For a long time, Ikebukuro has enjoyed the dubious descriptor of being “Akihabara — for girls.” While this is more than a touch reductive, it is true that Ikebukuro has long been a mecca for lady otaku — and especially fujoshi. However, there are plenty of women who are more interested in Girls’ Love (GL) than Boys’ Love.
So, for those who prefer stories and art about women who love women, ten years ago, Yuri Fair was founded — and now, in 2026, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the fair, it is opening a permanent space, Atelier Lilium! So, let’s talk about this new Japanese sapphic haven, when you can visit, and what you can expect!
Background to Yuri Fair
Begun in 2016, the Yuri Fair (known in Japanese as Yuriten) was established to give a space annually — first in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, before also expanding to Osaka — and became an annual event (with a brief hiatus as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic).
It became more than just a place where visitors can just buy yuri manga, but instead a space where even the nature of lesbian media would be discussed and carefully considered. In a preface piece regarding the exhibition, Ayana Yuniko, a renowned manga and anime artist who is deeply experienced working in the yuri genre, described yuri as, “a slightly special relationship between girls.”
However, the novelist and artist Morita Kisetsu added to this that yuri is, first and foremost, an act of observation: with an almost quantum physics sensibility, they say that “if you think something is yuri, then it is yuri.”
This is, in many senses, the essence of fan works. If you can imagine it, then it can be real. But like any work of art, it needs to be realized, and ideally viewed by others who can appreciate your vision. This is a large part of why the Yuri Fair was created: not only to give people a chance to sell their works, but for people to see them, and inso doing reify their vision of a “special relationship between women”.
It also served to create a community of people who shared this interest, and gave them a space to discuss and bond over the love of women who love women. However, the organizers realized that an annual event, no matter how popular, could not satisfy the needs of the community. To resolve this, it was decided to create the permanent space Atelier Lilium in the place that started it all: Ikebukuro.
What Will Make it Unique
While yuri manga cafes are not unknown in Tokyo, this is the first to be opened in Ikebukuro. Not only that, but it aims to be a comprehensive source of information and material for those who enjoy sapphic Japanese creations. Not only that, but it is aiming to hire staff who are deeply familiar with GL works, so that if you have any specific interests, whether it be in the form of a manga, novel, or magazine, they can help find you exactly what you need.
More than this, though, it aims to be a true community space, where not only can like-minded yuri fans meet one another, but also will be holding a number of events aimed at yuri fans. These will include screenings, signings, autographs and talks with creatives, and the sales of limited edition goods. This ensures that there will be something new for almost every visit that you make to the cafe.
And to top it all off, it is a cafe space where you can enjoy hot and cold drinks and light meals while you chat, peruse, and discover. What’s not to like?
For fans of yuri work, any space is valuable, but to have a new permanent space, in the heart of a manga-mecca, is — for many — truly a dream come true. We’re looking forward to visiting when it opens in Spring 2026, and hope you are, too!
