Thinking of doing an anime-inspired Tokyo holiday? Here’s how we planned ours for both adults and kids

For anime and manga fans, Japan is the mecca that they must go on a pilgrimage to, at least once in their lifetime.

Manga are book-length comic books while anime refers to both shows and movies. Both use similar illustration style that are distinctively Japanese, such as exaggerated features like huge eyes, expressive faces and eye-catching outfits and accessories. 

With so many budget airlines offering great deals and the weak Japanese yen in Singapore’s favour, travelling to Japan has become easier and cheaper. Time to plan an anime-themed trip to Tokyo! 

WHERE TO STAY

We are big fans of the Dormy Hotels & Resorts chain and enjoyed our previous stays in Dormy Inn Akihabara and Onyado Nono Kanazawa so much, that we booked eight nights at Dormy Inn Ikebukuro in March 2025. All their properties offer a hot spring (though some are just hot baths and not natural spring water) and, to the delight of my teenage son, a well-stocked manga library.

You can read at the library or borrow the comics to read in your hotel room. This is a godsend for parents who want to keep their kids busy. If your kids can trusted to be alone in the manga library, you can even squeeze in a soak in the hot spring while waiting for the laundry; the laundry room at Dormy Inn Ikebukuro was right next to the library. The Ikebukuro branch offers Kuro-Yu, or ‘blackwater bath’, which helps with fatigue, sore joints and even allergies.

The washing machines are free to use though the dryer costs JPY100 (90 cents) per 20 minutes. Other freebies at all Dormy Inn hotels include ice popsicles, yogurt drinks, coffee and tea, and even ramen for supper. Book at websites like Agoda, Booking.com, or their official website.

WHERE TO HANG OUT AND SHOP

Akihabara naturally tops the list of every anime and manga lover. From tiny hole-in-the-wall shops to entire buildings, you can find all manner of merchandise, from manga to plushies and anime figurines that can be shockingly expensive to non-fans.

The streets are filled with fans known as otaku (a term describing those with deep passion for hobbies such as manga or anime) from all over the world. You can buy new and pre-loved merch such as cosplay costumes, though they tend to come in tiny Japanese sizes.

The biggest anime chain store in Japan is Animate. There are several branches all over Japan but the main store in Ikebukuro is a must-visit. With a whopping 10 storeys to explore, you will find manga and anime merch for different demographics. If you have kids or teens, stick to the floors specialising in Shonen (comics for “young boy”) or Shojo (“young girls”), which are safer reads such as action-packed comics or sweet romance.

Seinen is targeted at adult male readers while Josei targets adult females; both feature mature themes, more complex storylines and sometimes, raunchy content. There’s also Yaoi, commonly known as BL or Boys Love, which focuses on male-male romance, a popular genre among young and mature female readers.

Look out for ad hoc pop-up shops, events and cafe collabs with popular anime characters, movies and games. Make reservations for Animate Cafe, or you will be turned away at the door. Check out the list of upcoming events or buy merch online here. As you leave this anime haven, don’t forget to stop by the Gachapon machines and get a few capsule toys.

WHERE TO EAT

MAID CAFES

Everyone should visit a maid cafe once to experience this uniquely Japanese pop culture. Unlike how waitresses normally serve customers, these kawaii (“cute” in Japanese) girls in maid costumes welcome you “home” and greet you as “Master/Mistress” or even the cringey “Princess”.   

Maid cafes typically offer dishes like omurice, Japanese curry, desserts and colourful drinks. Akihabara and Ikebukuro are packed with touts in cutesy costumes, waving flyers and beckoning you to visit.

We recommend At-Home Cafe which has 13 outlets in Japan. They are the inventor of the legendary “Moe Moe Kyun magic spell” that all other maid cafes now copy, which is supposed to make your meal extra yummy. For added cute points, the maids will make you repeat after them while making embarrassing heart-shaped signs. Just do it; the girls are too adorable to say no to.

Admission fees start from JPY380 for middle school students (elementary school and under enter free) to JPY780 for adults. Drinks start from JPY700, food at JPY1,120 and desserts at JPY880. We paid JPY2,620 for a food set that includes our choice of a Pink Curry, a soft drink, a Polaroid pic with a maid and a photo memory holder. The food and drinks are nothing to shout about but the whole experience is kitschy and very PG-friendly fun that the whole family can enjoy. We also spotted quite a few male and female otakus who came alone to support their favourite waitresses or pay for polaroids. 

BL CAFES

Thinking that BL cafes are the male equivalent of maid cafes, we booked an Ikebukuro Boys BL Gakuen experience via Agoda. Oh no, they are very different.

This long-established cafe has been featured on local TV. Our S$18 entrance fee got us a free drink each and 90 minutes of time at the “academy”, which is the theme of the cafe. The absurdly pretty waiters wore uniforms, introduced themselves as first, second or third graders, and welcomed us as new students to the school. Each of us got a customised matriculation card at the end of our visit.

This is a favourite haunt of fujoshi, which refers to female fans of manga, anime and novels featuring romantic relationships between men. True enough, the other customers were a middle-aged lady and a group of ladies in their 20s, all chatting happily with the waiters. My teenage son stood out like a sore thumb. We ordered the quintessential omurice, where a “student” drew and wrote on with ketchup, and were recommended the most popular items on the menu: The “Pockey game.”

For JPY900, we chose two “students” to act out a little drama. Due to the misspelling, I had no idea that the game involved the Pocky snack, and what it entails. Let’s just say that the stick biscuit was passionately shared between the two boys and I accidentally traumatised my son. Parents, do not make the same mistake. Just stick to the maid cafes.

How to book: Check out At-Home Café’s website and Agoda’s activity on the Ikebukuro Boys BL Gakuen experience.

WHAT EVENT TO VISIT AND SAVE UP FOR

True-blue anime fans will already have this saved in their calendar. The annual Anime Japan is held every March and the 2025 edition attracted over 150,000 visitors, with one out of 10 from overseas. That’s a lot of otakus in one space.

This year’s event was was held at Tokyo Big Sight in Odaiba on Mar 22 and 23. A daily pass cost JPY2,500, which we booked and paid for online. Be prepared for snaking queues to enter the halls, buy merch, buy trucks (some featuring anime-themed dishes) and even to exclusive stage performances, some of which were only open to lottery ticket winners.

All the biggest names in anime, from Demon Slayer and Pokemon to our personal favourite, Fate/Grand Order, had booths at the convention. Many fans were dressed in their cosplay finest but you could tell them apart from the professional artistes by their security entourage. The biggest stars were the celebrated voice actors and actresses behind the hit animes.

Interestingly, we spied many middle-agers among the youths who snapped up merch like they were going out of fashion. It can get pretty overwhelming even for hard-core anime fans. If you are planning to visit Anime Japan 2026, which will take place on Mar 28 and 29, check out the website and plan your day. Start saving up because you will want to buy limited edition merch only available at the event. 

Tip: Odaiba is also popular with Gundam lovers who want to visit the life-sized Unicorn Gundam statue in front of Diver City shopping mall and shop at The Gundam Base. Worth a stopover after your Anime Japan visit.

WHERE TO SOAK UP PURE ANIME VIBE + JAPANESE POP CULTURE

Kadokawa Culture Museum is part of Tokorozawa Sakura Town in Saitama and less than an hour away from Shinjuku or Tokyo stations. The fun began during our 10-minute walk to the museum from Higashi-Tokorozawa Station. Spot the 28 colourful potholes featuring popular anime characters guiding you to the museum and great for photo ops. 

The gorgeous granite-grey building houses several museums, offices, eateries and shops. There are seasonal immersive digital art theatre exhibitions, such as the ongoing Ukiyo-e Re:born. The huge Manga & Light Novel Library houses over 32,000 Japanese novels and 8,000 titles of manga and children’s books, published by Kadokawa, the famous publishing house that built this museum. Manga fans can happily spend an afternoon here but do note that the books are not available for loan.

We were really looking forward to visiting the EJ (Entertainment Japan) Museum on the third level, which adopts innovative exhibition styles to present anime as a part of Japanese culture, not just locally but also globally. Unfortunately, the exhibition hall was undergoing maintenance during our visit.

Basic one-day passes start from JPY200 for elementary school students, JPY600 for the general public and includes entrance to the Manga & Light Novel Library. Top up for entrance fees to the ukiyo-e exhibition and the Bookshelf Theater. Closed on Tuesdays, except on national holidays. Check their official website for the latest exhibitions.

WHERE TO GO FOR KID-FRIENDLY OPTIONS

MOOMINVALLEY PARK

If you have kids and plan to visit Kadokawa Culture Museum in Tokorozawa Sakura Town, we recommend adding a visit to Moominvalley Park in the morning. Both attractions are on the same Seibu Railway line. In fact, check out the Moominvalley Park ticket and travel pass (digital) package on the Seibu Railway website, as the transport pass will allow you to stop by any of the stations along the Seibu line.

Moominvalley Park, a tribute to the popular Finnish comics and anime TV series, has a big fanbase in Japan since the 1960s. We are not Moomin fans but we couldn’t help but feel the magic as we strolled in the park filled with friendly trolls. If you like the Scandinavian aesthetics with pops of quirky print and colours, make sure you stop by the gift shops. We found merch and all types of snacks in gorgeous containers that we can reuse.  

⁠SUNSHINE CITY IN IKEBUKURO

No time to visit Moominvalley or other anime-themed parks? Your next best bet to keep your kids entertained is Ikebukuro’s Sunshine City. You will find Pokemon Center, Pikachu Sweets (by Pokemon Cafe), and other stores like Sanrio, Namjatown and more. Since Singapore now has its own Pokemon Center at Jewel, you can skip that and go on this recommended Japanese Culture Course at Sunshine City instead.

Touted as a “must-see for fans of Japanese comics anime and games”, the 10am to 6pm schedule even includes restaurant recommendations and rest spots for you and the kids to decompress. With merchandise such as Hello Kitty and Ghibli character goods that will appeal to everyone from kids to adults, be ready to burn some serious plastic here.