We join the “koke katsu” trend to find out if these little ecosystems are as easy to make as they say.

Japan is famous for its gacha machines, which dispense all sorts of products at random, through the clever use of capsules. After purchasing everything from tiny edible cakes to Casio Watch rings at these machines, we thought we’d seen everything we could possibly see…until the other day, when we stumbled upon a surprise find at Shibuya Hikarie in Tokyo.

After stopping by the building for lunch, we were initially drawn to a store on the fifth floor, which grabbed our attention with its rows and rows of what looked like aquariums from a distance.

Stepping closer, we found that the name of the store was “Terrariums Shibuya”, and that was exactly what it was selling. Terrariums enjoyed a bit of a boom in Japan when people were spending more time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, giving rise to the term “koke katsu” (“moss hobby”) amongst enthusiasts.

With terrariums being essentially miniature ecosystems that need to be cared for, we’d always felt a bit too intimidated to take up the hobby, but here in this store we came across something that was perfect for newbies like us.

▼ A “Capsule Terrarium” gacha machine!

Now this seemed like something we might be able to manage. Small, cute and cheap – each turn of the machine cost 500 yen (US$3.33) – the “Feel the Garden” capsule terrariums contain everything you need to make a mossy terrarium, including the moss, an essential element.

▼ A cultivation kit for growing moss…all inside a gacha capsule.

After receiving our tiny gacha terrarium, we couldn’t resist spinning the handle on the machine beneath , which sold “Terrarium Figurine Gacha” for 300 yen.

Excited to find out what lay inside the capsules, we took them home and decided to start by opening the “Capsule Terrarium”. Inside, we found the following items: Moss, Waterproof Sticker, Terrarium Soil, Decorative stones, Decorative Sand (the sand and stone types are random to each capsule)
, Tweezers, Dropper, Spoon, Pick
, Fixing ring
, Instructions.

We were honestly surprised by just how much had been packed into the little container. Of course, the capsule itself is an essential part of the setup, so we immediately got to work, following the included instructions and video link to set it up.

▼ The first step involved placing the waterproof sticker over the hole in the capsule, and then adding the terrarium soil.

After arranging the decorative stones in the sand and pushing them in slightly, we used the dropper to add water until the entire surface of the soil became dark brown.

Next, it was time to sprinkle in the decorative sand. According to the instructions, you’re supposed to sprinkle it in areas where you won’t be planting moss, and if you’re not sure where to put it, it’s recommended that you arrange it along the edges of the capsule.

▼ We added ours in bit by bit with the spoon.

Now it was time to plant the star of the show: the moss! It was dry when we took it out of the bag, but the instructions reassured us that this was totally fine – it was still alive, just in a dormant state.

▼ Once it absorbs water it resumes growing, so the dormant state is what makes it possible for a living thing like this to be sold in a gacha machine.

After tearing the dried moss into pieces about 5 millimetres (0.2 inches) in size, we then planted them using the tweezers. Once you’ve secured the moss into the soil, the trick to planting it successfully is to hold the moss down with the pick and smoothly pull out the tweezers.

It was difficult at first, but we gradually got the hang of it and eventually succeeded in creating a mossy meadow around the stones. We gave the moss some water, then popped in the figurine we received from our other gacha…

▼ … and then our Capsule Terrarium was complete!

It took about 20 minutes to make, at a leisurely pace, and was incredibly easy to set up. While it was simple to make, it’s also said to be simple to care for too – just give it some water through one of the holes in the top of the capsule about once a fortnight.

With such little care required, we’re confident that anyone could look after a terrarium like this, and after gazing in awe at our creation for around three days, we’re happy to report that it still looks as beautiful as the day we made it. Though there hasn’t been any major growth, that’s to be expected, because depending on the species, moss is said to only grow a few millimetres to around 1 centimetre (0.4 inches) per year.

▼ Part of the appeal of owning a terrarium is being able to slowly watch how it evolves over time.

All this for just 500 yen was a fantastic deal, because usually when you get into terrariums, you have to buy quite a bit upfront to get started. With everything included in the capsule, this was such a great kit that we’re now tempted to pick up a few more on our next trip to Shibuya.

▼ And we might just buy some other little figurines to join our rubber duck while we’re there.

The specialty store has done a great job with the capsule machine, and when we talked to staff about it, they told us that some people get into terarrium gardening after purchasing the capsules, making it a gateway into the world of terrariums.

▼ And there are sooo many beauties to choose from.

So if you’ve always loved the look of terrariums but felt like they might seem difficult to set up and maintain, the gacha terrarium might just help you out. It’s a fun and easy way to enter the world of terrariums on a tiny scale, and it can be purchased online or at Feel the Garden stores around Japan.

Store information

Terrariums Shibuya / Terrariums 渋谷
Address: Tokyo-to, Shibuya-ku, Shibuya 2-21-1, Shibuya Hikarie ShinQs by Tokyu Department Store 5F
東京都渋谷区渋谷2丁目21-1 渋谷ヒカリエShinQs by TOKYU DEPARTMENT STORE 5階
Open: 11:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. (Mon-Sat); 11:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. (Sun and public holidays)
Closed according to store’s building schedule
Website

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