Theme-restaurants are not an uncommon thing in Japan. A whole variety exists, ranging from ninjas to Alice in Wonderland, to the popular Gundam cafe of Akihabara. Fans of the tokusatsu hero franchise Kamen Rider will be glad to know one exists to satisfy their craving: Kamen Rider The Diner!

A ten-minute walk from JR Ikebukuro Station in Tokyo, Kamen Rider the diner welcomes any and all fans. It might be hard to spot at first, but one will be able to notice the bold red and black poster by the entrance beckoning them to come to the fourth floor.

However, before taking the elevator up, it is imperative that you have a reservation. That’s right, a reservation (which can be done on the official website) has to be made done a whole 3 days in advance! My guess is because it’s a tiny place and the franchise is famous and loved by almost every family in Japan. If each family in the local area wanted to visit, bringing at least one Kamen Rider fan-of-a-child with them, imagine the hordes of children lining up outside!

Within those hordes of rampaging fans are yours truly, Raymaru, and longtime friend and fellow tokusatsu fan, Mr. Lamb, whom everyone may recognize from my article about the Double Hero Festival event.

As we were brought to our seats, excitement settled in and we couldn’t believe how much Kamen Rider greatness could be gathered in this one small restaurant. We found our table and lay down our bags and took time before ordering to admire the well-designed place.

The restaurant does a nice job at setting a very Kamen Rider-ish ambience. Blasting from the speakers and filling the room was music from every era of the franchise, allowing waves of nostalgia to hit every visitor. Supplementing to that effect are the LCD TVs situated on the two side walls, playing opening credit sequences from Rider shows new and old, allowing even the youngest of fans to get to know classic Riders such as Super-1 and X. The black walls and soft lighting set the down-tempo atmosphere, with a giant red carpet that covers the length of the room. Sitting at the end of the red carpet is a throne.

A throne, you say?

Well, this is mainly for picture-taking opportunities. After all, fans will recognize the throne as the one that belongs to the Great Leader of Shocker, the villainous organization that the original Kamen Riders #1 and #2 opposed. The throne is constantly sat on by visitors whose photos are getting taken, much like yours truly.

As hinted just now, photography is more than welcomed in this fine establishment, unlike the many maid cafes that reside in Akihabara. Decorating the walls were statues of Kamen Riders #1 and #2 (a la their suits in the original film Kamen Rider The First), and other artifacts that belonged to past Riders. More specifically: belts, buckles, and trinkets. A small wall of figurines is also on display, showcasing every single transformation in this year’s hero, Kamen Rider OOO’s arsenal.

On the wall directly facing the throne was the order counter, which looks like a bar at first. This is where you would place your orders once you decided (more on this later). Opposite the counter is a life-size model of The Typhoon, the motorcycle ridden by the legendary Kamen Rider #1. Those who stop to admire The Typhoon will most likely notice a group of kids playing in front of it.

Exploring the diner more, visitors will see artifacts, gadgets, and statues in glass displays. Take a look at some of these below.

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