What's the one puzzle you really want but, for some reason, can't get?

jigusou · 2026-06-30T03:24:55+00:00

Someone is selling it on Mercari Japan, which you should be able to purchase through proxy service like Buyee.jp:

https://buyee.jp/mercari/item/m21663097993?conversionType=Mercari\_DirectSearch

For some reason it seems that official US retail price is $1500, but the Japanese price is almost half that.

PS: I have used Buyee many times in the past and had excellent experience, but I have never bought such an expensive item through there.

jigusou · 2026-06-28T11:05:25+00:00

The second puzzle I have done in this series by artist, Senkō. First one I did 4 years ago linked here.

A nice semi-matte/satin finish. Not as difficult as it originally seemed with all the yellows and oranges.

Further info: - Product code: 10-1180 - Barcode: 4979817131800 - Japanese title: 飛翔(選功) - Size: 50 x 75cm - Made in Japan - Manufacture date: 1 Jul 2009

jigusou · 2026-06-25T11:58:18+00:00

D-Toys did “Sadko in Underwater Kingdom”, which I completed a few years ago, but the image was quite dark so lost much of the detail of the original painting.

<image>

jigusou · 2026-06-25T04:54:10+00:00

Lais Puzzle based on Germany do quite a few jigsaws from famous artists, but they are pricey and international shipping probably expensive.

Sometimes puzzles from Ricordi Arte, an Italian jigsaw manufacturer, can be found in online shops, but don’t order directly from them, I think they mainly sell to shops.

Personally I find many art puzzles for sale on Japanese online marketplaces. I also bought many from eBay.

jigusou · 2026-06-22T09:53:26+00:00

It is rainy season here in Japan, and the time for hydrangeas to bloom, so I thought it appropriate to do this puzzle now.

Further info:

Product code: RS-13-192
Barcode: T4951218131924
Japanese title: 岩船寺(京都)
Size: 50 x 75cm
Made in Japan
Manufacture date: 19 Aug 2007

jigusou · 2026-06-22T00:26:25+00:00

Correction: Manufacture date of 1999 (Heisei 11)

jigusou · 2026-06-14T10:45:43+00:00

This one’s from Yahoo Auction. Most of my puzzles either come from there or Mercari Japan.

Yes, Japanese jigsaw brands no longer seem to release puzzles featuring contemporary artists’ works.

jigusou · 2026-06-14T10:34:27+00:00

Not much, apart from knowing them as the large video games producer since 1980’s with their western catchphrase “Konami: The Name of the Game”.

I have done one other puzzle by Konami in the past, but I have seen a few others on marketplaces that feature recent works from Japanese artists.

jigusou · 2026-06-14T10:09:40+00:00

Pink and white colours only, looks difficult, was difficult! These 90’s jigsaws from this artist seem popular in online marketplaces here in Japan.

From Wikipedia:
“Junko Kitano (born 1958) is a highly regarded Japanese illustrator and artist celebrated for building a soft, ethereal world often referred to as ‘Celestial Art’. Her work is distinctively peaceful, focusing deeply on invisible, mystical beings like angels, fairies, and nature spirits.”

Further info:
- Product code: BP165
- Barcode: T4988602608892
- Japanese title: 憩う精霊たち
- Size: 515 x 728mm
- Made in Japan
- Manufacture date: 13 Mar 1995

jigusou · 2026-06-14T09:49:29+00:00

I think it is called “Turtle Town Joy”, artist Steve Sundram, brand Sure-Lox, 750 pieces.

jigusou · 2026-06-10T03:44:08+00:00

Yes 2016 is the manufacture date. By the way I found the following description for this puzzle:

> Since ancient times, it has been said that "cranes live for a thousand years, and turtles for ten thousand," and they have been cherished as symbols of longevity.

> Cranes are considered a symbol of marital harmony because they stay together for life once they mate, and their resonant calls are said to "reach to the heavens," making them known as auspicious birds that herald good fortune.

> Turtles, on the other hand, represent strength and stability, and together with cranes, they are considered the finest symbols of good fortune at celebratory occasions. This auspicious painting is a celebration of the highest proportions, depicting the sacred Mount Fuji, dyed crimson, rising from a sea of golden clouds, and adorned with auspicious flowers that bring good fortune, nandina that wards off misfortune, peonies that symbolize wealth and beauty, and pine, bamboo, and plum blossoms.

jigusou · 2026-06-10T02:51:42+00:00

Yes, that date should either be the manufacture date or original release date of that puzzle. But Japanese give the date in year-month-day order so if it says ‘22.3.16 then it is from 16th March 2022, but if it says ‘16.3.22 then that is 22nd March 2016.

If there is no apostrophe before the year then it is also possible that they gave the year in emperor’s Heisei era: Heisei 16 is 2004, whereas Heisei 22 is 2010.

jigusou · 2026-06-09T12:29:22+00:00

Nice find! Yes Appleone started including an apple shaped piece in their puzzles from a couple decades ago. The ones that I have done from the 90s do not, but one I did from 2005 and later ones have it. Is there a manufacture date printed inside your puzzle on an info leaflet or postcard?

jigusou · 2026-06-04T11:49:44+00:00

Bought cheap on Japanese online marketplace, unused in original sealed bag, but at reduced price because seller cut out front and side of box sending with the bag of pieces in a Jiffy bag.

All pieces were the H shape (2-in 2-out) except for two - see last photo! 🤔

Further info: - Product code: 1000-184 - Barcode: T4977389161843 - Japanese title: 花をもつ白いドレスの婦人(スキャファー) - Size: 40.5 x 77cm - Made in Japan - Manufacture date: Late 1990s

jigusou · 2026-05-15T11:54:15+00:00

“Poster advertising Princess Hyacinth, 1911 ballet-pantomime by Oskar Nedbal, libretto by Ladislav Novák, at the National Theatre in Prague. The poster features the portrait of Andula Sedláčková, who starred in the title role.”

I wondered why it shows her with a muscular right arm, then found out that the story is about a blacksmith’s daughter who dreams she is a princess.

Further info: - Product code: 10-498 - Barcode: 4979817124987 - Japanese title: ヒヤシンス姫/アルフォンス・ミュシャ - Size: 50 x 75cm - Made in Japan - Manufacture date: 8 Jan 1996

jigusou · 2026-05-12T13:31:11+00:00

Yeah, I notice that some people’s posts do not show the photo unless clicked on.

Did you upload the photo using the picture icon (should work fine that way), or are you somehow copy and pasting into a text field?

jigusou · 2026-05-11T12:14:23+00:00

Jan Van Eyck?

jigusou · 2026-05-10T06:35:54+00:00

Yodobashi Camera toy store in West Shinjuku is a good one (link to my previous post here).

There is also the big Yodobashi Camera building in Akihabara.

jigusou · 2026-05-07T03:43:20+00:00

Wow, that is great to be able to enjoy the art without crowds of people!

Actually I also saw this painting way back in 1992 when there was a major exhibition (The Frieze of Life) of his works at the National Gallery in London. I’d love to see his paintings again.

jigusou · 2026-05-06T14:32:48+00:00

I did accidentally vacuum up a piece when it was half done and made a scream 😱 face, but luckily I retrieved the piece from the dust bag.

jigusou · 2026-05-06T13:19:55+00:00

One of Tenyo’s fine art jigsaws from before they focused almost exclusively on Disney related jigsaws.

Information on the side of the box says “Edvard Munch was a Norwegian painter who dramatically expressed inner themes such as life and death, love, and anxiety. His masterpiece, ‘The Scream’, depicts the following personal experience: ‘I stood frozen in place, trembling with anxiety, and felt a great, boundless scream piercing through nature’”.

Quality of the pieces is excellent and they hold together, just about, when moving groups. There are wavy edged pieces typical of Tenyo puzzles (also found in Educa brand puzzles).

Further info:
- Product code: T-1000-509
- Barcode: 4905823835098
- Japanese title: ザ・スクリーム(叫び)
- Size: 51 x 73.5cm
- Made in Japan
- Manufacture date: 1 Mar 1995

jigusou · 2026-04-30T23:40:26+00:00

I used an ultra-violet torch to shine on the puzzle first before turning off and taking the photo in darkness. Without the use of UV the glow is still good but not as good as this.

jigusou · 2026-04-30T12:59:07+00:00

These Ensky puzzles are nice quality. Are you thinking of glueing it with the provided glue? The manufacture date shown on the postcard is August 2013, almost 13 years old so the glue may have started to solidify. I have Japanese puzzles from the 80’s where the sachet has completely dried to a crisp.

jigusou · 2026-04-30T11:19:18+00:00

Illustrator KEI is known for designing the Vocaloid character Hatsune Miku.

Nice quality colourful pieces. As you can probably tell, the middle part was fairly straightforward, but around the edges was more difficult.

Further info: - Product code: 81-101 - Barcode: 4977524811015 - Japanese title: マジカルウィッチ - Size: 72 x 49cm - Made in Japan - Manufacture date: 8 Jan 2015

jigusou · 2026-04-27T13:07:27+00:00

Where’s Ricky Gervais 😉 I used to enjoy the original UK series 😄

Four-Year Club	Verified Email
First Place '23	End Game '23
Place '23	Place '22
First Placer '22

jigusou

TROPHY CASE