Anime Tokyo Station, a new facility introducing Japanese anime culture, opened in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, on Tuesday, October 31. As part of the grand opening project, “NARUTO” figures and games are on display, as well as an archive exhibit where visitors can learn about the animation production process.
The facility, opened by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Japan Animation Association, consists of three floors from the first basement to the second floor above ground. The first floor, where the entrance is located, is the “Anime General Information Floor,” where visitors are greeted by a symbolic display featuring characters and famous scenes from a total of 118 works, ranging from nostalgic works to the latest popular anime. Currently, as part of the grand opening celebration, an oversized balloon statue of “Kurama,” a popular character from “Naruto,” is on display for the first time in Japan.
The permanent exhibits include a comprehensive database of Japanese anime, “Anime Daizenshuu,” which allows visitors to search for anime from the past to the present, and capsule toys featuring anime works are also available for purchase. In addition, the floor will be used for various events, workshops, and screenings in the future.
On the second floor, the “Special Exhibition Floor” is scheduled to hold special exhibitions about four times a year. Until January 28, 2024 (Sun.), “Naruto” figures and games will be on display, and a video related to the 20th anniversary of the anime adaptation will be shown. Visitors can also enjoy a “NARUTOP99” exhibition of figures and other items related to “NARUTO” and a corner where they can experience the ninjutsu “Rasenmaru” that appears in the games and the anime.
The first basement floor is an “archive floor specializing in anime,” where approximately 50,000 anime materials owned by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government are stored. Layouts, original drawings, scenarios, plans, scripts, storyboards, celluloid drawings, and other materials are on display to introduce the animation production process. The exhibits are changed from time to time, and visitors can currently view animation materials such as “Astroboy Astro Boy.
Anime Tokyo Station（Anime Tokyo）
◆Location: Fujikyu Building East No. 5, 1-2 floors above ground, 1 floor below ground (2-25-5 Minami Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo)
4-minute walk from Ikebukuro Station
Hours: 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (last admission by 6:45 p.m.)
Closed: Monday *If Monday is a holiday, the museum will be open on Monday and closed the following day.
Please check the official website before visiting the museum.
Admission: Free
