With UFO crane machines, purikura photo booths and iconic Taiko no Tatsujin drumming stations, the city’s arcades are all fairly similar to each other on the inside. However, some of these game centres have been around for so long that they’ve become a landmark, an essential part of the neighbourhood they’re based in.
The Taito Station arcade located by Shinjuku’s west exit is one of those time-honoured venues. But following suit of Akihabara’s Sega arcade and Silk Hat Ikebukuro, which closed down last year, the Shinjuku game centre will also be shuttering for good next month.
Taito Station announced its decision on Twitter, stating the Shinjuku west exit location will only be open for a while longer before closing on March 21. It’s sad to see another business disappear in the midst of Covid-19, but the Shinjuku Nishiguchi venue is just one of many managed by the Space Invaders developer Taito, which have three other locations within Shinjuku ward.
While Tokyo may not be 100 percent back to its usual self until the state of emergency is lifted and more vaccines are administered, its arcades continue to be as ubiquitous and quintessential to its bustling city centres as karaoke parlours. After all, where else would you get the thrill of winning ice cream from a claw machine?
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