by Guest

:3 I so much want to visit the museum and get Dream Choice tan DD.

WOW ! I'll go to Tokyo for the first time in July and planned to go to the Dollpoint! So much news right before I go there! I'll definitely take photos! *^*

WOW ! I'll go to Tokyo for the first time in July and planned to go to the Dollpoint! So much news right before I go there! I'll definitely take photos! *^*

 

Awesome! I can't wait to hear about it. When in July are you going? Do you think you'll try the Dream Choice? (Assuming you don't have to be a Japanese resident to do it, since they put them together on the day for you) If so I definitely want to know what it's like! A first hand account of how it works would be so good for the forum but I don't know if I can justify doing it myself lol.

WOW ! I'll go to Tokyo for the first time in July and planned to go to the Dollpoint! So much news right before I go there! I'll definitely take photos! *^*

 

Awesome! I can't wait to hear about it. When in July are you going? Do you think you'll try the Dream Choice? (Assuming you don't have to be a Japanese resident to do it, since they put them together on the day for you) If so I definitely want to know what it's like! A first hand account of how it works would be so good for the forum but I don't know if I can justify doing it myself lol.

 

I'll be in Tokyo from the 12th to the 24th!

It depends but if I'm able to do it, I will, and if I do, I'll say everything here! ;D

This sounds really really exciting.

To bad I won't be back to Tokyo before next may.

 

I wonder how they will be able to manage to get all the new features (DD Self Care Desk/DD Museum/Photo Space) to the same floor? I guess dollfie will take over some space from the hobby section?

This sounds really really exciting.

To bad I won't be back to Tokyo before next may.

 

I wonder how they will be able to manage to get all the new features (DD Self Care Desk/DD Museum/Photo Space) to the same floor? I guess dollfie will take over some space from the hobby section?

well, they completely rennovated the place. I assumed that they were moving the hobby stuff elsewhere, but I guess we'll see next weekend. I'm sure there will be an official blog post with photos.

 

Anyway it's kinda a good thing you're not going till then - It could possibly be difficult to get a spot on the day while it's still brand new and I'm not sure if you can book ahead if you don't live in Japan (maybe if it was just by a week or so and you made the appointment at the start of your trip...I dunno.) Like I said literally no one has done this yet so no one truly knows how it works but I'll keep an eye out for any reports on twitter etc to put here and I hope anyone here who gets it can report about the experience too while I resist going for a tan MDD.

Volks are tweeting some photos from the new Dollpoint, which has its grand opening this weekend!

A sneak peak of the museum...

Some DD parts...(would be better if it was a photo of the limited Dollpoint parts)

and one of the photo spaces. I hope this one is still there in September but it probably won't be.

They mentioned that more info about DreamChoice will be announced tomorrow too.

OOOOH! I can't wait to see all of that! *^*