If you have even the smallest interest in Otaku culture in Japan, you’ll be aware that Akihabara is the mecca of anime nerd boys. But you may not be aware that Ikebukuro is the equivalent for women, with many stores catering to women who love anime, cute boys, and cute boys who love cute boys.
Ikebukuro even has the “Otome Road.” Literally meaning “Maiden’s Road,” it is known among Fujoshi (腐女子/”rotten woman”; a lady who enjoys BL) as something of a mecca. But what is the Otome Road? How does one get there? And what can one find? Well, get ready to walk the romaad with us, because you’re not in Kansas any more! You’re in Japan. In case that wasn’t clear.
Getting to the Otome Road
The first place to know is: where are we going? First, you’ll want to go to Ikebukuro Station, which handily is a hub for many Tokyo train lines, including the Yamanote line, the Marunouchi line, Saikyō Line, and Shōnan–Shinjuku Line.
Ikebukuro Station is huge, however, so where best to exit? You want to go to exit 35, towards Sunshine City. From there, you should take the first left, and then walk straight. Then, after you walk beneath the overpass and get to the traffic signals, you’ll be on Otome Road! But what can you expect to see here? What stores are there? And what can you buy?
Animate
This is, technically, a bit of a cheat. Animate is to the left of those approaching Otome Road, and is not on the road proper. However, it is essentially the hub for lady anime fans. Outside, in a nearby park, women of all ages will trade pin badges of their favorite pretty boy characters.
“Animate has it’s main store here,” one BL enthusiast told me. “That’s why Ikebukuro has become famous for BL fans.”
Indeed, Animate has an entire floor for BL manga, novels, and doujinshi (同人誌/fan comics). For anyone who wants to open their eyes to BL fan culture in Japan, there are few places more impressive.
Chara Kan Plus
Now we’re really on Otome Road. This store has a ton of anime and manga merchandise, with fandoms separated into separate distinct sections. The knowledgeable (and trendy) staff are happy to answer questions — but you may need to know a little Japanese first!
This is the perfect places to buy the pin badges we mentioned earlier. Chances are you’ll find one of your favorite characters, or at least one from a favorite series. If you have the opportunity to be in Ikebukuro at the weekend, why not try trading for characters you’ve yet to find?
Doujin Kan
Anyone looking for fanmade comics — whether sweet or sexy — could do a lot worse than visit this store. It is positively filled with fan-made works depicting characters from popular and niche anime and manga series getting cozy. Because these are so many, and because each is inevitably part of a very limited run, you might find a book by a future star!
“Everyone who likes anime comes here,” one patron tells us. “And the doujin they have are incredible.”
@readerbia to non-fujoshis this is like entering the gates of heaven #yaoi #fujoshi #bl #ikebukuro #otomeroad #japan ♬ Ancestors – Moon_2994
Mandrake
Part of a chain of dedicated anime and manga merch stores, Mandrake in Ikebukuro is peak for fujoshi: not only do locals come in for their doujinshi fix, but there are plenty of classic (and even kind of weird) nostalgic anime goods. Want a Nana phone card? Go to Mandrake. Looking for a decades old 美少女战士 artbook in pristine condition? Go to Mandrake. Looking for BL radio dramas on CD? Go! To! Mandrake!
Live Kan Plus
This store is much like Chara Kan Plus, with one notable difference: rather than anime and manga characters, the focus is on real life gorgeous guys. You can get pins and pics of IRL hotties, but for those who are wondering what their heartthrob might look like if they were two-dimensional, you can also find fan art of them on (you guessed it!) pins
This is a mere taste of Otome Road, which has many more stores, including some dedicated to K-Pop, cosplay, and video games. And don’t take our word for it: one German lady on vacation with her friend told us why she loves Ikebukuro and Otome Road:
“The merch you get here is so much better than at home! Not only are fan goods better than official goods, but they look even better than they do in the advertisements!”
Pretty good recommendation, nicht wahr?
