Ikebukuro is located in Toshima Ward, Tokyo, and is a busy place filled with many people. It is the most prosperous area in Toshima Ward, with many buildings with high real estate value, such as cultural assets and historical buildings, as well as tourist spots, and in front of the station there are many large stores, such as department stores and home appliance stores. Ikebukuro Station, the second busiest train station in the world, is famous for being one of the most flourishing areas in Tokyo. Unlike Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Akihabara, which continue to offer unique culture, Ikebukuro is a place where you can experience Japanese culture in a friendly and easily.
Although Ikebukuro is a busy place with many people visiting every day, it surprisingly has a very short history as a shopping district. Until the Meiji era (1868-1912), the area around Ikebukuro was a calm farming village, so quiet that it is hard to imagine it as a town lined with large stores as it is today. However, the railroad triggered the beginning of the prosperity of Ikebukuro. In 1903, the first railroad line was built in Ikebukuro, and many schools such as Bunkyo University opened. From the Taisho era (1912-1926) to the Showa era (1926-1989), the Tobu Tojo Main Line and the Seibu Ikebukuro Line came into service, and from that time on, Ikebukuro gradually began to prosper and grew into a busy shopping district lined with department stores and other stores. The name “Ikebukuro” is already mentioned in ancient documents from the Warring States period, indicating that the city has been called Ikebukuro since a very old time. The name “Ikebukuro” literally comes from a round pond shaped like a bag. The pond that gave the name to the area used to remain as an empty pond on the grounds of the Ikebukuro Duplex Tower in what is now Nishi-Ikebukuro 1-chome, but it has now been completely reclaimed due to sewerage work. However, in order to preserve for future generations the fact that there was a round pond, from which Ikebukuro got its name, the Toshima City Moto-Ikebukuro Historic Site Park was constructed, and there are many owl statues in the park monuments. It is a small park, not suitable for taking a rest, but at night it is lit up to create a fantastic world, so why not stop by at least once when you visit Ikebukuro?
The Seibu Department Store is directly connected to Ikebukuro Station, making it easy to get to without getting wet in the rain. The Seibu Department Store has about 200 specialty stores covering everything from groceries to household goods to gourmet restaurants, and with “Loft” on the 9th to 11th floors, the Seibu Department Store is a great place to buy variety goods.
It is an eight-minute walk from the east exit of Ikebukuro Station in the direction of Sunshine Street. The B1F to 4F floors are filled with spots perfect for shopping and dining. There is also an observatory, an aquarium, a planetarium, Nanjatown, and other spots of various kinds, so it is also family-friendly.
The Tobu Department Store is directly connected to Ikebukuro Station on the Tobu Tojo Line, making it easily accessible. The B1F and B2F basement shopping malls are numbered and have over 100 stores, so you may have a hard time deciding what to buy. If you want to buy food souvenirs, this is a great place to go.
The main store of Animate Ikebukuro, located 5 minutes walk from the east exit of Ikebukuro station, is a place where many people come to buy comics, manga, anime, character goods, and cosplay costumes. Animate itself has many stores all over Japan, but Ikebukuro is the main store, with nine floors and a large selection of goods. Since Japanese anime has fans around the world, Ikebukuro is an easy place to access, and there are many customers from overseas.
On the 9th floor, there is an event space called Animate Hall, where autograph sessions and exhibitions are frequently held. It is the largest of the Animate stores, so it is very crowded during events. It’s a must-go place for any anime fans.
In Ikebukuro, you can enjoy many fascinating gourmet foods, too many to list here.
Here are some examples of places that are often visited by people from overseas.
Contents
- History of Ikebukuro
- Shopping in Ikebukuro
- [East Exit]SEIBU Department Store, the gateway to Ikebukuro
- [East Exit]Bic Camera Ikebukuro Main Store, one of the best home appliance stores in Ikebukuro
- [East Exit] Sunshine City, the landmark of Ikebukuro
- [West Exit] The Tobu Department Store, with its attractive “the food section on the Basement floor”
- [West Exit] Ikebukuro : variety goods and gourmet foods Echika
- [West Exit] Ikebukuro’s department store, Lumine Ikebukuro
- Animate, a popular place for Japanese anime lovers
- Ikebukuro Gourmet
- Experience Japanese culture in Ikebukuro
History of Ikebukuro
Although Ikebukuro is a busy place with many people visiting every day, it surprisingly has a very short history as a shopping district. Until the Meiji era (1868-1912), the area around Ikebukuro was a calm farming village, so quiet that it is hard to imagine it as a town lined with large stores as it is today. However, the railroad triggered the beginning of the prosperity of Ikebukuro. In 1903, the first railroad line was built in Ikebukuro, and many schools such as Bunkyo University opened. From the Taisho era (1912-1926) to the Showa era (1926-1989), the Tobu Tojo Main Line and the Seibu Ikebukuro Line came into service, and from that time on, Ikebukuro gradually began to prosper and grew into a busy shopping district lined with department stores and other stores. The name “Ikebukuro” is already mentioned in ancient documents from the Warring States period, indicating that the city has been called Ikebukuro since a very old time. The name “Ikebukuro” literally comes from a round pond shaped like a bag. The pond that gave the name to the area used to remain as an empty pond on the grounds of the Ikebukuro Duplex Tower in what is now Nishi-Ikebukuro 1-chome, but it has now been completely reclaimed due to sewerage work. However, in order to preserve for future generations the fact that there was a round pond, from which Ikebukuro got its name, the Toshima City Moto-Ikebukuro Historic Site Park was constructed, and there are many owl statues in the park monuments. It is a small park, not suitable for taking a rest, but at night it is lit up to create a fantastic world, so why not stop by at least once when you visit Ikebukuro?
Shopping in Ikebukuro
There are many recommended shopping areas in Ikebukuro, and many people may be confused by the many shopping spots such as department stores and Sunshine City. Let’s take a look at a few recommended spots, divided into the east and west exits of the station.[East Exit]SEIBU Department Store, the gateway to Ikebukuro
The Seibu Department Store is directly connected to Ikebukuro Station, making it easy to get to without getting wet in the rain. The Seibu Department Store has about 200 specialty stores covering everything from groceries to household goods to gourmet restaurants, and with “Loft” on the 9th to 11th floors, the Seibu Department Store is a great place to buy variety goods.
[East Exit]Bic Camera Ikebukuro Main Store, one of the best home appliance stores in Ikebukuro
It is only a 1-minute walk from the east exit of Ikebukuro Station, making it easy to get to. The store is spread out from the B1F to 8F floor, and you can buy all kinds of the latest home appliances. If you like home appliances, you can spend a whole day here.[East Exit] Sunshine City, the landmark of Ikebukuro
It is an eight-minute walk from the east exit of Ikebukuro Station in the direction of Sunshine Street. The B1F to 4F floors are filled with spots perfect for shopping and dining. There is also an observatory, an aquarium, a planetarium, Nanjatown, and other spots of various kinds, so it is also family-friendly.
[West Exit] The Tobu Department Store, with its attractive “the food section on the Basement floor”
The Tobu Department Store is directly connected to Ikebukuro Station on the Tobu Tojo Line, making it easily accessible. The B1F and B2F basement shopping malls are numbered and have over 100 stores, so you may have a hard time deciding what to buy. If you want to buy food souvenirs, this is a great place to go.
[West Exit] Ikebukuro : variety goods and gourmet foods Echika
Ikebukuro is the name of the shopping street at the west exit of Ikebukuro Station, directly connected to the subway Fukutoshin Line, so you don’t have to worry about getting caught in the rain. It is directly connected to the Fukutoshin subway line, so you don’t have to worry about getting caught in the rain. Shopping and dining spots are gathered in the underground mall, and the area is lively and crowded.[West Exit] Ikebukuro’s department store, Lumine Ikebukuro
It is about a one-minute walk from the west exit of Ikebukuro and is directly connected to the Yurakucho subway line, making it very accessible. It has a wide range of high quality products from gourmet food to fashion and variety goods.Animate, a popular place for Japanese anime lovers
The main store of Animate Ikebukuro, located 5 minutes walk from the east exit of Ikebukuro station, is a place where many people come to buy comics, manga, anime, character goods, and cosplay costumes. Animate itself has many stores all over Japan, but Ikebukuro is the main store, with nine floors and a large selection of goods. Since Japanese anime has fans around the world, Ikebukuro is an easy place to access, and there are many customers from overseas.
On the 9th floor, there is an event space called Animate Hall, where autograph sessions and exhibitions are frequently held. It is the largest of the Animate stores, so it is very crowded during events. It’s a must-go place for any anime fans.
Ikebukuro Gourmet
In Ikebukuro, you can enjoy many fascinating gourmet foods, too many to list here.
Here are some examples of places that are often visited by people from overseas.
