5 Places to Visit During Your Galactic Getaway to Star Wars Celebration Japan 2025

Are you making plans to attend Star Wars Celebration Japan 2025? The world’s biggest event dedicated to all things Star Wars lands at the Makuhari Messe located near Tokyo, in the Chiba prefecture, next April. You already know you’re going to celebrate the saga and get exciting first looks at everything coming soon to the galaxy far, far away, but Celebration is also the perfect opportunity to see the sights of Tokyo.

The neighborhoods of Tokyo all have their own personality and characteristics unique to that area. Ready to take your first step into a larger world while you’re in the biggest city on Earth for Star Wars Celebration Japan? Plot in these coordinates and punch it!

Akihabara

Akihabara, nicknamed “Electric Town,” was once the home of just about everything electronic you could think of, often offered at a considerable discount. (Peli Motto would love it.) These days the area still boasts huge department stores featuring the latest electronics and gadgets, and now it also draws big crowds to massive anime, manga, and video game stores. Stores like Mulan Akiba and Mandarake, which also has locations in Shibuya and Nakano, offer secondhand video games, books, and toys for sale. Perhaps you’ll find a Star Wars treasure or two?

Harajuku (Meiji Jingu)

Not only is Harajuku known for boutique shopping on Takeshita Street, but this area is also home to a must-see shrine for sightseers looking for a quieter place to tour. Meiji Jingu, a large Shinto shrine established in 1920, is nestled in a forest so serene it’s easy to forget you’re in the middle of Tokyo. Effortlessly meditate like a Jedi as you explore the shrine’s beautiful grounds. Meiji Jingu welcomes visitors from sunrise to sunset.

Want to see some of Harajuku’s incredible street fashion while you’re in the neighborhood? Visit on a Sunday afternoon for eye-catching outfits that would easily draw ooh’s and ahh’s from the patrons of Garsa’s Sanctuary or Canto Bight.

Ikebukuro (Sunshine City)

While Akihabara is known as the number-one destination for geek culture in Tokyo, Ikebukuro is a close second. Anime and manga stores, arcades packed with crane games, and themed cafés line are easy to find in this bustling neighborhood. Sunshine City, a building complex in Ikebukuro, is home to a shopping mall stacked with stores — along with family-friendly aquarium on the roof of the World Import Mart Building. Sunshine Aquarium houses jellyfish and other sea creatures that once inspired some of your favorite Star Wars species.

Shibuya

When you picture Tokyo in your imagination, you’re probably seeing the careful chaos of hundreds of people crossing the street at the Shibuya Scramble Crossing. The vendors in this neighborhood range from high-end clothing stores to karaoke bars and restaurants packed into the crowded Shibuya Center. Bright, massive screens and glowing signs perched on the sides of tall buildings light up the Shibuya nighttime.

While you’re in the neighborhood, don’t forget to check out one of Tokyo’s most famous landmarks just outside the train station! The statue of the dog Hachiko — which honors a companion as loyal as Chewbacca — sits near the Shibuya Crossing to take selfies with tourists and locals alike.

Tokyo Disneyland / Tokyo DisneySea

Tokyo Disneyland is a fantastic addition to your Star Wars Celebration Japan experience! Enjoy Star Tours – The Adventures Continue and other classic Disneyland rides like Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise. Tokyo DisneySea, the neighboring park, is a nautical-themed adventure unique to Japan with both leisurely cruises and high-speed rollercoasters. Lucasfilm fans will be drawn to Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull, where they can join Indy on a heart-racing adventure.

There’s no way to capture all the amazing things to do and see in Tokyo in just one list! Star Wars Celebration is certain to be an unforgettable experience wherever your journey to Japan takes you.