What kind of place is the Pokémon Center?
It is a place where Pokémon fans gather from all over the world. It is an official Pokémon store that attracts not only children but also adults.
As of April 2023, there are Pokémon Centers in major cities in Japan.
Among them, I will describe two Pokémon Centers in Tokyo!
Pokémon Center Tokyo DX
How to get there
5 minute walk from the nearest Nihonbashi station.
About 10 minutes walk from Tokyo Station as well.
Facility Overview
The Pokémon Center, which sells Pokémon goods, and the Pokémon Café are located here.
The Pokémon Center offers plush toys and other character goods only available here.
Pokémon Cafe
The menu featuring Pikachu and other characters is just adorable. This is definitely a place to visit, especially if you have children who are Pokémon fans.
Online reservations are required. It is quite popular and difficult to make a reservation. If you’re lucky, you might be able to get an appointment on a weekday as you wish. But on weekends, it is especially difficult to get a reservation.
Online reservation starts at 6 p.m. (Japan time) 31 days in advance. If you want to go, wait for the time and make a reservation!
reservation from here: https://www.pokemoncenter-online.com/cafe/en/reservation.php
A same-day slot
Only if a seat is cancelled may it be reserved as a same-day slot. This means that if you don’t actually go on the day of the event, you will not know whether or not a seat has been canceled.
Even if you can’t get a reservation in advance, if you really want to go, you should go anyway.
△ (triangle mark) means there is a little seat.
✕ (cross mark) means no vacancy.
Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo
Book a personalized video from your kid on Cameo.
How to get there
Just a short walk from the nearest station, Higashi Ikebukuro Station.
About a 15-minute walk from Ikebukuro Station.
Facility Overview
It has the most extensive facilities of all Pokémon Centers. A “Pokémon Center” where you can buy Pokémon goods. Pikachu Sweets,” a self-service café. A “Pokémon Card Station” with space to play against each other. In addition, there is the official Pokémon GO space, “Pokémon GO Lab”.
Only “Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo” has all of these.
The entire Pokémon Center is quite spacious. The walls are decorated with Pokémon, large figures of Pokémon are scattered around, and there are plenty of photo spots! Fans can spend all day here.
Pikachu Sweets
Unlike the aforementioned Pokémon Café, reservations are not required for Pikachu Sweets. Visitors can enjoy drinks and sweets in a counter service style. The menu here, too, is full of cute character motifs.
What you need to know before you go
The Pokémon Center is extremely crowded on weekends. On some days, you have to wait in line to get into the store. Especially as of April 2023, after the release of the Scarlett and Violet series, the store is swarming with people wanting to get their hands on new Pokémon merchandise. Even if you can get into the store, you will have to wait in line at the cash register, so please allow plenty of time.
Sometimes the number of items you can buy is limited for popular items. Be careful if you have a purchase requested by a friend or family member.