Adorable themed cafés are a staple across Tokyo, but the Pokémon Cafe may have outdone itself. From curry with pikachu-shaped rice to exclusive plates and plushies, guests are flocking to the Nihonbashi location. The catch? It’s currently the most difficult place in Japan to get a reservation. Here’s everything you need to know about the Pokémon Cafe and its reservation system to set you up for success in the competitive reservation war.
Gotta Catch All the Goods at the Pokémon Cafe
Pokémon Cafe Tokyo’s menu changes regularly. Currently, special items include a Tatsugiri pressed sushi set and soda floats inspired by the starter Pokémon from Scarlet and Violet. There are also more staple dishes, such as Pikachu and Eevee plates, for the OG fans. If you’re a coffee fan, try the “Choose your Pokémon lattes,” which come with a unique Pokémon design on the coffee. Check out the long list of goods as well. Some are café-exclusive and others are online-exclusive.
The interior of Pokémon Cafe is surprisingly normal — bright with wooden furnishings. Eevee, Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle and Charmander adorn the main table, and adorable plushies are found all over the café.
Located on the fifth floor of Nihonbashi’s posh department store Takashimaya, the Pokémon Cafe is connected to the Pokémon Center Tokyo DX, so you can browse through all the goodies before or after getting nourished.
How to Make a Reservation
Now onto the main topic: how do you make a reservation at the popular Pokémon Cafe? It is completely reservation-based, and you can only make bookings from the official website. Reservations are released every day at 6pm, 31 days before the day of visiting. So if you’re planning to visit on February 15, your best bet is to be online refreshing the reservation page at 6pm sharp on January 15. Once you’re able to choose your date and time, make sure to click “reload” instead of “return to home,” which will boot you back to the home screen.
Tickets tend to go in the first 1-2 minutes, so if you miss your chance, your next best bet is to wait around for a cancellation. Cancellations on weekdays, especially the day before a reservation, tend to pop up, so keep an eye out for those. If you find yourself in Osaka, try making a reservation for the Shinsaibashi branch as well. It’s slightly easier to find an opening there.
Pikachu Sweets: An Alternative to The Pokémon Cafe Tokyo
If you’re straight out of luck with booking the Pokémon Cafe, you can have just as great of an experience at Pikachu Sweets. Located in Ikebukuro’s Sunshine City alongside Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo, the real-life Pokémon Go stop, Pokémon Go Lab, and the Pokémon Card Station, the entire floor is like a paradise for Pokémon fans. Pikachu Sweets has adorable Pikachu waffles (coined “Pokeffle”), and various lattes, sodas and juices, which are all perfectly Instagrammable.
