The first real-world Pokémon Center store opened in Tokyo.
The Pokémon Company opened the first store in April 1998, creating a dedicated retail destination for Pokémon merchandise. It was located in Tokyo, the Japanese capital and the center of many early franchise events and commercial activities.
Real Pokémon Centers are named after healing locations in the games and anime, but they are retail stores rather than clinics. They sell plush toys, figures, clothing, stationery, games, cards, and other Pokémon products.
The first store eventually closed and reopened in another Tokyo location. Pokémon Centers later expanded across Japan and internationally, including stores in Singapore and Taiwan. The former New York City store opened in 2001 and was later transformed into Nintendo World, so it was not the first Pokémon Center.