Ikea seems to be taking over central Tokyo as of late, opening its first city-centre location in the new With Harajuku building last year, quickly followed by Ikea Shibuya near the Scramble Crossing, which opened on November 30.
The next neighbourhood to welcome Ikea is Shinjuku, as the flat-pack homeware store has taken over a vacant Forever 21 shop in the Keio Shinjuku Oiwake Building along Meiji-dori. The new store is just five minutes on foot from Shinjuku Station, so it's about as conveniently placed as you can get.
Ikea Shinjuku officially opened its doors on Saturday May 1 and offers the lifestyle store's signature homewares and furniture along with takeaway Swedish food.
The space covers roughly 3,270sqm and has six display room sets that Ikea says are based on the style and diversity of the surrounding neighbourhood. You'll also be able to take some inspiration on how to maximise your small living space with smart storage solutions.
The new Ikea continues the chain's focus on sustainability with an area known as the Circular Shop, selling products which have been used in Ikea's displays and exhibits at discounted prices.
Of course, no visit to Ikea is complete without grabbing some Swedish food, and the new Shinjuku location is Japan's first Ikea to sell food by weight in a deli-like manner. The food area, called Swedish Bite, sells sweet and savoury food for takeaway, including Ikea's famous Swedish meatballs.
Special vegan items are also available like a plant-based lasagna and a veggie version of those irresistible meatballs. Although Ikea Shinjuku is already open, the Swedish Bite area is slated to begin service on Monday May 17.
For more information on the new store, visit here.
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