1. More Than Half of Tamagotchi Shipments Went Overseas
Tamagotchi was released by Bandai in 1996. The following year, in 1997, the English version "TAMAGOTCHI" was released in the United States. From there, it spread to Canada, Europe, and other regions [3]. On August 28, 2025, Bandai announced that cumulative shipments domestically and internationally had surpassed 100 million units. The breakdown was 49% for Japan, 33% for the United States, 16% for Europe, and 2% for Asia outside Japan, totaling 100%. A total of 38 models were deployed in more than 50 countries and regions [4]. Overseas shipments accounted for 51%, which is "slightly more" than half. Even so, this means that more than half of the shipments of this toy born in Japan went to places outside Japan. These overseas versions would later return to Japan in an unexpected way.
2. The 1997 Overseas Version Became the "Original Tamagotchi" of 2025
As of Bandai's 2025 announcement, this period is called the "Fourth Boom." At its center is the "Original Tamagotchi," which is a reverse import of the "TAMAGOTCHI" sold overseas in 1997, with various designs applied to it. The latest model, "Tamagotchi Paradise," was also released in July 2025 [4]. Regarding the re-release of the "Original Tamagotchi" in 2018, it is analyzed that it was accepted by younger generations because it incorporated fashion elements where users could choose preferred designs and fan culture elements, and it also rode the wave of the Heisei retro boom [3]. This is a media interpretation, and causality has not been proven. It is also noted that re-released items in 2004 sold about 5 million units in one year [3]. The path of "a form that sold overseas becoming a new trend in Japan" was already prepared in the case of Tamagotchi through the 1997 overseas version. So, what about toys that have been played with in Japan for a long time?
3. Kendama Was Not Only a Japanese Game
The origin of Kendama is said to be "Bilboquet," which was played in France in the 16th century. It is a toy where you catch a ball with a cup. It is explained that it entered Japan via the Netherlands (some materials say via Nagasaki) during the Edo period [5]. Similar games exist all over the world, so it cannot be said for certain that it was born in Japan. In the Meiji era, woodworkers in Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, began making Kendama. The year the current form (with a cup) "Nichi-getsu Ball" was born differs in records: the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism database says 1918, while the Hiroshima Prefecture website says 1921 [5][6]. Here, we will just say it was the Taisho era. During the popularity peak in the 1970s, Kendama production in Hatsukaichi City was 400,000 units per year, accounting for 70% of all production in Japan. After that, there was a period when manufacturers went out of business, but production resumed in 2001 [5]. However, the entry point for Kendama gaining attention again was outside Japan.
4. Kendama: Communities Abroad and the World Cup in Hatsukaichi
In the 2000s, Kendama gained momentum overseas. In 2006, KendamaUSA and the UK Kendama Association were established, and it is said to have spread among people who enjoy juggling and rollerblading [7]. After that, overseas players and communities expanded. In 2012, the Global Kendama Network was established, and since 2014, the Kendama World Cup has been held in Hatsukaichi, the production area [7]. For Tamagotchi, versions sold overseas returned to Japan. For Kendama, overseas communities expanded, and a world tournament came to be held in the production area of Hatsukaichi. Although the paths are different, both involved movements across national borders. However, with just these two examples, we cannot say there is a common rule for returning trends.
5. Hula Hoop: From Australian Wooden Rings to American Parks
The Strong National Museum of Play introduces the origin of the Hula Hoop as children in Australia spinning wooden rings around their waists. Joan Anderson learned of this and told people in the United States. Two founders of the Wham-O company made it into a plastic toy and sold it, according to the museum [1]. Since some sources say the release year was 1957 and others say 1958, we will say "late 1950s" here. The trigger for its spread was word-of-mouth promotion in parks, schoolyards, and university campuses. It is said that adults often tried it first before buying it for children. The same museum records that Wham-O sold 25 million units in the first two months and earned $45 million in the first year [1]. With this momentum, the trend crossed the ocean and reached Japan. If you want to know more about the origin of the Hula Hoop, you can read the English explanation page from The Strong National Museum of Play with an adult [1].
6. Hula Hoop: Lined Up in Department Stores, 800,000 Sold in One Month
In Japan, on October 18, 1958 (Showa 33), Hula Hoops were lined up in department stores in Tokyo all at once. The price was 270 yen for adults and 200 yen for children. With advertising that said it was "good for beauty and health," it spread not only to children but also to adults and housewives. It is reported that about 800,000 units were sold in about one month, even though they were produced at a pace of 20,000 units per day [2]. The figure of about 800,000 units is introduced as the sales volume at the time, based on secondary sources. However, this trend did not last long. It became a social problem when it was reported that children had suffered internal organ injuries, and it cooled down rapidly in just a few months after that [2]. Regarding the medical cause, we cannot say anything beyond "it was reported." What we learn here is that the speed of spread and the length of duration are separate things.
7. Tracing the "Journey" of Toys at Home
Choose one toy you have at home and look at the box or instructions. They may list the company that made it and the year it was released. If you find this information, ask your family, "Did this shape exist in the past?" You might understand the differences in how it was played with in different eras. If you want to read materials, news articles reporting Bandai's announcement [4] and the multilingual commentary database from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism [5] are good clues.