The largest set of Japanese waffle blocks – Gakken – has 183 parts of 38 varieties. The large lid of the spacious box also serves as a building plate. A successful decision by the Japanese.
Unlike Plus Plus waffle blocks, Gakken blocks have pieces of many different shapes. They have round and curved pieces, long beams and H-like pieces. The empty spaces inside the blocks also can have different sizes and shapes, so you can stack inside different pieces in different positions. All this allows even more building possibilities than the waffle blocks sets with similar pieces. However, some pieces have less connection opgtions, because they don’t have pegs on the sides, or have only one hole.
Gakken brand appeared in Tokyo back in 1946 when it became an important component of Japan’s post-war efforts to rebuild the nation. Back then, it became incredible important to properly raise a new generation that will be able to create a better future.
The founder and educator, Hideto Furuoka, created first Japanese waffle blocks – Gakken. He later told that his inspiration was traditional Japanese wooden houses. There he saw an idea of flat blocks people can took apart and rebuild again when they need to. So he decided to create a toy which repeats this principle. Children can connect these Japanese waffle building blocks, stack them, lay them, plug, or tuck blocks in different orientations, for example, horizontally, vertically, and diagonally.
![Japanese Building Blocks - Gakken Japanese Building Blocks - Gakken](https://buildkitpedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/jpmalish_box.jpg)
Turns out that 183 pieces are not the limit. Gakken official site has a set with 500 pieces of 17 types. 12600 yen. With they sold it overseas ((
This is probably a classroom set for a bunch of kids… 17 types of pieces are reasonable with this number of the pieces. The quantity takes over variety 🙂
It’s a pity Malysh sets are not around anymore – they was great and original toys for the kids pf all ages 🙂 My school-aged children played and still play with it.
Yes, it is a pity. I bought our first waffle blocks because of nostalgia – me and my sister spend the whole summer playing with some waffle blocks, and I already was a schoolgirl back then. And now, looking on my own children playing, I never regret spendin money on Gakken.
Size of the big Gakken set’s lid is 12 x 20 inches. The box with a lid on is 8 inch high. So the box can become a small bench you can use along with, for example, a small IKEA table.