Ikebukuro, a prominent bustling area of Japan
Ikebukuro matches up with Shinjuku and Shibuya as a major entertainment area and has come alive as a neighborhood centering around a station whose east and west sides are bracketed by giant department stores. It has grown into a huge downtown district with the continuing rise in the number of commercial facilities such as department stores, electronics shops, dining establishments and theaters. JR Ikebukuro Station which is the center of the area is a transfer hub for the 8 lines that link to the residential neighborhoods, and in one day, over 2.7 million people go through the station. Ikebukuro itself has become a megacity with a reported 1 million people coming into the area per day.
Enjoy shopping in Ikebukuro
Since the launch of the Seibu Department Store at the east gate of Ikebukuro Station in 1940, the Tobu Department Store set up stakes during the 1960s at the west gate and later on, famous stores such as Marui, Parco, Lumine and Sunshine City have opened one-by-one to add to the bustling atmosphere. Although there is naturally the fashion shops, Ikebukuro is also famous for its gourmet industry so the area depachika (department store basements) are thriving with foods such as select ingredients, household dishes and sweets. All of the department stores compete against each other so they continue to look for only the best ingredients from all over the country and provide high-quality food.
The area for women who love Japanese sub-culture
These days, Ikebukuro has been popular as a Japanese sub-culture Mecca for manga and anime. What separates it from Akihabara and Nakano Broadway is that it has products that tend more toward women. Near Sunshine City, there is a 200-meter section of street known as Otome Road where stores specializing in manga, anime and fanzines appealing to women are located. As well, inside Sunshine City itself, there is J World Store which has an amusement park by popular manga magazine Shonen Jump where you can experience the world of “Naruto” and “One Piece”. For those cosplayers who like to create their own costumes, the major handicraft store Yuzawaya is recommended. Within the store, there is a cosplay corner where not only costumes but also a lot of the material including wigs is provided.