Official Launch of Germany's National Nodding Doll Brand 'BREBA' in Japan: 'BREBA JAPAN' Established and Official Store Launched

Surfgauge Instruments (Representative: Kohei Kosaka, Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture) and MA+OI (Representative: Yui Katagiri, Taito City, Tokyo) have officially launched 'BREBA JAPAN', the authorized business unit for BREBA Kleinartikel GmbH (Representative: Klaus Kaufmann, Lengenfeld, Germany, hereinafter 'BREBA'), and are pleased to announce the opening of the official web store.

Since 2022, BREBA had been without an official distributor in the Japanese market. BREBA JAPAN was established to ensure stable domestic distribution and to deliver the charm of BREBA products to a wider audience in Japan.

BREBA JAPAN Official Website: https://brebajapan.official.ec

BREBA JAPAN Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brebajapan

About BREBA

Since its founding in 1948, BREBA has continuously manufactured humorous nodding dolls, known as 'Wackelfiguren', in Lengenfeld, Germany, using traditional craftsmanship.

The company still uses historic molds from the 1950s and 1960s to form plastic outer parts. Skilled artisans meticulously assemble small components, attach parts, and hand-paint each figure with brushes—a fully manual process maintained to this day.

This meticulous craftsmanship results in warm, endearing products beloved by fans worldwide. In Germany, these figures are a cultural staple, recognized and cherished by nearly everyone.

Background of BREBA JAPAN's Establishment

Due to declining retail sales during the pandemic and the rapid rise of the euro, BREBA's previous distributor in Japan ceased operations, making it difficult to obtain BREBA products reliably.

In this context, driven by BREBA's strong desire to continue selling in Japan, a connection through Anne Sievers of Tpylon (Stuttgart, Germany) led to an official proposal in 2023 to Kohei Kosaka (Surfgauge Instruments) to handle distribution in Japan.

We accepted this mission to carry the BREBA brand forward in Japan and took over domestic operations.

Since the start of our partnership, our top priority has consistently been 'spreading BREBA across Japan'.

Despite ongoing euro appreciation, we have refrained from imposing minimum order quantities on retailers and absorbed rising costs wherever possible to maintain accessible pricing for customers.

Thanks to the cooperation of retail partners and, above all, the warm support of BREBA fans, we have successfully restored domestic supply to pre-existing levels.

BREBA JAPAN has established two core missions:

To grow BREBA into a brand that everyone in Japan has encountered at least once

To create an environment where customers can purchase their favorite items in any quantity they desire from over 150 types of nodding dolls

By achieving these goals, we aim to make BREBA as beloved in Japan as it is in its home country, Germany.

To amplify this vision, we have appointed Yui Katagiri of MA+OI as Creative Director and officially launched BREBA JAPAN.

Moving forward, we will lead comprehensive initiatives including brand-wide creative direction, market communication, and planning and development of related products to enhance the value of the BREBA brand.

A 'Close Friend' in Everyday Life

With the launch of BREBA JAPAN, we aim to introduce BREBA’s unique charm to Japanese lifestyles through design and branding. Our guiding concept is: 'My friend who doesn’t have to be useful'.

In today’s efficiency-driven world, simply existing and doing nothing can be a profound value. We envision BREBA as a comforting presence—standing quietly in daily life, offering companionship even deeper than that of a friend.

Without words, yet gently nodding, these figures become soothing companions that quietly resonate with overlooked emotions and moments. We will promote them not only as daily comfort items but also as meaningful gifts to express care for loved ones.

Above all, we deeply value our fans who love BREBA.

We will continue close collaboration with BREBA, ensuring all initiatives are authorized, respecting the brand’s worldview while advancing localization suitable for the Japanese market. Preserving the essence of BREBA while expanding its appeal to more people and passing it on to the next generation is our mission.

Message to Retail Partners

We sincerely thank all retail partners who have consistently delivered BREBA products to customers through local sales activities, and especially for your support during the challenging early days of our operations in Japan.

There will be no changes to our existing business policies following the launch of BREBA JAPAN.

We kindly request your continued support, guidance, and encouragement.

Message from BREBA

Klaus Kaufmann (CEO, BREBA Kleinartikel GmbH)

I am deeply proud of BREBA JAPAN’s future activities.

I am truly delighted to welcome the BREBA JAPAN team as partners and irreplaceable friends. Like me, they deeply love BREBA products, and this shared passion is evident in every aspect of our joint work.

I wish BREBA JAPAN and the new website great success. I am confident that many people in Japan will come to love BREBA figures, discover their charm, and smile because of them.

BREBA JAPAN Team

Kohei Kosaka (Representative)

Since BREBA approached us about handling distribution in Japan, I have become one of the brand’s biggest fans.

BREBA offers over 150 types of nodding dolls. Of course, some models are more popular than others, but each doll bravely nodding its head possesses a unique personality and charm. Even models that seem overlooked have someone who thinks, 'I love this one.' This sense of being 'someone’s special' is the greatest appeal of the BREBA brand.