Guide · Akihabara

Part of: Anime Places to Visit in Tokyo: 9 Real Spots

Anime Tokyo Station, Ikebukuro: Tokyo's Free Anime Museum, What Is Inside, and When to Go

Anime Tokyo Station is a free anime facility in Ikebukuro, set up by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and run by The Association of Japanese Animations. Entry, including the special exhibitions, is free, and you do not need to book. It is four minutes from Ikebukuro Station's east exit and closed on Mondays. Allow thirty to forty minutes, or over an hour with a workshop. I run private anime tours in Akihabara most weeks, and this is the free stop I suggest when guests have an hour in Ikebukuro.

It is easy to miss because it is not a big museum building. It occupies three floors, B1 to 2F, of a building on the east side of the station, and opened only in October 2023.

What is Anime Tokyo Station?

A facility that preserves animation production materials, such as cels, and shows visitors how anime is made. Its official FAQ says it opened on 31 October 2023, was established by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and is operated by The Association of Japanese Animations. It holds about 50,000 production materials from Tokyo animation studios.

That makes it different from a fan shop or a single studio's museum: it is about the industry as a whole, from planning to the finished master tape. For a fan who has watched for years and never seen a real layout sheet or cel, the permanent exhibit is the highlight. If you want the Akihabara side of the same day, my Akihabara anime tour is how I plan it for guests.

What is inside Anime Tokyo Station?

A special exhibition room on 2F that changes three or four times a year, a permanent exhibit on B1F explaining the production process, a touchscreen database of Japanese anime, a large interactive screen, a message board for fans, a merchandise shop and capsule-toy machines. The capsule toys take cashless payment only.

Two practical notes: the merchandise shop takes cash and cashless payments, and the capsule toys take cashless only. If you are carrying only coins for Akihabara's gacha machines, keep a card or a transport IC card for this one.

Is Anime Tokyo Station really free?

Yes. The official FAQ says admission is free, special exhibitions are free, and no reservation is needed. When it is crowded, numbered entry tickets may be handed out. Groups should book in advance through the website, at least three business days ahead.

This is the honest section. Because it is free and small, it is not a full day out, and it is not the Ghibli Museum. It is a well-made, thoughtful look at how anime is produced, plus whichever series has the special exhibition. If that series is yours, it is excellent; if not, it is a pleasant forty minutes before Otome Road or Sunshine City.

When is Anime Tokyo Station closed?

Every Monday, or the following weekday when Monday is a public holiday, and over the New Year from 30 December to 3 January. It also closes temporarily when exhibitions change, announced on its website and social media. The home page shows the open and closed days for the current week.

Check the home page on the day you plan to go. In October 2026, for example, the site lists closures on the 5th, 13th, 19th and 26th, which includes a Tuesday after a holiday Monday. A Monday plan in Ikebukuro should go to Otome Road and Sunshine City instead.

Are there workshops and events?

Yes. Workshops run regularly on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, and there are screenings, talks and other events, some with limited places. Upcoming ones in October and November 2026 include a screening for "Anime Day" and workshops on making coasters and simple animation.

The event calendar on the official site lists what is coming and whether it needs registration. If a workshop is on during your trip, it is the best way to turn a forty-minute visit into a memorable hour.

How do you get to Anime Tokyo Station?

It is on B1F to 2F of Tokyu East 5, 2-25-5 Minami-Ikebukuro, a four-minute walk from the east exit of Ikebukuro Station on the JR, Seibu Ikebukuro, Marunouchi and Yūrakuchō lines. Leave by the east exit, the same side as Sunshine City and Otome Road.

That makes it an easy first stop on an Ikebukuro day: Anime Tokyo Station, then animate's flagship and Otome Road, then Sunshine City. How Ikebukuro compares with Akihabara and Nakano is in Akihabara vs Nakano vs Ikebukuro.

Frequently asked questions

Is Anime Tokyo Station free? Yes. Admission and special exhibitions are free, and no reservation is needed.

What day is Anime Tokyo Station closed? Mondays (the following weekday if Monday is a public holiday), 30 December to 3 January, and temporarily for exhibition changes.

How long do you need at Anime Tokyo Station? About thirty to forty minutes to see the exhibits, according to the official FAQ, and over an hour if you join a workshop or ask staff about production.

What is the current exhibition at Anime Tokyo Station? On 4 October 2026, the 2F special exhibition was Fist of the North Star (22 August to 8 November), and B1F had an exhibition on animator Takayuki Gotō (8 August to 8 November). Exhibitions change three or four times a year.

Can children go on their own? Yes, according to the FAQ, but preschool children must be with a guardian.

A free hour in Ikebukuro, a half day in Akihabara

If you want a day in Akihabara built around the anime you watch, Adventure in Akihabara with Anime is my private half-day walk, three to four hours, never shared with other guests. The price is on the tour page.

About the author. I am Yuuki, a Japanese teacher and Akihabara anime tour guide based in Tokyo. I run private anime tours here most weeks, rated 4.96★ on Airbnb across 171 reviews. I have watched over 1,500 anime series, which is either a qualification or a warning depending on your point of view.

See the Akihabara anime tour →

Sources: Anime Tokyo Station, Top page (closed days this week and closure list; current exhibitions), Facility overview (floor map, about 120 characters in the symbol artwork, about 50,000 production materials, payment notes, address, free admission), Access (Tokyu East 5, 2-25-5 Minami-Ikebukuro; 4 minutes from the east exit on four lines), FAQ (opened 31 October 2023; established by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and operated by The Association of Japanese Animations; free; no reservation; numbered tickets when crowded; 30–40 minutes; workshops on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays; closed days; children; group bookings) and Exhibitions and events. All checked 4 October 2026. Opening hours are deliberately not given.