Shanghai's weather has been unpredictable lately, with muggy heat and sudden downpours throwing off outdoor City Walk plans. So why not move your shopping spree indoors? Jing'an Joy City is an absolute summer hideaway, directly accessible by metro and packed with air conditioning, offering everything from trendy toys, books, and stationery to IP pop-up stores and rooftop night views. Join our on-site exploration and grab this super practical guide.

Stepping out of Qufu Road Station on Metro Line 8, the blast of cool air instantly melts away the stuffy heat. Right at the elevator corner, you'll find lockers in small, medium, and large sizes, so you can ditch your heavy bags and explore the mall hands-free—a thoughtful touch indeed. As soon as you enter the South Building, a wave of anime and manga culture hits you, with the first stop being the pop-up store for Tomato Novel's "After Class: Autumn Fire Fish Market". This space brings together hugely popular online literature IPs like "I Am Not a Drama God", "The End of Ten Days", and "Learning to Slay Gods in a Mental Hospital", with an array of merchandise including art boards, photo cards, badges, and plush toys. We met quite a few enthusiasts who came specifically for the event, many of whom are regular readers on the app and jumped at the chance to see their favorite stories brought to life offline. "Seeing the online novel IPs I love become a physical experience is really cool," said several young visitors. Turning beloved characters into tangible collectibles adds a real-world dimension to the digital reading experience. The South Building is also packed with beauty and anime-style shops, with limited-time IP pop-ups rotating constantly—perfect for a slow, exploratory treasure hunt.

Moving from the South to the North Building, you'll find a peaceful oasis tucked away in the bustling mall: Sisyphus Bookstore. With its British vintage décor and a soothing green theme, it's a quiet reading corner amid the commercial noise. The book selection spans a wide range, including literature, psychology, science, and math, and the in-store Vector Coffee reading area lets you grab a cup to rest your eyes. There's also a section for creative cultural goods and children's books, making it a healing spot to flip through a few pages when you're tired of shopping. Many shoppers deliberately detour to browse the shelves, with one reader noting how she usually gravitates toward math and psychology titles and was thrilled to find physical copies here. "Shopping while also catching up on reading broadens my horizons—an unexpected bonus," she said. Finding a small reading sanctuary in the middle of a lively mall adds a touch of laid-back charm to any shopping trip.

After the bookstore, stationery lovers will find their happy place at the Deli Shanghai flagship store. Spanning an impressive 1,500 square meters with over 10,000 stationery items, it's divided into zones for student supplies, premium creative goods, IP collaborations, and office essentials. Popular IP collabs are everywhere, with colored pens, pencils, binders, pouches, and pencil cases galore. Whether it's students stocking up for the new semester or adults replenishing their journaling and storage gear, there's plenty to browse to your heart's content. As the holiday season winds down, you'll spot kids everywhere picking out supplies. Even those who've long left their school days behind find themselves reminiscing, with one mom accompanying her child admitting, "I used to love collecting pencils as a kid, always wanting every color." She ended up grabbing a few pouches and pens herself, and was eyeing a stylish pencil case too.

Here's a key tip: Before August 30th, Joy City is hosting a limited-edition stamp card collection and lucky draw event! If you're into stamping and collecting merch, don't miss out—while visiting the pop-up stores, be sure to join the stamp rally and try your luck at snagging some exclusive perks. Spend the daytime cooling off inside the mall, but when the sun begins to set, don't rush off just yet. Head up to the rooftop night food terrace, where the dreamy Ferris wheel awaits. With a gentle evening breeze, the aroma of street food fills the air, and as you watch the sunset and wait for the wheel's lights to flicker on, you'll be fully immersed in Jing'an's vibrant nightlife—perfect for a date or hanging out with friends.

Here's your practical guide to Jing'an Joy City: Transportation: Take Metro Line 8 or 12 to Qufu Road Station, exit directly to the mall—no sunburn or rain hassle. Lockers: Near the mall entrance at Metro Exit 1, at the elevator corner, with small, medium, and large sizes available, so you can free your hands before diving in. Tips: Weekends get crowded, so consider off-peak hours for a more relaxed visit. Spend the day cooling off indoors, then save the evening for the rooftop Ferris wheel view—it doubles the experience. The stamp collection event is time-limited, so plan ahead to avoid missing out.

When the muggy weather makes you want to avoid staying home but the rain keeps interrupting your plans, head to Jing'an Joy City for a one-stop experience of indoor cool, shopping, reading, stamp collecting, raffles, and rooftop night views. Save this guide and rally your friends for the trip!