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[JoeM86]

As many know, in Japan there are various Pokémon shops. These sell a wide range of Pokémon merchandise and often hold Pokémon battle competitions and events, often with exclusive distribution Pokémon

Since 1998, there have been Pokémon Center stores and over the years, some have opened, some have closed, some have moved. Well, we now have an announcement of the 9th.

This one is opening in the Sogo Hiroshima Shop Main Building on the 6th floor in Hiroshima. Its mascot is Pikachu and the classic shiny Red Gyarados. It's also the first Pokémon Center to be in the Chūgoku & Shikoku region in Japan

 

[Zalman]

One day I will visit one of these.

 

[JoeM86]

One day I will visit one of these.

I imagine it'd be like dying and going to PokéHeaven

 

[super-famicom]

I've been to two of them, they're pretty cool.

 

[hitme]

I gotta visit these so I can teleport there at anytime.

 

[Jintor]

Hmm, I've only been to the Osaka one and the one built into Kansai Airport. Another to add to the list.

Next time I'll book Golden Week ahead of time

 

[Banjotanooki]

I imagine it'd be like dying and going to PokéHeaven

I went to one in Tokyo and it was pretty meh. Just one floor and basic stuff.

 

[Carl7]

I'm jelly...

 

[ShockingAlberto]

Look

All I want is Business Pikachu in America

Just sell that doll in America and you can open up Pokemon Centers wherever else you want

 

[TheXfactor]

Pokemon Centers?? These are actually a thing?!!

 

[Benzychenz]

Will it be empty though?

 

[JoeM86]

Will it be empty though?

Depends on the weather

I went to one in Tokyo and it was pretty meh. Just one floor and basic stuff.

When was that? They recently moved it and had it Mega Evolve

 

[super-famicom]

Pokemon Centers?? These are actually a thing?!!

They're just retail stores selling tons of Pokemon merchandise.

 

[Bass260]

These must do rather well if they're opening up a 9th, no? Now please bring more to NA

 

[TheXfactor]

They're just retail stores selling tons of Pokemon merchandise.

seems pretty cool still, though i was imagining some fun place where you can learn how to heal the pokemon and stuff lol

 

[PreyingShark]

These must do rather well if they're opening up a 9th, no? Now please bring more to NA

Eh, I think the current selection on the Pokemon Center site is pretty decent and expands regularly enough. An actual store would probably have a much smaller selection.

Of course places that aren't the US are kinda boned.

 

[JoeM86]

They're just retail stores selling tons of Pokemon merchandise.

Don't undersell them. They hold a craptonne of events

These must do rather well if they're opening up a 9th, no? Now please bring more to NA

They do very well. Whenever there's a new game preorder or an event or a weekend, they are packed.

 

[AnkiRendan]

I've been to all of them but Fukuoka and Hokkaido's. It's a shame that they only focus on new stuff. In a way I felt disappointed.

 

[Shun]

 

[super-famicom]

Don't undersell them. They hold a craptonne of events



They do very well. Whenever there's a new game preorder or an event or a weekend, they are packed.

That's true. The times when I went to one, they were packed. I loved seeing how excited the children were in the store.

 

[JoeM86]

Incidentally, here's a list of the other 8

Pokémon Center Sapporo

Pokémon Center Tohoku

Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo (It Mega Evolved last year)

Pokémon Center Tokyo Bay

Pokémon Center Yokohama

Pokémon Center Nagoya

Pokémon Center Osaka

Pokémon Center Fukuoka

They often switch mascots while keeping one main one.


There are also Pokémon Stores in a variety of areas. They're small shops, sometimes with a unique plush, but just sell the latest stuff and don't host events

Chitose Airport

Tokyo

Kansai Airport

Oita

Kagoshima

Okinawa

 

[kuroneko0509]

Went to Mega Tokyo last December during my trip, trying my luck to grab the Mega Pikazard Y plushie, but failed...

 

[Benzychenz]

Incidentally, here's a list of the other 8

Chespin's been sleeping around.

 

[jimmyjimmyo]

Really wish we could get one in London, My daughter wanted a Nendoroid Red which was exclusive to the pokecenter so no import joy for us in the UK

 

[Banjotanooki]

Depends on the weather



When was that? They recently moved it and had it Mega Evolve

Last year August, it was one that had a business floor right above it and a big Pikachu mural on the side. Pretty meh to be honest. Didn't find many exclusive items, just bought a Froakkie pencil case, lol.

 

[JoeM86]

Last year August, it was one that had a business floor right above it and a big Pikachu mural on the side. Pretty meh to be honest. Didn't find many exclusive items, just bought a Froakkie pencil case, lol.

Almost all items there are exclusive

 

[wintermute181]

I visited the one in Tokyo and was severely disappointed. Firstly it's pretty out of the way, secondly it's pretty small, thirdly it has plushies you can just buy on eBay anyway, maybe some exclusive trading card shit though I'm not sure. I went there, ended up leaving with nothing..

 

[Shauni]

That's not Nurse Joy.

 

[Yoshi]

I visited the one in Tokyo and was severely disappointed. Firstly it's pretty out of the way, secondly it's pretty small, thirdly it has plushies you can just buy on eBay anyway, maybe some exclusive trading card shit though I'm not sure. I went there, ended up leaving with nothing..

The Mega one is small? That's unfitting.

EDIT: By the way: Is it safe to visit or even live in Hiroshima nowadays?

 

[Benzychenz]

If I lived near a Pokemon Center I'd have more plushies than I'd know what to do with.

 

[Banjotanooki]

I visited the one in Tokyo and was severely disappointed. Firstly it's pretty out of the way, secondly it's pretty small, thirdly it has plushies you can just buy on eBay anyway, maybe some exclusive trading card shit though I'm not sure. I went there, ended up leaving with nothing..

We must've gone to the same one in Toyko, lol.

 

[Pumpkin]

I went to the one in Tokyo and had a magical time. If only I had more money.

Also, I thought I would be the oldest person in the store, but it was filled with adults.

 

[lupinko]

I imagine it'd be like dying and going to PokéHeaven

It's just a store with pokemerch, mine is walking distance.

 

[Sesha]

I've been to the one in Sapporo. Nothing special. Just a big PokéMerch store like lupinko says.

 

[Exterminieren]

Is this the thread in which I whine about the Pokémon Centre online store not shipping to the UK?

Because that's seriously bullshit.

 

[JoeM86]

Is this the thread in which I whine about the Pokémon Centre online store not shipping to the UK?

Because that's seriously bullshit.

Haha, I'm both annoyed and glad about that.

Annoyed because I want to order from there.
Glad because all my money would be spent.

 

[flatearthpandas]

I went to the Osaka one last year. Lots of merchandise and activities for kids to do. Cooler concept than reality, imo, but I'm not that crazy about Pokemon. Perfect place for tournaments though.

 

[protomouse]

I hope they open up in Europe at some point. Even if they open just one, it'd be like a tourist attraction for me - like the Haribo store in Bonn.

 

[JoeM86]

I hope they open up in Europe at some point. Even if they open just one, it'd be like a tourist attraction for me - like the Haribo store in Bonn.

They had the Pokémon Center Paris for a month last year.

It was very, very popular to the point they had to limit people to one piece of merchandise.

 

[Yoshi]

Haha, I'm both annoyed and glad about that.

Annoyed because I want to order from there.
Glad because all my money would be spent.

You should mark "being able to enter my own house" as a positive, too.

 

[JoeM86]

You should mark "being able to enter my own house" as a positive, too.

Please. That's why you buy a semi detatched house, buy its connected neighbour, put a door between the two. A house for your merchandise and a house for you.

Everyone knows that

 

[Taruranto]

Pokemon Centers?? These are actually a thing?!!

How do you heal your Pokemons otherwise? DUH.

 

[kubus]

I went to the one in Ikebukuro's Sunshine City about two weeks ago. It was pretty much amazing.

I really wanna visit more of them, though I suspect they all sell the same stuff. I spent about 5.000 yen last time, bought a bunch of school supplies and a plush Fletchling.

 

[JoeM86]

I went to the one in Ikebukuro's Sunshine City about two weeks ago. It was pretty much amazing.



I really wanna visit more of them, though I suspect they all sell the same stuff. I spent about 5.000 yen last time, bought a bunch of school supplies and a plush Fletchling.

That's the Mega Tokyo one

 

[kubus]

That's the Mega Tokyo one

Oh didn't know that . The name sounds like it's the "flagship" store... Hope that doesn't mean I will be disappointed with any of the other Pokemon Centers .

I really wish they still sold that Charizard cosplay Pikachu plush..... :'(

 

[Cyd0nia]

I was in the tokyo Mega Center last week... Business Pikachu is adorable and needs to be in the games somehow.

Do Nintendo get proceeds from Pokemon merch at all - or only benefit from their stake in TPC? Because the chaos in that shop, the fervour for all the toys, it made me think - as long as they've got this, this company is going to be a-okay.

 

[Forkball]

I went to the one in Osaka and honestly I was a bit disappointed. They have a ton of stuff, but you can find almost all of it in normal toy stores. I expected more exclusive goods, like a samurai Pikachu or something. They do have an impressive collection of plushies but I don't collect those.

 

[lupinko]

Tohoku PC wins because our mascots are Victini and Jirachi.

 

[AnkiRendan]

I went to the one in Osaka and honestly I was a bit disappointed. They have a ton of stuff, but you can find almost all of it in normal toy stores. I expected more exclusive goods, like a samurai Pikachu or something. They do have an impressive collection of plushies but I don't collect those.

You can get a Date Masamune Pikachu keychain, pencil or socks if you go to the Tohoku Pokemon Center. My avatar is the headphone cover I bought there!

 

[lupinko]

You can get a Date Masamune Pikachu keychain, pencil or socks if you go to the Tohoku Pokemon Center. My avatar is the headphone cover I bought there!

But everything in Sendai is Date Masamune by default.