{"id":791,"date":"2025-10-17T16:43:50","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T07:43:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/?p=791"},"modified":"2026-01-23T14:58:03","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T05:58:03","slug":"news-advanced-kidult-toys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/news-advanced-kidult-toys\/","title":{"rendered":"\u5c11\u5b50\u5316\u3067\u3082\u4f38\u3073\u308b\u65e5\u672c\u306e\u304a\u3082\u3061\u3083\u5e02\u5834\uff01\u5e73\u6210\u30ec\u30c8\u30ed\u3068\u30ad\u30c0\u30eb\u30c8\u304c\u4eba\u6c17"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div id=\"rtoc-mokuji-wrapper\" class=\"rtoc-mokuji-content frame2 preset1 animation-fade rtoc_open default\" data-id=\"791\" data-theme=\"jin-child\">\n\t\t\t<div id=\"rtoc-mokuji-title\" class=\" rtoc_left\">\n\t\t\t<button class=\"rtoc_open_close rtoc_open\"><\/button>\n\t\t\t<span>Contents<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div><ol class=\"rtoc-mokuji decimal_ol level-1\"><li class=\"rtoc-item\"><a href=\"#rtoc-1\">Vocabulary<\/a><\/li><li class=\"rtoc-item\"><a href=\"#rtoc-2\">Article<\/a><\/li><li class=\"rtoc-item\"><a href=\"#rtoc-3\">Comprehension Questions<\/a><\/li><li class=\"rtoc-item\"><a href=\"#rtoc-4\">Summary<\/a><\/li><li class=\"rtoc-item\"><a href=\"#rtoc-5\">Discussion<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div><h2 id=\"rtoc-1\"  class=\"wp-block-heading\">Vocabulary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"marker2\"><strong><strong>Declining birth rate<\/strong><\/strong><\/span><strong> \/ \u5c11\u5b50\u5316\u30fb<strong>\u6e1b\u5c11\u3057\u3066\u3044\u308b\u51fa\u751f\u7387<\/strong> (\u540d\u8a5e) <\/strong>\u2013 fewer babies being born over time<br><br><em>Japan\u2019s declining birth rate affects many industries.<br><\/em>\u65e5\u672c\u306e\u5c11\u5b50\u5316\u304c\u591a\u304f\u306e\u696d\u754c\u306b\u5f71\u97ff\u3092\u4e0e\u3048\u3066\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"marker2\"><strong><strong>Retro<\/strong><\/strong><\/span><strong> \/ \u30ec\u30c8\u30ed (\u540d\u8a5e\u30fb\u5f62\u5bb9\u8a5e)<\/strong> \u2013 relating to styles or things from the past<br><br><em>The Heisei retro trend has made old toys popular again.<\/em><br>\u5e73\u6210\u30ec\u30c8\u30ed\u306e\u30c8\u30ec\u30f3\u30c9\u306b\u3088\u308a\u3001\u6614\u306e\u304a\u3082\u3061\u3083\u304c\u518d\u3073\u4eba\u6c17\u306b\u306a\u308a\u307e\u3057\u305f\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"marker2\"><strong><strong>Boon<\/strong><\/strong><\/span><strong> \/ \u5f79\u306b\u7acb\u3064\u3082\u306e\u30fb\u6069\u6075\u3092\u3082\u305f\u3089\u3059\u3082\u306e (\u540d\u8a5e)<\/strong> \u2013 something that helps or benefits<br><br><em>The rise in tourism was a boon for toy companies.<br><\/em>\u89b3\u5149\u696d\u306e\u4f38\u3073\u306f\u3001\u304a\u3082\u3061\u3083\u4f1a\u793e\u306b\u3068\u3063\u3066\u5927\u304d\u306a\u8ffd\u3044\u98a8\u3068\u306a\u308a\u307e\u3057\u305f\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"marker2\"><strong><strong>Kidult<\/strong><\/strong><\/span><strong> \/ \u30ad\u30c0\u30eb\u30c8\u30fb\u5927\u4eba\u306b\u306a\u3063\u3066\u3082\u5b50\u3069\u3082\u5411\u3051\u306e\u3082\u306e\u3092\u697d\u3057\u3080\u4eba (\u540d\u8a5e)<\/strong> \u2013 an adult who enjoys things meant for children<br><br><em>The kidult market has become a major trend in Japan.<br><\/em>\u65e5\u672c\u3067\u306f\u3001\u30ad\u30c0\u30eb\u30c8\u5e02\u5834\u304c\u5927\u304d\u306a\u30c8\u30ec\u30f3\u30c9\u306b\u306a\u3063\u3066\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"marker\"><span class=\"marker2\"><strong><strong>Nostalgia<\/strong><\/strong><\/span><\/span><strong> \/ \u61d0\u304b\u3057\u3044\u6c17\u6301\u3061 (\u540d\u8a5e)<\/strong> \u2013 a sentimental longing for the past<br><br><em>Many adults buy toys out of nostalgia for their childhood.<br><\/em>\u591a\u304f\u306e\u5927\u4eba\u306f\u3001\u5b50\u3069\u3082\u6642\u4ee3\u3078\u306e\u61d0\u304b\u3057\u3055\u304b\u3089\u304a\u3082\u3061\u3083\u3092\u8cb7\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"rtoc-2\"  class=\"wp-block-heading\">Article<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Japan\u2019s Toy Market Grows Thanks to \u201cKidults\u201d and Heisei Nostalgia<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite Japan\u2019s <strong>declining birth rate<\/strong>, the country\u2019s toy market is growing. A major reason is the \u201cHeisei <strong>retro<\/strong>\u201d trend \u2014 people revisiting toys and characters that were popular from 1989 to 2019, during the Heisei era. This trend has been a <strong>boon<\/strong> for Japan\u2019s toy market, boosting sales among both children and adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the Japan Toy Association, Japan\u2019s toy market reached a record 1.1 trillion yen (about 7.3 billion USD) in 2024. That\u2019s 1.4 times larger than ten years ago and marks the fifth straight year of growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Toy company Happinet Corp. reported that toy sales during the summer vacation period (July 28\u2013August 31) were 7% higher than the same period last year, showing the market\u2019s continued strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the biggest hits was Bandai\u2019s new Tamagotchi, called <em>Tamagotchi Paradise<\/em>, released in July. Surprisingly, it\u2019s not just children buying it \u2014 many adults are! These adults are called \u201c<strong>kidults<\/strong>\u201d, a mix of the words \u201ckid\u201d and \u201cadult.\u201d They enjoy toys from their childhood for <strong>nostalgic<\/strong> reasons and the fun of experiencing them again in new forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another factor boosting sales is the increase in foreign tourists. At Narita Airport, toy sales rose by 41% in 2024 compared to the previous year \u2014 almost four times higher than two years ago. Capsule toys (gacha) also saw strong growth, increasing about 29% over the year. Happinet noted that since the COVID-19 pandemic, tourists\u2019 interest in Japanese toys has played an important role in keeping the market strong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><sub>Source: Mainichi Shimbun (English)<\/sub><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"rtoc-3\"  class=\"wp-block-heading\">Comprehension Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Answer the questions following the article in English.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What is one reason Japan\u2019s toy market is growing despite the declining birth rate?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Who are the main buyers of Bandai\u2019s <em>Tamagotchi Paradise<\/em>?<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How has inbound tourism affected toy sales in Japan?<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What does the term \u201ckidult\u201d mean?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"rtoc-4\"  class=\"wp-block-heading\">Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Talk about these topics with your tutor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In your own words, attempt to summarise the article in 4 sentences or less.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"rtoc-5\"  class=\"wp-block-heading\">Discussion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Discuss these topics with your tutor, and support your answers with examples or experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Do you think it\u2019s common for adults to enjoy toys or games from their childhood? Why or why not?<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What products from your own childhood would you like to see return?<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How do nostalgia and marketing work together to attract adult consumers?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Contents Vocabulary Article Comprehension Questions Summary Discussion Vocabulary Declining birth rate \/ \u5c11\u5b50\u5316\u30fb\u6e1b<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":798,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-791","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-05-news-advanced"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=791"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1691,"href":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791\/revisions\/1691"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/798"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simporacademy.jp\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}