How To Book The Pokemon Cafe in Tokyo: Reservations And Tips For 2026

Post updated on 02/10/2026 to reflect our most recent experience of booking and dining in the Pokemon Cafe Tokyo in 2026. The update reflects the new booking policy AFTER the Pokemon cafe was renovated in early 2026.

Wondering how to get into the Pokemon Cafe Tokyo? Want that elusive Pokemon Cafe reservation? Believe it or not, this is one of the questions I am asked most about our time in Japan!

Of all the things we did in Japan, by far the hardest to book was the Pokemon Cafe in Tokyo! We had no idea how popular this cafe was when we promised the boys lunch there on our first trip to Japan, and making sure we could book it was a huge source of stress.

We have now been to the Pokemon Cafe in Tokyo three times. And I can firmly say that getting a Pokemon Cafe reservation is a nightmare!

But was the Pokemon Cafe worth it? So worth it, mostly for the kids (who are die-hard Pokemon fans), for the themed food, and for the chance to meet Pikachu.

Want to make that elusive booking? Let’s dive right in! Here’s what you need to know to get a Pokemon Cafe Reservation in Tokyo:

Heads up! This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase, I might earn a very small commission – at no extra cost to you. This helps to keep the blog going. Thanks for the support!

Pokemon Cafe Tokyo Reservation: Quick Answer

To book the Pokemon Cafe Tokyo, use the official online reservation website and check the cafe’s news page for your month’s release date. Reservations currently open in monthly batches, at 6pm (Japanese time) on the first day of the month before you want to visit.

Make sure you include everyone in your group on your booking (even babies have to be included) and have your email inbox ready to receive your verification code. Can’t get a booking slot? Check out our section on alternaitve approaches below.

How To Get A Pokemon Cafe Reservation

There are two Pokemon Cafes in Japan- one in Tokyo and one in Osaka. Check you’re booking the right one. This might sound like stating the obvious, but someone in front of us in the queue in the Tokyo Cafe on our first visit actually had a reservation for the Osaka Cafe, so worth being careful when you make your booking!

In order to make your reservation you need to know the following key information:

• The Pokemon Cafe now releases whole month booking blocks together. For example, all November 2026 date will be opened on 1st October 2026. Use this link to make your official reservation.
  
• Reservations open at 6pm Japanese time, which is 9am UK time GMT or 10am UK time BST, and these Pokemon Cafe reservations go in seconds, so have all your devices loaded and be ready!
  
• Have your laptop, phone, and as many other devices as you can open and ready to go. The site is so popular it crashes, often midway through a reservation. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket! Mike and I worked together to get our first reservation with 5 different screens on the go.

• Don’t forget to include every guest in your booking number: that includes every child, including babies. In the Tokyo Cafe a family of four can only book seat types A or C. Type B bookings only accomodate one or two people.
  
• During your booking, you’ll land on a screen that will ask if you want to purchase some souvenirs. These are exclusive and can only be bought at the time of reservation- we didn’t add them because I didn’t want to slow the booking process down and I assumed we could buy them when we got there, but we couldn’t. Don’t make that mistake if you want to get as much exclusive merch as possible. Having said that, there was plenty of other things you could order on the day.
  

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What If Pokemon Cafe Reservations Are Fully Booked?

If you can’t get a Pokemon Cafe reservation when bookings open straight away, don’t panic! Cancelled tables can become available again, so it’s worth checking the official reservation website often as your trip approaches. Being flexible about your dates and dining reservation times can help!

Alternatively, if you don’t mind spending a little extra, you can buy a Pokemon Cafe reservation from a third party website. We actually had to do this on our third trip to Tokyo, as we tried everything else and it was the only way we could get a reservation (they really are that popular!) At time of writing, this costs £27.45 per person, for the reservation alone.

It’s important to note that this is a reservation-service fee (if you can get the reservation yourself, the reservation is fee), so you will still have to pay for your food and drink at the end of your meal.

👉Check availability to book your Pokemon Cafe reservation here
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What’s On The Pokemon Cafe Menu Right Now?

The Pokemon Cafe menu was last updated on 17th June 2026, when the restaurant was given a renovation and refresh.

The most popular main course on the menu is the Pikachu and Pichu Curry Rice Plate. This is a classic staple of Pokémon Cafe, and costs 2,530 yen. We’ve all eaten this (more than once!) and enjoyed it. I’ve broken down some of the other highlights of the menu below:

Item	Price, including tax
Snorlax teriyaki burger	2,530 yen
Mimikyu omelet and corn stew	2,530 yen
Eevee fruit pancake	2,090 yen
Pika Pika chocolate and berry parfait	2,090 yen
Greninja white-peach drink	1,375 yen

👉 You can see everything we ate during our visit to the Pokemon Cafe here.

Can You Meet Pikachu At The Pokemon Cafe Tokyo?

This is another question I’m asked alot! Can you meet Pikachu at the Pokemon Cafe in Tokyo? The answer is yes: Meeting Pikachu (or at least seeing Pikachu) was the absolute highlight of our Pokemon Cafe experience for both my kids. He came out and danced around the table, with staff encouraging guests to clap and dance alot (in their chairs, you can’t get up and move around for safety reasons).

There’s a new show at the Pokemon Cafe in Tokyo (as of 17th June 2026) which is called “Let’s Make a Pika Pika Parfait” and it features one of Chef, Waitress, or Patissier Pikachu.

🛒 After you’ve finished eating, make sure you save time to stop by the Pokemon Center and shop all of the unique merchandise. You can read my Ultimate Guide to Pokémon Center Tokyo complete with Free Shopping Checklist for Families here.

Our Pokemon Cafe Experience

On all three of our visits to the Pokemon Cafe in Tokyo, our Pokemon cafe experience was a good one! We were greeted and seated quickly, and each place setting had a cute Pokemon place mat that you could either use or take home. Note that we haven’t visited the Pokemon Center since it reopened in June, so this experience is based on our last visit earlier in 2026.

We ordered via a tablet, and this was available in both English and Japanese which made the ordering experience smooth and easy for us. We all ordered Pokemon plates for our main course: these were beautifully presented themed plates that included a poke-ball shaped pot of macaroni cheese, a burger, a tempura prawn, a little salad, and the rice is shaped like Pikachu.

For drinks and dessert we all ordered different things ranging from personalised coffees to make your own milkshakes (which is called Moo Moo Milk and mixed at your table) or that delicious glowing Gengar grape smoothie. I ordered a chocolate sundae which was fantastic and Mike ordered strawberry mochi in a poke-ball.

Halfway through our meal Pikachu came out to dance and the children were encouraged to dance, count, and clap with him. This was all presented in simple Japanese but we understood enough to know what was happening and what to do. (Dancing and singing has no language barrier, especially for kids!)

On the subject of language barrier, If you don’t speak any Japanese then don’t worry! You don’t need to know a word to enjoy clapping and dancing with Pikachu, and because you order via tablet it is one of the easiest experiences for non-Japanese speakers to enjoy.

The whole experience lasted around 90 minutes in total and we were one of the last tables in our time slot to leave because we were having so much fun and just taking it all in. It was such a great experience which we followed with time to explore the Pokemon centre. Definitely a great experience for Pokemon fans in the city!

Is The Pokemon Cafe Good Value For Money?

Look, I’m not going to lie and say that this is the cheapest dining experience in Tokyo. It isn’t! If you’re a big Pokemon fan it’s still worth every penny (more for the experience than the food itself) but if you’re not a fan of Pokemon, it isn’t worth visiting.

You’re visiting for the decor and the experience as much as anything else. Our boys will always remember clapping along with Pikachu, and making their own Moo Moo Milk with the help of the wonderful cafe team. Will they rave about, or even remember, what they ate? Definitely less so! The food looks amazing, but it just isn’t the main reason to visit.

Where Is The Pokemon Cafe in Tokyo?

We were expecting to see a stand alone store, but actually the Pokemon Center Tokyo DX is located in the Takashjimaya Department Store, in the Takashimaya S.C. East Building, on the 5th floor. This is a huge building and I won’t lie, we were confused at first.

There is a separate entrance and a separate lift to get to the centre which is located on the right-hand side of the building.

When you walk into this entrance you will see full wall murals of Pokemon characters, so you’ll know you’re in the right place! Get into the lift and go up to the 5th floor. As the door opens, the first thing you’ll see is a huge Snorlax statue, so you know you’re in the right place.

To the left is the Tokyo Pokemon Cafe and to the right is the Tokyo DX Pokemon Centre.

Pokemon Cafe Tokyo FAQs

When Do Pokemon Cafe Reservations Open?

The Pokemon Cafe currently releases reservations in monthly batches, with recent releases opening at 6pm Japanese time on the first day of the month before (so November would open on the 1st October, for example). However release dates can change, so I advise checking the official Pokemon Cafe news page for your travel dates.

Can You Visit The Pokemon Cafe Tokyo Without a Reservation?

So officially, reservations are required to get a Pokemon Cafe Tokyo table. But there are sometimes tables available if there are last-minute cancellations, so if you don’t or can’t get a table, you can turn up at opening time and then see if there are any cancellation tables available for the day. This can and does happen, but I wouldn’t promise the kids a meal here without a confirmed booking!

How Long Can You Stay At The Pokemon Cafe?

Your reservation gives you a 90 minute visit, and in my experience they stick to this very strictly. Last orders are taken 30 minutes before the end of your slot. If you arrive late, your table time will be shorter, and you will still finish your reservation as if you sat down on time. In the Tokyo restaurant, the cafe asks you to arrive at least 15 minutes early, or 10 minutes early if you have a 10.40am reservation.

Where Is The Pokemon Cafe Tokyo?

The Pokemon Cafe in Tokyo is located on the fifth floor of the Nihombashi Takashimaya S.C. East Building, beside the Pokemon Center DX. It’s easy to get to from both Nihombashi Station and Tokyo Station, just make sure you head to the East Building, because this department store is massive, and it’s easy to get lost!

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Heads up! This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase, I might earn a very small commission – at no extra cost to you. This helps to keep the blog going. Thanks for the support!