Japan September 2018 Part 2 - Pokemon Centre DX and Cafe

On our second day in Tokyo, after buying our Fuji Hakone Passes and a new lens for the Olympus, we took Miss Kiki to Pokemon Centre DX. For Pokemon fans, there are many Pokemon Centres and Shops in Japan. The Centres are big stores with more variety of goods compared to the smaller scale stores. The reason I chose the DX location in Nihonbashi is that this location is home to the permanent Pokemon Cafe that opened just earlier in March this year. This cafe is the first permanent Pokemon Cafe in the world.

We took the metro from Shinjuku to Nihonbashi Station. The location on Google maps wasn't very clear, so it took a bit of walking around for us to find it. Please note that Takashimaya in Nihonbashi has more than one building, so don't try to access it from the basement from the station. Instead, come out on the street level and it will be easier to find.

Street level entrance

When we arrived on the 5th floor, we found that the cafe had been fully booked. Miss Kiki was so disappointed! It turned out that you have to make reservations in advance here. Fortunately, they allow you to put your name on a waiting list in case there are cancellations. I asked my mom to take Miss Kiki inside the centre and I parked myself at the queue in front of the cafe. This queue is for putting your name on a waiting list. I stood there for about half an hour with a few people in front of me and more people behind me. Finally a staff came out and took our names. I got lucky and got a reservation on the spot for a later time! I put my name down and went in to catch up with Miss Kiki and grandma.

So.... what happens when you let your kid loose with grandma in a Pokemon store? That means the kid has access to a bottomless wallet! Lol... Luckily even though Miss Kiki already got more than she would've if she were to go with me, she knows when to stop. Grandma ended up with more Pokemon stuff than Miss Kiki. :D

We finished our shopping just in time for our reservation at the cafe. We were brought to our table and were assigned a server.

Placemat

Ordering food via tablet

Halloween special menu

Milk and berry shake. Kiki shook her drink herself.

Free coaster for every drink purchased.

Coffee with souvenir mug

Pikachu pasta carbonara. Didn't taste good.

Eevie burger. Taste was so so.

Eevie made an appearance.

It was a very happy afternoon for Miss Kiki! She walked with us to Tokyo Station in good spirit. I wanted to go to the shopping area inside the Tokyo Station particularly to the Donguri Republic store. We walked around the shopping area and bought a few things until Miss Kiki got tired and asked to go somewhere else. I gave her options and she chose to go to a park. It was already late afternoon and the parks were closing soon. We hurriedly walked back to Nihonbashi station to take the metro to Koishikawa Korakuen Garden.