Tokyo Haze #6

Day 6! Where to? Ikebukuro!

I didn't actually plan to come to Ikebukuro, mostly because I was told that it's a place more suited to females. Roads are wide, places are brightly lit, coffee shops are around every corner and there's of course Otome Road.

However, I happen to love a cozy environment in which the ideal scenario would be a fancy looking coffee house with a peaceful neighbourhood. Hence why I absolutely loved my time here! Don't let animes like Durarara fool you, Ikebukuro is as safe (well, somewhat maybe?) as other places in Tokyo.

They also have wide and comfortable roads suited for walking. I found myself going through a multitude of different alleyways but nothing felt like the kind of shady roads you'd see in other countries. I could walk for hours (I did) and still be satisfied with the environment and condition.

I even managed to find a shrine quite a ways off from the station.

I believe I spent the entire morning getting to the place and exploring. It was only in the early afternoon that I went to Sunshine City!

The mall wasn't as big as they make it out to be but there was certainly a lot of things to see.

Sunshine City contains the largest Pokemon centre in Japan, Namjatown and J-World Tokyo. These three together can make up for a lot of children and foreign visitors. If the girls want out though, Otome Road happens to run adjacent to the mall and the city centre is right opposite both. Certainly a strategic location to say the least.

This city centre also happens to house the arcade in which I won my Dia tumbler! It was the first time playing in an arcade in Japan for me and thankfully, I didn't end up spending too much so the first impression is still positive. I look forward to returning and giving a go for other prizes next time. Here's a tip: bring money specifically set aside for arcades. You're going to want to stay organised for this one.

After the arcade, we (I was joined by snwlprd at Sunshine City) walked around during the cool autumn and enjoyed the atmosphere. Well, I should say 'I' enjoyed it. Unfortunately, snwlprd doesn't quite like Ikebukuro. More accurately, I should probably say maybe not as much as me. I really enjoyed my day. And what a better way to cap it off than by going to Shinobu's favourite eatery!

I couldn't quite remember all the flavours Shinobu enjoys (heck, it was my first time trying the place out in Japan) but it was a great experience! The donuts were light and fluffy and the coffee had free refills! It was bliss!

A little support for the series that got me curious about the city