Visit Japan Web Ikebukuro
Visit Japan Web invites you to explore Ikebukuro. It is known for its vibrant atmosphere, boasting numerous fashion retailers along with entertainment complexes. It is home to Ikebukuro Station, a major transportation hub in the city. Tobu and Seibu are two large department stores near it. Moreover, there’s the area’s notable landmark-Sunshine City, an expansive urban theme park featuring an aquarium, observation deck, restaurants, and hotels.
The characters for Ikebukuro literally mean “pond bag”. Near the west exit of Ikebukuro Station, next to an entrance to the Fukutoshin Line, there is a small plaque that explains the area’s history of having multiple lakes, which is the origin of its name. In the center of the city, there is a small statue which is a pond owl statue. This is a play on words, as “owl” is pronounced similarly to “bag”. The owl statue has become a well-known meeting place, similar to the statue of Hachikō outside Shibuya Station.
Sunshine City, established in 1978, is a prominent feature of Ikebukuro, highlighted by the 240-meter-tall Sunshine 60 skyscraper. The complex encompasses a variety of shops, restaurants, an aquarium, planetarium, museum, indoor theme parks, the Sunshine Prince Hotel and office spaces as mentioned. The shopping outlets at Sunshine City operate daily from 10:00 to 20:00, while its restaurants are open from 11:00 to 22:00.
While it may not have the same level of fame as Akihabara, Ikebukuro is also a hub of otaku culture. It focuses on catering to a female clientele through butler cafes, anime, manga and cosplay-related stores. The epicenter of female otaku activity is along Otome Road, just north of Sunshine City. It is famous for its selection of dojinshi, self-published manga or novels, particularly targeting women.
