New Gundam megastore announced for one of Tokyo’s most popular tourist neighborhoods

The downtown Tokyo neighborhood of Shibuya is known for its famous landmarks like the Hachiko statue and the Shibuya Scramble crosswalk. However, a new must-visit spot for travelers is emerging in the area. Shibuya Parco shopping center has been gaining popularity among Japanese pop culture fans, and it is set to become home to Japan's newest Gundam specialty store later this fall.

The Gundam Base is a megastore chain dedicated to the Mobile Suit Gundam anime franchise, offering a vast selection of Gunpla/Gundam plastic models and other collectibles. With the franchise spanning nearly 50 years and multiple anime series, the large-scale store feels like a supportive hub for fandom operations. The announcement of the Gundam Base Shibuya comes shortly after the dismantling of Tokyo's life-size Gundam statue in Odaiba.

While Odaiba already has a Gundam Base store called The Gundam Base Tokyo, the loss of the statue may lead to a decrease in customer traffic there. Therefore, a location closer to the city center, like Shibuya, could be more convenient for tourists. The Gundam Base Shibuya will be situated on the 5th floor of Shibuya Parco, which is designated for the "Chaos Culture Geek" section.

Other stores on the same floor include Evangelion, Doraemon, Nintendo Tokyo, Pokémon Center Shibuya, Capcom, Sega, Godzilla, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, and Weekly Shonen Jump shops. This further solidifies Shibuya Parco as a prime shopping destination for otaku culture enthusiasts. The Gundam Base Shibuya is set to open its doors in November of this year.