Things a 16yo American gamer would enjoy doing in Japan?

September 18, 2024 9:48 AM

Our family has a practice of doing a parent-child international trip with our kids when they turn 16. Next year is my son's turn, and he's chosen to go to Japan. I've never been there and could use some advice.

The kid loves video games and anime. He definitely wants to go to Super Nintendo World while we're there. We've got about a week total, partially in Tokyo, partially in Osaka. I've got some guidebooks and tentative ideas, but I'd love to get some advice about must-see things for us, especially related to his main interests. He will happily see something beautiful/historic with me, but I don't want to miss out on some cool video-game or anime related thing while we're there.

posted by Pater Aletheias to Travel & Transportation (21 answers total)

I don't have a lot of familiarity with this myself, but Akihabara would seem to be the place to go for anime and gaming stuff.
posted by Alensin at 9:58 AM on September 18 [8 favorites]

Akihabara for sure, in addition: can you find out (together?) what studio/developers that he's into? There's quite a bit of Japan-only stuff like Square Enix having their own arcades. But also gacha machines that are themed to whichever IP he's into as well. There's also the massive Gundam statue in Tokyo. My recs here are a bit spare - I went along with friends and what they liked. I will say, these are hobbies that you need to be VERY disciplined in the spending - Japan is ground zero for random hobbyist merch. The only theme park merch I even was compelled to get was from Japan, in part, iirc, due to Sanrio owning the management licence for the Universal Studios one for example, so you'd get random crossover products (my fondest one is Gudetama eaten by Jaws in a Christmas wreath).

Shibuya and Harajuku would be good places if you're in a merch shopping sort of mood. I'm a millennial woman, so I really enjoyed the Sailor Moon pop-up store, lol.

Try and look up street fairs, carnivals or one-off fests as well.
posted by cendawanita at 10:37 AM on September 18 [3 favorites]

I don't know if this is going to be helpful or confusing, but... we took our 15-year-old son to Japan (16 years ago) -- we went to Tokyo and to Kyoto. In Tokyo, but I can't remember the name or location (!) there was a big store with all kinds of weird candies, like the many many kinds of Japanese Kit Kat bars, etc. And other novelty items. Maybe doing a search could lead you in the right direction? There also might be many stores like this.

and yes, Akihabara (forgot spelling)

oh! my partner just reminded me about the Don Quixote stores!!! FANTASTIC! We got stuff like sweatshirts (and underwear!) with the Tokyo train station stops on them, and all kinds of other stuff, cosplay costumes, etc., really fun to walk through! ---- donki.com.
posted by DMelanogaster at 11:58 AM on September 18

Depending on what sort of anime they enjoy, the Studio Ghibli Museum may be worth a stop. Get tickets early...
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 12:05 PM on September 18 [2 favorites]

He also may be interested in the Gundam statue.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 12:08 PM on September 18

What anime is he into?

I bet he could spend a lot of time inside a store like Yodobashi Camera. For any given location they probably have a floor devoted to video games and anime goods.

There's a Tsutaya in Ginza 6 that has a really good collection of manga and anime books as well as things like high-end stationery and swords.

In Kyoto there will be a couple of otaku shops in the Teramachi/Shinkyogoku shopping arcade with merch related to games and anime. You an also go to Round One which in addition to having bowling will also have a large variety of arcade games including the type where you have to do physical activities in them (playing drums, swimming, running away from a dinosaur, etc). Round One is a chain so they'll be in multiple places.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 12:31 PM on September 18

Important note - you have to get tickets to the Studio Ghibli museum before you go. You cannot buy them there - don't make my mistake of showing up and then having to just... go back home.
posted by canine epigram at 1:06 PM on September 18 [1 favorite]

Nakano Broadway is a large mall that specializes in manga, anime, and other collectibles, worth spending the day in. It's more compact than Akihabara and easier to find affordable second-hand items.
posted by Gortuk at 1:16 PM on September 18

100% you need to book time at the Hashi 84 Cafe, which is owned by a former Nintendo employee and is jam backed with tons of vintage Nintendo memorabilia!

Also do some shopping at Character Alley in the Tokyo train station. Their Ramen Alley is close by for lunch!

Nintendo flagship store is in the Parco Shibuya.
posted by brookeb at 1:55 PM on September 18

A gamer kid might like one of the teamlabs installations.
posted by praemunire at 4:45 PM on September 18

Yeah definitely Character Street shopping is worth doing. You could also consider making a pilgrimage to a Pokemon Center if you have a Pokemon fan.

Do not assume you can just show up at Super Nintendo World. When I looked into it last year it was definitely still in "everyone wants to come so get advance tickets or else" mode. It can be really hard to figure out these advance booking things as a foreigner (I'm already studying up for a trip in April trying to figure out how to get into Fantasy Springs, the new land at DisneySea) but usually Reddit is really helpful to learn the ropes for how to reserve Japanese things.

The Ghibli Museum is really special but maybe more so for a younger person or an older person. My kids could very happily have spent a full day just climbing around on the big furry cat bus. I had a guy on Fiverr buy my tickets and mail them to my hotel, where they were waiting for me at check-in.
posted by potrzebie at 5:25 PM on September 18

Find out if any of his favorites have real-world or historical settings that you could go see for themselves and the fiction. Maybe an interesting question in any fan spaces he’s in?
posted by clew at 9:28 PM on September 18

The Nintendo Museum is opening very soon and looks like it would be interesting, I'm planning on going next time I visit Japan. I believe the tickets will be handled similar to the Ghibli museum so you will need to get them ahead of time.
posted by JZig at 12:11 AM on September 19

A gamer kid might like one of the teamlabs installations.
Another vote for this. Again - may be worth booking - and check the different TeamLabs sites for variations: they don't all have the same exhibits.
posted by rongorongo at 3:37 AM on September 19

The next AnimeJapan convention is in March, at Tokyo Big Sight. And in July is the Creators Expo.

Note: I haven't been to either of these conventions, but I loved the DesignFesta expo at Tokyo Big Sight (usually in November), and the creative + fandom atmosphere at these kind of events can be an amazing experience. I suggest doing some online research to see if they'll be suitable.
posted by snarfois at 3:55 AM on September 19 [1 favorite]

Not strictly a game focus but the Panasonic and Sony showrooms, ie floors of the latest technology to see and demonstrate, are absolutely fascinating. Be the first to know! The Sony showroom is centrally located in Ginza.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 6:29 AM on September 19

take them to super potato, a store that sells all manner of vintage video games/soundtracks/ephemera. i know there's one in osaka, but there are multiple.
posted by koroshiya at 11:24 AM on September 19

You mentioned video games; if they're into the Final Fantasy series, Eorzea Cafe is a Final Fantasy XIV themed cafe with a few locations. A couple people from our in-game Free Company (guild) have gone, and said the atmosphere was amazing, and the food was very good! (And if your kid does play FFXIV, hello from Sargatanas server!)

Maybe see if you would enjoy onsen and/or check out a temple or shrine?
posted by xedrik at 2:08 PM on September 19

Maybe the Sagamihara Vending Machine Park if you're in the area?
posted by xedrik at 2:15 PM on September 19

My teenager who is into anime and video games loved shopping in Akihabara and the Teamlab Borderless exhibit. Also the Nintendo and Pokemon stores in Tokyo. Super Nintendo World in Osaka was extremely crowded and we couldn't get tickets for any kind of "fast pass/VIP" type access. We much preferred the Super Nintendo World in Universal Hollywood to the one in Osaka, although maybe if you are able to go after the Donkey Kong Country ride opens in Osaka it might be worth it, since that is not available in California.
posted by Mallenroh at 10:29 PM on September 21

If you have time in Kyoto, the Kyoto International Manga Museum could be worth a visit. It's almost like a library/museum mix, set up inside a former school building. It's rather spacious, with tables/benches/yard area where you can take a load off, or let your kid go on their own. There's daily activities and special exhibits, and plenty of shelves chock full of manga that they can browse at their own pace. Could be nice for a few hours' stop between other touristy things in Kyoto, and it'd be more roomy/leisurely for wandering and browsing than a smaller comic shop or bookstore (even though I like bookstores!).
posted by cluebucket at 8:21 AM on September 27