If you plan on visiting the Philippines anytime soon, you’re in luck! The kawaii culture has seen a local resurgence in recent years, and it’s nice to see that it’s become more socially acceptable to enjoy all things cute no matter your age, from collecting Pop Mart figures to visiting themed cafes. This handy curated guide will help you find the cutest stores when in Metro Manila. I’ve personally shopped at each one, all of which have a range of various kawaii items such as stationery, accessories, and toys.
Blue Magic
The name alone brings a wave of nostalgia to fellow Pinoy millennials; after all, receiving a Blue Magic paper bag during gift exchanges or special occasions always meant something memorable. And even after 40 years, the magic stays the same every time you enter one of their stores–from the colorful interiors to adorable plushies of various sizes. Over time, they’ve included other toys in their lineup to cater to more popular trends, such as slimes and squishies.
I also wanted to say that the staff members at the Festi branch were super sweet. They gifted me a huge inflatable bouncy doggy plush (named Waggington, who is lovingly included in this post) when I introduced myself as a writer for SCK, even though I was already planning to feature them.
Heal your inner child by visiting any of the various Blue Magic branches available within and outside the metro. [Photos taken at Festival Mall]
Papemelroti
Papemelroti is a family-owned business with almost 60 years in the industry, selling various eco-friendly stationery and home decor. You might think that the catchy shop name comes from “paper,” but it’s actually a combination of the names of the five children of founders Benny and Corit Alejandro–Patsy, Peggy, Meldy, Robert, and Tina.
Here, you can find paper products such as cards, planners, and notebooks, as well as clocks, wall art, and even kitchen items. The best thing about shopping at Papemelroti is that you get a lot of bang for your buck, as their items are all fairly priced. At the same time, you get to support local artisans & suppliers while being kind to the environment.
Papemelroti branches can be found across Metro Manila as well as other nearby provinces for your gifting and decorating needs. [Photos taken at Festival Mall]
The Craft Central
Art enthusiasts and hobbyists alike have flocked to The Craft Central since 2016 to satisfy their creative impulses. They’re stocked with supplies for painting, journaling, calligraphy, lettering, and needlework, as well as starter-friendly kits.
TCC is also known for being a popular consignment store, abound with original and fanmade merch by local artists. Plus, you can find multiple racks of various “anik-anik” (knick-knacks in Filipino culture), which make for a nice, small way to treat yourself or show someone you appreciate them.
You can find The Craft Central branches in popular shopping malls across the metro whenever you need to restock your arts & crafts supplies or want to discover your next favorite hobby. [Photos taken at SM Megamall]
Sonata’s
Sonata’s is a sister company of Chingu Dachi, with four similarly-named locations scattered across the metro: Love Letter Lounge (Greenhills, San Juan), After School Club (Taft and Lacson, Manila), and Sonata’s Room (Alabang, Muntinlupa). For clarity, Manila is the country’s capital city located within the region of Metro Manila!
Each branch is uniquely themed with its own kawaii aesthetic. Sonata’s Room can be found within the Collective Base complex, which is itself stocked with cute Pop Mart & anime figures of various sizes. Sonata’s Room is reminiscent of a dreamy teenager’s bedroom from the Y2K era, complete with a sofa, plush toys, and KPop posters tacked onto a bright teal wall. They even have a photobooth called the “photobathroom,” with a design reminiscent of bathroom selfies that were popular in the 2010s. Have a look at Sonata’s IG reel to get a virtual tour of the store, including snippets of the photobooth.
Aside from carrying KPop albums care of Chingu Dachi, Sonata’s also serves as a consignment store where artists can stock their own merch like stickers, prints, pins, and keyrings. For more updates, including future or soon-to-open branches, keep posted on Sonata’s socials via Facebook and Instagram. [Photos taken at Sonata’s Room, Collective Base complex, Festival Mall]
N.Cat
The Korean wave or “hallyu” and the ever-growing number of KPop enthusiasts in the Philippines have helped cement N.Cat as a local go-to where you can find pretty much anything related to Korean pop culture and fashion. They have albums of your favorite boy and girl groups, photocard albums, photobooks, and lightsticks, as well as Korean-inspired hair accessories, plush toys, keychains, and various kinds of jewelry–from formal and elegant to cute and quirky.
Some stores also have a dedicated unboxing corner, where you can record a vlog as you unbox your haul–and, if you purchased an album, reveal the photocard/s you received. (Fingers crossed that you got your bias and/or bias wrecker!)
The N.Cat branch I visited is in Imus, Cavite, which is about 30 minutes away (barring our infamous traffic jams) from the metro, but multiple N.Cat branches are available within Metro Manila and the three main islands of the Philippines, so you can get your KPop fix whenever you need to. [Photos taken at The District, Imus]
Gashapon Bandai Official Shop
Japanese pop culture has also seen a local uptick in recent years, with cosplay conventions as well as screenings of newly-released anime films in local theaters becoming more frequent than ever before. Gacha collecting has also become a much more popular hobby, so much that in 2023, Bandai opened their first gashapon store at Mitsukoshi Mall in BGC, Taguig.
Each store contains rows upon rows of various gacha machines, housing collectibles from popular series like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and The Quintessential Quintuplets, Sanrio, original toy series, and even chibi versions of popular KPop groups.
Try your luck at any of the available Gashapon Bandai locations in the Philippines located within and outside the metro. [Photos taken at Mitsukoshi Mall, BGC, Taguig]
Which shop are you planning to visit first? Let us know in the comments below.
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