Three must-visit Anime and Manga stores in Nakano Broadway

Nakano Broadway is a shopping complex located just outside of Nakano station`s north gate.  It is one of the first manga and anime centers. 

Manga and anime stores spread after the collapse of the Bubble Economy, alongside recycle shops. This is when a manga artist Furukawa Masuzo started first Mandarake in Nakano Broadway which opened the door for subculture shops in Japan. 

Today, Nakano Broadway has over 30 Mandarake stores and that isn`t even half of what makes the complex.

Subculture stores dominate 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floor, the majority of which sell anime and manga goods, collectibles and souvenirs.Moreover, the second-hand store prices are more affordable compared to Akihabara and packed with years-old hidden treasures. 

Therefore, Nakano Broadway is a must see for any lover of video games, manga, anime and trading cards.

 

Mandarake Headquarters 

 

If you are looking to buy some manga, we recommend you start with Mandarake Headquarters. They have a variety of genres, including always popular shojo, shonen,seinen and BL.Their inventory is constantly growing, with new titles arriving almost every day.

Books are clearly divided into sections tall shelves, with enough space between the shelves so the customers are not bumping into each other. 

The store has dim lightning to provide customers with privacy to enjoy their shopping without need to rush. Actually, stand-and-read is a part of Japanese culture and you are more likely than not to see a few people reading between the bookshelves.

Our favorite part is the section with old comics displayed in glass cases. These nostalgic titles by themselves are worth a visit. 

 

 

Omocha no Poni is a toy shop like no other

 

Omocha no Poni sells most adorable anime goods. As the name says – mocha means toy – the store mostly carries toys and cards inspired by anime and game characters.  

Among other products, they offer a large selection of jigsaw puzzles. 

The ones below are pretty small and in the shape of a bowl. 

There are even tinier puzzles the size of a palm. 

Aside from the puzzles,Omocha no Poni is a great place to find high-quality Ghibli items. 

It has many more goods inspired by new and old favorites, such as Pokemon, Dragonball, Shaman King, Ghibli movies, superheroes, Kamen riders, Sylvanian Families. Most are very well-made and are perfect for souvenirs. 


Even though the store doesn`t excel in anime and manga figurines, there are still enough collectibles and games to make for a fun visit.

 

Business hours:

 

11:00~20:00

 

TOY BARN is a hidden gem!

 

If you are a fan of shonen anime, then TOY BARN is the right place for you. They have a great selection of characters from beloved shonen animes like Naruto, One Piece and Dragon Ball. It is really small and easy to miss but it is packed with figurines. 

Toy Barn seems to be a local store. It is extremely hard to find any information about it online which makes the store invisible to most foreign visitors. However, it is full with hidden gems for shonen collectors. 

Toy Barn seems to seasonally change the store window and devotes it to one anime at a time. November’s theme was Dragonball. 

Business hours:

 

11:00~20:00

 

There are many more chain and local stores in Nakano Broadway. The ones in this beginner guide are just places to start. We recommend you spend a day here to experience all different sides of Nakano Broadway and fill up your suitcase. 

 

Address:

 

5-52-15, Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo, 164-0001, Japan