Dragon Quest the DIVE — Square Enix and Tohokushinsha’s fully immersive 40th anniversary exhibition — opened its doors today in Tokyo, and from first reports, it’s something worth knowing about. Situated across multiple floors of Tokyu Plaza Harajuku Harakado, the event runs until 6 September 2026 and offers a mix of VR rides, interactive displays, nostalgic retrospectives, and a full-themed restaurant. If you’re planning a Japan trip this summer, this is one to factor in.
Dragon Quest VR RIDE — Ride a Great Sabrecat in 360°
The centrepiece is the Dragon Quest VR RIDE, an immersive attraction pairing Meta Quest 3 headsets with motion seats to place you on the back of a Great Sabrecat. The ride is a 360-degree journey through the Dragon Quest world — you gallop across grasslands, dodge monsters in forest paths, and launch into flight above the landscape with actual wind effects. It is, in short, the closest anyone will get to the real thing. Tickets are advance-purchase; check the official exhibition page for session times before you go.
What Else Is Inside Dragon Quest the DIVE
Beyond the VR Ride, the exhibition unfolds across several distinct zones:
- Squishy King Slime: A King Slime standing over two metres tall has been installed for visitors to hug. Nearby, the Fureai Monster Lab lets you touch realistically-textured recreations of familiar monsters — Slime, Momon, and even the Lips (yes, really).
- 40th Anniversary Town: AI image analysis transforms your photo into an illustrated resident of a Dragon Quest celebration town, giving you a personalised memento to take home.
- Dragon Quest Memorial Wall: A retrospective zone walking through the series from the original Dragon Quest through Dragon Quest XI — featuring development materials, original artwork, and sheet music. Fans will recognise the contributions of the late Akira Toriyama, whose character designs defined the series’ visual identity over 40 years; original illustrations by Toriyama are displayed here as part of the tribute.
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The Collab Restaurant — FAMiRES × Dragon Quest the DIVE
The dedicated restaurant on the 5th floor of Harakado is open daily 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM, with food orders accepted until 9:00 PM. The menu leans into the series’ iconography:
- Dracky’s Caesar Salad — ¥2,200 (~S$21)
- Bubble Slime Omelette Rice — ¥2,200 (~S$21)
- Rockbomb Fried Chicken with Megante Sauce — ¥1,518 (~S$14)
- Slime Cream Sodas (six varieties) — ¥1,078 each (~S$10)
- Legendary Sword Drinks (three varieties) — ¥1,188 each (~S$11)
- Mini Medal Pudding — ¥1,078 (~S$10)
- 40th Anniversary Pancakes — ¥770 (~S$7)
Every collab menu order comes with an original illustrated placemat. The restaurant’s hours are separate from the main exhibition — useful if you’re visiting for dinner after the VR queue has cleared.
How to Visit
Dragon Quest the DIVE runs from today, 17 July, through 6 September 2026 at Tokyu Plaza Harajuku Harakado, Tokyo. Exhibition floors: 4F (MAZE) and 2F (COVER); restaurant: 5F (FAMiRES). Opening hours are 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM with last admission at 7:59 PM. The nearest stations are Harajuku (JR Yamanote Line) and Meiji-Jingumae (Tokyo Metro), both a short walk away.
Advance tickets are required for the VR RIDE — details and booking available on the official Dragon Quest 40th anniversary site. Note that entrance involves a mix of ticketed attractions and free-roam zones; check the official breakdown before planning your session.
As we covered when the Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams reveal dropped last week, Square Enix is treating this 40th anniversary as a proper moment — DQXII is confirmed, a new Monsters entry is in the works, and this exhibition is the physical centrepiece of the whole celebration. The run through 6 September overlaps neatly with Singapore’s September school break, for anyone already planning a Tokyo trip.