24 Sanrio spots across 9 areas, a curated pick rather than an exhaustive list. Stores, character cafes, licensed concepts, the Puroland theme park, and where to find Hello Kitty, Kuromi, Cinnamoroll and the rest.
Last updated
Sanrio is the company behind Hello Kitty, My Melody, Kuromi, Cinnamoroll, Pompompurin, Pochacco and a whole roster of characters that have become part of the fabric of Tokyo pop culture since the 1970s. For visitors that translates into a citywide trail of things to do, from official Sanrio stores and department store counters to fully themed character cafes, licensed lifestyle concepts, and a dedicated theme park out in the western suburbs. This guide covers 24 of the best Sanrio spots across nine Tokyo areas, from the Hello Kitty store beside the Shibuya Scramble Crossing to Sanrio Puroland out in Tama. We highlight what each area does best, store by store notes, and practical tips for planning a day around it. Sanrio goods turn up in convenience stores, arcades and general toy shops all over the city, so this is not an attempt to map every counter. We have picked these spots for their range and character focus, their proximity to major attractions and shopping areas, and how easy they are to reach.
Update
Hello Kitty Japan Shibuya in MAGNET is temporarily closed, so check before you travel. Sanrio SHIBUYA109 remains open.
Best For...
Biggest Cluster
Shibuya & Harajuku
Character Cafes
Harajuku
Full Day Out
Tama Center
Largest Stores
Ginza
6 locations·Shibuya Station (Hachiko Exit) / Harajuku Station
Shibuya and Harajuku are the densest Sanrio cluster in the city and the best place to start. Within a short walk you can hit the compact Hello Kitty Japan store on the ground floor of MAGNET by Shibuya109 beside the Scramble Crossing, the Sanrio store a few floors up in Shibuya109, and then the Harajuku strip along Takeshita Street with a Sanrio store, the MR. MEN store, the official Sanrio Cafe and the multi floor Kiddy Land. If you only have time for one area, this is it.
rated well.
rated well.
visitors rate it modestly; locals rate it modestly.
rated modestly.
rated exceptionally.
See It In Action
4 locations·Shinjuku Station (East Exit)
Shinjuku has three central Sanrio shops plus a themed cafe. Sanrio now!!! sits inside LUMINE EST above the station, a bright store that leans into current character trends, the Sanrio House lifestyle concept is a short walk away on the 2nd floor of LUMINE Shinjuku 2, and a third Sanrio store is tucked into the Kinokuniya bookstore building nearby. Round it out with the Cinnamoroll Cafe, a fully themed cafe dedicated to one of Sanrio's most popular characters.
rated modestly.
rated well.
rated modestly.
See It In Action
4 locations·Ikebukuro Station (East Exit)
Ikebukuro centers on Sunshine City and the surrounding character-shopping streets. Sanrio Vivitix sits in the Sunshine City alpa mall, there is a Sanrio store a short walk away, the Sanrio Anime Store in PARCO carries anime crossover goods, and the SANRIO CAFE on the B1 level of Sunshine City serves themed food and drinks. It pairs naturally with the Pokemon Center, the Animate flagship and the other character stores that make eastern Ikebukuro a magnet for fans.
rated modestly.
rated well.
rated well.
visitors rate it modestly; locals rate it modestly.
See It In Action
3 locations·Ueno Station / Asakusa Station
The east side of the city has two Sanrio stores and a character cafe. Ueno has a two floor store in the PLAZA-U building near the station and park, while Asakusa has a well-reviewed store that fits neatly into a Senso-ji temple day. Ueno also hosts a Sanrio Characters themed cafe, handy if you are already exploring the museums and the park.
rated well.
rated highly.
rated highly.
See It In Action
2 locations·Tokyo Station (Yaesu side) / Ginza Station
Central Tokyo has two very different stores. Inside Tokyo Station, the Sanrio store on Tokyo Character Street sits in the underground shopping arcade alongside the other big character shops, ideal for a quick stop between trains. Over in Ginza, the Sanrio NISHIGINZA store is one of the larger official Sanrio stores in central Tokyo, a destination store with a broad selection across major characters and seasonal lines.
rated highly.
rated well.
See It In Action
1 location·Tokyo Skytree Station / Oshiage Station
Tokyo Skytree Town has a Sanrio store on the fourth floor of the Solamachi mall at the base of the tower. It is an easy add-on to a Skytree visit, letting you combine the observation decks, the aquarium and the shopping arcade with a stop for character goods, all under one roof on the east side of the city.
rated modestly.
2 locations·Tokyo Teleport Station / Daiba Station
Odaiba is worth adding if you are already headed to the bayside for DiverCity, teamLab, or the waterfront. DiverCity Tokyo Plaza pairs an official Hello Kitty Japan store with a themed Hello Kitty snack counter right beside it, sharing the same frontage, so you can browse the store and grab a grilled treat in one stop. It is one of the easiest Sanrio stops to fold into a wider sightseeing day.
rated well.
rated modestly.
See It In Action
1 location·Tachikawa Station
Out in the western suburbs, Tachikawa has a Sanrio store in the LUMINE mall right by the station. It is a useful stop for visitors already exploring western Tokyo. Tachikawa can be combined with Puroland via the Tama Monorail, but it is not on the usual direct Keio Line route from Shinjuku.
rated modestly.
1 location·Keio Tama Center Station / Odakyu Tama Center Station
Sanrio Puroland is the anchor of any serious Sanrio trip, a fully indoor theme park in Tama, roughly 35 to 45 minutes west of Shinjuku. It packs character shows, gentle rides, themed areas, restaurants and the Entrance Shop, promoted as Japan's largest Sanrio shop, into one weatherproof building, so it works whatever the forecast. Admission needs a passport ticket and a reservation for your visit date, though there is no fixed entry time. Weekends, holidays and event dates can be busier, so book ahead.
rated modestly.
See It In Action
Book Puroland Ahead
Sanrio Puroland needs a passport ticket and a reservation for your visit date, though there is no fixed entry time, so you can enter any time during opening hours. Weekends, holidays and event dates get busier, so book online ahead and aim for a weekday if you can. Give yourself most of a day, since it is roughly 35 to 45 minutes west of Shinjuku. If you book through a third-party ticket provider, confirm whether the visit reservation is included.
Reserve the Character Cafes
Two of the cafes take online reservations, the Sanrio Cafe in Harajuku and the Sanrio Characters Garden Cafe in Ueno, and both get busy, so book ahead on their reservation pages, especially at weekends. The Cinnamoroll Cafe in Shinjuku and the SANRIO CAFE in Ikebukuro are walk-in only, so arrive early or off-peak to avoid a wait.
Cluster by Area
The stores group naturally. Shibuya and Harajuku have the most within walking distance, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro each pair a few stores with a themed cafe, and the east side stores fold into sightseeing at Skytree, Asakusa, Ueno and Odaiba. Plan around one or two clusters rather than criss-crossing the city.
Tax-Free and Exclusives
Tax-free availability varies by store, so check the individual listing or the shopping center's tax-free counter, and bring your passport when shopping. Watch for store-exclusive and seasonal collections, which change through the year and are the things you are least likely to find at home.
Find Your Character
If you are after a specific character, the bigger stores carry the widest range. Hello Kitty has her own stores in Shibuya and Odaiba, Cinnamoroll has the Shinjuku cafe, and the large Ginza store plus the big Harajuku store carry a broad multi-character selection including Kuromi, My Melody, Pompompurin and Pochacco. Stock shifts by season and collaboration.
No, and it is not meant to be. Sanrio goods appear in department store counters, general toy shops and convenience stores across the city, so mapping all of them would be impossible. We picked these spots for their range and character focus, their proximity to major attractions and shopping areas, and how easy they are to reach, so each one is worth a deliberate stop.
Sanrio is the Japanese company behind Hello Kitty and a large roster of other characters including My Melody, Kuromi, Cinnamoroll, Pompompurin, Pochacco and Keroppi. Founded in 1960, it designs the characters and sells goods through its own stores, themed cafes, licensed concepts and the Sanrio Puroland theme park, as well as licensing them worldwide.
Sanrio NISHIGINZA in Ginza is one of the larger official Sanrio stores in central Tokyo, with a broad selection across major characters and seasonal lines. The Entrance Shop inside Sanrio Puroland is promoted as Japan's largest Sanrio shop, though you need a park ticket to reach it. In central Tokyo, the Ginza and Harajuku stores carry the broadest selection.
Yes, it is strongly recommended. Puroland needs both a passport ticket and a reservation for your visit date, though there is no fixed entry time, so you can enter at any point during opening hours. Weekends, holidays and event dates get busier, so booking online in advance is worthwhile and usually costs less than the door price. Weekdays are quieter and make it easier to get into the character shows.
If you are a fan, yes. The Sanrio Cafe in Harajuku, the Cinnamoroll Cafe in Shinjuku, the SANRIO CAFE in Ikebukuro and the Sanrio Characters Garden Cafe in Ueno serve character-shaped food and drinks in fully themed spaces, and they sell cafe-exclusive goods you cannot get elsewhere. The Harajuku and Ueno cafes take online reservations, while the Shinjuku and Ikebukuro cafes are walk-in, so plan accordingly.
Shibuya and Harajuku have the highest concentration within walking distance, including the Hello Kitty store, a Sanrio store, the Sanrio Cafe and Kiddy Land. For a large destination store, Ginza is the pick, and for a full day out, Sanrio Puroland in Tama is the anchor. The east side stores at Skytree, Asakusa and Ueno pair well with sightseeing, and Odaiba adds a Hello Kitty store by the bay.
Not exactly. Kiddy Land on Omotesando is an iconic multi floor toy store that carries many character brands, and it has a large dedicated Sanrio section. It is one of the best single stops for Sanrio goods in Harajuku, but unlike the official Sanrio stores it is not run by Sanrio and it stocks plenty of other characters alongside them.
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