Guide · Akihabara

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

Tokyo Anime Center: Where It Is Now, What Is On, and Whether You Need a Ticket

Tokyo Anime Center is in Shibuya, not Akihabara: it is on the 2nd floor of Shibuya MODI, 1-21-3 Jinnan, three minutes from JR Shibuya's Hachikō exit, inside DNP PLAZA SHIBUYA. Run by the Association of Japanese Animations and Dai Nippon Printing, it hosts rotating exhibitions, which need timed tickets, and pop-up shops, which are usually free to enter. In October 2026 it has an Angelique 30th-anniversary exhibition and a Love Live! Hasunosora pop-up. I run private anime tours in Akihabara most weeks, and this is what I tell guests who ask about it.

It is not a permanent museum. What is inside changes every few weeks, so check the official site before you go.

Where is Tokyo Anime Center?

At Shibuya MODI 2F, 1-21-3 Jinnan, Shibuya City, three minutes on foot from Shibuya Station's Hachikō exit. The official site calls it "Tokyo Anime Center in DNP PLAZA SHIBUYA". It also runs a virtual venue and a venue in San Francisco.

If you are planning the Akihabara side of the trip, my Akihabara anime tour covers the Akihabara shops on the same trip.

What is on at Tokyo Anime Center now?

From the official site in early October 2026: the Angelique 30th Memorial Museum exhibition from 2 October to 8 November; a Love Live! Hasunosora Jogakuin School Idol Club gothic-punk pop-up shop from 9 to 25 October; a Perfect Addiction pop-up from 9 to 18 October; and a Palverse pop-up until 18 October. Next is an Ensemble Stars! THE STAGE 10th-anniversary costume exhibition from 28 November.

Angelique, released in September 1994, was the first title in the "Neo Romance" series of romance games for women; Koei Tecmo Games is a special partner of the exhibition. The Ensemble Stars! exhibition shows costumes from the stage show's 10th-anniversary concert in two halves.

Do you need a ticket for Tokyo Anime Center?

For exhibitions, yes: tickets are timed, sold in advance on Lawson Ticket until 22:00 the day before, and sold at the venue only if a slot has space. Pop-up shops and the store area are usually free. For some exhibitions, such as Angelique, the shop area also needs a ticket. Children of primary-school age and under are often free with a paying adult.

This is the honest section. Each exhibition is aimed at fans of one title, so whether it is worth it depends entirely on what is on when you visit. Popular pop-ups use lottery-style "shuffle" numbered tickets on opening days, handed out in front of Shibuya MODI. The venue does not offer tax-free shopping. For permanent anime places, anime places to visit in Tokyo lists them.

Is Tokyo Anime Center in Akihabara?

Not now. The official site lists only the Shibuya venue in Japan, plus a virtual venue and San Francisco. In Akihabara, the anime shops and the Radio Kaikan building are where to go for goods.

For Akihabara's equivalents, Radio Kaikan and what to buy in Akihabara are the starting points. Which Tokyo district for an anime tour explains how Shibuya, Akihabara and Ikebukuro differ.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Tokyo Anime Center? On the 2nd floor of Shibuya MODI, 1-21-3 Jinnan, Shibuya City, three minutes from Shibuya Station's Hachikō exit.

Is Tokyo Anime Center free? The pop-up and store areas usually are. Exhibitions need a paid, timed ticket.

Is Tokyo Anime Center in Akihabara? No. Its Japanese venue is in Shibuya MODI.

What is on at Tokyo Anime Center in October 2026? The Angelique 30th Memorial Museum until 8 November, and a Love Live! Hasunosora pop-up from 9 to 25 October.

Can I shop tax-free at Tokyo Anime Center? No. The official venue page says tax-free is not available.

Exhibitions in Shibuya, everyday anime in Akihabara

If you would like a day of anime shopping chosen around the series you love, 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: Tokyo Anime Center, Top page (current exhibitions and stores, including the Perfect Addiction and Palverse pop-up dates; Shibuya, virtual and San Francisco venues; AJA and DNP), Shibuya venue (address; Hachikō exit 3 minutes; timed tickets; free pop-up and store areas; no tax-free; payment), Angelique 30th Memorial Museum (2 October – 8 November 2026; Lawson Ticket until 22:00 the day before; shop area needs a ticket; children; no suitcases; series history), Love Live! Hasunosora pop-up (9–25 October 2026; free; shuffle tickets 9–11 October) and Ensemble Stars! THE STAGE costume exhibition (28 November – 27 December 2026; halves; closed 11 December). All checked 4 October 2026. Opening hours and ticket prices are deliberately not given.