The Wan Nian Building in Ximending, Taipei, is a popular hangout spot for many young people. Its fourth floor is especially famous for its numerous model shops. This article will give you a simple guide to exploring them.
Here’s what the exterior of the Wan Nian Building looks like. First opened in 1973, it has a long and storied history.
Although there are toys and figures scattered throughout various floors, most of the major model shops are concentrated on the fourth floor. If you're looking to hunt for treasures or do some shopping, focusing on the fourth floor will be enough.
Wan Nian Dong Hai Model & Toy Shop(萬年東海模型玩具)
Wan Nian Dong Hai Model & Toy Shop is one of the stores that also operates online. It carries a wide range of popular model brands such as Bandai, Kotobukiya, and Good Smile Company. The selection is extensive and up-to-date, and because they run an online shop, their inventory is refreshed quite frequently.
In addition, they also sell various modeling tools.
Aiyu Demon King(愛瑜魔王)
Aiyu Demon King is a long-established shop with a spacious interior and a wide selection of products. However, the aisles between display shelves are quite narrow. Popular brands like Bandai and Kotobukiya are well represented, along with Tamiya and various military models. This is a great place to dig up vintage treasures—definitely not to be missed by collectors and treasure hunters.
Kun Cai Toys(坤彩玩具)
Kun Cai Toys mainly carries mainstream Bandai products, but what sets it apart from other shops is its selection of Premium Bandai (PB) models. If you're a fan of PB exclusives and couldn't get them online, it's definitely worth checking out this store—you might just stumble upon a rare find.
Golden Wan Nian Toys(金萬年)
Golden Wan Nian primarily carries Bandai products. It used to be located right next to the TAMASHII SPOT TAIPEI display area. After TAMASHII SPOT TAIPEI relocated to the underground mall, Golden Wan Nian expanded by combining the two spaces, resulting in a much larger store. Compared to others, Golden Wan Nian focuses more on fully assembled figures and completed model kits.
Wan Nian Jiahe Marulong Model & Toy Shop(萬年佳和馬如龍)
Wan Nian Jiahe Marulong is said to be named because the owner resembles Ma Ru Long, a character from the film Cape No. 7. The shop carries a wide variety of items, including model kits and pre-assembled figures from major brands like Bandai and other popular manufacturers. It's also a great place for treasure hunting—you never know what hidden gems you might find.
Gee-Fly Model Shop(吉華)
Gee-Fly primarily sells car models. In the past, they also carried Bandai model kits, but nowadays, the shop focuses exclusively on automobile-related models. It's definitely worth a visit for anyone who’s passionate about car model collecting.
That wraps up the guide to the model shops in the Wan Nian Commercial Building. If you have any thoughts or suggestions, feel free to leave a comment and let me know!