This is a favourite haunt of fujoshi, which refers to female fans of manga, anime and novels featuring romantic relationships between men. True enough, the other customers were a middle-aged lady and a group of ladies in their 20s, all chatting happily with the waiters. My teenage son stood out like a sore thumb. We ordered the quintessential omurice, where a “student” drew and wrote on with ketchup, and were recommended the most popular items on the menu: The “Pockey game.”
For JPY900, we chose two “students” to act out a little drama. Due to the misspelling, I had no idea that the game involved the Pocky snack, and what it entails. Let’s just say that the stick biscuit was passionately shared between the two boys and I accidentally traumatised my son. Parents, do not make the same mistake. Just stick to the maid cafes.
How to book: Check out At-Home Café’s website and Agoda’s activity on the Ikebukuro Boys BL Gakuen experience.
WHAT EVENT TO VISIT AND SAVE UP FOR
True-blue anime fans will already have this saved in their calendar. The annual Anime Japan is held every March and the 2025 edition attracted over 150,000 visitors, with one out of 10 from overseas. That’s a lot of otakus in one space.
