Tokyo 2020 Souvenir Store What's ON SALE
Tokyo 2020 Souvenir Store What's ON SALE
Overview
In this live stream from August 2021, John Daub visits an official Tokyo 2020 Olympic souvenir store located inside the Maruzen Bookstore in the Oazo Building, directly across from Tokyo Station. With the Games nearing their closing ceremonies, John explores the available merchandise to see what items remain in stock and whether any sales are happening due to the lack of international tourism.
John navigates through crowded aisles, double-masked and socially distancing, while showcasing a wide variety of goods ranging from clothing and pins to traditional Japanese items like sensu (folding fans) and Teruterubozu (weather dolls). He comments on pricing, availability, and the historical significance of collecting Olympics memorabilia from this unique period.
Throughout the tour, John interacts with his live stream members, acknowledging super chats and questions. He highlights specific items he plans to purchase for his family, including his son Leo and wife Kanae, while noting sold-out items like the large mascot plushies. The video serves as a time capsule of the retail experience during the pandemic-era Olympics.
Highlights
- 00:03 John introduces the location at Tokyo Station during the final week of the Olympics.
- 03:07 Cotton kimono and Olympic pins are showcased with prices.
- 05:27 Paralympic merchandise is noted to be more heavily discounted.
- 08:05 Traditional sensu fans and official Olympic chopsticks are displayed.
- 09:24 Miraitowa mascot dolls and Japanese ball games are shown.
- 13:08 Sold-out items including hoppy bags and large plushies are pointed out.
- 17:09 Collectible cookie tins and Olympic face masks are reviewed.
- 21:14 Teruterubozu weather dolls and gold torch replicas are highlighted.
- 23:14 Payment methods (Visa) and nodemaki door hangings are discussed.
- 26:55 John concludes outside the store, reflecting on the experience and crowd levels.
Timeline / Chapters
- 00:00 Introduction outside Tokyo Station
- 01:37 Entering the Maruzen Bookstore
- 02:27 Inside the Olympic Store
- 03:00 Clothing and Pins
- 05:00 Bags and Paralympic Gear
- 08:00 Traditional Items and Stationery
- 11:00 Apparel and Accessories
- 15:00 Sports Jerseys and Snacks
- 19:00 Plushies and Sold Out Items
- 21:00 Cultural Items (Daruma, Teruterubozu)
- 24:00 Checkout and Exit
- 26:55 Final Thoughts Outside
Japan Travel Tips
- Location: The official store is on the 2nd floor of the Maruzen Bookstore in the Oazo Building, across from the Marunouchi side of Tokyo Station.
- Crowds: Expect crowds during the Games; John notes long lines at the register.
- Payment: At the time of filming, Visa was explicitly mentioned for certain transactions, though major cards are generally accepted in such stores.
- Hours: The store was open from 9:00 a.m. daily during the Olympics and Paralympics.
- Availability: Popular items like large mascot plushies sell out quickly; visit early for best selection.
- Sales: While John hoped for a "fire sale," most items were regular price during the Games; check post-Games for discounts.
Japanese Language & Culture Notes
- Teruterubozu (てるてる坊主): Handmade dolls made of white paper or cloth hung to pray for good weather. John finds it humorous these are sold at the Olympic store.
- Sensu (扇子): Traditional Japanese folding fans. Sold as souvenirs with Olympic branding.
- Nodemaki (のれん巻き？): John refers to a door hanging (noren is the standard term, he says nodemaki), used over doorways.
- Daruma (だるま): Traditional Japanese doll modeled after Bodhidharma, often used for goal setting. Olympic branded versions were available.
- Miraitowa (ミライトワ): The official mascot of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
- Shinkansen (新幹線): Bullet train; John mentions the Tohoku Shinkansen rolling into Tokyo Station at the end.
Food & Drink Guide
- Cookies: Sold in collectible tins featuring Olympic designs. Prices ranged from about $5.50 (small) to $8.50 (big). 17:09
- Dominic Candy: Mentioned as a snack item available for around $6. 15:01
- Sake Cups: Small sake cups featuring Olympic designs were available. 21:14
People
- John Daub: Host and narrator. He guides viewers through the store, commenting on items and interacting with live stream members.
- Kanae Daub: John's wife. Mentioned as a recipient for potential gifts (hair ties, plushies).
- Leo: John's son. John specifically looks for gifts for him, noting sold-out plushies.
- Amanda: John's friend and former MBC 6 Miami colleague. Mentioned as having explored Tokyo during the Olympics after quarantine.
- Jason: Friend mentioned in relation to a specific plushie item.
- Tony P: Live stream member acknowledged by John for long-term support.
- Michael Sassano: Live stream member acknowledged in the chat.
Key Takeaways
- The Olympic store offered a wide range of merchandise from traditional Japanese items to modern apparel.
- Despite expectations, significant sales were not immediately evident during the final days of the Games.
- High-demand items like mascot plushies were frequently sold out.
- The store serves as a historical record of the 2020 Games held in 2021.
- Bookstores in Japan remain popular physical retail spaces despite digital trends.
Notable Quotes
- 00:33 "I think that it's important to take a look at the history of these Olympics. And sometimes you can see that history in the products that they sell."
- 01:00 "I wonder if they're going to have a fire sale because they probably made more than enough for the tourism boom that they expected. That didn't happen."
- 06:46 "It's so hot in Tokyo. You always need to have a hand towel."
- 21:14 "That's so funny that they sell this at the Olympic store." (Regarding Teruterubozu)
- 27:37 "Bookstores in Japan are still doing pretty good. People love to still read newspapers and pick up a book."
Related Topics
- Tokyo 2020 Olympics Coverage
- Tokyo Station Area Guide
- Japanese Souvenir Shopping
- Maruzen Bookstore Locations
- Olympic Memorabilia Collecting
Search Tags
#only-in-japan-go #tokyo-2020 #olympics #souvenirs #tokyo-station #maruzen #shopping #merchandise #john-daub #marunouchi #live-stream #japan-travel #tokyo-shopping #olympic-store
Full Transcript
00:03 John Daub: Greetings everybody, welcome to Tokyo Station. This area is known for Tokyo Station, and also where one of the Olympic 2020 stores is located. Yay! The Olympics just have a few days to go. We're in the final week, final few days actually. The closing ceremonies will be taking place on August 8th, which is like four days away. Crazy how fast this went, thank goodness. But that also means that these Olympic goods might be on sale.
00:33 John Daub: So I'm going to go into one of the Olympic stores here and check it out. I kind of pre-scouted this and it's quite crowded. So it gives me a little bit of pause. I'm double masked here. I'm going to try to social distance. But yeah, we're going to do our best. I think that it's important to take a look at the history of these Olympics. And sometimes you can see that history in the products that they sell. So join me for the next 20 minutes. Hopefully we don't get in trouble. And let's get started.
01:00 John Daub: I'm going to go live stream inside the Olympic store and look and see what they got. I'm kind of interested too because I haven't bought that much stuff. And a lot of you that came and visited in 2019 didn't buy stuff because you thought you might get another chance. That didn't happen. But since there's so many things on sale, I wonder if they're going to have a fire sale because they probably made more than enough for the tourism boom that they expected. That didn't happen. Will these products go on like 70% off or something? I don't know what the prices are. Let's go inside and check it out.
01:37 John Daub: Tony P has been a member for 15 months. Wow. Thank you, Tony. So it's on the second floor here. The official Olympic store is right here. Let's go.
02:27 John Daub: It's nice and cool in here. I'm not going to be able to do a lot of talking just to be polite to everybody around. But when I see something interesting, I'll try my best to explain it to you. Thanks, Tony P. Here it is. The Olympic store. One of them, anyways. There's about 15 around the country, I believe.
03:07 John Daub: Oh, this is cool. These are cotton kimono that you can get. This is a men's size. How much is it? It's 3,780 yen. This is an Olympic T-shirt. This is kind of cool. These are Olympic pins for 900 yen or about $9 for these.
04:21 John Daub: This is 6,660 yen. Interesting. That's kind of cool for your head. Oh, see, these are flags that you can wave. Oh, this is 660 yen for one of these flags here. And these straps here, they're about $15. I guess this makes you look like staff here. I could wear it to the events maybe.
05:27 John Daub: Whoa. This is a torch relay hoppy. These are about $30 each. This is kind of a hip bag here. There's not a lot of prices on stuff. Hey, ancient flounder, here's some money towards a drink. Thank you. And Carlos, here's a Paralympic T-shirt. Oh, $25. They come in different colors. Actually, the Paralympic stuff is more on sale. There's the Paralympics mascot right there.
06:46 John Daub: Oh, I could use one of these towels. It's so hot in Tokyo. You always need to have a hand towel. 550 yen for this little towel. That lasts for years, so that might be worth it. Here are the pens here. $13. This weird one's $5. Some notepads.
08:05 John Daub: Oh, wow. So there's some of these sensu fans (folding fans). These are $5, $6. Official chopsticks of the Olympics. These are about $13. Check this out. That chopstick packet is pretty cool. That's about $27 for that. They do have forks and knives here too, down here. As well as folding fans. It's hard to find the prices. I guess they just sell a lot of them.
09:24 John Daub: That is about $13. About $24. How much is this? $16. It's a Miraitowa doll. Wow. She's got an Olympic fan. That's awesome. That's $55. That's pretty cool. As well as these Japanese ball games. These are hard to catch. Hey, Kanae might like one of these hair ties. But these little towels and handkerchiefs are pretty useful.
11:13 John Daub: This is kind of a cool wick T-shirt. About $25 for that. That's a nice shirt. And this is something I've never seen before. Food? It's like a snack or something. $55 for this one. But it's a nice shirt. Where is it made? It's made in Japan. That's pretty good. Neckties. $20. About $20 for that. That's 770 yen. Wow. A lot of these things. I don't know what they are. It looks like a bag. I got more questions.
13:08 John Daub: Now that's a hat. I saw these earlier. These are like sensu lights. That's pretty cool, but there's no price on them. I'm looking for something for Leo, but I found doggy clothing. That's kind of neat. Like, is this for babies or for dogs? Dogs. Oh, I've been looking for one of these, but they're all sold out. These are the hoppy that they had before. I've been looking for one of these before, but they're all sold out. They're just to display one on Olympic watches. That's kind of cool. The sensors don't work.
15:01 John Daub: Oh, there's the Japan baseball jersey. How much is that? It doesn't really say. A lot of stuff is sold out. Of course they've got some snacks here. These are cookies. Dominic candy. Six dollars for that. Some bling. Wow. This is cool. These are the taxis, Toyota taxis that have the Olympics on them. And the Olympic baseballs.
17:09 John Daub: Oh, there's different kind of cookies in there. That'd be cool if they had gold, silver, and bronze cookies. It's kind of a neat collectible tin though. So it's about $8.50 for the big one and $5.50 for the small one. I think you're paying for the tin. That's about $9. Wow. How much is that? That's about $12 for that pin. These are cool. These are face masks. Oh, you can get a whole box of them for like $15. That's pretty cool.
19:13 John Daub: All right. So there you have it. I don't think we missed anything. That's what the Olympic store looks like here. Oh, the plushies. Oh, my gosh. I was looking for these. They're sold out. I was going to get one of these for Leo. This is about $35. They have a smaller one here where he's like kind of jumping and diving. That's about $20, $22. This is the one, this is the one we got Jason. This is about $20, $25, I believe. Like a key chain. Just his head is 20 bucks here. That's pretty cool. I think they're sold out. And there's a lot of the really, really big ones. I got to come back later and get one. Get one for Kanae and get one for Leo. I like the ones that they're flying though.
21:14 John Daub: Look at these little sake cups here. Oh, Teruterubozu (hanging dolls believed to bring good weather). Hanging Teruterubozu. A handmade doll made of white paper or cloth in front of the house in a straight position is a Japanese custom which is believed to bring good weather the next day. That's so funny that they sell this at the Olympic store. Hey, WX Turbo's here. Michael Sassano and Aiken. Nice to see you. Oh, these straps would be useful for luggage. Oh, I can get this for my suitcase. $25? Whoa. Oh, and they got pierced earrings. And a little teeny torch. That's 3,000 yen for that 18-carat gold torch. Whoa. And you can get like replicas of the medals here. That's $250. That's pretty cool. And there's some Daruma up here, which is cool. I think I've seen these on TV. These are Olympic Daruma. These are about $20 each. That's cute. They got red ones up there too. And then they have pins from the 1960s, '64 Olympics too. That's on sale for 600 yen.
23:14 John Daub: Nail clippers. I could use these. They only accept Visa, by the way. $16 for that. Oh, this is cool. This is an Olympic nodemaki (door hanging). Check it out. So you put this over your door. That's so cool. $20. That's worth it. I do dig this Toyota taxi. We've been seeing these all over the city. Driving around.
24:19 John Daub: Thank you, Michael. I'm going to come back and buy Leo something after there's less crowd. Actually, the line for the register is massive. But that's about it. So that's the Olympic store experience here. I hope this is pretty useful for you. I think it's kind of interesting to see what they sold and maybe in the history of the Olympics this will be an important live stream to get an idea of what was being sold back in 2021 during the Olympics. It's kind of neat. They get a little bit of everything but I'm just curious if they're gonna have a fire sale and doesn't look like it but we'll find out in a couple of days. Maybe I'll come back if the fire sale is going on but I'm gonna come back and get something for Leo. I just don't want to wait in line. It's a little bit too crowded.
25:09 John Daub: Glenn writes in a lot of junk could be. Let's get out of here. Oh there's more stuff. Oh check out this long towel. Well I could see myself using this on a hot day. Not 20 bucks for that. Oh they have more stuff. Olympic robes. Wow I didn't know they had more. Oh they do have venue maps too. That's kind of cool. I could see myself getting one of those to remember the history of it. I was looking for an official 2020 program too for the Olympics. I can't find the programs on sale.
26:55 John Daub: So there you have it. The Olympic store is inside of a bookstore near Tokyo Station. It's kind of crowded. I'll come back when it's less crowded but uh there's some cool stuff. So what did you like? What do you think was the coolest product available? That hat was kind of nice. I think Leo is going to like the stuffed toys, maybe the plushies. Trevor Beck congratulates 14 months. I love the reminders of how long you guys have been members. I appreciate it. The chopsticks looks pretty cool. The lights. Um they also are bringing new stuff. When I came here a couple of days ago they had massive plushies for about 4,500 yen but those probably sold out.
27:37 John Daub: It's kind of neat. Bookstores in Japan are still doing pretty good. People love to still read newspapers and pick up a book. I don't see too many people buying digital books in Japan. Oh there's the plushies right there. All right check it out. These were on sale inside the shop. They were like 4,500 yen each. They're pretty massive. What do you think? Would you, could you see this in your office? Yeah I can't. They're too big. Oh that was fun. What'd you think Jennifer French is here. Olympic scarf fun awesome.
28:24 John Daub: I'm gonna come back when there's less people. The shop is open from 9:00 a.m. every day during the Olympics and I believe it'll be going on past the Olympics to the Paralympics. I don't know if they're going to have any sales. I'm going to have to go to the Olympics and check online but I didn't see anything marked down but they seem to have a lot of stuff. There's not a lot of international people. I saw maybe three or four people from the international press that are here. The international media, a lot of them if they finished their quarantine they can roam around the city like my friend Amanda. If you didn't see that live stream, um Amanda worked for MBC six in Miami and she was exploring the city for a day and I got a chance to hang out with her about 48 hours ago. You could check out that video and see what Akihabara looks like right now during the Olympics which is kind of sort of the same as the last time but it's not too bad.
29:22 John Daub: Slices of Japan thank you. Welcome and Michael I will definitely be getting Leo something. It's sad I can't see the past. If I missed your super chat I really do apologize. I'll check back and try to send you a thank you later on. I missed Tony's yesterday Stoney I'm sorry about that. There's a lot of stuff I can't see the super chats that have gone by in the past. They changed it but it's been a year ago and they haven't fixed it.
29:51 John Daub: Now this Olympic store is on the second floor of the Maruzen bookstore in the Oazo building and this building's been here for a long time. It's kind of cool and it's right across from the Marunouchi side of Tokyo Station. Boom that's it. That's all. If you have any questions leave them in the comments below. I really appreciate you joining me for this little Olympic store tour. Um I don't know what do you think I should get? I'm gonna go back in here. I'm gonna come back tonight and get stuff for Leo and for Kanae and try to get things as a reminder as the Tohoku Shinkansen rolls in to Tokyo Station. Leave in the comments below what should I get. The Olympics are still on and tomorrow I expect to go to another venue. It's I got lots of ideas to live stream. Thanks so much for watching everybody. I gotta get home. See you later. Bye from the Olympic store outside of it right now.