Last Updated on September 25, 2023 by dashespoke
How lucky am I to visit a bunch of Pokémon Centers in Japan! This trip was a dream come true for any avid trainer or Pokémon enthusiast! Each Pokémon center offered a unique experience and an unforgettable experience
Listed below are the 6 best Pokémon Centers I visited in Japan. These locations include addresses and a few tips on what each center offers!
Pokémon Center Osaka
Location: Daimaru Umeda Store 13F
3-1-1, Umeda, Kita-ku,
Osaka-shi, 530-8202
Look for the South Gate Bldg sign.
Main Street Entrance ^
Take the escalators up and find yourself here:
Pokémon Center in Osaka was everything I imagined…good and bad! For starters, the line was absolutely insane.
Albeit, there are plenty of cashiers ready to get the line rolling.
I was excited to see all of the plushies. There are hundreds! Also worth mentioning are B-Side stickers!
B-side stickers are super durable, and they had most of the Pokemon available.
Everything Pokémon Center had these collector coin machines. We made sure to buy every single one! They make great souvenirs or collector’s items.
I was disappointed in the trading card game (TCG) portion of the store. Understandably, most kids are there for the plushies.
However, they had a great selection of card sleeves! They also sold dice and playmats. It’s always great being able to bring back sleeves from Japan!
They also had a Pokémon card station! The station is usually open from 1000 – 2200 (10a-10p). Here, you can find other players to play against and even learn how to play the game itself!
Pro tip: When you get to the register, they normally don’t ask if you want the latest pack! During this time, Obsidian Flames and Pokémon 151 had just been released.
THEY WILL LIMIT YOU TO 5 PACKS… but, each person is able to get 5 packs so have a friend or family member stand with you to purchase an item!
Keep it in mind, they sell out quickly. If I am not mistaken, I believe they bring out the packs in bunches throughout the day. It is difficult to time when but I think they do it to ensure they have packs most of the day.
Pokémon Center Cafe in Osaka, Japan
There are only a few Pokémon Center Cafe’s in Japan. The Osaka location has one!
If you collect Pikachu Plushies like I do, you’ll find a few exclusive ones here. I don’t encourage reselling, but it is important to note that they are much cheaper in Japan than in the States!
The store also does multiple shows with a Pikachu in costume if you have little ones! The kids loved the show with Pikachu and Quaxly.
Pokémon Center Cafe in Kyoto, Japan
Address
KYOTO Economy Center SUINA-MUROMACHI 2F, 78 Higashi Iru Hakoyahokomachi, Muromachi, Shijo-dori, Shimogyou-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto 600-8009
Much like Osaka’s Pokémon Center, Kyoto was about the same size and featured many of the same items.
Pokémon Center Kyoto does have one thing Pokemon Center Osaka didn’t have… EXCLUSIVE KYOTO PIKACHU PLUSHIES!
Of course, we had to purchase all of them!
What I learned about each Pokémon Center is that it really depends on your luck when purchasing cards. Luckily for us, we were able to purchase Obsidian Flame packs at this location!
Pokémon Center Shibuya
Address
6th Floor, Shibuya PARCO, 15-1, Udagawa-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-8377
Pokémon Center Shibuya is located on the 6th floor of a mall. Here is where you will find the iconic Mewtwo resting in his chamber.
This location was the busiest location of them all. Mostly impart to the the famous Mewtwo and also because of the Pokémon Design lab.
ThePokémon Design lab allows you to create your very own customizable Pokemon T-shirt.
The only issue I had with creating the shirt was the lack of customizable options. There are plenty of designs to choose from, however, placement, sizing, and lack of customizable text was a major drawback.
For texts, you are only permitted to put initials or dates. That’s about it.
This PokémonCenter is extremely busy, so keep in mind your wait time could be a few hours.
It also takes time to print the shirts. We waited about 2 hours. So we left and came back for them.
Pokémon Center Skytree Town
Address
Tokyo SKYTREE TOWN Solamachi East Yard 4F, 1-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida-ku, Tokyo 131-0045
Pokémon Center Skytree Town is in an awesome location!
Head up to the 4th floor, where you’ll find the Pokémon Center location along with a ton of other stores, including the Kirby Cafe!
There are a ton of shops, so be sure to stay and look around at all of the stores.
This is definitely one of the busiest locations. There weren’t any exclusive plushes when I went.
However, they were taking sign-ups for the new Detective Pikachu game coming out. If you wanted to reserve, you’d have to come back on the release date to get it. There was no shipping option!
Pokémon Center Yokohama
Address
8F MARUI City Yokohama, 2-19-12 Takashima, Nishi-ku, Yokohama-shi 220-0011
Head to Pokémon Center Yokohama where the Pokemon World Championships were held!
Unfortunately, I didn’t have much time to explore this center. There wasn’t anything different from this center than the other centers.
If you go to the store around the corner from Pokémon Center Yokohama, there is a store that sells plushies. I’m not sure if they’re used or just older ones, but look at one of the Pikachu plushes I found!
However, Yokohama as a city was one of our favorites. Take your time to explore the city and stop in for a quick Pokémon fix!
Pokémon Center Tokyo DX
The front of the store features Snorlax, Mew, and Pikachu.
Address
Nihombashi Takashimaya S.C. East Building (5F)
2-11-2 Nihombashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo,
103-0027
Pokémon Center Tokyo DX was awesome! The entrance features large artwork on the walls. Pokémon Center Tokyo DX is tucked away in the city, so look for the drawings!
Once again, we were able to secure these awesome PokémonPlushies! These Pikachu plushies were not available anywhere else, so we had to get them.
Also, there is a Pokémon Cafe located here! Just remember to reserve first!
Conclusion
In conclusion, my journey to explore the best six Pokémon Centers has been nothing short of incredible. From the bustling metropolis of Tokyo to the serene beauty of Kyoto, we’ve witnessed the unbreakable bond between the people of Japan and their beloved Pokémon.
Pokémon centers are more than just stores; they are nostalgic pieces of history while serving as cultural icons. Let me know what you loved about your visit or which center you’re most excited to see!