Cult favorites, technology and nostalgia: Japanese toy exhibition heads to Iloilo

Following a successful inaugural run at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila in Bonifacio Global City, the colorful and imaginative world of Japanese toy culture is making its way to Iloilo. The Japan Foundation, Manila, in partnership with the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA), presents Omocha: Japanese Toys Today, which will open with an exclusive preview reception on 26 June and will welcome the public from 27 June to 26 July. It may be viewed from Tuesdays to Sundays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Galleries 1 and 2 on the second floor of ILOMOCA, Iloilo Business Park, Iloilo City, Iloilo.

Guided by the bilateral theme “Weaving the Future Together: Peace, Prosperity, and Possibilities,” the exhibition highlights cultural exchange as a bridge connecting nations and communities. It is also part of the Next Generation Co-Creation Partnership WA 2.0, a people-centered initiative that promotes deeper cultural dialogue, collaboration, and mutual understanding between Japan and Southeast Asian countries.

“Omocha,” the Japanese word for “toy,” carries a cultural history spanning centuries. The exhibition brings together more than 70 types of contemporary Japanese toys from various brands and manufacturers, complemented by informative panels tracing their origins and development. Visitors are invited on a journey across generations, exploring how toys became part of Japanese popular culture. During the Edo period, many were handcrafted as symbolic objects associated with prayers for children’s health, protection, and good fortune.

The exhibition also brings audiences face-to-face with globally beloved pop-culture icons that have captured the imagination of successive generations, including Gundam, Hello Kitty, Pokémon and Transformers. It further reveals how traditional craftsmanship continues to meet innovation. Among the featured collections are TOMY Asia’s well-loved Plarail and Beyblade lines, displayed alongside modern toys incorporating robotics, digital technology, and other forms of high-tech ingenuity.

True to the playful spirit of omocha, the exhibition offers an immersive experience through interactive areas where visitors of all ages can engage with both traditional and contemporary toys — and rekindle a childlike sense of curiosity and wonder.

For lifelong collectors, nostalgia seekers, design enthusiasts, and families searching for an enriching weekend activity, Omocha: Japanese Toys Today offers an invitation to rediscover the joy, artistry, imagination, and human connection found in the world of play.