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 trips to Japan in Tokyo, I always tend to 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 start by saying that if you imagine Akihabara as a neighborhood full of people dressed as anime characters, you will be disappointed!
Table of Contents
About the Akihabara Neighborhood
Akihabara (秋葉原) is a famous neighborhood in the Chiyoda district located in Tokyo. Akihabara is a true home for Otaku! The name Akihabara is an abbreviation of Akibagahara (秋葉が原), which means “Field of autumn leaves.” This neighborhood also has a cute abbreviated nickname: Akiba.
In this technological paradise, you can find absolutely everything:
- Maid Cafés and other themed cafés;
- Card Game Stores;
- Stores for Consoles and vintage games;
- Computers and parts;
- Cameras and accessories;
- Manga, eroge, and dōjinshi;
- Animes, action figures, clothing, all kinds of themed junk;
You can also encounter thousands of Cosplayers, Itasha, Giant Robots, and thousands of banners and items scattered around, promoting otaku culture.
You can 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 outfits. Not to mention the thousands of shows, events, and conventions that take place in this neighborhood.
There is also one of the largest Pachinko venues, which is equivalent to casinos, in an arcade style, but instead of betting money, you bet for prizes and other anime, game products, etc. There are other places like Game Centers, Karaoke, and other leisure centers surrounding the neighborhood.
On weekends and holidays, avenues like Chuo Dori are closed and turn into a wide promenade for shows and a stage for young people to showcase their cosplays, where they take photos with visitors and friends.
Arriving in Akihabara
It was around 7 PM when I arrived at the Akihabara station heading to my hotel and took the opposite route, seeing for the first time what this neighborhood is like. I only saw stores and schoolgirls 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 getting caught in the rain, arrived at my hotel (GRIDS HOSTEL AKIHABARA) all wet, and was very well attended with a towel. Every morning when leaving my hostel, I would buy a smoothie or drink from the vending machine and head towards the Akihabara neighborhood, and I usually bought a nikuman at the konbini or went to the bakery next to the station called Vie de France.
I remember that near this bakery there was a pharmacy and also the largest electronics store in Akihabara, Yodobashi Kamera. It was a neighborhood; there wasn’t much to do besides walking through the anime stores and being 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 was the NHK radio building.
Experiences in Akihabara
During my stay in Tokyo, I practically walked around the Akihabara neighborhood every day. At times, I met up with the group from the Online Japanese Program 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 foreigner hunters promise a good and cheap meal, but then they end up charging absurd prices. We already knew this; we are smart, but it was hard to get rid of their insistence. Another day, a woman called me to her store and ended up making me buy 2,000 yen worth of souvenirs that weren’t even worth 500. My mistake, since I was treated well and can’t refuse things.
My stay in Akihabara was not as interesting as people imagine. I didn’t go to any nightlife parties, nor did I meet people to help me explore the place. The most I did was go to a Maid Café with a friend from the Online Japanese Program. It was an interesting experience, but expensive. You can follow more in our article about Maid Café.
My Disappointments in Akihabara
This neighborhood is truly wonderful, with thousands of stores and products, but I personally found everything expensive. There were anime shirts that cost up to 10,000 yen. Action figures vary in price according to the popularity of the anime, etc.
Another thing that disappointed me a bit was the fact that I didn’t encounter many cosplayers during my stay. I saw many maids but few cosplayers. Even though it is a wonderful neighborhood, I recommend second-hand stores in Japan for you to buy manga and action figures. Since the prices of products in Akihabara are made for the Japanese salary.
Some places in the neighborhood stand out like Softmap, Yodobashi, Maidreamin, Mandarake, Animate, and many others. It is worth mentioning the Sega game center and the Kaikan radio, which is a large shopping center; they stand out on the main street at the exit of the Akiba station. It is worth remembering that you don’t need to go to Akihabara to find these main stores; most of them are present in various cities and neighborhoods.
Have you visited the Akihabara neighborhood? Share your experience in the comments and share with friends.
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