This faintly visible gray 60-story skyscraper is juxtaposed with its name, Sunshine City. Although this building may look like a villain’s lair in a comic book, it is a shopping and entertainment center that keeps visitors busy all day.

Sunshine City, also known as Sunshine 60, is a mixed-use building in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. It is very suitable to visit on a rainy day, which is exactly what the city experienced on a recent Friday.

A popular destination in Sunshine City is the Pokémon Center, which recently reopened after being interrupted during the Tokyo emergency. Sky Circus is an observatory located on the top floor and includes virtual reality exhibitions, such as a virtual roller coaster ride over Ikebukuro. Sunshine City is also home to an aquarium and planetarium.

The entrance fee is 1,200 yen, which is approximately $11. The cost of each VR experience is 500 yen, or 4 US dollars.

Another popular destination in the center is the newly opened Bandai Namco Capsule Department Store. This store added a shopping mall in February and has the world's largest series of capsule toy game consoles, with more than 3,000 units.

The capsule shop was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest store in the world in March. It covers an area of ​​more than 13,000 square feet and is a huge neon wonderland.

Gacha is a traditional Japanese vending machine arcade game. Players can get a surprise toy in a plastic egg. The blindness of the game is an important part of the fun for many collectors. They insert coins in hopes of getting something, but the exact toy they receive is randomly distributed.

Bandai Namco Gacha Department Store sells classic Japanese machines such as Pokémon, Sailor Moon and Super Mario, as well as familiar Japanese treasures such as realistic replicas of Gundam and food. Each machine will allow players to play back 300 to 800 yen each time.

Sunshine City also offers popular clothing, toy and beauty shops such as Axes Femme, 3 Coins, Thank You Mart, Etude House, Sanrio, Disney Store and Studio Ghibli Store.

Restaurants include popular chains such as Italian Tomato, Curry House Coco Ichiban, Café Miami Garden and Godiva. Pikachu Sweets, a cafe attached to the Pokémon Center, is still temporarily closed, but when it reopens, visitors may find snacks shaped like their beloved characters.

Sunshine City may be an interesting place with a bright nickname, but with it comes dark legends. According to the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, this skyscraper was built on the site of the Sugamo Prison, which held approximately 2,000 people suspected of committing war crimes during World War II.

Several people, including Prime Minister Hideko Tojo, were hanged in Sugamo. The prison was closed in 1962 and demolished in 1971.

Sunshine City is often included in the list of the most haunted places in Tokyo because of its past, making it a popular destination for paranormal lovers.

Regardless of whether you see the ghosts of guards or prisoners claimed by some tourists, despite its name and the fun products in it, due to its architectural style, this distinctive building does give people a weird feeling.

Route: Walk for about 12 minutes from Ikebukuro Station. Google Plus Code: PPH9 HR Toshima City, Tokyo

Time: Most Sunshine City stores are open daily from 10 am to 8 pm

Cost: Entry to the building is free. The Pokémon store and training center are also free. Sky Circus Observatory 1,200 yen. The aquarium is 2,400 yen for adults and 1,200 yen for children.

Dining: There are more than a dozen restaurants on site.

Information: Online: sunnycity.jp/en/

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