Next up from me is another Nagoya attraction: asian ball-jointed dolls. These resin dolls are often known better as Super Dollfie, which is actually the name of the most well-known Japanese brand, from the anime and mecha figure makers Volks. You can find fans of these dolls from all ages and walks of life, including those interested in other Japanese subcultures like anime, games and visual-kei music.

The modern BJD market started up around 1999, and while Volks was the premier maker for a long time, there are now dozens of companies around Asia. BJDs run from under 20cm to over 70cm tall, and one of their most attractive points is that they not only have articulated, fully poseable joints, but that there are literally hundreds of different face moulds, which can either be decorated by the manufacturer, or customised by the buyer, so you can be sure your doll will be unique. Lots of people have their dolls cosplay particular musicians or film and anime characters, from Sephiroth to Naruto.

There are many doll owners in Nagoya, and regular meet-ups between friends and larger groups to exchange clothes, take photos and walk around the city. Nagoya also has its own branch of Volks, makers of the Super Dollfie line, which is worth checking out not only for the BJDs and accessories but also the many other figures Volks makes.

The Nagoya Volks Showroom can be slightly hard to find (I got lost for about an hour when I went there to buy my first doll). It's fairly near Osu, taking about 10 minutes on foot from Kamimaezu station. The Showroom is on the second floor above an optician, and is hard to spot from the street, and is open from 11:00-20:00. If you're interested in taking a look, here are the official directions:
http://www.volks.co.jp/en/volks/sr/nagoya.html

Once inside, you'll be surrounded by stacks of mechs and figures. The Super Dollfie are in an area of their own; there's usually a display of dolls with limited edition costumes or customisations to look at. Then there are several moulds of heads and bodies you can buy right there (for more popular or rare moulds, you'll need to order them in), as well as a large range of wigs, eyes, clothes and other accessories, including furniture such as gothic chairs and sofas.
The staff are very friendly if you show your interest; I went eight months between visits, but they still remembered me and what doll I had bought there. Nagoya also has special events every year where you can buy limited-edition dolls and accessories, and many people meet up with their dolls.

This is the doll I bought from the Nagoya store; he's a fairly common mould, but because each one is fully customisable, from colouring to hair to eyes, no two are the same. I can't deny that it's a fairly pricey hobby, ranging from a couple of hundred dollars for the smaller dolls to thousands for rarer, larger models. Having only intended to get two, I eventually caved in and now have six; but not only is it very satisfying to customise the dolls and create their costumes, I've also met a lot of great people and been to many places in Japan and back home in England that I would probably never have seen.

If you're interested and feel like learning more, check out Den Of Angels, the biggest English-language BJD forum:
http://www.denofangels.com/forums