Tokyo Anime Tour: Figures, Pokémon & More

This tour will give guests the opportunity to experience Tokyo's anime hubs - Nakano Broadway, Ikebukuro, and Akihabara. Along the way you will also have to chance to hunt for Pokémon themed manhole covers, shop at a Pokémon Center, and more! It's perfect for people who are looking for places to buy anything Pokémon or anime related, as well has collectible trading cards.

Highlights

• Explore three of Japan's "otaku" culture hubs - Nakano Broadway, Ikebukuro, and Akihabara
• Learn about the history of Japanese animation
• See the two Pokémon manhole covers located in the center of Tokyo
• Shop at one of Tokyo's Pokémon centers and see their unique Pokémon statue

Description

The tour will begin at 9:15 A.M. just outside of Shinjuku Station's south exit. From there, you will hop on the train and head to the animation history museum. Here you will learn about the history of animation, how it's made, check out the museum exhibits, and maybe even try your hand at voice acting! You'll get to learn more about influential manga and anime throughout history such as Osamu Tezuka’s Mighty Atom, known as Astro Boy in English. It also features a cozy library with animation books and videos, as well as a small theater for screenings.

After the museum, we're off to our first "otaku" hotspot - Nakano Broadway. You will then hop back onto the train for a short ride down to Nakano Station. Nakano Broadway is a 4-story shopping mall that houses everything from manga and anime shops to a grocery store that is used by locals. Nakano Broadway started to struggle due to the development of other shopping areas being built up such as Shinjuku and elsewhere throughout Tokyo. The turning point was when popular "Mandarake" opened in 1980. Mandarake is a specialty secondhand store. Its success drew other anime, manga, and pop culture shops into the building. Over time, Broadway transformed into a mecca for collectors of anime, manga, figures, idol goods, video games, and rare merchandise.

We will be taking our lunch break here so keep an eye out for some restaurants as we walk through the town. After we wrap up lunch, we will head to Ikebukuro!

Our next stop on this tour is Ikebukuro in Toshima ward. On this tour you will be able to see and/or shop in "animate", a popular store that sells goods of various anime, and Sunshine City. This is only a small slice of what Ikebukuro has to offer though. Ikebukuro Station is the third busiest train station in Japan, and the whole world, with some estimates of roughly ~2.5 million daily passengers. In recent years, a lot of the "otaku" culture has shifted from Akihabara to Ikebukuro. It now boasts many trading card game stores, anime and manga stores, and many pop-up events and exhibits. Ikebukuro is also home to Tokyo's "Chinatown" due to its large ethnic Chinese population.

Ikebukuro is the beginning of our Pokémon stretch as we now turn our sights towards treasure hunting! It's now time to go on a "man" hunt for some manhole covers! Enjoy a nice stroll through one of Tokyo's famous parks as we stop by to take pictures of the two Pokémon manhole covers located within the 23-wards of Tokyo. The covers' themes are based on their locations and are found all over Japan. If you are visiting the Hokuriku area of Japan (Toyama, Ishikawa, and Fukui prefectures), check out our article about the Poké Lids in those areas!

We will finish our tour in Akihabara "Electric Town" in Chiyoda ward. Akihabara was once called home by many craftsmen, tradesmen, and low-ranking samurai back when Tokyo was still called Edo (changed in 1868). One of Tokyo's many fires destroyed the area in the 1800's and gave birth to what we now know as Akihabara. After the fire, the locals constructed a shrine and gave it the name "Chinkasha" and now it is known as "Akiba-jinja". It received its nickname from the deity of fire protection - Akiba Gongen. This led to the area being called Akibagahara and then later Akihabara. Akihabara station was opened in 1890 and was the catalyst for the growth of varied markets over the years. In the 1950's it became the hub for home electronics, such as washing machines, televisions, and radios, giving birth to the nickname "Electric Town". It then became the hub of "otaku" culture with the invention of computers and videogames, as shops started selling these products and attracted a new customer base.

Meetup Points

Outside Shinjuku Station South Gate LADURÉE @ 9:15

You will meet your tour guide outside of Shinjuku Station’s South Gate by the LADURÉE Macaron shop. You will recognize the South Gate entrance as it has many ’Lumine 2’ signs across the station entrance building. You will meet your tour guide outside of the LADURÉE shop directly outside of the station entrance to your left. Please look out for the tour guide with a ’Snow Monkey Resorts’ sign. Once everybody has met, we will enter Shinjuku station together to begin the tour.

Notes

Tour Availability Disclaimer

All listed events, activities, and experiences are subject to availability. Please note that while certain tour options may appear bookable through our platforms, this does not guarantee that every experience can be carried out as scheduled in the tour itinerary. Many activities require direct confirmation with our partner venues, and availability may vary based on the date and other factors. Should any part of your ordered itinerary require adjustment or deviation from the original schedule, or if a specific experience is unavailable, we will contact you promptly to discuss suitable alternatives or amendments.

Included

• Train fare while on the tour
• Local English-speaking guide
• One (1) drink from the Pokémon Pikachu Sweets Cafe

Excluded

• Trains and transport before and after the tour
• Additional food and drink

Other Information

• This tour involves walking in the outdoors. We recommend that you wear shoes and clothes which are easy to walk in. Please check the weather forecast before you head to the meetup point and prepare an umbrella or raincoat if necessary.
• Please note that this tour uses public transport, not a private vehicle. Due to this tour using public transport, timings are subject to some change.
• There will be free time on the lunch break for guests to enjoy the location at their own pace. However, please make sure that you are at the respective meetup points at the time stated by your guide on the day of the tour.
• Due to this being a tour centered around shopping, please keep in mind that you may be walking around with heavy bags throughout this tour. Feel free to use the coin lockers when we arrive at a station so you can store your bags to avoid carrying around large bags while shopping.