Ikebukuro Shopping Park

Ikebukuro Shopping Park (池袋ショッピングパーク), commonly abbreviated as ISP, is an underground shopping center and public underground parking facility located directly beneath the east exit of Ikebukuro Station in Toshima Ward, Tokyo. It is operated by Ikebukuro Shopping Park Co., Ltd. (株式会社池袋ショッピングパーク), a company originally established in 1959 as Ikebukuro Chikado Chushajo Co., Ltd. through a public-private initiative tied to Tokyo's post-war urban reconstruction plans. The shopping center opened on September 2, 1964, alongside the opening of the public underground passage, and has since become a fixture of the Ikebukuro east exit area. The facility consists of two main components. The basement first floor houses the shopping center, organized into South and North buildings with roughly 60 tenant shops covering food, fashion, miscellaneous goods, services, and cafes. The basement second floor contains a 24-hour public self-propelled parking garage with capacity for 171 cars and 13 motorcycles. The shopping center is connected by underground passages to the Yodobashi HD Ikebukuro Building and the basement floor of the Seibu Ikebukuro flagship store. Annual visitor numbers reached approximately 26.85 million in fiscal 2018, and annual parking usage was about 311,000 vehicles in the same year. ISP has undergone periodic renovations, including major renewals of its food and fashion zones in the 2000s and 2010s, and the opening of a Fresh Market in June 2020. The company also operates the ISP First Building, a rental office building completed in 1984. In September 2023, Sogo & Seibu decided to transfer the shares of Ikebukuro Shopping Park Co., Ltd. to Yodobashi Holdings, making it a subsidiary of Yodobashi Holdings, and directors including the president were replaced by Yodobashi personnel. The current president is Shuichi Ando. The company's fiscal year ends in March, and its stated business purpose is the management of public underground parking and shopping center operations and related businesses.

The origins of Ikebukuro Shopping Park lie in the post-World War II reconstruction of the Ikebukuro Station east exit area. As part of war-damage reconstruction urban planning, land readjustment projects were carried out, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's City Planning Division led the creation of a station-front plaza on the site of a former black market. A plan was formed to build an underground shopping street on the first basement level and a parking garage on the second basement level. In March 1952, several local volunteers initiated a plan to establish an underground shopping street beneath the station-front plaza and applied to the Governor of Tokyo. In August 1957, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government decided on an urban planning project for an automobile parking facility beneath the Ikebukuro east exit, and the Parking Lot Act came into effect in April of the following year. In September 1958, the promoters established an office for Ikebukuro Chikado Chushajo Co., Ltd. and submitted a patent application to the Minister of Construction, obtaining a commitment of full cooperation from competing applicants Seibu Railway and Seibu Department Store. In April 1959, capital was publicly solicited from promoters and local associates, and Ikebukuro Chikado Chushajo Co., Ltd. was established, with Tokugawa Yoshichika as representative director and chairman and Iwasaki Kenkichi as representative director and president. In May 1961, a patent was granted by the Minister of Construction for the Tokyo urban planning automobile parking (Ikebukuro) project and the Tokyo urban planning street (Ikebukuro Station vicinity underground passage) project under the City Planning Act. In December 1961, the implementation design was approved by the Governor of Tokyo. In March 1962, construction began on the underground shopping street and Tokyo's first public underground parking lot, attracting attention for Japan's first floating island construction method and a double-spiral parking entrance and exit. In September 1964, the public passage opened and the shopping street and parking lot began operations. In November 1979, the company changed its name to Ikebukuro Shopping Park Co., Ltd. In fiscal 1981, it ranked first nationwide in annual sales per tsubo among underground shopping centers. In fiscal 1984, the ISP First Building was completed and the company began building leasing operations. In fiscal 2007, it received the Best Parking Special Award. In September 2009, it celebrated its 50th anniversary of founding and 45th anniversary of opening. From 2017 to 2018, ceiling seismic reinforcement work and emergency generator replacement work were carried out. In April 2018, it concluded an FF Partnership Agreement with Toshima Ward. In September 2023, it became a subsidiary of Yodobashi Holdings. The company was originally established with investment from Seibu Railway and Seibu Department Store, and their stakes were inherited through corporate reorganizations by Sogo & Seibu under Fortress Investment Group and by Seibu Holdings (which indirectly held 24.2% and treated it as an equity-method affiliate). On September 13, 2023, Sogo & Seibu resolved to transfer its shares to Yodobashi Holdings, making the company a subsidiary of Yodobashi Holdings, and directors including the president were replaced by Yodobashi personnel. The current president is Shuichi Ando. The company's fiscal year ends in March, and its stated business purpose is the management of public underground parking and shopping center operations and related businesses.

• Local volunteers initiated a plan for an underground shopping street beneath Ikebukuro Station east exit and applied to the Governor of Tokyo.

• Tokyo Metropolitan Government decided on an urban planning project for an automobile parking facility beneath the Ikebukuro east exit.

• Ikebukuro Chikado Chushajo Co., Ltd. was established.

• Patent granted by the Minister of Construction for the parking and underground passage projects.

• Construction began on the underground shopping street and Tokyo's first public underground parking lot.

• Public passage opened; shopping street and parking lot began operations.

• Company name changed to Ikebukuro Shopping Park Co., Ltd.

• Ranked first nationwide in annual sales per tsubo among underground shopping centers.

• ISP First Building completed; building leasing business started.

• New disaster prevention center installed.

• Food zone renewal and facility/environment improvements began.

• Full-building renewal completed, centered on the fashion zone; public passages, restrooms, and three escalators installed.

• Received Best Parking Special Award.

• Celebrated 50th anniversary of founding and 45th anniversary of opening.

• Fashion and food zone renewal and facility environment improvements.

• Fashion and food zone renewal.

• Ceiling seismic reinforcement work and emergency generator replacement work carried out.

• Concluded FF Partnership Agreement with Toshima Ward.

• Food zone renewal; Fresh Market opened.

• Sogo & Seibu resolved to transfer shares to Yodobashi Holdings; became a Yodobashi Holdings subsidiary.

• Prepayment machines introduced in public underground parking.

A long-established, community-rooted underground shopping and parking complex directly connected to Ikebukuro Station, offering everyday food, fashion, and services with convenient access and public parking.

• Underground shopping center tenancy

  Approximately 60 tenant shops across South and North buildings, covering food, fashion, miscellaneous goods, services, and cafes.

• Public underground parking

  24-hour self-propelled parking with capacity for 171 cars and 13 motorcycles.

• Fresh Market

  Opened in June 2020 as part of the food zone renewal.

• ISP First Building

  Rental office building completed in 1984.

1. 1池袋ショッピングパーク 公式サイトweb-isp.co.jp
2. 2会社概要 ｜ 池袋ショッピングパークweb-isp.co.jp
3. 3Ikebukuro Shopping Park - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4池袋ショッピングパーク - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org