【Tokyo】After visiting Japan over 70 times, I got to know Ikebukuro all over again!

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Ikebukuro Station, as the world's second busiest railway station after Shinjuku Station, has excellent transportation connections and is lined with department stores. There are many youth-oriented fashion stores and anime-related shops. Ikebukuro often appears in films, TV dramas, and anime due to its storytelling quality, making it a popular spot for Japanese youth and independent travelers.

Previously, my impression of Ikebukuro was always stuck in the world of anime and 2D culture. It had been a long time since I last wandered around Ikebukuro, but I never expected that it has now transformed into a trendy, artistic area!

Near the east exit of Ikebukuro, there is an underground passage called "We Road" (ウィーロード). Built in 1925, this passage is nearly 100 years old. It was completely renovated in 2019 by art artist Shiho Ueda. In this 77-meter-long passage, from the ceiling to the walls, it has been painted in soft and elegant macaron colors, and it has now become one of Ikebukuro's new artistic check-in spots.

Adjacent to the west exit of Ikebukuro Station, the open-air theater "GLOBAL RING THEATRE" hosts live music performances and various festivals from time to time. Nearby, "Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre" holds concerts, plays, operas, and dance performances. At "Ikebukuro Engeijō," you can enjoy traditional Japanese performing arts. "ROSA Kaikan" and "Shin-Bungeiza" screen a wide variety of films, including traditional Japanese and international films as well as independent movies. Nowadays, Ikebukuro is filled with a strong artistic atmosphere.

This artistic vibe has now extended into the department stores of Ikebukuro. On the second floor of the Seibu Department Store Ikebukuro Main Store, a new space called "Art Capsule+" has opened in the past two years, which also displays works by young Japanese artists periodically. Not only can you view the exhibition for free, but you can also purchase limited-edition art merchandise related to the exhibition. This department store is directly connected to Ikebukuro Station and is open until 9 PM except on Sundays.

The women's shoe section on the third floor has also been renovated, with a much more modern layout than the last time I visited. It now places more emphasis on "functional" zoning displays, making it easier to find the type of shoes I want.

On the first floor, not only does it gather the most complete selection of luxury brands in the Ikebukuro area, but there are also many cosmetics brands. Basically, all famous Japanese and Western brands can be found here.

It had been such a long time since I last shopped in Ikebukuro that I was surprised to discover a real-life water lily garden hidden on the rooftop garden of the Seibu Ikebukuro Main Store! And there were no people! It was great for photos!

Although summer has passed and the water lilies are not in bloom, this water lily garden at Seibu Ikebukuro Main Store changes different types of flowers all year round. Inspired by Monet's paintings and Monet's Garden in Giverny, even the little wooden boat has been preserved in the landscape.

I also got the same udon noodles as Goro-san from a famous Japanese food drama in the dining area on the same floor! To try Goro-san's udon noodles, we arrived a little after 11 AM, and there was no queue at that time. After 12 PM, people gradually started to gather.

The udon noodles at this shop are Sanuki udon, a specialty of Kagawa Prefecture on the Seto Inland Sea in Japan. The noodles have a very chewy texture and are very popular in the Ikebukuro area.

On the water lily garden floor, there are many restaurants, which are livelier at night than during the day. I recommend that when you go shopping in Ikebukuro, you must visit the Seibu Ikebukuro Main Store to check out this hidden gem of a water lily garden and Goro-san's udon noodles!

I also really enjoy the food section on B1. There is a shop called "卯花墙—味小路" (Ubanakabe - Ajikōji) where you can buy famous regional snacks from all over Japan in one stop.

The snacks here are organized by Japanese region, so whether it's Hokkaido or Kyoto specialties, you can find them all here.

On this food floor, you can also buy a popular Western-style biscuit gift box that is well-loved in Tokyo, perfect for souvenirs.

TAKANO is my favorite fruit cake and dessert shop. Every time I see it, I grab some to take back to the hotel and eat, haha. There are seasonal limited-edition items in different seasons, and so many choices that dessert lovers must not miss it.

If you have free time during your independent trip to Ikebukuro, you can also visit the Sunshine Aquarium near Ikebukuro Station. This is an aquarium I personally really like. Although it is an aquarium in the city center, it has a very rich variety of aquatic animals, allowing you to interact with marine life in an immersive way. Here, you almost forget you are in Tokyo, and the deep-sea sound effects add to the realism of being underwater.

I visited Sunshine Aquarium once in 2018. A big reason for returning this time is the new "Jellyfish Space" area that opened to the public in July 2020. In a 14-meter-long tank, there are about 1,500 jellyfish, allowing you to watch them floating in the water. It's so dreamlike!

The aquarium makes full use of its rooftop location on the building, setting up an outdoor "Sea Paradise." In the outdoor space, you can look up and see sea lions swimming overhead, surrounded by tall buildings. This gives Sunshine Aquarium a unique charm completely different from other aquariums, perfectly embodying the theme of an "oasis in the sky" and painting a wonderful scene.

If you come to Tokyo, if you have the chance, you must revisit Ikebukuro. I believe you will discover a brand new, promising Ikebukuro.