SHOW REPORT
A SCALE MODELLING PILGRIMAGE
Shizuoka Hobby Show 2025
Clayton Ockerby goes into overload at the 2025 Shizuoka Hobby Show
For most scale modellers, the moment we learnt about Shizuoka is the moment we wanted to go. I became aware of the Shizuoka Hobby show in my mid-teens, which for those of you who don’t know me is the best part of 40 years ago, and pretty much from that day became a dream of mine to make the trip to Japan to be a part of it.
I didn’t really know what that meant or what that might look like, but I knew I had to be part of it at some stage in my life. It just so happened 2025 was the year I made that pilgrimage and ticked Shizuoka off my bucket list.
The Shizuoka Hobby show was first held in 1959 and is organized by the Shizuoka Model Teaching Materials Cooperative Association, comprising renowned local manufacturers like Tamiya, Hasegawa, and Aoshima to name a few.
So why is the show held in Shizuoka? Well, Shizuoka's reputation as the "Plastic Model Capital of the World" stems from its long-standing tradition in model manufacturing.
Shizuoka accounts for over 80% of Japan's plastic model production. This concentration of model manufacturers has fostered a vibrant community and culture centred around hobby modelling.
The show is run over 5 days with the first 2 days being set aside for trade. This is like your traditional trade show with the focus on the business side of the industry. Aisles of exhibition booths spanning over two massive trade halls, with all the major players showcasing product lines and featuring new releases.