In what month and year did the first Pokémon Center store open in Tokyo?

The first Pokémon Center store opened in Tokyo in April 1998.

Pokémon Centers are specialty retail stores dedicated to Pokémon merchandise. They take their name from the healing locations in the video games, but the real-world stores primarily sell plush toys, figures, clothing, stationery, accessories, and other branded products.

The original Tokyo store became the model for a retail chain that expanded across Japan. Pokémon Center locations have also appeared outside Japan, including stores and online services serving international fans. The chain remains particularly associated with Japan’s major cities and Pokémon-themed shopping districts.

The real stores should not be confused with the in-game Pokémon Centers, where players heal their teams and access services such as Pokémon storage. The fictional locations appeared in the earliest games, while the first physical retail store arrived more than two years after the original Game Boy release.