What was the opening date of the first Pokémon Center store in Tokyo?

The first Pokémon Center store opened in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, on July 18, 1998.

Pokémon Centers are real-world specialty shops named after the healing facilities found in the Pokémon games and anime. They sell merchandise such as plush toys, figures, clothing, stationery, accessories, and trading-card products. The first store was established during Pokémon’s rapid expansion beyond video games and television.

Pokémon Center Co., Ltd. was founded earlier that year, on April 23, 1998, by Nintendo, Creatures, and Game Freak. Its original role was to manage specialized Pokémon merchandise stores. The company later broadened its responsibilities and became The Pokémon Company in 2000.

The first Tokyo store should not be confused with the Pokémon Center in New York City, which opened in Rockefeller Center in 2001. That American store closed in 2005 and was replaced by Nintendo World, later renamed Nintendo New York. Today, Pokémon Center shops remain especially associated with Japan, though official stores and online operations also exist elsewhere.