Ikebukuro is a great place to enjoy for just a few hours. This time I stopped for a bowl of ramen first, and then went looking for anime goods. Here is the ramen part of my little trip.
Ramen at Tonchin (屯ちん)
I went to the Ikebukuro West Exit branch of Tonchin (屯ちん), a ramen shop that serves Tokyo-style tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen. The tonkotsu soup was delicious. It was around 3 p.m., a time when I thought it might be quiet, but every seat was full and some people were waiting outside. I also saw visitors from abroad enjoying their ramen, which made me feel happy.
The shop is open 24 hours a day, which is so helpful when you are traveling and your schedule is not fixed. Most people spend about 1,000 to 2,000 yen per person. (Please check the latest information before you go.)
Tonchin started here in Ikebukuro, and there are two branches in the area: the main branch and the West Exit branch. The West Exit branch is just a short walk from the station. Long ago, there were also branches in Kabukicho and Akasaka, and I used to go there often. So this bowl brought back many warm memories for me.
It is the kind of place where your feet seem to carry you naturally after an evening of drinking. And being open 24 hours is a joy even in the middle of a trip, whatever your schedule may be. This branch is close to the station and easy to find, so it is a comfortable place for visitors, too.
How to order
You buy a meal ticket from the machine at the entrance, then hand it to the staff. The machine has an English button, and it takes cash, cards, transit IC cards and QR payments. If you like, you can ask for small changes at no extra cost, such as firmer or softer noodles, richer or lighter soup, more or less back fat, or more toppings of chopped green onion. Just tell the staff when you give them your ticket.
There are side dishes, too. Gyoza (dumplings) are 230 yen for 3 pieces or 380 yen for 5 pieces. Many people were also ordering fried chicken or a bowl of rice with their ramen.
At the counter
Because this is Tokyo-style tonkotsu, there was no red pickled ginger, but there was spicy pickled mustard greens (karashi takana). On the counter you will also find house-made chili oil, garlic and doubanjiang (a spicy bean paste). Please be careful if you do not like spicy food. A little at a time is a good way to try them.
Then, Animate Ikebukuro Main Store
After the ramen, I walked over to Animate, one of the best-known anime and manga shops in Japan. The main store is about five minutes on foot from the East Exit of Ikebukuro Station, and the building has ten floors, so it is a lovely place to spend an hour or two.
A few floors to know about: the 1st floor has character goods and a café, the 2nd floor has manga, light novels and capsule toys, the 4th floor has apparel and household goods inspired by anime, the 5th floor has trading goods, straps and key chains, and the 6th floor has CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays and games.
The shop is open from about 10:00 to 21:00. Floors and events change from time to time, so please check the official website before you go.
I could happily stay here all day. I had also hoped to visit Sunshine City to see the Pokémon goods and the capsule toy machines, but by the time I had explored Animate from the bottom floor to the top, the hours had slipped away. Sunshine City will be my next visit.
If you would like to visit the Sunshine Aquarium there, you can buy your ticket online on Klook (affiliate link).
For anime music fans
For anime music fans, this album by voice actress and singer Nao Toyama is a gentle listen. CDJapan ships worldwide (affiliate links):
If you enjoy watching anime at home, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Season 4 is also available at CDJapan (affiliate links):
