Aruaru City

What Aruaru City does

Aruaru City (あるあるCity) is a multi-floor pop culture commercial complex operated by APAMAN Co., Ltd., headquartered directly adjacent to JR Kokura Station in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. Founded in 2012, the venue aggregates roughly 20+ specialty retailers across anime, manga, games, trading cards, figures, cosplay, and themed food — including anchor tenants Suruga-ya, Mandarake, Lashinbang, JUNGLE, Card Labo, Animate, and Cospa — alongside collaboration cafes (ufotable Cafe, Machi★Assobi Cafe), a BanG Dream! Ultimate Live Theater, and an e-sports/game-development facility (DELTA Village). The business serves regional Japanese anime and otaku fan segments, voice actor/idol event attendees, and trading card game players.

The core commercial product is a physical, event-driven retail destination. Its principal technical asset is a 7F event hall equipped with six 10,000-lumen projectors configured for three-direction video projection plus professional audio, lighting, and video systems, used both for the proprietary YATTEKURU voice actor event series (ticketed 5,500–7,500 JPY via LivePocket) and third-party venue rentals. Digital infrastructure consists of mobile ticketing through LivePocket and two loyalty programs — Aruaru City Passport (launched June 2023) and ARUARU MEMBERS (launched April 2024) — overlaid on Instagram, X/Twitter, and LINE channels.

Aruaru City monetizes through four streams: (1) retail shop rentals and tenant leases to multi-tenant pop culture retailers, (2) ticketed event admissions (YATTEKURU plus special set lottery sales), (3) 7F hall rental for third-party entertainment, corporate, and sales events, and (4) affiliated parking services. As of August 2024 the venue had reached 30 million cumulative visitors, and in June 2026 it expanded for the first time outside Kitakyushu with a pre-open of the Aruaru City Oita Branch near JR Oita Station, anchored by a limited-time ufotable Cafe POP-UP.

Name

Aruaru City

Legal name

APAMAN株式会社

Website

https://aruarucity.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Aruaru City is a multi-tenant pop culture commercial complex in Kitakyushu, Japan, operated by APAMAN Co., Ltd., aggregating ~20+ anime, manga, game, and trading card retailers plus collaboration cafes, an e-sports facility, and a 7F voice-actor event hall. It serves regional Japanese otaku, idol, and TCG fan segments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pop Culture Retail and Entertainment Complex

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Multipurpose Event Center Operations (Civic Centers, Community Event Complexes) (MPAGALAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Music Venues & Venue Operators (Clubs, Theaters, Arenas) (MPAIAFAB)

Keywords

• Pop culture complex
• Anime merchandise retail
• Trading card games
• Voice actor events
• Collaboration cafes

Headquarters

HQ city

Kitakyushu

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Retail Shop Rentals and Tenant Lease: Aruaru City generates primary revenue by leasing space to multiple pop culture retail tenants including secondhand anime/manga shops (らしんばん, まんだらけ, 駿河屋), figure/toy stores (JUNGLE), card game shops, character goods stores (コスパ), and cafes. Tenants sell merchandise directly to consumers.
2. Ticketed Event Admissions: The venue organizes and hosts paid voice actor and pop culture events (YATTEKURU series) in its 7F hall and B1F studio. Revenue comes from ticket sales priced between 5,500–7,500 JPY per person for two-part shows, sold via LivePocket digital ticketing. Additional revenue from special set sales (lottery-based), original goods pre-sales, and on-site merchandise.
3. 7F Hall Rental: The 7F hall event space is available for rental to third parties for entertainment, business, and sales events, leveraging its professional AV infrastructure near Kokura Station.
4. Parking Services: Aruaru City operates an affiliated parking lot (あるあるパーキング) and offers parking discount services to shoppers at certain tenant stores, providing additional revenue and customer incentive.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Aruaru City operates a multi-floor pop culture commercial complex in Kitakyushu (with a new branch in Oita) housing specialty retail tenants selling anime, manga, game, figure, trading card, cosplay, and character merchandise, alongside collaboration cafes and a dedicated event hall. The venue organizes the recurring YATTEKURU voice actor and idol event series and rents its 7F Hall to third parties for entertainment and corporate events. Primary revenue is generated through tenant lease income, event ticket sales (5,500–7,500 JPY), and venue rental of professionally equipped event space.

Product overview

Aruaru City is a multi-floor pop culture complex (anime, manga, games, idol culture) in Kitakyushu, Japan, operated by APAMAN Co., Ltd. It functions as a platform combining retail shops, event venues, cafes, and cosplay facilities across multiple floors. The portfolio includes the main Kokura flagship venue, the newly opened Oita Branch (2026), the 7F Hall event venue for voice actor and idol events (YATTEKURU series), membership and loyalty programs (ARUARU MEMBERS, Aruaru City Passport), and approximately 20+ tenant retail shops including specialty stores for figures, trading cards, manga, games, cosplay, and food. The complex operates as a B2C entertainment destination rather than a software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aruaru City Main Branch (Kokura) Multi-floor pop culture complex adjacent to JR Kokura Station in Kitakyushu, Japan, housing specialty retail tenants (Suruga-ya, Mandarake, Lashinbang, JUNGLE, ufotable Cafe, Croquette Club, DELTA Village, etc.), collaboration cafes, the 7F event hall, and a B1F studio. Open 11:00–20:00 daily; targeted at anime, manga, game, and pop culture enthusiasts.
• Aruaru City Oita Branch (あるあるCityおおいた分校) First branch location of Aruaru City near JR Oita Station, operating 11:00–20:00 year-round, focused on trading cards, manga, anime merchandise, and featuring Card Labo Oita, Cospa Official Store, and ufotable Cafe POP-UP tenants. Targeted at anime and pop culture fans in Oita Prefecture.
• YATTEKURU (ヤッテクル) Voice Actor Event Series Aruaru City's signature ticketed voice actor and idol event series held in the 7F Hall, featuring two-part shows with talk segments, audience games, and dramatic readings. Tickets priced 5,500–7,500 JPY per person, sold exclusively via LivePocket-Ticket, with some events adding a 500 JPY one-drink charge. Targeted at voice actor, anime, and idol fans.
• 7F Hall Venue Rental Event hall on the 7th floor available for rental, equipped with six 10,000lm projectors projecting across stage back and audience side walls, plus professional audio, lighting, and video systems. Suitable for entertainment, business events, and sales exhibitions near JR Kokura Station. Targeted at event organizers, corporate clients, and entertainment promoters.
• ARUARU MEMBERS Official membership program offering exclusive benefits and special services to registered visitors of Aruaru City. Targeted at repeat visitors and pop culture enthusiasts who want ongoing perks and priority access.
• Aruaru City Passport (あるあるCityパスポート) Visitor point loyalty service launched June 2023, awarding points on purchases that can be redeemed for coupons, limited-time benefits, and exclusive deals at participating tenants. Targeted at frequent visitors of Aruaru City Kokura.
• Collaboration Cafes, Pop-up Shops and Limited-Time Exhibitions Rotating limited-time collaboration cafes, exhibitions, and pop-up shops featuring anime and pop culture IP such as Demon Slayer and Re:Zero, offering exclusive themed food, drinks, and merchandise. Targeted at anime fans and IP-driven visitors seeking limited-edition goods and experiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30 million cumulative visitors (as of August 2024)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ufotable Cafe POP-UP in OitacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 26 June 2026ufotable operates a limited-time cafe (POP-UP) at the Aruaru City Oita branch selling Demon Slayer-related goods and collaboration drinks, alongside Oita-exclusive merchandise using original illustrations. This is a flagship limited-time collaboration drawing fans to the new Oita location.
• コスパ (Cospa)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 26 June 2026Cospa, a major anime/manga merchandise manufacturer (producing 2,500+ items annually), operates an official store in the Oita branch. They carry licensed merchandise including Gundam, Demon Slayer, Attack on Titan, Dragon Ball, One Piece, and their popular 'Tsumamare' (pinched character) series and acrylic stands.
• カードラボ (Card Lab) — 大分店coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 26 June 2026Card Lab operates a card game specialty store at the Oita branch selling Yu-Gi-Oh! OCG/RD, Pokemon Card Game, Duel Masters, Hololive Card Game, and other TCGs with daily official tournaments. The store also purchases and buys back cards.
• DELTA Village (E-sports & Game Development School)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 22 July 2024DELTA Village runs an e-sports facility and DELTA School (e-sports & game development school) within Aruaru City, offering high-spec PC gaming environments and game development courses. Launched with a campaign offering free enrollment fees for web applicants.
• LivePocket (Ticketing Platform)coreTechnology or IntegrationAruaru City exclusively uses the LivePocket-Ticket digital platform for all YATTEKURU and other event ticket sales, including lottery-based advance sales, general sales, special set lottery entries, and ticket distribution to purchasers.
• 骏河屋 (Suruga-ya)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSuruga-ya, Japan's leading online used goods retailer (7 consecutive years as #1 in online used sales), operates two stores within Aruaru City Kokura: Store 1 (2F, figures and character goods) and Store 2 (4F, games, trading cards, anime CDs, doujinshi). Offers both sales and high-price buyback services.
• JUNGLEcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJUNGLE operates a figure, toy, and collectibles store on 2F of Aruaru City, specializing in figures, super-alloys, tokusatsu, plastic models, otome (boys love) goods, and 2.5D actor/voice actor merchandise. Also offers top-tier purchasing services for figures, toys, and related items.
• まんだらけ (Mandarake)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMandarake operates on 4F, selling manga, figures, doujinshi, games, anime DVDs, cosplay costumes, and idol merchandise. Known for rare doujinshi and goods unavailable elsewhere. Offers online inventory management with real-time stock counts.
• らしんばん (Lashinbang)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLashinbang operates a comprehensive secondhand anime/manga/game shop on 3F selling figures, plamo, goods, CDs/DVDs/Blu-rays, BL comics, game software, shonen/shoujo comics, doujinshi, and 18+ items. Also buys back items and offers parking discount campaigns.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Suruga-ya: Japan's leading online used goods retailer (#1 for 7 consecutive years), operating two stores within Aruaru City. Comparable for its multi-category anime/manga/game retail and buyback service model.
• Mandarake: Specialty retailer of used anime, manga, figures, and doujinshi operating a 4F store inside Aruaru City. Comparable because it runs both flagship destination stores and a national chain, sharing the same customer demographic.

Broad incumbents

• Taito Station:
• Pokémon Center: The Pokémon Company's official retail stores in major Japanese cities, offering exclusive merchandise and event programming. Comparable as a destination retail-entertainment concept anchored on a single IP universe.
• Animate: Japan's largest anime/manga retail chain with hundreds of stores nationwide, including cafes and event spaces. Directly comparable as a multi-location pop culture retailer; broader scale but less concentrated destination experience.
• Namco Cross Store: Bandai Namco's multi-tenant pop culture destination stores combining character goods, games, and amusement. Operates larger-format retail-entertainment complexes at major urban locations, similar in concept to Aruaru City.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aruarucity2
• Facebookfacebook.com/aruarucity0427
• Instagraminstagram.com/95aruarucity66

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aruaru City