The 20 Best Anime Places in Tokyo: Real-life Spots, Stores & Cafes

Tokyo is the top paradise in the world for anime fans. From iconic 70s robots and Gundam products to manga and anime, Tokyo has everything you want.

Picture this: buildings housing stores that exclusively sell toys and merchandise all related to anime! Tokyo truly is a haven for anime enthusiasts like nowhere else in the world.

There are numerous anime items, manga, figurines, anime cafés, and restaurants. With such variety, you might feel overwhelmed and find it confusing to decide which one to visit in the anime world.

In this article, we would show you how to choose the best anime places for you and your kids based on your kids' special interests and preferences.

Top 5 Tokyo Anime Districts

When referring to anime in Tokyo, most anime fans may think of Akihabara. Although Akihabara may be the most famous, there are other areas that may be suitable for you based on your interests and travel plans.

1. Akihabara: the World's Largest Anime District

• Features: The largest and most complete anime center in Japan with anime, games, and cosplay.
• Address: Akihabara, Sotokanda, Chiyoda
• Real-life anime locations: Steins; Gate, Love Live!, and No Game No Life

One of Tokyo's most iconic anime districts, Akihabara boasts plenty of anime merchandise stores, maid cafés, cosplay shops, and gaming centers, like Super Potato, Kotobukiya, Mandarake, etc. It's a perfect haven for the otaku community and serves as a primary gathering hub for anime enthusiasts in Japan.

Outlets in Akihabara tend to update their merchandise very quickly in readiness for upcoming anime releases so just plan a time to go there and explore.

Best Anime Places in Akihabara

With the sheer number of stores in Akihabara, it might be tough to decide where to go. We have suggested some cool shops here:

Animate Akihabara: with its seven floors of anime products, features various trendy IPs, figures, and manga, offering a wide range of merchandise.

Mandarake: It is a secondhand shop, famous for its huge selection of figures.

Yodabashi Akiba: It is one of the biggest electronics stores. It is known for its wide selection of electronics, cameras, computers, appliances, and other tech-related products.

Super Potato Akihabara: It is a popular retro video game store. It is known for its vast selection of vintage video games, consoles, and gaming accessories from various eras, including classic Nintendo and Sega. It is best for retro gaming enthusiasts.

Akihabara Radio Kaikan: It is a big building with lots of cool stuff, such as Gundam, K-Books, and AmiAmi figures and doujins.

Tips for Buying Anime Products in Akihabara

1. Compare the prices before buying: The variety of figurines in Akihabara is vast and diverse. Check multiple stores to compare prices before buying. It's often cheaper to just buy the prize figures at the numerous shops that exclusively sell them.
2. Shop at smaller stores for better prices: Compared to the large outlets on the main streets, the smaller stores tucked away in narrow alleyways offer more affordable prices. For cheaper crane games, try the smaller streets instead of the main ones with GiGO branding.
3. Keep an eye on your kids: With so many cool things around, it's easy for your kids to get lost in the excitement. Keep a close eye on them to make sure they stay close while exploring.
4. For those wanting to try out a maid café, maidreamin is recommended as it caters to beginners and foreigners, often employing a large number of English-speaking staff. 

2. Nakano Broadway: a Bargain Hunter's Paradise for Vintage

• Features: a smaller and more intense anime center with more reasonable prices
• Address: Nakano Broadway, Nakano

Compared to Akihabara, Nakano Broadway is not as overwhelming and is much easier to explore and find what you want. We don't recommend that you visit both — just choose one based on your preferences.

As Nakano Broadway has more local travelers, the prices there are more reasonable than in Akihabara.

Another feature of Nakano Broadway is that there is older stuff, such as old toys and anime figurines as well as some rarer items. Therefore, it caters more to fans of older products.

The most recommended retail chain in Nakano Broadway is Mandarake. The shops specialize in niche types, such as magical girls, mecha, and vintage toys. There are over 30 Mandarake stores in Nakano Broadway shopping center and, with a bit of digging, you could find some good deals.

3. Ikebukuro Area: Female-Focused Anime District

• Features: an anime center that caters more for female anime fans
• Address: Minami-Ikebukuro, Toshima

Compared to other anime centers, Ikebukuro offers more items for female anime fans, such as otome games and male seiyuu. Most of the visitors there are females.

It is also one of the busiest anime centers in Japan, being much busier than Akihabara.

Best Anime Districts in Ikebukuro to Explore

Around Ikebukuro Station: There are four major shopping centers and the Seibu department store is the most recommended. The store is well-known for its rich history and variety of anime books and merchandise.

Animate Ikebukuro Flagship Store and ACG culture district: In these areas, you would dive into the world of ACG (anime, comics, and games) and Japanese pop culture. Find below the three best stores to visit there:

The flagship animate store: Make sure not to miss out on this 10-floor anime wonder! There are even performance spaces and cafés inside the store.

Lashinbang: Explore this fantastic store, which offers a treasure trove of female-centric and secondhand products. From badges, pins, Gashapon (capsule toys), and anime figurines to cosplay costume accessories, Lashinbang has it all.

Stellaworth: Delve into female-oriented gaming at stellaworth. There, you could find elusive otome games that are rare to find elsewhere.

Otome Road: Experience the renowned Otome Road, a hub for otome and secondary cultural attractions, featuring the diverse K-Books stores and Sunshine City.

All 18 K-Books venues, concentrating on all popular IPs, are located in Sunshine City, along with theme stores for Pokémon, One Piece, Studio Ghibli, and the less commonly found official Crayon Shin-chan store.

Tips for Exploring Ikebukuro's Anime Center

1. Ikebukuro is not far away from Akihabara so you could consider visiting both for your children's needs. The Yamanote Line covers both areas.
2. Most shops there open their doors from 10–11am.
3. Don't miss Shinjuku, which is close to Ikebukuro. There, you may find "anime fashion" girls and many cool kids' shops.
4. There are many restaurants and bars around the area.

4. Shibuya PARCO: Nintendo and Pokémon

• Address: 15-1 Udagawacho, Shibuya

Cyberspace Shibuya on the sixth floor of the Shibuya PARCO shopping complex hosts an array of otaku-favorite stores, including the Nintendo store, Pokémon Center, JUMP SHOP, and CAPCOM STORE TOKYO. It's a paradise for shoppers seeking video games and anime merchandise.

The real-life anime locations for Jujutsu Kaisen are close by, about 600 meters (1,969 feet) from Cyberspace Shibuya.

5. DiverCity: a Must-Visit for Gundam Fans

• Address: 1-1-10 Aomi, Koto-ku
• Opening hours: 10am–10pm

DiverCity Tokyo Plaza in Japan features an 18-meter-tall (60-foot-tall) Gundam statue. This Unicorn Gundam performs light and transformation shows at scheduled times.

Gundam transformation times: daytime 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm; evening 7pm–9:30pm at half-hour intervals

Additionally, DiverCity Tokyo Plaza is home to Gundam Base Tokyo, a store specializing in Gundam models and merchandise, offering a wide range of models and limited-edition items.

It also serves as a filming location for Digimon, presenting a chance for anime fans to embark on a pilgrimage to sites seen in the show.

Exploring Gundam Base Tokyo

At this shopping center specializing in anime products related to Gundam, Disney, Sanrio, and Doraemon, you could purchase Gundam model kits and figurines, including limited editions.

It also hosts the Sanrio collective store, boasts Doraemon-themed goods, and a shopping center selling a great variety of anime products related to Disney, Sanrio, Doraemon, etc.

The DiverCity area is quite vast and it's recommended to take the "Seagull Line" to tour the entire space and enjoy the coastal views.

The 5 Best Tokyo Anime Stores (plus Exclusive Theme Stores)

In addition to the anime shops concentrated in the above-mentioned districts, there are several famous chain anime stores worth visiting.

1. Animate: the Latest Popular Anime

• Features: the latest trendy anime products
• Most recommended shop: Animate Ikebukuro Flagship Store

Animate offers a wide range of new merchandise and various anime-related items. The stores often feature dedicated anime-themed areas that create a strong anime atmosphere. The shopping experience is highly tailored to anime enthusiasts, with store layouts frequently reflecting anime styles.

Animate has locations in Akihabara, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, and Shibuya. The most recommended is Animate Ikebukuro Flagship Store, one of Tokyo's largest flagship stores with a rich selection.

2. Yodobashi: Anime and Electronics

• Features: both anime and electrical products
• Most recommended shop: Yodobashi Akiba in Akihabara

Yodobashi generally offers Gundam, car models, Disney figurines, LEGO, and Ultraman as well as various electronic products.

Yodobashi is a large retail chain in Tokyo. The most recommended store is Yodobashi Akiba in Akihabara as it is located in the heart of Tokyo's anime and electronics center. The store is large, frequently hosts special events and promotions, and offers a comprehensive shopping and entertainment experience. In Tokyo, you could also find stores in Shinjuku, Kichijoji, and Hachioji.

3. Mandarake: Secondhand Rare Anime

Mandarake attracts customers who have a high interest in collecting and are open to secondhand items, often seeking rare, discontinued goods, or vintage manga.

Mandarake is focused on secondhand anime merchandise and related collectibles, and you could frequently find rare and unique items with a high collectible value.

The Koenji store is fantastic! You could find many great items there! Prices are relatively cheap and the store has many vintage manga items that stores like BOOKOFF don't carry.

4. JUN Planning: High-Quality Figurines

The stores are particularly well-suited for those with a deep interest in anime figurines and models.

It specializes in figurines and models, particularly focusing on popular anime, game, and movie characters. The products typically feature high-quality craftsmanship and intricate designs, with unique and limited edition items often available. This makes JUN Planning an ideal choice for figurine collectors. The staff usually have extensive knowledge about figurines and models, providing valuable advice and assistance. Stores are located in both Akihabara and Shinjuku.

5. BOOKOFF: Anime Products at Reasonable Prices

BOOKOFF attracts a broad range of consumers looking to buy various secondhand books, CDs, and DVDs at affordable prices, including those with limited budgets.

The name itself suggests that books are offered at the most economical rates there. BOOKOFF outlets are spread across various districts in Tokyo, with a particular focus on manga.

The BOOKOFF Akihabara store is especially suited to anime fans as it is located in Tokyo's anime hub and offers a large selection of secondhand anime merchandise.

Exclusive Theme Stores in Tokyo

Besides the large chain stores mentioned above, there are also popular IP-themed specialty stores worth exploring.

• One Piece Shop Tokyo
  Address: Tokyo Tower Foot Town, Shibakoen, Minato, Tokyo
• Doraemon Future Department Store
  Address: DiverCity Tokyo Plaza, 1 Chome-1-10, Aomi, Koto, Tokyo
• Sailor Moon
  Address: 1-11-6 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo
• Digimon (Tokyo Exclusive)
  Address: Shibuya Parco 6F, 15-1 Udagawa-cho, Shibuya, Tokyo

The Top 5 Tokyo Anime Museums / Theme Parks

In Tokyo's various anime museums, you could see figures and manga in your favored anime, and experience anime scenes. Some theme parks even feature anime-themed restaurants or cafés serving food and drinks inspired by anime characters.

How to Choose Where to Go

Of Tokyo's anime museums, the most popular one is the Ghibli Museum, and tickets are often hard to come by. If you're unable to book tickets for the Ghibli Museum, several other art galleries or theme parks could serve as alternative options.

Tokyo's Suginami Animation Museum covers a broad range of anime genres, ensuring you would find something you like there.

Hyogo Prefectural Awaji Island Park includes several themes, such as Naruto and Crayon Shin-chan, offering strong interactive gaming experiences. J-World Tokyo theme park immerses you in the world of Shonen Jump.

For families with younger children, Sanrio Puroland with its adorable style is a great choice. See more details of the best anime museums / theme parks in Tokyo below.

1. The Ghibli Museum: Miyazaki's Fairy-Tale World

• Address: 1 Chome-1-83 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka
• Opening hours: 10am–6pm

The Ghibli Museum offers Ghibli fans the chance to explore the history, film-making techniques, and vivid scenes depicted in the movies. In the museum, you would feel like you are in a Ghibli movie.

The museum has a lot of interesting things to explore: the Ghibli-themed exhibits, a short film showing unreleased Ghibli animations, a rooftop garden, and a gift shop. Even the bathrooms have a keen eye for detail and feel like they belong in a Ghibli movie.

The gift shop offers many exclusive items related to Ghibli. This is also the most crowded place in the museum. If you do not want to go shoulder-to-shoulder with other travelers there, you could choose to visit the Ghibli store in Sunshine City in Ikebukuro.

Travel tips:

1. The museum is very popular so you need to book your tickets a month in advance.
2. You are advised to visit the most crowded parts first — the area showing the film, the rooftop garden, and the gift shop — to make the most of your time.
3. You are not allowed to take photos inside the museum.

2. Toei Animation Museum: a Place Full of Childhood Memories

• Address: 2-10-5 Higashioizumi, Nerima
• Opening hours: Tuesdays to Sundays, 10am–5pm

This museum is dedicated to Toei Animation, one of the long-standing and renowned animation production companies in Japan. In the museum, you would see original artwork, character designs, picture books, and voice-over scripts from popular Toei Animation series and movies. Their notable works include Dragon Ball, Slam Dunk, and Sailor Moon.

Visitors can take photos with comic walls and character standees at designated areas, while photography is not allowed elsewhere. There's also a graffiti wall for children to freely create art.

3. Tokyo's Suginami Animation Museum: a Museum for Learning About Animation Production

• Address: 3-29-5 Kamiogi, Suginami
• Opening hours: Tuesdays to Sundays, 10am–6pm

Suginami Anime Museum is perfect for kids who love anime! There, you could draw your own anime characters, give them unique voices, and even create cool 3D animations on the computer. There are various fun interactive activities that allow you to create wonderful stories just like a master animator! Go there and become the creator of your favorite anime characters!

The museum covers historical and popular works, making it a great alternative if you can't secure tickets to the Ghibli Museum.

4. J-World Tokyo: the Thrilling World of Shonen Jump

• Address: 3rd Floor, Sunshine City World Import Mart Building, 3-1-3 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima
• Opening hours: 10am–10pm (last entry at 9pm)

Experience the exhilarating world of Shonen Jump with the three classic anime themes of Naruto, One Piece, and Dragon Ball.

In the Dragon Ball area, you could experience Goku's training ground, participate in virtual battle training, and test out the power of the Kamehameha Wave. In the One Piece area, you could board a simulated pirate ship, engage in treasure hunts, and join sea battles, transforming into a real pirate! In the Naruto area, there are ninja training grounds and various ninja missions, allowing you to enjoy the fun of being a ninja and see if you could be as impressive as Naruto!

There are also several themed restaurants and snack stands offering a variety of anime-related specialty foods, such as One Piece-themed skewers and Dragon-Ball-themed snacks, making you feel like you're on an adventure in the anime world. All of these areas are located on the same floor, providing a convenient, one-stop experience.

5. Sanrio Puroland: a Relaxed and Cute Style

• Address: 1-31 Ochiai, Tama
• Opening hours: irregular closures on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10am–5pm

Sanrio Puroland's greatest delight lies in enjoying incredibly cute cartoon stage shows and parade floats, making it ideal for younger children or little girls.

Themed around Sanrio's most famous character, Hello Kitty, you would encounter characters like Hello Kitty, My Melody, Pompompurin, and more. Sanrio Puroland is an indoor amusement park in the city where you don't have to worry about the weather.

Tips：

1. Cash is required for boat rides and photo opportunities with characters.
2. The wait times for attractions within the park could be long so consider purchasing a Fast Pass to save at least an hour on each attraction.
3. The journey to this park is quite a distance from central Tokyo, taking about an hour by car. It's recommended to rent a car or have an AH private transfer for a convenient trip.

The 5 Best Tokyo Anime Cafés / Restaurants

If you have free time or a more-relaxed schedule, you could also visit anime-themed restaurants to enjoy some leisure time.

1. Kirby Café: Dining in a World of Kirby

• Address: 1-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida

You could dine with adorable characters from Kirby's world. The café is decorated like the world in Kirby. The walls are adorned with Kirby and his friends.

This popular café requires reservations to be made a month in advance.

2. Pokémon Café: Ideal for Kids

• Address: 5th Floor Nihonbashi Takashimaya S.C. East Building, 2-11-2 Nihonbashi, Chuo

During your meal in the Pokémon Café, you might get to interact with charming Pokémon mascots that are singing, dancing, and greeting guests. Reservations are required through the official website, with seats opening for booking daily at 6pm Tokyo time and available 31 days in advance.

3. Fate-Stone-Gate-Themed Maid Café

• Address: 3-6-2 Sotokanda, Chiyoda

Located in Akihabara, Café Mailish is a must-visit spot for Steins;Gate fans and serves as the inspiration for the May Queen from the anime. The enthusiastic maids provide a unique experience that lets visitors immerse themselves in the world of the main characters.

No reservations are required and the entrance is decorated with various Steins;Gate posters. The café mainly caters to regular customers.

Taking photos with the maids incurs an additional fee. Certain areas are designated for photography but you should avoid capturing other customers in your photos.

4. Totoro Café

• Address: 5-3-1 Daita, Setagaya

Situated in the tranquil suburbs of Setagaya in western Tokyo, this café specializes in Totoro cream puffs. It is the only place in the world licensed to produce Totoro-shaped sweets. Arrive early as the signature Totoro cream puffs are made only once every morning and could sell out quickly!

5. Straw Hat Café

• Address: Ghibli Museum, 1-1-83 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka
• Operating hours: 10am–10pm

This Straw Hat Café not only serves creatively themed One Piece dishes but also houses the world's only One Piece library. Guests could indulge in food while immersing themselves in the pleasure of reading books. Due to potential waiting times for walk-ins, it's advisable to make reservations in advance.

Let Us Help You Plan Your Anime Trip to Japan

Our Japan anime tours (Anime Flavor Tour Series) are enjoyable for individuals of all ages, whether you identify as a devoted Japanese animation and manga enthusiast, a casual admirer, or simply someone keen to explore Japan's unique and quirky side.

We recommend the following tours: 8-Day Essential Japan Family Trip with Disneyland, or you could just tell us your preferences, and we would make it happen. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.