Japan’s Official Gundam Museum Set to Remove No Tourists Rule from September 2026

Image by Charlotte Davis

Bandai is opening its BHCPDII MUSEUM in Shizuoka to foreign visitors for the first time from September 2026, finally removing the Japanese residency restriction that has made one of the company’s most interesting Gunpla attractions almost impossible for international fans to experience.

The change comes as the museum celebrates its first anniversary, with Bandai introducing a new ticketing system alongside a major expansion that includes an official Gundam Base store and several exclusive Gunpla releases.

BHCPDII MUSEUM, often referred to by fans as Japan’s official “Gundam Museum,” is located beside Bandai Hobby Center’s plastic model production facility in Shizuoka and takes visitors through the process used to develop and manufacture Gunpla and other Bandai model kits.

The approximately 1,500-square-meter attraction combines views of the working production facility with exhibits covering model kit planning, design, mold creation and injection molding, alongside more than 4,300 plastic model products and a huge Gunpla monument.

Visitors can also take part in interactive activities that place them in the role of a plastic model designer, eventually creating their own model kit package artwork to take home alongside a runner plate for their chosen model.

Until now, the biggest obstacle for overseas Gundam fans has been the ticketing system, as reservations were handled through Premium Bandai Japan and applications were officially restricted to people residing in Japan, with address checks carried out upon entry to the museum to ensure that the rules were not being bypassed.

That system is being replaced for visits from September onward, with Bandai introducing a new way to purchase tickets that will be open to international visitors.

Bookings can be made up to 60 days before a visit, giving international travelers far more opportunity to include the museum when planning a future trip to Japan.

Tickets for September and part of October 2026 are already on sale, and at the time of writing there is still availability across most of the days on which the museum is scheduled to open during the month.

The timing makes the change especially appealing for Gundam fans, as the museum will commence its first anniversary celebrations on September 2 with THE GUNDAM BASE ANNEX in BHCPDII MUSEUM opening inside the attraction on the same day.

The new store will sell Gunpla alongside apparel, accessories, snacks and other Gundam merchandise, while BHCPDII-exclusive model kits that were previously available to museum visitors only through online orders will now be stocked physically on-site.

Access to THE GUNDAM BASE ANNEX will remain restricted to people holding admission to BHCPDII MUSEUM, meaning the new overseas ticket system also gives international visitors their first practical opportunity to shop the museum’s exclusive Gunpla directly during their visit.

Leading those exclusives is the MG 1/100 Shin Musha Gundam [BHCPDII Color], priced at ¥5,800 (approx. $37 USD / £27 GBP), which replaces the samurai-inspired Mobile Suit’s familiar red armor with a blue, white and metallic color scheme created around the museum’s own visual theme.

The Master Grade kit retains the Nichirinmaru tachi, Sankomaru spear, Tanegashima cannon and Denkoumaru naginata of the original Shin Musha Gundam while adding Real Metallic Gloss Injection components and plated weapon blades to the anniversary version.

A Haropla Haro Basic Green [BHCPDII Package Ver.], priced at ¥550 (approx. $3 USD / £3 GBP), will also debut with exclusive museum packaging while keeping the standard Haro model itself unchanged.

Visitors will additionally be able to purchase the previously released ENTRY GRADE 1/144 RX-78-2 Gundam Full Weapon Set [BHCPDII Color], priced at ¥1,430 (approx. $9 USD / £7 GBP), which uses the same blue-focused color scheme associated with the museum.

Other limited kits confirmed for the store include the MG 1/100 Strike Freedom Gundam [Recirculation Color/Neon Blue], priced at ¥6,050 (approx. $38 USD / £28 GBP), and the Gundam Base Limited MG 1/100 RX-78-3 G-3 Gundam Ver.3.0, priced at ¥5,800 (approx. $37 USD / £27 GBP).

The first anniversary campaign will also temporarily make admission free for children aged 12 and under, while visitors aged six and above can receive a complimentary EcoPla model while supplies last.

Adult admission to BHCPDII MUSEUM is priced at ¥2,860 (approx. $18 USD / £13 GBP), with the attraction open from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM and generally closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and Japanese national holidays.

The museum is located at 500-15 Naganuma in Shizuoka’s Aoi Ward, around a three-minute walk from Naganuma Station or an eight-minute walk from JR Higashi-Shizuoka Station, making it relatively straightforward to reach as part of a trip through the region.

International visitors planning to go from September onward can now reserve tickets through Webket using the purchase link on the official BHCPDII MUSEUM website, with the museum’s anniversary reopening and new Gundam Base store both beginning on September 2, 2026.

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