Going out with your favorite stuffed animal, taking pictures, and sharing memories—"Nui-katsu" has now gone beyond a fleeting trend and become established as a culture in itself. Recently, people have moved beyond simply appreciating ready-made products and are increasingly creating their own "one-of-a-kind original stuffed animals," with craft stores displaying related books and special sections becoming more common. However, even if you want to make one yourself, many people hesitate, thinking, "I don't know where to start," or "I'm clumsy to begin with…" For those people, we recommend visiting "YASUMI LAB TOKYO," which opened in Ikebukuro in May 2026. This shop holds daily hands-on workshops where you can create your…
[Report] Get into the cherry blossom viewing spirit early! Sunshine 60 Observatory’s “Tenbo Park Sakura Festival” is being held again this year. There will also be a fantastic light-up at night.
With news reports about cherry blossom forecasts becoming more frequent these days, the Sunshine 60 Observatory Tenbo Park (Ikebukuro, Tokyo) is currently hosting the "Tenbo Park Sakura Festival," an event where visitors can be surrounded by cherry blossoms in full bloom and other spring flowers. The festival runs until May 10th (Sunday). Based on the concept of "365 days of park-like weather," Tenbo Park is a "park in the sky" located 60 stories above ground, 251 meters above sea level. From the 360-degree panoramic view, you can see not only Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo Tower, and the skyscrapers of Shinjuku, but also, on a clear day, Mount Fuji and Mount Tsukuba…
[Report] Komeda’s stand-up coffee shop “Jericho-do” opens in Ikebukuro! Offering relaxation with over 1,000 combinations of “Jericho”
Komeda Co., Ltd., which operates coffee shop chains such as Komeda Coffee both domestically and internationally, launched a new brand called Jericho-do in 2024. The first store in the Kanto region, Jericho-do Sunshine City Alpa, opened on Friday, November 14, 2025. We covered the reception for stakeholders that was held earlier, so we'd like to share with you what the store is like. The stand-up coffee shop "Jericho-do" has arrived in the Kanto region for the first time! It also has a "Comment" corner selling original goods. Jericho-do was established in 2024 as a new business concept that inherits Komeda's core DNA of "the best place to relax" and is…
[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.…
[Experience Report] If the staff talk to you, you’re out! The innovative apparel shop “esc” opens for a limited time at Ikebukuro PARCO
A new type of attraction-style apparel shop called "esc (Escape)" has opened in Ikebukuro PARCO, challenging the idea of allowing customers to shop while avoiding store staff . The event will run from Friday, August 22, 2025 to Sunday, September 7, 2025. Reservations are required. We covered the event on the first day of its opening, so we'll be sharing some details about the attractions and the interior of the store, including some minor spoilers. *The contents of this article are current as of the time of the interview. They may differ from the latest information, so please check the ESC official website for details. ■ Overview of "esc" clothing…
[Report] The former Edogawa Ranpo Residence in Ikebukuro has reopened after renovations. Many valuable items from the former collection, including Ranpo’s handwritten manuscripts and research materials on tricks, are on display.
Edogawa Ranpo (1894-1965), a pioneer of Japanese mystery and horror novels, created many famous characters, including the famous detective Akechi Kogoro and the Phantom Thief Twenty Faces. The former Edogawa Ranpo House , where Ranpo spent the latter half of his life, still exists in Ikebukuro, Toshima Ward, and was renovated and reopened on May 19, 2025. A preview event for the media was recently held, so we would like to share with you what the inside of the mansion looks like. The former Edogawa Ranpo residence, where the ever-moving Ranpo lived until his final days According to his personal records, Edogawa Rampo (real name Hirai Taro) moved 46 times…
Report on the “Kouta Hirano Exhibition.” More than 200 original drawings from “HELLSING” and “Drifters,” plus a spot where you can hear the Major’s speech
Manga artist Hirano Kouta is popular worldwide for his overwhelming art style, strong character portrayals, and addictive, unique dialogue. An exhibition that allows visitors to experience the charm of his work , "Hirano Kouta ★ Great Exhibition," has opened at Sunshine City in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. The exhibition will run from Thursday, March 27, 2025 to Sunday, April 13, 2025. I attended the press preview held prior to the opening, so I'll report on the state of the venue. *Please note that this article contains spoilers for the film. ©KH・SG ©KH.SGS/WG ©KH/SG/DC Set in Britain, "HELLSING" (published in Young King Ours/Shounen Gahosha from 1997 to 2008) depicts the struggles of the…
[Report] The first large-scale exhibition of the movie “Promare”, “THE MAKING OF PROMARE” opens at Ikebukuro PARCO! A special movie that can only be seen here is now available!
The exhibition "THE MAKING OF PROMARE" commemorating the 5th anniversary of the release of the movie "Promare" (2019) has opened at PARCO FACTORY on the 7th floor of Ikebukuro PARCO. The exhibition will run from Friday, February 21, 2025 to Monday, March 10, 2025. I attended the press preview that was held earlier, so I'll report on the situation at the venue. *This article contains images of the venue, so please be careful if you are worried about spoilers. The film "Promare" is an original animation work set 30 years after the unprecedented catastrophe "World Burning" occurred, triggered by the emergence of a race of flame-controlling mutants called "Burnish." Garo,…
[Experience Report] Aiming to become a town where mystery fans gather. “Ikebukuro Mystery Town” holds 1st anniversary event
To commemorate the first anniversary of the "Ikebukuro Mystery Town" project, which develops various mystery attractions in Ikebukuro, an event was held at WACCA Ikebukuro where people could experience collaborative content with popular works such as "The Kindaichi Case Files" and "Rent-A-Girlfriend" for free. Ikebukuro Mystery Town was launched in July 2023 to mark the 100th anniversary of the debut of mystery writer Edogawa Ranpo, whose former home still stands in Ikebukuro. It is a city development project that aims to turn Ikebukuro into a "mystery mecca" by releasing a variety of mystery attractions in various locations in Ikebukuro, in cooperation with various organizations and private companies, including Toshima Ward,…
[Report] Members-only parfait bar “Remake easy Ikebukuro” opens. Enjoy limited edition macaron parfaits in a theater-themed hideaway for adults
Remake easy Ikebukuro , a members-only parfait bar that offers exquisite parfaits and pairing cocktails, opened in May 2024. Since opening its first store in Shibuya in September 2020, "Remake easy" has expanded its stores nationwide, including Nagoya, Sapporo, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, and Osaka (opening June 1st). Although it is a high-end store with a monthly membership fee of around 5,000 yen for a parfait and paired cocktail set, the memberships that are released irregularly sell out in just a few minutes. It is so popular that almost all seats are filled by reservations every day, mainly among women aged 25 to 35. During this interview, we had the chance to…