About
When you exit the east gate of Ikebukuro Station, what spreads out before you is a scene where the bustle of the city and the energy of the people intersect. Standing at the center of this is a police box with a distinctive design modeled after an owl. This police box is beloved as a symbol of Ikebukuro and is used by many people as a meeting spot.
In front of the police box, Meiji-dori runs north to south, with cars and people passing by day and night. Across the street, commercial facilities such as Seibu Department Store and Parco line up, bustling with people enjoying shopping. Nearby, Sunshine City towers above, housing a variety of entertainment facilities including an aquarium and an observation deck.
Ikebukuro was once a rural area, but it developed rapidly with the opening of the railway. In particular, the opening of the Tobu Tojo Line and the Seibu Ikebukuro Line elevated Ikebukuro to the status of a gateway to the city center, transforming it into a terminal station where many people come and go. Throughout this history, the Ikebukuro Station East Exit Police Box has long been a trusted base for ensuring the safety of the area.
Around the police box, there are old-fashioned izakayas and cafes scattered about, and back alleys that retain the atmosphere of the Showa era still exist. At night, neon lights shine and the area takes on a different look from the daytime. Amid all this, the owl police box continues to watch over the city in its unchanging form.
The Ikebukuro Station East Exit Police Box is not just a police facility; as a local landmark and a place of comfort for people, it continues to fulfill its role unchanged even today.