Japan’s infamous “lazy egg” is one of my favorite characters in the world, but planning a Gudetama Japan trip can prove surprisingly difficult. Certainly, this has been my experience.
I assumed, for example, that when the BTS SkyTrain in my former home city of Bangkok ran a massive Gudetama campaign during one of the years I live there, it would pale in comparison to Gudetama’s visibility in Japan. Not so, unfortunately, at least not as of almost a decade later.
Continue reading to learn more, whether you’re asking yourself fundamental questions such as “what is Gudetama?” or how to find the Gudetama store Tokyo. Or if, like me, you want to know where in Japan you actually can find Gudetama on your next trip.
What is Gudetama?
On a baseline level, the simplest way to address this question is to explore the issue of what “Gudetama” means. Gude is an adjective that means “lazy,” while tama is short for tamago or “egg.” Gudetama is the “lazy egg,” quite literally speaking. It’s typically represented as hiragana, either as ぐでたま (Gude-tama) or, even more colloquially, as ぐでぐで (Gude-gude).
As far as what Gudetama is, in a figurative sense? It’s a cultural phenomenon! From the Gudetama Japan attractions I’m about to spotlight below, to the character’s large social media following and the variety of memes, merchandise and intangible ubiquity it’s generated, Gudetama seems destined for a level of fame not seen since Hello Kitty. Well, if “it” (yes, Gudetama uses the pronouns it/itself) can get up off its lazy bum long enough to stand in the spotlight!
Where to Find Gudetama in Japan
Gudetama Cafe Tokyo
Want to have a coffee with Gudetama in Tokyo? While this poor egg would scramble in seconds when actually placed near a cup of any steaming liquid, the Sanrio Cafe in Ikebukuro is a perfect spot to enjoy a lazy afternoon, although the other Gudetama Tokyo tourism option nearby is decidedly more motile in nature.
NOTE: This is not a dedicated Gudetama Cafe. One used to operate in a similar location, but has unfortunately been closed for several years.
Gudetama train
The Hello Kitty train that once operated westbound Shinkansen routes from Osaka traditionally took up most of the oxygen surrounding character-themed transport in Japan, but there was also a Gudetama train. Specifically, select services from Ikebukuro Station on the private Seibu Railway featured Gudetama theming. Unfortunately, this service has since been discontinued.
Gudetama Cafe Osaka
Tokyo’s now-defunct Gudetama Cafe was not the only Gudetama cafe in Japan. In the late 2010s, you could also find a Gudetama Café in Osaka, located only a short walk from Umeda Station. Unfortunately, as was the fate of its counterpart in Ikebukuro, the one in Osaka closed; there are no plans to open it.
Gudetama at McDonald’s
While Gudetama McDonald’s offerings are seasonal and fleeting (which is somewhat ironic, given how slow the lazy egg itself tends to be to move), you can sometimes find Gudetama toys in Japanese Happy Meals, and images of Gudetama in advertisements at restaurants, online and in print. No word whether lazy eggs are actually used in McDonald’s food in Japan!
Gudetama at Sanrio Puroland
Most people go to Sanrio Puroland in Tama (funny coincidence, right?), Tokyo for the Hello Kitty experience, but in the past, you could also find a section of the park known as Gudetama Land. Here, you were able not only to pose for pictures with your favorite lazy egg, but could find Gudetama games and the “Gudesushi” restaurant. Sadly, like many of the other Gudetama Japan attractions on this list, it has since closed.
Sanrio shops featuring Gudetama
Gudetama is not as universally famous as Hello Kitty, but it’s still a cash cow for Sanrio. This is evident by the fact that Gudetama features prominently at Sanrio shops in Japan. Most notably, there’s a whole exhibit devoted to Gudetama at Sanrio Nishiginza, to say nothing of lazy egg merchandise at Sanrio shops in Omotesando, Tokyo and other Japanese cities like Kobe and Fukuoka.
Gudetama Pop-ups
You should always be on the lookout for a Gudetama store Japan, even when it comes to items that aren’t on this list. And why, might you ask? Although Gudetama is infamous for how lazy it is, there are a growing number of pop-up Gudetama shops, cafés and other appearances that could surprise you on the next trip to Japan. Keep your eyes peeled, or your shell cracked as it were.
Why Have So Many Gudetama Japan Attractions Closed?
It’s not lost on me that so many of the Gudetama-related attractions I first wrote about almost a decade ago are now closed. In fact, the vast majority of them have ceased operating! It isn’t an exaggeration to say that Gudetama is very difficult to find in Japan, if not impossible. Certainly, you aren’t going to see any dedicated Gudetama cafes or trains, as might’ve been the case in the mid-to-late 2010s.
The logical explanation for this is that Gudetama is simply not as popular as it once was—and frankly, has not endured as much as I hoped it would. Even for me, a Gudetama mega-fan, I find that I don’t really think about the character very much. I don’t use GIFs related to its in messages; I can’t remember the last time I bought a Gudetama-related souvenir. This is sad, but it’s better to be aware of this before you arrive in Japan.
Other FAQ About Gudetama in Japan
Is Gudetama popular in Japan?
Gudetama was once extremely popular in Japan, but that has faded somewhat as of the late 2020s. It used to be common to see Gudetama toys and other paraphernalia being sold in convenience stores and department stores, on people’s clothings and bags and of course, in specialty shops and cafés throughout Japan. Now, however, Gudetama is a rare sight outside of Sanrio specialty shops.
Is Gudetama from Japan?
Gudetama was developed by Sanrio, a company that originated in Yamanashi prefecture, Japan. Note that in spite of this, Gudetama has experienced popularity all over the world. It doesn’t belong to any one country, at least not in terms of its lazy spirit.
Where is Gudetama cafe in Japan?
There were once two Gudetama cafes in Japan: One near Tokyo’s Ikebukuro Station and the other in Osaka’s Umeda district. Note that these are both closed as of the late 2020s, with no plans to reopen them. In spite of this, you can occasionally see Gudetama special or pop-up menus at branded and unofficial Sanrio cafes throughout Japan.
The Bottom Line
If you’re planning your own Gudetama Japan trip, there’s good news and there’s bad news. The good news is that physical locations bearing Gudetama’s likeness do exist, even if they are much less common than they used to be. The bad news, keeping with this, is that Gudetama remains much less visible in Japan than other Sanrio characters like Hello Kitty, at least at the moment. Which makes sense, when you think about it—Gudetama is lazy above all else. Need personalized help putting your next Japan trip together? Commission a custom Japan itinerary today—and let me sweat the details!
