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Tokyo Shopping Guide: Ikebukuro

ikebukuro- marcelinesmith

Ikebukuro is cut in half by the enormous and confusing railway station – the West Side has hotels, galleries and theatres while the East side has some great shopping. It’s also great for a rainy day as the Sunshine City complex can keep you occupied for the whole day.

ikebukuro- marcelinesmith

Shopping in Ikebukuro

Sunshine City
There are two huge shopping malls here with lots of cute shops selling all things Ghibli, Sanrio, Pokemon, Hannari Tofu and more. See my full post »

Sanrio Gift Gate
The place to go for Hello Kitty everything, plus a smaller selection featuring Gudetama, My Melody and friends. See my full post »

Tokyu Hands
Where to buy all the stationery, craft supplies, kitchenware and crazy souvenirs you need. This is possibly the best branch as it’s also home to the Nekobukuro cat cafe. See my full post »

HAPiNS (Was Passport)
One of my favourite stores ever, with a great selection of cute homewares and pillows. See my full post »

Pokemon Center
Pokemon Masters should head here for trading cards, plush toys, gashapon and some great photo opportunities, plus exclusive downloads. See my full post »

Loft
Pitched as a department store for the younger, cooler crowd, it sells lots of cute fun items including plush, stationery, kitchenware, tech goods and much more. See my full post »

KitKat Chocolatory
Fancy little boutiques dedicated to KitKats and selling exclusive flavours. Website »

kitkat chocolatory- marcelinesmith

Where to Eat

Milky Way
If you like sweet treats, you really need to try a parfait, which is a whole lot of sweet things piled up together. Milky Way has a big range of star- themed desserts, including some that use dry ice to keep things from melting too quickly. Website »

Animate Cafe
Chain of anime shops and cafes that have regular themed tie-ins with popular shows. Website »

Art, Culture & More

Sunshine City
As well as shopping, this 60 floor skyscraper has an observatory on the top floor, plus aquarium, planetarium and Egyptian museum. There’s also a weird food theme park where you can try gyoza and ice cream in a huge range of flavours. See my full post »

Book and Bed Tokyo
Ever dreamt of being locked overnight in a library? This bookstore in Ikebukuro has beds in the bookshelves so you can sleep among the books! Website »

Mocha
Fashionable cat cafe chain where you can turn up to pet cats in stylish surroundings. Website »

Getting Around

Ikebukuro station is a pretty big hub and connects to JR lines, subway and private railways. Sunshine City is signposted within the station for the nearest exit.

Last updated: 15 May 2017

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marceline

Hello! I’m Marceline Smith, the designer and owner of Asking For Trouble. I create illustrated stationery, accessories and gifts using my cute characters inspired by Japanese kawaii. This is my business and personal blog where I write about my creative doings, inspirations, travels, Japan trips and daily life. Read more »


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All text, photos and illustrations are © Marceline Smith 2007-2024 unless credited otherwise. You may repost my images with full credit and link. However, do not reproduce full posts without my permission or use my images or writing for commercial purposes. Thank you!

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All opinions are my own and I am not compensated or sponsored for writing about any products or services featured unless stated in the post. Links to shops and websites may be affiliate links – I receive a small commission from your orders at no cost to you, which helps me fund this site. I do not accept advertising.