Spielwarenmesse eG, best known for the Spielwarenmesse trade show in Nuremberg, Germany, had its first showing at the Tokyo Toy Show this past June 8-11. The company presented the World of Toys Pavilion, with 30 exhibitors from eight different countries coming together to network and introduce their products to the market.
The Tokyo Toy Show was divided into two portions, with two days devoted to buyers and two for general public consumers. The majority of the World of Toys Pavilion participants opted to present on the buyer’s days, looking for opportunities within the Japanese market.
“We occupy the high-price collector segment with our model products,” says Kyle Lu, Business Manager at LCD Models from China, “and by appearing at the fair we raised awareness of the brand in Japan, which was our overriding objective.”
According to The Japan Toy Association, in 2022 the toy market within the country grew by 6.7% over the previous year in terms of retail value. The biggest growth trends were seen in trading cards, tech toys, stuffed toys, hobby goods, and toy cars.
Spielwarenmesse eG plans to continue to expand the World of Toys program to new markets and fairs, with another premiere at Toy Fair in New York later this year.