
If you can’t eat ’em, wear ’em.
Remember the ultra-popular hamster-shaped monaka snacks being sold by the 120-year old Kyoto confectionary Aoki Kouetsudo? Even over a year after its initial release, it’s still constantly sold out. Now there’s a version of it with no expiration date! Japanese capsule toy company Tamakyu teamed up with Aoki Kouetsudo to create non-edible capsule toys shaped like the shop’s hamster-shaped snacks.
▼ Just in time for autumn, when hamsters will be stocking up on nuts for the winter!
These Hamster Monaka capsule toys, priced at 300 yen (US$2) each, went on sale October 28 and can be found in capsule toy machines across Japan. Each one comes with a nut-shaped brooch inside so that you can match your little buddy.
▼ Which style would you choose?
There are six varieties of the toy split into two styles: plain and chocolate. The only difference in the hamster’s appearance between the two styles are that the eyes and ears have been filled in with a “chocolate pen”–not edible, of course. The plain one, however, is the hamster that most closely resembles the edible hamster monaka.
▼ Are you more of an almond hamster or a cashew hamster?
Besides that, each hamster is holding either a walnut, a cashew, or an almond. You can pop open the hamster like an actual monaka, and inside there will be the included brooch. Use it to store other things as well–like some edible snacks, perhaps?
Tamakyu is holding a Twitter campaign, too! By following Tamakyu’s Twitter account retweeting the campaign Tweet linked below, you can be entered for a chance to win a complete set of the Monaka Hamster capsule toys. Entries will be accepted until November 4 at 5 p.m. (JST).
Sources: PR Times, Twitter/@TAMAKYU_CP
Images: PR Times



These adorable hamster-shaped monaka will make a great gift, or maybe just a snack for yourself
Mini karate-chop roof tiles you can actually destroy are Japan’s newest capsule toy【Videos】
Japan’s new Coins of Destiny capsule toys want to help you answer life’s most important questions
Cute cat-shaped food and kitchen appliances hit the gachapon capsule toy market
Japan’s newest capsule toys: Capsules that Absolutely Won’t Open【Photos】
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
New Japanese KitKats come in sakura flavour, with poetic symbolism for success
Howl’s Moving Castle’s scene-stealing dog is here to clean your home as a plushie mop
30 Pikachus want to share a Tokyo hotel room with you that has separate Grass, Water, Fire spaces
You can assemble a well-balanced team of Pokémon, them eat them, thanks to Japanese cake chain
How to make your own hoshi-imo Japanese dried sweet potato snacks【SoraKitchen】
Japanese curry chain in Thailand has a surprisingly Japanese dish not found in Japan
Expensive Japanese nail clippers: Are they worth it?
The 10 best day trips from downtown Tokyo【Survey】
Is this the most relaxing Starbucks in Japan?
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Starbucks Japan closing only Shinkansen platform branch for popularity-triggered renovations
Two food hacks take Japan’s convenience store fried chicken to amazing new sandwich heights
7-Eleven Japan’s new baked-in-store sweet treat is only available in three parts of the country
Man bites woman at cherry blossom park in Japan, dies shortly after
Peanuts and Coke becomes a viral hit in Japan, but is it a trend worth joining?
Can a downtown Tokyo super sento bathhouse beat a hotel for a one-night stay?
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Super-expensive capsule toys – Trying out Japan’s Premium Gachapon machine【Photos】
Japan’s newest weird capsule toys are…super realistic capsule rocks?!?【Photos】
Bandai releases a retro item with zodiac signs in gachapon capsule toy form…but what is it?
Christmas cat capsule toy hats from Japan will make your holiday feline festivities jolly
Japan’s newest capsule toys: Buff shirtless dude torso cushions, sometimes with very pink nipples
Akihabara capsule toy lucky bag is filled with cute characters and cool crap (literally)【Photos】
Squeezable tanuki testicle capsule toys, with choking warning for kids, appear in Japan, but why?
Peeing Shiba Inu figures are Japan’s latest quirky, maybe-cute capsule toy offerings【Photos】
Low-quality paper cranes folded by young gyaru – Japan’s newest weird capsule toys
Gacha capsule toy machine sells Casio watch rings in Japan, and we try to get all of them
Animals weighing themselves are Japan’s newest line of strangely relatable capsule toys figures
Celebrate famous works of art AND cats with these adorably clever “Cats in Art” capsule toys
Japan’s mini VHS anime home video replicas are the newest blast of capsule toy nostalgia【Pics】
Real-kitty-litter snow globes coming soon to Japan’s capsule toy vending machines【Photos】
New capsule toys from Japan let you carry plush fried food wherever you go