In Love With Japan

Traveling to Japan for the first time and participating in such a renowned coin fair as the T.I.C.C. had me excited long before the trip even began.

From Munich, I flew directly to Tokyo Haneda and then took the subway to the hotel. I had some concerns beforehand, especially about the unfamiliar letters, but these worries turned out to be unfounded. All necessary public information is also displayed in English. Just to be safe, I arrived two days before the convention started – you never know how your body will handle the time difference. Luckily, I had no issues this time and could use the free time to explore Tokyo and Kyoto. I initially assumed that many of the things said about Japan in Central Europe were clichés that wouldn’t hold up in daily life – but they do. People are extremely friendly, public transport is crowded – but no one pushes. The same is true for the narrow market alleys. The streets, as well as the clothing of the people, are impeccably clean, and nobody honks. And the food… fish and seafood, countless types of noodle soups, fried dishes, and of course: rice, rice, rice. But my personal highlights were the skewers with Wagyu or Kobe beef – simply heavenly.

Culturally, Tokyo and Kyoto offer just as much variety as they do culinary delights. In Tokyo, centuries-old temples and shrines stand alongside modern skyscrapers and four-lane expressways. The cityscape changes in Kyoto – viewed from the Kyoto Tower, the building heights are relatively uniform.

Kinkaku-ji – the Golden Pavilion – is idyllically located in a spacious park by a pond. Each floor represents a different architectural style from Chinese or Japanese traditions; the top two floors are adorned with gold leaf. This site was definitely a highlight of my visit to Japan before the T.I.C.C. opened.

Enough sightseeing – time to get to work. The official opening of the 36th edition of the T.I.C.C. was conducted by Yuji Takeuchi, Takayuki Akita, Yusaku Sato, and Andrea Lang.

More than 4,000 visitors attended the coin show at the Royal Park Hotel on the first day. Yet everything ran smoothly and calmly. Even hours before the opening, early attendees were already seated in a side room, patiently waiting to be allowed into the hall.

Our Coinsweekly special issue on bullion coins, translated into Japanese, was met with great interest. More than half of the magazines were distributed on the first day. This would not have been possible without the incredible support of our translator Saiko.

Day two brought a similar scene. Visitors streamed through the aisles, eagerly accepting our publications. In the afternoon, I finally had a few spare minutes, and instead of taking a coffee break, I strolled through the event hall to check out the offerings from international dealers. From ancient coins to modern medals, from Europe to America and Asia, including collector supplies – everything a coin enthusiast could want to take home was there. Some surprises were included as well – for example, I found a 25 Schilling coin at a Japanese booth that had been minted in my hometown, Hall in Tyrol, to commemorate the Olympic Games in Innsbruck in 1976.

By the end of the second day, most of the magazines were gone. That evening, I was invited to dinner by Taisei. The lovely Mr. Oka and his team gave me a warm welcome. With excellent food, drinks, and conversations, it was inevitable that I also took the stage for some karaoke. Thankfully, the rule at this evening event was: “What happens at the Taisei dinner stays at the Taisei dinner.” So there’s only one photo – from the host Masahiro Oka (Taisei) and one of his many business partners, Heimo Steriti (CIT).

The third and final day of the T.I.C.C. 2025 was all about families. As the “Golden Week” began, visitor numbers slightly declined, but many families with children attended the fair. Judging by the many young and enthusiastic visitors with their parents, the future of coin collecting in Japan looks bright.

Two hours before the end of the event, the last issue of the CoinsWeekly special was handed out, and it was time to say goodbye.

A heartfelt “thank you” to the organizers for the most relaxed, best-organized, and safest coin fair I’ve ever attended: the Japan Numismatic Dealers Association, with the support of Taisei Coins.

Sayonara – and I hope to return soon!