The world’s first Harry Potter Cafe (officially called the “Wizarding World Cafe”) is now open in Tokyo and Fukuoka, Japan! There are other Harry Potter cafes around the world, but this is the first official cafe. While I wish this was a permanent cafe, it’s open for a limited time (November 9 – January 31, 2019).

The cafe features unique food, drink, merchandise, and decorations (including projection mapping in a multimedia room). Our review covers the cafe in the MyLord Department Store at Shinjuku Station in Tokyo. There’s another cafe in Fukuoka, Japan.

I’m a huge Harry Potter fan, so much so I make regular trips to Universal Studios Japan to soak in the atmosphere (while sipping on butterbeer) in Hogsmeade. Alright, Muggles, let’s see how the Wizarding World Cafe stacks up!

Table of Contents

• How to make a reservation
• How to get there
• Food
• Merchandise

How to make a reservation

To experience the Wizarding World Cafe, it’s best to make an advance reservation. At the time of writing, reservations for the Tokyo cafe were full until November 25, 2018, with more dates opening soon (check the official website with Google Translate). You’ll have to make the reservation in Japanese on the official website.

Make a reservation

Get a numbered ticket

Don’t worry, not all is lost dear Muggle. Every day before the cafe opens (this applies to both locations), there are a limited number of tickets given out (line up about 15-30 minutes in advance). This allocates you a time to come back to the cafe without making a reservation in advance. Depending on the day, the numbered tickets are given out at different times. Usually, 30-minutes before the cafe opens.

This is the easiest way to get into the cafe, as the cafe won’t accept walk-ups.

Line up early before the cafe opens to get a numbered ticket. This way you can experience the cafe without an advance reservation.

Keep an eye on the official website (use Google Translate) to see what times and location the tickets are being distributed. The location for distribution for the Tokyo cafe may be in front of the escalators at the entrance to Mylord (Just outside the Shinjuku Station South Entrance) or on the 5th floor of Mylord.

You can get a ticket for:

• The cafe only (you’re also allowed to buy merchandise too)
• The cafe & multimedia room (you’re allowed to buy merchandise too)
  • The multimedia room has projections and images not seen anywhere else

How to get there

The Harry Potter cafe in Tokyo is on the 5th floor of the Mylord Department Store at Shinjuku Station. The easiest way to find it is head to the South Exit and turn right after exiting the ticket gates. You’ll see a big sign for the department store.

Address: 1-1-3 Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Odakyu Shinjuku Mylord 5F

Harry Potter Cafe Food

Before we get to the food, let’s talk about the decor. The room is rather small, but images from Fantastic Beasts line the walls. There’s a statue of Newton Scamander and Niffler, the staff is more than happy to take your photo. While the area is small, it’s quaint and with the music in the background, it’s a fun atmosphere!

The menu offers light meals and desserts, which are typical for cafes in Japan. You’ll find the standard fare of salad, a salisbury steak (called hamburg in Japan), pancakes, and an assortment of drinks. Here’s a look at the menu below.

Menu

Drink Menu (sadly no Butterbeer)

Food Menu

During my visit, I had the Pancakes and the Ice Blended Tea. I also got a random souvenir coaster to keep too! The Ice Blended Tea was nice and fruity. The pancakes were super sweet, it came with cotton candy on the top. The warm maple syrup which you drizzle on top melts the cotton candy, which is fun to do. The cookie had an adorable cartoon Newt on it too.

Ice Blended Tea

Newton Scamander Pancakes with Cotton Candy

Random Souvenir Coaster

You’re given a time limit of 45-minutes to enjoy your meal and take photos. Once you’re done, you’re able to give your credit card a workout with a choice of merchandise to buy.

Harry Potter Cafe Merchandise

There’s some merchandise to choose near the entrance. If you just want to shop without going into the cafe, you’ll have to get a numbered ticket (the same way you do to get into the cafe). Simply say “goods only” or “shou-heen dake” in Japanese when getting your ticket.

There are a few Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts-themed items to choose from. One of the items I bought was the water absorbing coasters with the Gryffindor crest!

Verdict

Overall the food was decent, it was nothing outstanding. You go for the theming, which I thought was well-done. While the decor isn’t overly elaborate, it’s fun and worth it for the photo ops. I didn’t get a chance to experience the multimedia room, I’ll try to do that next time.

If you’re a Harry Potter fan, then this cafe is an absolute must. The only bad thing is it’s only on for a limited time. If you’re heading to Tokyo, make sure to check out our list of best things to do in the city. Also, don’t forget to read our practical tips for visiting Japan.

Review Summary

By

TDR Explorer

Review Date

2018-11-09

Reviewed Item

Wizarding World Cafe

Rating

4