@posit@chitter.xyz well ok let me toss a few things up here

i don't think thrift stores are popular in japan at all (correct me if i'm wrong) japanese people have a tendency to just toss away old things even if they're perfectly functional.

lego is like, super expensive. unless you buy used? but then it's the thrift store thing again

newer meccano sets seem also doomed in the "you can only build this set" kinda way, from what i can find anyway. it's not as generalized as lego