Welcome to Japan!
This guide is for the otome gaming visitors who have a hard time locating otome games/merch within Tokyo’s 23 Wards.
Note: this list is constantly being updated; this entry itself will be undergoing a lot of changes.
Current version: 1.1
Merch Stores
Note: Despite being called ‘Otome Pavilion’, this store also sells BL-related merch.
While my friends actually don’t like recommending this place to their fellow tourists as the majority of the merch sold here are [almost always] overpriced, I would say that this is one of the few places that sell rare otome merch that you may have missed during the series’ initial sales period. Piofiore no Bansho fans would most likely be shocked to see merch sold for JPY30,000 for certain characters.
Just be sure to check and compare the prices from this place with the merch cost in Mercari for reference.
As is written on the store name, the place sells merch from all Rejet titles. They do sell merch from their otome games like Ken ga Kimi and Diabolik Lovers, but you might end up seeing mostly can badges in blinds from their joseimuke titles.
One store I wouldn’t really go to unless there’s an Otomate-related event, but it might be a good store for anyone who’s looking for past Otomate series merch. The store blog claims that they occasionally restock merch from their past events, so you might get lucky on your next visit.
Just a floor below Otomate Store is the “2nd-hand store” Surugaya, which may have some otome merch you are looking for if you’re lucky.
Can be a goldmine for those looking for games as they have a lot of second-hand otome games dating back from the PSP era to the present console (Switch).
This store occasionally stocks new merch from otome games and is sold at SRP. A lot of acrylic stands, as well as can badges in blinds, from various otome titles are available here.
- Fantasy Village (map: Ikebukuro store)
Website, Twitter
They sell Tears of Themis (called Mitei Jikenbou [未定事件簿] in Japanese) merch in the Ikebukuro store. Most likely the other Fantasy Village stores across Japan have Tears of Themis merch in-stock but I can at least vouch that they have it in Ikebukuro.
Game stores
(Brand New/Second-Hand)
Store is a bit cramped, but occasionally, they do have secondhand Switch otome games.
Basement has the PS Vita games.
As the name implies, a lot of secondhand games can be bought from here. I have occasionally managed to score both PS Vita and Nintendo Switch otome games for a cheap price. Like the Ekimae store, this place is very, very cramped and would not recommend visiting if you are very claustrophobic.
Stella Worth does not sell second hand games but they sell brand new ones that are bundled with their store-exclusive bonuses, namely the Stella Set and the Special Stella Set. If you are looking for that specific store bonus, this is one of the few places where you can get it on-hand if it is still in-stock.
Like Stella Worth, Animate Shibuya does not sell second hand games but if you’re lucky enough, they sell brand new games bundled with their store-exclusive bonuses.
This particular store is tax-free, so might be worth buying an Animate Exclusive set with the otome game you’re eyeing.
Lashingbang Character Palace has moved next door to Stella Worth, and they do sell second-hand otome games and otome merch in one place.
Some Book-Off shops have otome-related stuff like games, artbooks, and merch. Unfortunately, the availability of otome items will depend on which Book-Off you’ll be visiting, so you will need to prepare for disappointment.
The bigger Yodobashi Camera stores like Shinjuku, Akihabara, and Ueno have a shelf dedicated to otome titles, which will help narrow your search.
As this is Japan, unless stated otherwise on the game cover, games sold here have no English text option.
While Bic Camera does not have a dedicated otome shelf like Yodobashi Camera, there will still be a Nintendo Switch shelf that you can check to browse brand new otome games, with it being sorted either by alphabet (remember your あかさたなはまやらわ!) or by genre.
As this is Japan, unless stated otherwise on the game cover, games sold here have no English text option.
Collab Cafes
One of the more popular collab cafe companies known among the otaku, occasionally, an otome game series would team up with them to have a date-like setup for the cafe, with the customer sitting across a half-body panel of their oshi of choice.
Schedules for the collabs are announced both on your favorite otome game company’s Twitter account, as well as The Chara Cafe’s official Twitter account, so keep an eye on either.
This cafe requires you to order at least one food and one drink per person, with the option to add up to two more dishes and three more drinks, bringing it to a total of three dishes and four drinks for one cafe session.
Food waste is a no-no/highly discouraged, so only order what you can consume.
One good thing about this cafe is that they make announcements at certain intervals as to when you can start ordering (through your phone by scanning a QR code given to you once you check-in), when you can start buying merch (you can only buy during a certain time period; they will deny any purchases done outside that period), and if it is time to place in your last order for the session.
Take-out options are also available for attendees. Cafe staff will announce once they are ready to take those orders.
All announcements are done in Japanese.
Payment for the food and drinks are done when you leave the cafe.
All the collabs done by the cafe are for various Otomate titles, and the collabs are announced mid-month of the current month.
Ex. A certain Otomate title slated for a June 2024 collab will be announced mid-May, and the ticket selling will usually start on the next Saturday after the announcement at 10AM JST.
Tickets get sold out quickly for the popular titles, so it’s always a stressful time for a lot of fangirls to secure those slots, with the website crashing and the loading times slowing down.
If you are planning to go, either book the tickets as soon as it is available on their website or through the Famiport terminal (only available in Japanese) located in all Family Mart convenience stores nationwide, as you can get a ticket for next day’s cafe slot the day before.
If you plan to visit on the same day, you are required to call them to reserve your slot. They also announce through Twitter if they still have same day seats available for booking.
One thing to note about this cafe is that the time keeping is solely left to the attendee. Unlike The Chara Cafe, Otomate Garden will not make any announcements as to when you can start ordering food, drinks, or merch (everything is done at your own pace), but you have to keep in mind the timings of when you can place in last orders for food and drinks. Merch can be bought when you are about to leave or when you pay for your food and drinks upon leaving the cafe.
As this is Japan, the cafe staff may not speak English and may not be able to converse with you properly, so you may have to point to the menu and gesture a lot to get your requests across.
Lately, Animate has not been doing any otome game collabs, but out of all the aforementioned cafes, while they are considered the “veterans”, the food and the drinks leave a lot to be desired.
A lot may have changed between now and the last time I attended, back in 2020, but from what I understand, all orders are done through the cafe staff and you have very limited time to eat, drink, and buy merch.
You have to reserve a table in advance, and if the series you’re into is popular enough, it may be difficult to get a seat on the day of.
Seasonal/Limited Time Events
Good news: Otomate has expanded their merch selling beyond the usual Summer & Winter Markets by turning it into an all-season Market.
Bad news: It’s still as difficult to get a slot and/or secure merch for said in-person event.
Before attempting to attend the in-person merch buying, check and see how the entry procedures are as it will differ per event. Usually, on the first three days, entry is restricted to certain people.
Some events will require that you show an EPOS credit card before they hand you a numbered ticket, which will then be shuffled around automatically to determine which numbered tickets can take part in the merch buying for certain timeslots.
Other times, it will require you to do online ticketing balloting on Pocket-Live for fairness.
All I can say is, be prepared for a lot of anger and disappointment when things get sold out, when your number doesn’t get picked, and/or when things don’t go your way. Same goes with attempting to buy merch post-event, as Otomate only allocates a certain number of stock for each item and it always gets sold out a minute after orders start.
This is a reason why those Otomate merch sold at the Otome Pavilion are so expensive.
Depending on which season you’re visiting, you might chance upon VolFes (late spring-early summer; between late-May ~ mid-June) and VolKoi (late autumn ~ early winter; between mid-Nov ~ mid-Dec). NatsuKoi was only introduced last August 2023, while FuyuKoi was held last February 2024, and it remains to be seen if they will bring this back again.
For now, let’s concentrate on the two established selling events: VolFes and VolKoi.
These events are two of Voltage Inc’s biggest merch selling in-person events and it can get a bit crazy, with merch selling out on Day 1, Day 2, or Day 3. Thankfully, merch that gets sold out on those first three days gets replenished in time for the next day.
Like Otomate’s seasonal markets, usually the first three days are entry-restricted, albeit Voltage Inc is a bit more lenient and allows free entry after a certain time on those three days, usually after 4PM.
The reason why items get sold out on the first three days is because everyone is after the chance to draw from the garapon, as the prizes are a must-have for anyone who wants to complete their oshi’s shrine, which usually are huge acrylics stands (Prize A) and a 100-cm can badge (Prize B).
- Otomate Events (Otomate Party, Dessert de Otomate, Stand-Alone Events, Stageplays, Live Reading)
Website, Twitter
One of the more well-known otome events, like the Otomate Seasonal Markets, Otomate Party merch buying is a hellish experience.
If you are new to attending these events and want little to no stress, skip the merch buying and simply attend at the designated time.
Otherwise, prepare both your heart and your soul to get disappointed yet again if things get sold out.
Like a lot of Japan events, Otomate tickets are done through ticket balloting, which will require a Japanese phone number when you sign up for a Ticket Pia account. In order to attend, you will have to request someone to do the balloting for you and have the paper ticket issued under your name. Otherwise, if the ticket is issued electronically, your Japan-based friend will need to accompany you so that they can send out the ticket to your mobile and have their ID verified at the door.
Sometimes, they do same-day ticket selling (cash only), so if the timing is right, you would be able to attend.
As with everything else written above, there is little to no English support for events like these.
Similar with The Chara Cafe, they do merch events; this is the partner shop for a lot of otome companies, so it might be good to keep an eye on their Twitter account for any announcements.
Wanderlust 