[Report] The long-awaited reopening of the department store at Seibu Ikebukuro Main Store! A wide selection of fresh cakes and freshly baked sweets that stimulate the senses

Seibu Ikebukuro Main Store is currently undergoing major renovations, and the underground food floor "Depachika" will be gradually reopened starting from September 17, 2025!
With the addition of 41 new shops, including 11 shops opening in a department store for the first time, the department store will be one of Japan's largest, with 181 shops.

The sweets and gift floor on the basement level opened on September 17th. Members of the press and special guests were invited to a preview in advance, so we will introduce you to some of the hot new brands and limited edition sweets that are likely to become new Ikebukuro specialties.

*All prices include tax.
*The contents of this article are current as of the time of the interview and may differ from the latest information.

A full lineup of fresh cakes made with seasonal fruits and carefully selected ingredients is now available

The renovated depachika spans approximately 3,000 square meters across two basement floors. Before the renovation, the floor was long stretching from north to south, but by dividing the sweets and deli (prepared foods) sections into two levels, the structure has been made easier for customers to shop around .

The newly renovated sweets and gift floor has two main features . The first is the overwhelming selection of "fresh cakes." Fresh cakes were in particularly high demand among the sweets that accounted for about one-third of sales at the department store before the renovation. By expanding the selection of fresh cakes, the store hopes to appeal to younger customers who may be staying away from the store due to the shift towards luxury items. The renovation has opened 25 shops, including 10 new ones.

Among the many eye-catching new brands on offer, including Fruit Peaks , a fruit tart specialty store run by a greengrocer that will delight you with its jewel-like sparkle, and Belgian chocolate shop Benoit Niant (opening in a department store for the first time) , which offers chocolate cakes that make the most of the unique characteristics of cocoa beans from each region and is extremely popular at Valentine's Day events, one that is particularly noteworthy is Chez Shibata .

Chez Shibata is a global chain that offers sweets born from Chef Shibata's unique sensibility, based on the traditions and techniques of French pastry. This popular store, based in the Tokai area, has finally opened its first permanent store in the Kanto region . In addition to the brand's signature fresh cakes, the store offers a wide range of products, including the specialty baked goods "Visitantine" and tinned cookies that make great gifts.

The "Grand Cru Vanille" (2,951 yen) is a vanilla cheesecake that will be sold exclusively at the Seibu Ikebukuro Main Store, with only 20 units sold each day. Since last year, Shibata has been developing products that focus on natural vanilla, with the desire to "allow people to enjoy the taste and sweetness of real vanilla," and "Grand Cru Vanille" is the latest in this series.

The cake is made with a generous amount of natural vanilla planifolia from Madagascar, known for its rich aroma, and the chef boasts that "it's not possible to make a cake that uses this much vanilla (a luxury item)." The vanilla is blended with the whole vanilla bean in a blender to make homemade vanilla powder, which is then combined with rich French cream cheese and baked to ensure a rare texture.

Stimulate your five senses! Freshly baked sweets made in the attached kitchen

Another major feature of the sweets and gift floor is that 13 shops have in-floor kitchens, allowing them to offer freshly baked and freshly prepared products. The appeal of the products is further enhanced by elements that appeal to the five senses, such as the sounds of cooking, the aromas, and the sight of artisans making the products .

Scone fans should definitely check out The Royal Bake , a new brand that offers authentic British sweets.

The Royal Bake is a brand overseen by Ross Sneddon, who was a chef at the prestigious London hotel Claridge's, beloved by royal families from around the world, and is now the executive pastry chef at The Balmoral, an iconic five-star hotel in Scotland, and this will be the brand's first store .

The scones, shortbreads, carrot cakes, and other treats are carefully baked in the oven every day, and are a modern take on the traditional British sweets that the chef has enjoyed since childhood.The shop also sells baked goods and jams imported directly from the UK.

The scones are made with carefully selected ingredients, including French wheat and grass-fed butter. Compared to convection ovens, which use hot air to heat the scones, the deck ovens installed in the sales area prevent moisture from evaporating, resulting in a moist texture.

Flavors other than plain change monthly (subject to change depending on the day's stock). At the time of our visit, Earl Grey Apricot, Blueberry Lemon, and Chocolate Chip Hazelnut were available. The Seibu Ikebukuro Main Store is also offering a "Royal Scone Set" (1,251 yen), which includes three scones of your choice and Rhoda's clotted cream.

Next to The Royal Bake you'll find De Classe , a new coffee bean specialty store that focuses on quality, and Fortnum & Mason, which offers a selection of the finest British teas, making teatime shopping a breeze.

Adachi Otoemon , which sells a fusion of Japanese and Western sweets using chestnuts, has reopened with a new product , "Chestnut Financier Kurihoju" (486 yen per slice/10,800 yen per unit, reservation only), baked in the kitchen on the sales floor and available only at Seibu Ikebukuro Main Store.

As the comment states, "Normally, chestnuts are placed inside a cake, but this one holds the chestnuts together with the cake," and as such, it is a must-try for chestnut lovers, as it is packed with three types of chestnuts – peeled chestnuts, chestnuts with their skins on, and European chestnuts – so tightly that they almost seem to be spilling out.

Kyoto sweets shop "Kyoto Mitarashi Umezono," which has gained popularity for its square mitarashi dango (rice dumplings) coated in a sweet and spicy sauce made using the same method since the shop first opened, is opening its first store in the Kanto area. You can even see the kitchen from the hallway.

They offer Japanese sweets made with ingredients delivered directly from Kyoto, including their famous "Mitarashi Dango" (5 pieces for 594 yen / 10 pieces for 1,188 yen). The "Uji Matcha Mitarashi Dango" (5 pieces for 670 yen / 10 pieces for 1,340 yen), which is only available at Seibu Ikebukuro Main Store, is a product made with a special matcha sauce made with plenty of fragrant Uji matcha from Kyoto, and comes with kinako (roasted soybean flour) to enhance the aroma and flavor.

Have fun searching for the "cookie tin"!

Demand is high for both gifts and personal use, and don't miss the "cookie tins" (cookies in tins) that come in designs with a focus on detail from a variety of brands.

The first store to debut was CC's Cookie , a Japanese chocolate chip cookie brand with an old American taste theme. They offer over 20 varieties of classic chocolate chip cookies, each with a distinct flavor, shape, and texture, allowing customers to enjoy a wide variety of combinations.

One eye-catching item is the "CC's Dream" series of 15 colorful mini tins. The adorable, dreamy scene of the brand's iconic twin children playing with cookies is sure to make you feel happy while you choose.

"Unohanagaki Ajikoji," a select shop that has been popular since before the renovation and offers a selection of famous sweets and specialties from all over Japan, has also been upgraded with the addition of new popular limited edition items. The "Single Corner," where you can purchase just one of the famous sweets that are usually sold in boxes, will continue to be available, and the store aims to create a sales floor that people will want to visit every day by rotating pop-ups such as the "Daily Corner" and "Trend Corner."

At the time of the interview, the trend corner was selling around 20 types of treat cookies in tins. Cookie tins from "Atelier Ukai" and "Masahiko Ozumi Paris" were lined up. You can expect to make some unexpected discoveries, so don't forget to check out "Ukagaki Ajikoji" when you visit Seibu Ikebukuro Main Store. (Some products may be sold out once they are gone.)

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The new brands and sweets exclusive to Seibu Ikebukuro Main Store that we have introduced so far are just a small part of the whole. Details are available on the official website, and it is expected to be very crowded immediately after the opening, so we recommend doing some research before visiting.

Furthermore, the depachika will open a deli (prepared foods) floor on the second basement floor and boulangeries on the first basement floor on Thursday, September 25th. The BENTO station will open on the first basement floor from October onwards, and fresh produce and liquor sections and other departments are scheduled to open in the north zone of the second basement floor from January 2026 onwards.

Overview of the Seibu Ikebukuro Main Store Department Store Renewal

■ Basement 1: Sweets & Gifts / BENTO Station, etc. = Total of 104 shops (26 new shops, 9 new to the department store)
■ Basement 2nd floor: Deli (prepared foods) = 62 shops in total (15 new shops, 2 new to a department store)
Fresh produce, alcohol, etc. = 15 shops planned
■Area: 3,000㎡
■Official page: https://www.sogo-seibu.jp/ikebukuro/depachika/

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