The Pokémon franchise, short for “Pocket Monsters,” began as a creative spark from designer Satoshi Tajiri, inspired by his childhood hobby of insect collecting. Released in Japan in 1996 as Pokémon Red and Green for the Nintendo Game Boy, the role-playing game focused on capturing, training, and battling creatures.
Now paired with the anime series and the Trading Card Game, it exploded into a worldwide sensation. With over a thousand unique species and a consistent formula of adventure and friendship, Pokémon has evolved into the highest-grossing media franchise globally, continuing to innovate with new games and merchandise like Pokémon GO.
A few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to spend two nights in the cool Pokémon room at Mimaru Tokyo Kinshicho, an apartment hotel concept unlike all the crammed hotels I’ve stayed in Japan. Designed like a home away from home, unlike most hotel rooms in Tokyo that are as tiny as 15m2, the Pokémon room is suitable for friends and family, and up to four guests as it offers a large space up to 40m2. Love it!
Checking In to Mimaru Tokyo Kinshicho
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Mimaru Tokyo Kinshicho
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Mimaru Tokyo Kinshicho is just a 4-minute walk from Kinshichō Station and there are Family Mart and Lawson convenience stores nearby. You definitely can’t miss it.
Once we stepped in, registration was a breeze as the on-ground staff spoke English and were so friendly and excited for our stay. As we had returned from Nagano, we opted for a luggage delivery service and we were delighted to know that our luggage arrived safely and was sent directly to our room.
The staff also showed us the amenities shelf in case we needed extra essentials, and we were sure to grab our pyjamas before going into our room. On top of discontinuing amenities, some of the hotel’s move towards a more sustainable stay included cleaning services every two days from the third day we checked in and wooden keycards, which are an eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastic keycards.
First Looks: The Pokémon Room
@pokemon, @nintendo/creatures inc
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The room opens up to the bathroom on the left and a small living room on the right. The brightly decorated Pokémon room was nothing like I imagined it would turn out to be: fun, spacious, loveable. A small kitchenette is tucked on the left and four single beds are at the edge of the room. There is also a small closet to hang your clothing and keep your luggage. Of course, nothing could prepare my excitement when a giant Snorlax greeted me from one of the beds. To ‘catch’ all 100 of the Pokémons, be sure to grab a paper from reception which lists all the characters, which is a fun addition. The custom decal stretches EVERYWHERE, including in the bathroom.One morning when I woke up to brew tea, I also realised the cups were decorated with Poké Balls. A neat surprise!Comfort-wise, the bed provided enough support for my weary legs and body as I clocked in 16k steps every day. It was truly as if I had melted into slumber, and I had good rest throughout the night. Even the pillow was perfect at supporting the curvature of my neck and head!
The only thing I spotted, unfortunately, was some wear and tear in the bathroom, with a wall decal above the skink that was slightly peeling, but not a major red flag.
@pokemon, @nintendo/creatures inc
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Other than that, the stay was truly delightful and the staff was ever accommodating with all our asks and questions. Besides the Pokémon room, there is also the special Ukiyo-e room, whose design was based on ezoshi picture books that were sold during the Edo period. There are even ukiyo-e prints that you can only see at Mimaru.There are an astounding 27 Mimaru apartment hotels and suites across Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, making it so easy to book for your next Japanese vacation. To see the other types of rooms, check out the website here.
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