The Japanese quarter along Immermannstrasse
Düsseldorf’s Little Tokyo
Düsseldorf is home to Europe's third largest Japanese community Germany’s largest Japanese community. More than 8,400 people of Japanese origin live in the city, and nowhere is their influence more prominent than in Little Tokyo. This buzzing area is about as close as you can get to Japan without actually going there! No other place in Europe offers such a concentrated expression of Japanese culture.
Excellent restaurants and traditional izakaya bars serve authentic Japanese cuisine in a manner befitting its status as part of the world's intangible cultural heritage. Between the main train station and the city centre, along Immermannstrasse and Klosterstrasse, you’ll find a Japanese version of everything from ramen snack joints, bakeries and bars to hotels, supermarkets and bookshops.
Little Tokyo is one of Düsseldorf’s liveliest areas. A place where locals, Japanese business people, manga fans and foodies from around the world meet to enjoy noodle soup, sushi and sake, or perhaps even a traditional altbier!
But Little Tokyo is not the only place where you can experience Japanese culture in Düsseldorf. There are Japanese gardens in Nordpark and at the EKŌ-Haus in Niederkassel, for example. The latter also has an amazing Buddhist temple.
Little Tokyo map
Bars, restaurants and cafés
The Japanese food experience
Restaurants offering traditional Japanese food and modern fusion cuisine follow one after the other along Immermannstrasse and Klosterstrasse in Little Tokyo. It has our mouths watering just thinking about it! All the classics such as ramen and sushi can be found here, as well as izakaya tapas bars, teppanyaki grill restaurants, Japanese cafés and even Japanese bakeries.
Bars, restaurants and cafés
Stories, insider tips and more
Shops and stores
Shopping in Little Tokyo
Little Tokyo is everything a fan of Japanese culture could dream of. From bookshops and boutiques to supermarkets, if it’s a Japanese store you’re looking for, you’ll find it here in this vibrant corner of Düsseldorf.
Cultural attractions
Japanese gardens and more
The Japanese influence on Düsseldorf extends beyond Little Tokyo as well. The EKŌ-Haus, for example, is a centre for Japanese art, culture and education, and features a traditional Japanese temple. And in the Japanese gardens in Nordpark, you can enjoy a tranquil atmosphere among the waterfalls, bridges and trees. You might even run into some of the cosplayers that like to meet there!
Manga, anime and cosplay
Pop culture in the Japanese quarter
Düsseldorf has a colourful Japanese pop culture scene expressed in everything from anime and manga to music and fashion. Fans can browse manga stores, let their hair down in authentic karaoke bars or meet like-minded cosplayers in Nordpark. Meanwhile, annual events such as Japan Day and DoKomi attract visitors from far and wide to celebrate Japanese culture.
Events and places
Experience Little Tokyo
Good to know
Little Tokyo in Düsseldorf
There are lots of places to get great ramen in Düsseldorf. Takumi and Naniwa in Little Tokyo are two of the most popular restaurants. At peak times, you’ll see queues outside, just like in Japan. But don’t worry, you won’t have too long to wait! These traditional noodle soups are considered fast food and the service is not just exceptionally friendly but also very quick! You’ll find an overview of the most popular ramen restaurants here.
Little Tokyo, of course! As well as Japanese restaurants and souvenir shops, the area is home to supermarkets where Japanese people and lovers of Japanese cuisine do their shopping. We recommend the grocery shop Shochiku on Immermannstrasse. It has a fresh fish and sushi counter as well as tofu, miso paste and Japanese soft drinks in the chillers. And if you don’t find what you’re looking for, the next Asian supermarket will be just a few steps away. Follow the link for more recommendations.
Itadakimasu! But what’s even more important is to say “Gochisousamadeshita” after your meal, which expresses your thanks for the good food.
Karaoke is huge in Japan and as much a part of the nightlife as shōchū and sake. Düsseldorf’s Little Tokyo also has its karaoke bars. A top tip is Lime Light in the cellar of Hotel Nikko on Immermannstrasse. In its private karaoke rooms, you can join your friends in renditions of English and Japanese hits. Sake and Japanese beer will keep your vocal chords lubricated!
