Another reason to visit Akihabara is about to close – at least for gamers. Square Enix announced last week it would close the Square Enix Cafe as of March 31st.
The Cafe, launched by the maker of the popular Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts franchises on October 1st, 2016, initially opened in the Bic Camera Multimedia Akiba building. It moved to its current location in Tozai Jiyu Tsuro in February 2020. Its closure will mark a total of eight years and six months in operation across both locations.
Square Enix didn’t give a reason for the closure on the cafe portion of their website. It said it would also discontinue operation of its digital stamp card on the same day. Stamp exchange tickets can still be exchanged after the store’s closure at Pasela Honey Toast Cafe from April 1st until May 6th.
The old cafe space will be renovated and turned into a Square Enix gift shop run by Taito, which currently also runs the cafe.
Arntia, its cafe and gift shop in Shinjuku, and Square Enix Garden, its gift shop in Shibuya, will continue operating as usual.
The closure is yet another blow to Akihabara’s reputation as Geek Central in Japan. Once the go-to place for gamers and manga/anime fans alike, the area has seen multiple store closures recently. The growth of the Internet has reduced the area’s function as a meet-up space and launchpad for new games. Additionally, the spread of otaku culture throughout Tokyo and Japan as a whole has cut into its reputation as a pop culture hub.
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