2019 saw some huge changes to Tokyo’s most famous neighbourhood, Shibuya, with a lot of new buildings, restaurants, shops, and experiences popping up throughout the year. As all of Tokyo prepares for the 2020 Summer Olympics, the otaku world has certainly not been overlooked. With an influx of otaku expected for the event from around the world, on top of the usual otaku tourists Tokyo always gets, and added to the native otaku that live in the city, well, - it makes sense that Shibuya is catering to this huge market.
The new Shibuya Parco shopping mall has quickly become an otaku Mecca, with an entire floor dedicated to games, anime, and manga. The sixth floor of the mall has taken the name “Cyberspace” and it’s a one-stop-shop for all kinds of otaku goods. Cyberspace is a hub where fans can get everything in one convenient location, including some really exclusive stuff. We checked it out and have all the details for you, because you won’t want to miss it!
Shibuya Parco Info
| Location | Address 15-1 Udagawacho, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-8377 Nearest train line(s) |
|---|---|
| Cost of Admission | N/A |
| Hours of Operation | Time and days Sunday-Saturday 9:00 - 21:00 Official Website |
The Experience
There are a lot of shops on the sixth floor of Shibuya Parco for the discerning otaku. Two of the biggest ones are the Nintendo Store and the Shibuya Pokemon Centre. The Nintendo Store is the first of its kind in Japan with displays for all of Nintendo’s biggest franchises. From Animal Crossing to Mario and everything in between, there’s a lot of merchandise available to peruse. You can even buy a Nintendo Switch! If you aren’t easily embarrassed, you can also play Switch games on a big TV screen against the shop staff. The Shibuya Pokemon Centre is right next door with a life-size, “breathing” Mewtwo right at the entrance. The Pokemon Centre is sleek and black with a lot of Mew and Mewtwo goods along with everything else that the shop has to offer. There’s also a lot of Pokemon and Mario collaboration goods available at both of these stores.
Besides the two big ones, Cyberspace also has a Capcom store with lots of cool goods and a fun Monster Hunter themed photo spot. By appointment only, there’s a Touken Ranbu store staffed by women in traditional Japanese clothing. There’s a Shonen Jump Shop with larger than life statues of Luffy and other beloved characters. And there’s also a few pop-up spaces that have rotating exhibits, shops, and one cafe that always cater to otaku so you never know what you might find!
Finally, taking up about 1/3 of the floor space of Shibuya Parco’s sixth floor, there’s an eSports cafe. This cafe space has lots of large tables complete with outlets and internet access to give gamers a great space to play. With lots of signs for huge online games like Fortnite, it’s easy to see who this space is being catered towards.
Additional info
Shibuya Parco has a lot more in it than just the Cyberspace floor. There are a lot of restaurants to choose from (including two that cater to vegetarians and vegans, a rare find in a shopping mall) and a store that sells fashion inspired by Evangelion called Radio EVA. Shibuya Parco also has a rooftop garden that is free to enter and offers 360-degree views of Shibuya from 9 stories high. The coolest part is that you can take the stairs on the outside of the building which wrap around all four sides and lead to the street level with lots of great views along the way. We recommend going down the stairs rather than up but if you are happy to go up nine flights of stairs don’t let us stop you!
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re living in Tokyo or just visiting, you won’t want to miss stopping by Shibuya Parco. From the outside, it may look like another high-fashion shopping mall with nothing else to offer, but looks can be deceiving. Inside, there is a plethora of merchandise just waiting for you (and your wallet) to come and check it out. Even if you don’t buy anything—though trust us, that’ll be pretty hard—it’s worth visiting just for some cool photo ops and the chance to do one-of-a-kind otaku window shopping. So when you visit Shibuya for everything else it has to offer, be sure to head up the hill and spend some time in Shibuya Parco, too.
Have you visited the new Shibuya Parco yourself yet? What did you think? Do you have any questions about Shibuya Parco or the surrounding area? Would you like to see a similar write-up about another otaku place in Tokyo? Drop us a comment or a question!
Author: Jet Nebula