Strawberry Milk Tea

Volks got its start in the 1970s as a hobby company, deriving its name from the car that company founders the Shigeta's drove. Volkswagen means "car for the people" and Mr and Mrs Shigeta wanted to create a hobby company "for the people," hence the name Volks.

It was in 1998 that sculptor Akihiro Enki created a hand sculpted doll for his wife as an anniversary present. Mrs. Shigeta thought that this special doll could be something that Volks could offer to its customers. A photograph of this doll can be found in "Super Dollfie Photographs ~ Another Yourself."

In 1999 they introduced the first modern resin ball joint dolls-"Kira" "Megu" "Nana" and "Sara." Since then, the design of the doll has changed as well as the variety of dolls now offered."Megu" "Nana" and "Sara" are still offered but now come with a different body design and face up. "Kira" still makes an appearance every so often as a limited. As a large company that hold various events and has shop locations in three countries, this can cause some confusion. Hopefully, I can clear up any confusion or answer any questions here.

Tenshi No Sumika

Translated as "Angel's Nest," this is Volks's showroom for their Super Dollfie line of dolls and accessories. Some locations offer restringing services, kips insertion, and even Omukae, or welcoming, ceremony. Most locations will have a blog that will let customers know of upcoming events, tips, tutorials, and new items. Usually photography is not allowed inside the store. They have locations throughout Japan plus one in Korea and one in Los Angeles.

Tenshi No Sumika in Los Angeles

Most Tenshi No Sumikas will have a photo space, a designated area where photos of owner's dolls can be taken. Usually doll advisors will create a unique set up with furniture and accessories that are changed frequently based on the season and holiday. Only Volks dolls are allowed to be photographed in the photo space. The store's blog will often let customers know when the set up has been changed. In Japan, customers wishing to photograph their dolls in the photo space will ask before hand as a courtesy as there may be several customers waiting to use it. In the United States, most customers patiently wait for their turn and usually do not need to ask the doll advisor to use the photo space-it usually becomes a conversation piece and a way to meet other Super Dollfie owners!

Mai poses in the photo space at Tenshi No Sumika in Akihabara, Japan. Note the Valentines decor as this was taken in February.

Tenshi No Sumika Los Angeles

Located south of downtown Los Angeles, Volks USA is open to the public on weekends from 11:00am to 6:00pm. In addition to the sale of dolls, clothing, tools, and accessories they will also perform minor maintenance on dolls such as kips insertion and restringing. During the week they fill on-line orders and respond to customer inquiries and questions.

Due to liability issues Volks staff will not be able to answer any questions about the maintenance of non-Volks dolls. As a courtesy, it is not encouraged to bring non-Volks dolls into the store.

SD Kurumi and Dollfie Dream Saber in the photo space. Dollfie Dream Saber belongs to Mr Postman

Torrance, the Los Angeles neighborhood where Volks is located offers many diversions. Traditionally an area where many of Japanese descent have congregated, today the area is home to the American operations of many Japanese companies and corporations. Thus, there are a variety of Japanese eateries and shops to stop by after a visit to Volks.

Food

Cho Dang Tofu 22549 Hawthorne Boulevard
Torrance, CA 90505
(310) 373-7055

Filling tofu soup from Cho Dang Tofu

Furusato
An inexpensive All You Can Eat (AYCE) Korean BBQ that can accommodate large groups. They offer 3 tiers of AYCE: $11.99 (sliced beef brisket, black pork belly), $13.99 (sliced beef brisket, black pork belly, marinated beef rib, beef tongue), and $15.99 (sliced beef brisket, black pork belly, marinated beef rib, beef tongue, marinated beef, mt. tripe, spicy marinated pork, marinated chicken). All the tiers come with ample sides.

The meat and sides never stop coming at Furusato!

Gaja Moc
2383 Lomita Blvd#102
Lomita, CA 90717
(310) 534-0153

Saturday 11:30am to 2:30pm and 5:30pm to 12:00am
Sunday 5:00pm to 11:00am

Specializing in the famous Japanese dish okonomiyaki, this is a wonderful place where you can sit down with your friends and enjoy a relaxing meal. Translated as "As You Like It," Okonomiyaki is made of batter and cabbage cooked over a flat grill served with a variety of toppings from kimchi to meat to cheese and garnished with a sweet sauce and Japanese mayonaisse. Gaja Moc is one of the few restaurants in the Los Angeles area that serve this specialty. What makes this place so fun is that the tables are equipped with an iron grill, called a "Teppan" grill, that allows you to cook the Okonomiyaki yourself. The staff will help you if you have questions or need help. However, if you do not wish to, you can have the chef cook your meal for you. Most okonomiyaki is $15 and can be shared between 2 to 4 people.

Cook your own meal at Gaja Moc!

Save room for dessert. Their parfaits are wonderful!

Pudding parfait from Gaja Moc

Mitsuwa

The Mitsuwa Marketplace has an extensive food court with most of the restaurants specializing in Japanese food. Italian Tomato, an Italian restaurant, actually has its flagship store in Japan!

A group of dolls on the low table in the Pagoda in the middle of the food court. If you are lucky to grab this spot, remember to remove your shoes so you don't damage the tatami mat.

Patisserie Chantilly
2383 Lomita Blvd#104
Lomita, CA 90717
(310) 257-9454

Saturday 11:00am to 7:30pm
Sunday 11:00am to 7:30pm

A French bakery with a bit of a Japanese influence, this pastry shop is reminiscent of similar shops I enjoyed on my visit to Japan. They also serve coffee and tea. My favorite pastry here is the Caramel Macchiato, which looks like the coffee drink!

Desserts from Pasisserie Chantilly

Shin Sen Gumi
1695 W. Artesia Blvd
Gardena, CA 90427
(310) 532-0278

A favorite of the Volks staff, the Gardena location is nearby and serves shabu shabu plus a variety of other dishes. They also have other locations in Gardena and Southern California as well as Japan that serve yakitori and ramen.

Shopping

Book Off
1610 W. Redondo Beach Blvd #E8
Gardena, CA 90247
(310) 532-5010
10:00am to 8:00pm 7 days a week

A second hand bookstore originally from Japan, this is a great place to get used manga at a great price. They also sell Japanese books and magazines, English books and magazines, DVDs and CDs.

Cardzilla Collectibles
23840 Crenshaw Blvd
Torrance, CA 90505

Marukai

There are actually three notable Marukai stores near each other. The Marukai 98 Cent Plus store on 1360 West Artesia Boulevard is a non-membership store that sells a variety of items for $1.50 (These items used to be 98 cents before inflation changed all that!) including cooking supplies, bento boxes and supplies, beauty producs, stationary, and sometimes traditional Japanese garments like kimono and geta sandals. The traditional Japanese garments will usually sell for a higher price.

The Marukai Supermarket on 1740 West Artesia Boulevard is a membership store that sells groceries, cooking appliances, home health products, books and stationary. You do not need to be a member to shop here as one day passes can be purchased for $1. Upstairs is the Waraku home furnishings store which sell kimono and accessories, furniture, home furnishings, and futon. This section is non-Membership.

The staff at Marukai is used to doll owners bringing their dolls into the store.

Kyoei Treasures
2370 Crenshaw Blvd#J
Torrance, CA 90501
(310)320-9881
A full service kimono shop, Kyoei Treasures helpful staff will help you complete a kimono ensemble and offer suggestions to help you wear kimono more elegantly. Not only do they sell kimono and obi, the also sell the accessories required to dress in a kimono properly (which can also be used in cosplay) as well as various gift items.

Sanrio
Sanrio Surprises
Gardena
1630 W. Redondo Beach Blvd
(310)532-7657

The White Peacock
1715 259 Street#13
Lomita, CA 90717
(310)532-7657

A Southern California gothic lolita designer, The White Peacock sells dresses, skirts, and accessories. They also sell costume items.

Volks Showrooms

With many locations throughout Japan, these stores primarily sell garage and model kits, model trains, radio control (RC) cars and the supplies and tools to construct them. Tamiya, Italeri, Testors and various other brands are stocked at these showrooms. These showrooms are good places to look for airbrushes, paints, pastels and other tools to customize dolls. They also sell resin figures and Pullip dolls in addition to a small section dedicated to Super Dollfie. The Volks Osaka showroom is particularly impressive with six floors dedicated to model kits.

Tenshi No Sato

This is the Super Dollfie main headquarters in Kyoto, Japan. Located on a sprawling estate with beautiful Japanese gardens and preserved historical buildings, there is a Beauty Salon, museum, cafe, and store. It is less of a store and more of a gathering place for fans. On occasion, events and classes are held here.

Posing my dolls in the garden at Tenshi No Sato

To visit, one must make a reservation through the Tenshi No Sato Reservation Page. Just select on the calendar day that you would like to visit. You will receive a confirmatory email with a reservation number, the date of your visit, serial number, and the number of guests that will be visiting. Print out this email and present it to the staff along with an ID on the day of your visit. You will then be given a ticket and allowed admission to Tenshi No Sato

My admission ticket for my February 8, 2009 visit

At Tenshi No Sato, you can meet other Super Dollfie owners in the lobby, shop in the store, enjoy sweets in the cafe, walk through the traditional gardens, tour the museumand visit the Beauty Salon. Some services at the Beauty Salon are complementary, while others are available for a small fee.

Mai (Toppi) and Amelie's (Bianka) certificate from the Beauty Salon. SD doctor Nina drew plum blossoms as they were in season.

An extensive Full Choice System is available for order here. However, they do not ship outside of Japan so a third party agent with a Japanese address will be required if you want to order a doll to be shipped outside of Japan. I am looking into such third party agents and will post that info here as soon as I can find out the information.

The Omukae, or welcoming ceremony, is also performed here. Arrangements must be made prior to a visit for anyone interested in participate in the ceremony. I sent an email to imos@volks.co.jp inquiring that I was interested. Ms. Hosoda, manager of Tenshi No Sato sought the assistance of an English speaking colleage to help with the translation and on the day of my visit, an English speaking staff member was able to assist me. Unfortunately, they do not ship Omukae Ceremony Commemorative Card outside of Japan, but I had a friend recieve it for me and ship it to my home.

For more information or to make a reservation please visit the Tenshi No Sato Webpage

Dolls Party (aka Dolpa)

Dolpa, or Dolls Party, are events where new limited edition dolls, clothing, and wigs are introduced. Classes are also offered. Doll vendors will sell their merchandise. Dolpas have also been held in Korea and the United States. Dolls Party in New is usually held in the summer (either July or August) at the famous Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT).

In Japan, Dolpas typically are held in March, May, August, and December.

As Volks is putting on the event, attendees are asked to only bring Volks dolls to the event.

Owner's Appreciation Events

These are more formal events than the Japanese Dolpas. Since they are often smaller than a Dolpa, lotteries are usually held for those wishing to attend. There is usually a formal meal with a party. Dolls are usually offered at these events for purchase.

Dolls at the Late Lunch Banquet at the Owners Appreciation Event at Tokyo Disneyland, February 2009

Dolls waiting to attend the afterparty at the Owner's Appreciation Event at Tokyo Disneyland, February 2009

Omukae-The Welcoming Ceremony

Omukae is the welcoming ceremony where owner's officially welcome their dolls. Brand new and dolls that have been in owners possession for a while can be welcomed. Tenshi No Sato and most Tenshi No Sumika's offer the ceremony. Arrangements (usually by email) must be made in advance. Unfiortunately, Tenshi No Sumika in Los Angeles does not perform the Omukae due to space issues. However, Omukae has been performed at formal Volks events in the United States which is usually decided by lottery.

If one wants to do it at a Tenshi No Sumika or Tenshi No Sato in Japan, send an email to imos@volks.co.jp. Currently, the ceremony is only offered in Japanese. At the Tenshi No Sumikas the doll owner has the option to choose the music to be played during the ceremony. At Tenshi No Sato, there is no option to select the music. The final song played during the ceremony is Peabo Bryson with Roberta Flack's "Tonight I Celebrate My Love," which was selected for its soothing melody and not for its lyrics. I imagine amongst the English speaking Volks employees this song selection must be the cause of a knowing smile and chuckle.

In response to my initial inquiry, I received a detailed email from the manager of Tenshi No Sato asking if I spoke Japanese, confirming which dolls I would be welcoming, and the time I would be doing the ceremony on the day of my visit. Omukae can be performed for a doll that you are welcoming at Tenshi No Sato that day or for any of the Volks doll you currently own. I was given the option to welcome two dolls that day-my Toppi and Bianka.

On the day of my visit and Omukae, I was given a rundown of the ceremony, told where I was to sit at the beginning of the ceremony, when I was to stand up and where I was to wait as I welcomed my dolls. It wasn't until I placed my dolls in front of mother SD and a sheer cloth was laid over them that I began to feel a bit nervous. I was warned to use caution when standing up from the chair as the wheels on the legs have led to less than graceful accidents.

[Video Coming Soon]

After the ceremony, I was allowed to take pictures of my dolls in front of Mother SD and given a card with the Japanese text of the ceremony.

Certificate from my Omukae Ceremony

Lotteries

Probably the most asked question in regard to Volks-What are the lotteries?
Lotteries allow people to enter their name for a chance to purchase a limited edition doll. Volks USA and Volks International site both use the lottery system.

However, Volks USA lotteries are only for residents of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. To request a doll via lottery, the purchaser must supply a credit card number. Volks may put a hold on the card for the cost of the doll. If one looses the lottery, Volks will release the hold and the card will not be charged. It usually takes a couple of months for the dolls to arrive as some may need to be produced, the dolls need to be shipped, and must pass through customs. Customers can opt to have their dolls shipped directly to them or pick them up at the store in Los Angeles if they live nearby.

Lotteries via the international website are open to everyone except residents of Japan. Japanese residents are instructed to go thru the Japanese page. A credit card number does not need to be supplied. The entrant will recieve a confirmation number. If the entrant wins the lottery, then he or she will be sent an email with instructions on how to complete the purchase.

One Off Dolls

Volks will produce one of a kind dolls with a face up created by a Volks artist and often bears the signature of that artist inside the head. These are available for purchase through a lottery at various events, Tenshi No Sato, and at most of the Tenshi No Sumikas. The Los Angeles Tenshi No Sumika has only offered one offs once through its online Dolpa in Fall 2008. Winners were notified by email and were announced online, via a nickname they supplied when they entered the lottery.