Art! Culture! Subcultures! Various cultures to enjoy in the Ikebukuro East Exit area

Ikebukuro was once designated as a “Potentially Disappearing City”, but various measures have been implemented since then, and in recent years it has come to appear in the top rankings of the most livable cities. At the same time, measures unique to Toshima City have also been implemented, and in particular the development of the city through culture, art, manga and anime, as seen in the Toshima City International Art and Culture City Concept, has attracted many people.

The Ikebukuro East Exit area is also dotted with numerous cinemas, theatres, halls where traditional performing arts are performed and spaces where anime and subcultures can be enjoyed. In this issue, we introduce facilities where you can enjoy such art, culture and subcultures.

Ikebukuro has a high concentration of cinemas!
Ikebukuro is still an area with a high concentration of cinemas, partly due to its history of numerous cinemas built since the 1950s, shortly after the end of the war. In recent years, Cinema Sunshine has been renovated as Grand Cinema Sunshine, and TOHO Cinemas has been housed in Hareza Ikebukuro, a large area created by redevelopment. This time we will introduce two locations that are particularly close to WACCA Ikebukuro.

TOHOシネマズ 池袋 / TOHO Cinemas Ikebukuro

Opened in 2020 on the 2nd to 6th floors of Hareza Tower, this is a large cinema complex with 10 screens and approximately 1,700 seats. Some of the theatres are equipped with the Dolby Atmos® 3D sound system and others with a roaring sound system that focuses on the experience and power of sound! This is a space where you can enjoy movies to the fullest.

By the way, when you watch a film at TOHO Cinemas Ikebukuro, you can get preferential treatment at our WACCA Ikebukuro shops by presenting your ticket for the day’s viewing! (You can do this before or after the viewing!)

新文芸坐 / Shinbungeiza

Opened in 2000, this so-called ‘masterpiece theater’ screens both old and new classics, and is known for its ‘nihondate / double features’, where two films are offered as a set, as well as events of interest to film fans, such as talk shows with film industry insiders and all-night screenings. It also holds events that attract the interest of film fans, such as talk shows with film industry professionals and all-night screenings. Its predecessor, Bungeiza, was founded in 1956 and has had a reputation for its unique programming since then.

Eh! So many theatres in the Ikebukuro East Exit area!
When we think of theatre in Ikebukuro, we first think of the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space at the West Exit, but there are also many unique theatres and spaces dotted around the East Exit area. Let’s take a look at them one by one!

東京建物Brillia HALL（豊島区立芸術文化劇場） / Tokyo Tatemono Brillia HALL (Toshima Performing Arts Centre)

Opened in 2019 as the core arts and culture theatre of Hareza Ikebukuro. With seating for 1,248 on three levels, the hall offers a sense of realism due to the close proximity between the stage and the audience. The theatre is suitable for a wide range of theatre productions, including not only plays but also musicals, Kabuki and ballet, making it a theatre where everyone can become familiar and accessible to culture.

harevutai

A live theatre located in Hareza Ikebukuro, with the motto “The best and clearest stage of your life”. As well as a full range of live performance facilities, it also has a transparent screen for CG live performances and permanent live-streaming facilities for distribution sites such as YouTube Live. It seems to have a good reputation for its stage height designed for easy viewing and large LED screen with beautiful images.

アニメイトシアター / Animate Theatre

This multipurpose hall with a maximum seating capacity of 208 is located on the B2F of the Animate Ikebukuro main shop, which reopened in 2023. It is the first theatre facility for Animate, where various performances such as stages, reading plays and talk shows can be enjoyed. It also has a different atmosphere from other theatres, with achievements such as fan meetings and VTuber talk shows.

After watching the film, take a break at a café!
There are numerous coffee shops, cafés and chain restaurants in the Ikebukuro East Exit area, but we would like to introduce two neighbouring places that you should drop by after viewing the film.

Charcoal Roast Coffee Koufitei / 皇琲亭

This classical coffee shop with a quiet atmosphere is located in a narrow alley not far from WACCA Ikebukuro. The wood-toned interior is a relaxing space, where you can enjoy a cup of coffee and naturally get excited about the film or play you have just seen with your friends.

コンパスカフェ in 池袋 / Compass Cafe in Ikebukuro

A café where you can fully enjoy the world of the smartphone game “#Compass” is located on the 5th floor of WACCA Ikebukuro. The café offers more than 20 types of food, sweets and drinks, so even those who don’t know about #Compass can enjoy the café.

What did you think? When you think of culture and theatre in Ikebukuro, the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space at the West Exit comes to mind for many people, but there are probably many people who didn’t know that the East Exit area is also home to such a wide variety of facilities. Some are orthodox, some are subcultural and typical of Ikebukuro, and the coexistence of such diverse values when it comes to art and culture is perhaps one of the attractions of Ikebukuro.

If you find something that suits your taste or a spot that interests you, by all means, go out and see it for yourself. And if you feel a little tired, please visit us at WACCA Ikebukuro! We’ll be waiting for you (smile).

(Planning and production: ワッカデザイン/ Wakka Design Ltd.)

カテゴリー：つながり