Ikebukuro: 10 Best Things to Do
Best Things to Do in Ikebukuro from shopping to dining
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Want to enjoy traveling to tourist sites, shopping, and eating in Tokyo? Ikebukuro, located a little north of the center of Tokyo, is a town that can meet all of your expectations while remaining less known than other famous towns like Shibuya and Akihabara.
There are a large number of tourist attractions both on the west and east sides of Ikebukuro Station. Ikebukuro has no shortage of shopping options, including large department stores, electronics stores, and Japanese clothing stores. The bustling town is also famous for being one of the best hotspots of Ramen in Tokyo. Additionally, Ikebukuro boasts lots of unique tourist spots, such as animal cafes and observatories. Here, I’d like to introduce 10 best things to do in Ikebukuro.
Ikebukuro is also one of the best places to stay in Tokyo since there are numerous budget and cool hotels. And it’s also accessible to neighboring popular areas by train, for example, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ueno, and Akihabara.
For a general overview of the Ikebukuro area, don’t miss our All-in-One Guide to Ikebukuro!
Let’s start exploring Ikebukuro!!
*Please note that this article contains affiliate links.
1. Hunt for Electronics Products
Ikebukuro is famous as an electric town in Tokyo as well as Akihabara since there are several large electronics retail stores in the east side of the town. BIC CAMERA and Yamada Denki LABI have a wide range of electronics products from camera and audio devices to computers and kitchen equipment at a discounted rate. You can buy them with Duty-Free deals there, of course.
2. Kotsumate Zoo Experience
There are some unique cafes and bars in Ikebukuro where you can enjoy seeing and playing with animals such as rabbits, hedgehogs and owls. Kotsumate offers an unique and special experience which guests can meet and interact with adorable otters. There are some other small animals like hedgehog and flying squirrels, too. You can watch close, touch and feed little animals.
▶ Book Kotsumate in Ikebukuro, Tokyo!
3. Shopping for Fashion Items
Speaking of shopping for fashion items in Tokyo, you shouldn’t miss Japanese clothing stores in Ikebukuro. Popular fashion stores such as Uniqlo and GU are available, especially on the east side of Ikebukuro. You can enjoy shopping for high-quality and trendy clothes at an affordable price there, so be careful not to end up overspending!
4. Check Out the Best Ramen Restaurants in Ikebukuro
Feasting on delicious Ramen is one of the essential things to do in Ikebukuro. There are over 100 Ramen restaurants in Ikebukuro, and some of them survive and others close their shutters in this fiercely competitive town. Then, where to eat? It’s especially recommended to go to the top-rated restaurant Mutekiya and the popular chain Ichiran.
5. Shopping at Department Stores in Ikebukuro
You will find some gigantic department stores adjoining the station apart from the Japanese fast fashion stores like Uniqlo, which offer a wide range of products for all generations. For luxurious products, Seibu Ikebukuro and Tobu Department Store Ikebukuro are perfect options. At the same time, Parco and Lumine entertain younger people with their cutting-edge items.
6. Visit Sunshine City
Sunshine City provides various attractions, from an aquarium and shopping complex to an observatory. At Sky Circus on the 60th floor of Sunshine City, you can enjoy unique experiences. The observation deck overlooks panoramic views of Tokyo’s modern towns, Mt.Fuji, Tokyo Towe,r and Tokyo Skytree.
▶ Book Sunshine 60 Observatory Tenbou Park Admission in Tokyo
Sunshine City also has Sunshine Aquarium, which is one of the most popular aquariums in Tokyo. There are countless aquatic animals living in the sea, rivers, lakes and shores all over the world. The open-air Outdoor Marine Garden is the highlight of the aquarium. Penguins and seals swim in the clear floating tank, which you can look up from the bottom. That is as if they flew in the air!
▶ Book Sunshine Aquarium Ikebukuro Tickets!
7. Discover Otaku Shops
Many geeks named Otaku come to Ikebukuro for some pop culture shops. For Otaku goods related to Manga, Anime, video games, and so on, how about looking for what you want at Animate, Mandarake, and K-Books. They sell an unbelievably expanded product line-up partly consisting of very rare items. At the popular maid cafe Maidreamin, you are served by waitresses dressed up in maid costumes.
8. Stroll Around Mejiro Garden
Mejiro Garden (目白庭園) is one of the best-hidden gems in the Ikebukuro area. The quiet traditional Japanese garden has a large pond surrounded by rich greenery. You can see different faces of the garden depending on the season you visit. Especially, Autumn is the best season to view red-tinted autumn leaves, and the garden is lit up during the best season (usually around the end of November).
More info: Mejiro Garden : the Hidden Japanese Garden in Tokyo
9. Alice in An Old Castle
Alice in An Old Castle is a fantastical restaurant with the theme of Alice in Wonderland. Gorgeous dishes inspired by the story of Alice in Wonderland are served in the castle of the Queen of Hearts where you feel as if you had strayed into the world of Alice in Wonderland. If you are a big fan of Alice in Wonderland or Disney, don’t miss the chance to visit the restaurant.
Official Website: http://www.alice-restaurant.com/kojo/
10. Staying at Cool Hotels
Ikebukuro is located near other popular towns such as Shibuya, Harajuku, Shinjuku, etc. That’s why it’s a perfect place to stay for traveling around Tokyo. There are numerous nice hotels in Ikebukuro, especially for budget travelers. For example, Sakura Hotel Ikebukuro is one of the most popular budget-friendly hotels in Tokyo.
+1. Side Trip to Kawagoe
You can take a day trip to other attractive destinations besides Tokyo’s popular areas. Kawagoe in Saitama Prefecture is a hot tourist town near Tokyo. The old town has historical buildings, shrines, temples, and regional food. It takes only about half an hour to get to Kawagoe from Ikebukuro by train.
I really recommend visiting Ikebukuro since you can see many tourist attractions like the above and the daily life of Japan there. For more info about Tokyo, check out these top tourist attractions below, too!
Written by
Hi! I’m a writer and editor at Japan Web Magazine. Since 2017, I’ve written over 500 articles covering a wide range of Japan-related topics—must-visit travel spots, local food culture, helpful travel tips, seasonal events, anime, manga, and more. I travel all over Japan, from the snowy landscapes of Hokkaido to the tropical beaches of Okinawa. My hobbies, such as hunting for the best ramen shops and keeping up with the latest anime every season, help me share the magic of Japan with people from all over the world. Whether you're a first-time visitor or a Japan fan planning your dream trip, I want to help you experience the best of what this country has to offer. After traveling to many countries around the world, I still love Japan the most, and I continue to share information while making the most of my perspective as someone who was born and raised here. [Connect with me] ▷You can find more of my writing and follow my latest thoughts on Japan over on Medium. A bit more about me: [Traveler at heart] ▷Most unforgettable trip: Chichijima Island, a remote island that takes over 23 hours to reach by ferry from Tokyo! ▷Favorite neighborhood in Tokyo: Kagurazaka [Foodie life] ▷Obsessed with sushi and ramen ▷Proud foodie moment: Scored a seat at the legendary Sukiyabashi Jiro [Passionate otaku] ▷Favorite anime: March Comes in Like a Lion and Attack on Titan ▷Manga I live by: One Piece and Slam Dunk
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