Pokémon café…is it worth it? 

I have had friends from the United States who have been kind enough to suggest how I should spend my downtime. So, I wanted to go ahead and create a side blog called, “Is it worth it?,” where I go out of my way to try a tourist thing so future Temple students can decide whether it is worth it. So, thanks to an invite from fellow TUJ student Gary, a group of us decided to head to the Pokémon Café in Ginza.

If you have not heard about Pokémon let me do my best to try to fill you in. Pokémon is one of the highest-media franchises with over 118.5 billion dollars earned since it started in 1996. If you were like me, you were swept into the fold first by getting the game for the original game boy (Team blue), where you had to select a starter Pokémon (Squirtle Squad or bust) and engage in a turn-based style role-playing game during car rides. Then we collected the cards of 151 different and unique characters. It really took off in 1999 with the first Pokémon movie, which had one of the greatest soundtracks of all time and had every child crying in theaters.  

Now, over 20 years later, the Japanese franchise is still going strong with 2 cafés in Japan: Tokyo & Osaka. I decided to document my experience at the Tokyo location for you all below.  

@chasonmusic

Pokémon Cafe in Tokyo #pokemon #tokyo #blackintokyo

♬ Pokémon RBGY – Remix – Toni Leys

The Pokémon Café is located in Ginza. The reservation is only 90 minutes, but there is no reservation fee as long as you buy a drink. You are given a placement map to take home and a free coaster when you order a drink. There are Pokémon themed drinks, between 600 – 1000 yen. I got the “I love you Pikachu Omelet.”  At most, you will likely spend 3000 yen (right now worth 20.41 USD).  During the meal, you can chat with friends about the love of the franchise. Chef Pikachu makes an appearance halfway through the meal to lead everyone in an adorable rendition of “You’re happy if you know it.” 

After the meal, they have an exclusive gift shop with a ton of knickknacks you can take home to friends and family. So, was the Pokémon Café worth it? I vote yes. If you are with a good group of friends, it is one of the coolest experiences to share that is worth the price point. Check out some of my past experiences in Japan here.