I love staying at the Metropolitan Hotel when I visit Tokyo. It’s so convenient to the west gate of the station. Great ramen and other restaurants and shopping in the neighborhood. I like that it quiets down at night (as opposed to Shinjuku and Shibuya) and has a nice neighborhood feel.

In 2008, I took my first solo trip to celebrate my new citizenship. I chose to go to Japan and stayed in a business hotel that was a 5min walk from the Seibu Ikebukuro station. Too excited for my own good, it was a miracle that I exited at the correct exit, but right as I exited, I had forgotten where my hotel was. My 5min walk ended up being about 30min. I was too overjoyed to be annoyed that I was lost. Vacation started rough but ended well, and Ikebukuro fed me well and entertained me. For now, it is my second favorite place I visited in Tokyo (Koenji wins), but I wouldn't hesitate to stay in Ikebukuro again. More exploring is needed.

I remember the drama Ikebukuro West Gate Park in early 2000s was filmed primarily in the area.

Thank you for showing us the Ikebukuro Chinatown, Shinichi! You made this Chinese-American viewer happy ☺🥢

Hey Shinichi! Love the sights. Just surprised you like the vibe here! For all videos you have. I have never seen such a busy area! So many people, and walking, so fast! I do see less older people, although they are walking like New Yorkers! Not sure if you noticed because you watch the scenery. Very, very hectic area!

I love this video!!!❤ I stayed in Ikebukuro this summer so its nice to see it again!

My very first time to Japan was WAY back in 2002 and my best friend and I stayed in Ikebukuro! We were SO jet lagged and tired from the long train ride from Narita, so our very first “Japanese meal” ended up being Mos Burger 😅.

Hi Shinichi, I really enjoy these walking videos, you always find interesting things to show. I imagine the jazz festival must be amazing at the global ring park, outdoor live music is always fantastic. Thank you for sharing this and bringing us along for the walk. Best wishes to you and Satoshi

It is so interesting to see so many Tullys Coffee shops in Japan. They originated here in Seattle. They were everywhere, and a big competitor to Starbucks. Then Tullys disappeared. And now I see them in Japan videos all the time.

I love Ikebukuro! We always stay in the sunshine city prince hotel whenever we visit Tokyo. It's convenient, with many food places that open late at night. No need to go too far after we come back from the shopping spree 💕 Oh there's also a new city bus that goes around Ikebukuro called Ikebus, it's small and in red colour so cute 🥰

We’re back in Tokyo! It’s been so much fun exploring old and new places we’ve visited before. It’s the first time we’ve visited in early summer time here! Once you get past feeling slightly moist all day you really just focus on how amazing it is to walk around Japan.

Loved to see this tour never get sick of these types of vids Shinichi !!!! 👍🏻🏃🏼‍♂️

First time I visited Japan, I stayed in Ikebukuro, for a couple of days. I recognise a couple of places, and it brought back some great memories of wandering the streets, jet-lagged, trying to take everything in! Many thanks.

Ikebukuro is actually my favorite place to stay in tokyo! Very central, lots to do & see without being as crowded as the usual places

Thank you for taking us along! I have stayed in Ikebukuro (east side) for my last three visits to Japan. It was nice seeing everything again, and several changes since I was last there in 2017. I hope to return!

I have been in Tokyo a few times, I really liked Ikebukuro! I liked the atmosphere there. So I really liked this video and also seeing the new things there!

Your videos make me so happy. I never want them to end! 😊

Thank you for taking us around the city! I always stay fairly close to Ikebukuro when I'm in Tokyo, so it was really nice seeing these streets again. I think it's pretty popular among tourists who like anime, since there are several stores and bookstores around there.

Good morning Shinichi love theses Walk you take us on the history of old and new the views are awesome thanks take care 😘❤️🙏🌈💯😍🤩🥰🌹

Thanks for the tour on the Tobu side of Ikebukuro Station will check it out on next trip. I stayed at the Sunshine City Prince Hotel on visit in May it was my second time at the Prince. I really enjoyed staying in Ikebukuro and decided that this would be my go to home base as I made my way around Tokyo. It was very easy to get around using the Yamanote line. I did outside of Tokyo and visited Wakayama / Kishi Station (Tama Chan) which was also a nice change from the Tokyo Metropolis. Nippori was also a hidden gem.

We missed you by a day! We were in Ikebukuro Thursday....would have been awesome to meet you! Always love yours and Satoshi's videos!

Aloha Shinichi! Mahalo for taking us thru Ikebukuro. On our first couple trips to Tokyo we stayed at Sunshine City Prince we thought we knew Ikebukuro well. I've heard about the big Arcade and Tokyo Hands closing. I did not know they were bought out. So is the Hands stores similar? Tokyo Hands was one of my favorite stores. It was bittersweet seeing all the changes but excited to see the new Ikebukuro when we visit in November. Its been awhile since we visited Tokyo, looking forward to seeing whats left of the old and seeing all the new.

This is where we stay every time we visit Tokyo. We stay at the Hotel Metropolitan on the West side of the station. We love Ikebukuro.🥰.

This is the area I'll be staying in at the end of this year! I'm SO looking forward to returning to Japan!

Yay walking video. They only way I can "go Walking' until my foot heals.

Hi Shinichi! My family and I took our first trip to Japan just a couple of weeks ago and we absolutely LOVED it. And I visited Ikebukuro twice for the Pokémon Center and Animate which were AMAZING! Looking forward to coming back to Japan again. Thank you for your videos!

Thanks for your video and also being so candid about your panic and anxiety.

Great walk around Ikebukuro. So many things to do.

Each video showing any part of Japan - even in the capital - everywhere it's so clean! You could eat from the floor! Amazing! Are there high penalty fees when throwing your stuff on the floor?

I love Ikebukuro. My first time in Japan, we stayed at Ikebukuro and it’s very central. The train lines there are very convenient. Also, Ikebukuro is where the best ramen I’ve ever tasted is located. It’s called Mutekiya Ramen!!! I hope you and Satoshi will go and review Mutekiya Ramen in the future!!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE TY ❤😊

What a fun walk!

You said pharmacies closed because of the tourists. Reminds me that some friends that live there said the Chinese tourists would come to pharmacies and get health & beauty products. We were in Osaka and there were Chinese tourists with carts full of lotions and stuff.

I remember Sunshine City 25 years ago!

Thanks for the tour, I walked through Ikebukuro when I hired the motorcycle from Rental819 nearby. I was on a mission so didn’t look around much.

I love Ikebukuro, it has everything plus it's usually less crowded than Shibuya and Shinjuku so I usually stay there when I stay in Tokyo.

I used to live close by. Komagome. Such a long time I haven’t been in Ikebukuro. Maybe I’ll go tomorrow to check it out.😊

Hi Shinichi. Nice walking video. Have a great weekend 😀👍

I love this!! Im usually staying around there on the west side!!!of IKB

I had a lot of fun in Ikebukuro. There was a Jazz festival a few weekends ago and we enjoyed some of the performances, even if i wouldn't really call their music as "jazz."

Love you shinichi hope your feeling better ❤❤❤❤

I stayed in Ikebukuro for a week when I first moved to Japan in 2001, before moving to Saginuma. Haven't visited Ikebukuro since 2009, but my wife (Japanese) has been talking about having a look next rime we're in Tokyo visiting family.

Yes. We went to Sunshine City in February. They have a huge Pokémon store there and it wasn’t that crowded!

Thank you! I’ll be there in a week!

Thank you for this video. We’ve never been to Ikebukuro and discovering the authentic Chinatown through your walk was great. We love good dim sum so plan on exploring the area for lunch next time we visit. If you have any specific restaurant recommendations we would love hearing them.

Loved Ikebukuro, it was imperative that we went to Namjatown for the Ice-cream museum.

Looks like the old Shinjuku station area. My Japanese grandfather owned a home close to Shinjuku Station, where I visited in the late 1950's and mid and late 1960's.

I am finding that in Japan, this Chicago style pizza is like a cheese fondue in a crust bowl. As a Chicagoan, I am offended! Haha. Someone needs to make a real Chicago deep dish pizza there. They need to make Chicago thin crust, as well.

Little délirium café is a Belgian brand of beer bars, a place to take Satochi :p

Thank you for your small tour! I will visit with my sister and a friend Tokyo for two weeks in May and our hotel is in Ikebukuro so I'm already curious what will be there. :D

Hi Shinichi ^^ If you are interested, you can get Loh Mai Chee 糯米糍 Lychees at the chinese supermarkets at the moment because they are in the season right now. It is a bigger lychees, very juicy, sweet, fragrant and have a small seed inside. They are really yummy! 😋🤗

I stayed at Kimi Ryokan in Ikebukuro when I was there six years ago. The pandemic got in the way of my next trip there.

Yes there is a mega pokemon store in Sunshibe 60. And a pokemon sweets take out. This is so nostalgic! As a student I came to Ikebukuro often. At least a couple of times a week. And I take that bus station back to the house I rent when in Tokyo. It's probably the busy center in Tokyo I visit the most. Not going to Shinjuku or Shibuya much. Too bad the Tokyu hands is gone. I knew it already but still makes me sad. But it's so good to know there is a nittori now. I didn't know Tokyu hands was changed to just hands. Is the cat cafe still above now nittori? And I think the Sega arcade is gone as well. And the last time I took that tunnel it was definitely so colourful. It was a bit dingy. But usually I take the underground passage in the station to the sunshine side. On the street leading to the underground passage to sunshine there is a cute cafe that is galaxy themed. It's on the second floor and it looks out ove rthe crossing.

Interesting, although I would have liked you to check out some of the shops that are also interesting.

I bought a ton of Pokemon plushies at the Ikebukuro Pokemon Center! 🤣 On the way back to the ttain station, I also found this place selling a whole fried chicken cooked in squid ink, so it was black! I didn't try it last time, but I will when I go back! It would be cool if you could do a video about it!

Shinichi should visit New Orleans.

We stayed there in March and it was great.

I went once before.. it’s less crowded too.. I went to sunshine city I think 🤔

Been there several times. Sunshine city. It’s nice.

Ikebukuro is my favorite Tokyo district .

❤

😊

Funny. I know Ikebukuro from the Japanese Drama (and anime/manga) Ikebukuro West Gate Park, which is just what Ikebukuro Nishiguchi Kōen. The show features Nagase Tomoya, Watanabe Ken, Katō Ai, Koyuki, Yamashita Tomohisa, and Kubozuka Yōsuke. I associate it with some crime but I am expecting that reputation may be from the 90s and earlier.

There's also a really nice Sanrio Cafe in the area.

It literally means west exit park.

>.> Wait a minute was that some real Tiger's Balm? Not that watered down stuff we get here in America? Authentic Tiger's Balm is the biz. That stuff will grow hair on you chest.

Shinichi: Wow a Harry Potter cafe! Me: OOOOOoooo so cool Shinichi: I should check it out Me: Yes!!! Shinichi: (pans camera towards the street and walks away) Me: Buh...wha....you said....oh....darn it.

I LOVE IKEBUKURO( SUNSHINE CITY)

, there is a coffee shop on the inside of the theater , the owner of the place refuses to serve foreigners Except for that Iove Ikebukuro

Aloha 🌺😎🥰

I’m going to bring my mom to the unofficial Chinatown. She’s Chinese so prefers Chinese food wherever we go

When you walk a Tokyo neighborhood, would it be possible to insert a map to show where in the city it is?

不思議な池袋 is what they used to call it, but I don't know why.

I love that China area ! For the most part, Chinese takeout places in Canada and the USA are Not serving Real Chinese food. It is food created for the Non-Asian Market. I liked the whole walk.

Hi Shinichi-----What would make ME panic is the thought of the BIG earthquake that experts say is overdue in Tokyo!------- how do you and Satoshi sleep at night?!!!

You come to Japan to eat Chinese food?

G Boys?? -- is this IWGP??

hi Greeting from Austria