The dream of many, especially otakus, is to visit the neighborhood of Akihabara [秋葉原], the largest electronic and otaku center in the world. It is also known for being the biggest sales center for games, computers, electronics, and products related to anime and manga.
During my travels to Japan in Tokyo, I always stay in the Akihabara neighborhood. This Guide aims to help you have a good experience in Akihabara and discover all its possibilities.
I want to advance by saying that if you imagine Akihabara as a neighborhood full of people dressed as anime characters, you will be disappointed!
Table of Content
About Akihabara Neighborhood
Akihabara (秋葉原) is a famous neighborhood in the district of Higashiagatsuma located in Tokyo. Akihabara is a true home for otakus Otaku! The name Akihabara is an abbreviation of Akibagahara (秋葉が原) meaning "Field of Autumn Leaves". This neighborhood also receives an affectionate abbreviated nickname: Akiba.
In this technological paradise you can find absolutely everything:
- Maid Cafés and other themed cafes;
- Card Game Stores
- Stores of old consoles and games.
- Computers and parts;
- Cameras and accessories;
- Manga, eroge and dōjinshi;
- Anime, action figures, clothes, all kinds of thematic stuff;
You can also encounter thousands of Cosplayers, Itasha, Giant Robots, and thousands of banners and items spread out, promoting otaku culture.
It is possible to find the famous café and even members of the group AKB48 composed of 48 young and beautiful girls, who sing and dance wearing cosplay and extravagant clothes. Not to mention the thousands of other shows, events, and conventions that take place in this neighborhood.
There is also one of the largest places for Pachinko, which is equivalent to casinos, in arcade style, but instead of betting money, you bet on prizes and other anime products, games, etc. There are other places like Game Centers, Karaoke, and other leisure centers that surround the neighborhood.
On weekends and holidays, avenues like Chuo Dori are closed and become a wide promenade for shows and a stage for young people to present their cosplays, where they take photos with visitors and friends.
Arriving in Akihabara
It was around 7 PM when I arrived at Akihabara station heading to my hotel and took the opposite path, seeing for the first time what this neighborhood is like. I only saw shops and garotas colegiais and maids on the street. I realized I was going the wrong way and turned back, crossing a prominent avenue near the station that separates Akiba from the neighborhood where my hotel was.
It was summer, I ended up caught in the rain, I arrived at my Hotel (GRIDS HOSTEL AKIHABARA) all wet, and was very well attended with a towel. Every morning when I left my Hostel, I bought a smoothie or drink at the vending machine and headed towards the Akihabara district and usually bought a nikuman at the konbini or went to the bakery next to the station called Vie de France.
I remember that next to this bakery there was a pharmacy and also the largest electronics store in Akihabara, the Yodobashi Kamera. It was a neighborhood where there wasn't much to do besides walk around the anime shops and be shocked by the prices of shirts that exceed 6,000 yen. There was a 7-story building that I liked to go up, which was full of stores; if I'm not mistaken, it's the NHK radio building.
Experiences in Akihabara
During my stay in Tokyo, I practically walked around the akihabara district every day. At times, I met with the group from the Programa Japonês Online to walk around the neighborhood. I remember that some strangers approached us inviting us to dinner at a restaurant located in a building.
Don't fall for it, these foreign hunters promise a good and cheap meal, but then end up charging absurd prices. We already knew that, we are espertos, but it was difficult to end their insistence. The other day a woman called me to her shop and ended up making me buy 2,000 yen worth of souvenirs that weren't even worth 500. My own stupidity, since I was treated well and I can't refuse things.
My stay in Akihabara wasn't as interesting as people imagine. I didn't go to any night parties, nor did I meet anyone to help me explore the area. The most I did was visit a Maid Cafe with a friend from the Online Japanese Program. It was an interesting experience, however, it was expensive. You can follow more in our article about Maid Cafe.
My disappointments in Akihabara
This district is truly wonderful, with thousands of stores and products, but I personally found everything expensive. There were アニメのシャツ that cost as much as 10,000 yen. Action figures vary their prices according to the popularity of the anime, etc.
One thing that disappointed me a little was the fact that I didn't find many cosplayers during my stay. I found many maids but few cosplayers. Even though it is a wonderful neighborhood, I recommend used stores in Japan for you to buy mangas and action figures. Given that the prices of products in Akihabara are made for the Japanese salary.
Some places in the neighborhood stand out such as Softmap, yodobashi, maidreamin, mandarake, Animate and many others. It's worth mentioning the Sega game center and the Radio Kaikan, which is a large shopping mall that stand out on the main street at the Akiba station exit. It's worth remembering that it's not necessary to go to Akihabara to find these main stores, most of them are present in several cities and neighborhoods.
Have you ever visited the Akihabara neighborhood? Tell us your experience in the comments and share with your friends.