Japanese Food and Shopping Recommendations at Akihabara Station: Akiba Tolim

Planning a trip to Akihabara? This busy neighborhood of Tokyo has some of the city's most unique shopping options, like multi-floored anime merchandise malls and shops entirely devoted to Gunpla (Gundam models), not to mention all the maid cafes and gaming arcades. But these days Akihabara isn't just a paradise for otaku culture enthusiasts! With so many people choosing to spend time in the neighborhood, and crowds of locals and sightseers alike, nowadays the area is known for everyday shopping and some great food, too. Some of Akihabara's best casual shopping and dining can be found attached directly to Akihabara Station, sharing a building with the Tsukuba Express line, at Akiba Tolim! This convenient Akihabara shopping mall has some of Japan's most popular clothing and lifestyle brands, right alongside Japanese food favorites, but it actually attracts fewer crowds than similar malls in other parts of Tokyo. For an easy breezy shopping trip and some tasty bites to eat in the middle of Japan's otaku wonderland, we've got a few recommendations at Akiba Tolim.

Akiba Tolim (アキバ・トリム)
1-6-5 Kanda Sakumacho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo
Access: directly connected to Akihabara Station (4 min from Ueno, 5 min from Asakusa, 6 min from Tokyo Sta.)
Official Website (jp)

If you're a minimalist design lover, a chic fashion expert, or just a fan of practical Japanese products in general, you won't want to miss a trip to Muji during your stay in Japan, and the Muji at Akiba Tolim offers an entire floor of some of the brand's most popular products. These days their food and snack options are some of their best sellers as souvenirs to bring home from Japan, and the range includes everything from traditional Japanese sweets to fun instant drink mixes, plus a whole line of different curries and other international dishes. Muji often offers new seasonal snacks throughout the year, which makes every trip a chance to try something new and tasty!

When it comes to non-edible options, the Muji brand is known for its consistently minimalist and understated approach to design, which truly shines in their clothing, home goods, stationery, and even cosmetics. With everything matching so beautifully in the store, it's hard not to want to fill your basket to the brim so you can recreate the look back home! They've updated their whole skincare line in recent months to make it even more tempting, their shoes are great for walking all day in Tokyo, and they even offer convenient travel-sized versions of everything from toiletries to little sewing kits for sightseers on the go. If you do end up buying a little more than will fit in your suitcase, don't worry, you can just buy another one - Muji's hardshell suitcases are hugely popular for a reason!

Muji (無印良品) ・ 3rd Floor
Hours: 11:00 - 21:00
Official Website (jp)・Akiba Tolim Page (jp)

Looking for high-quality apparel made in Japan? Maker's Shirt Kamakura is a local Japanese brand that comes from the seaside city of Kamakura, south of Tokyo, and they focus on limited runs of carefully crafted tailored styles for both men and women. The Maker's Shirt Kamakura boutique at Akiba Tolim offers dress shirts, of course, but also casual tops, sweaters, accessories, and even jackets and trousers, with the shop stocking new items in small batches just about every week. (That means the brand is constantly designing new styles, but also that the exact items you see in this article may no longer be available when you visit.)

For early 2024, their Easy Care line is already a big hit, thanks to the shirts' comfortable construction and the wrinkle-resistant fabrics that are made using unique thread textures. The different Easy Care fabrics have different benefits, and while their knit shirts might be especially cozy, their PALPA shirts use thread made from cotton wrapped around a polyester core, for a comfortable feel with quick-drying technology. The Vintage Ivy Collection (as seen worn by the shop staff above) is also worth a look, with a variety of effortlessly cool and casual items modeled off the vintage styles of '60s Ivy League student population, as envisioned by British artist Graham Marsh. If you're planning to stay in Japan for a couple weeks, and you make sure to visit Akiba Tolim early in your trip, you can even check out Maker's Shirt Kamakura's catalog of order-made shirts, which can also be picked up at other shop locations at the end of your trip!

Maker's Shirt Kamakura (メーカーズシャツ鎌倉) ・ 2nd Floor
Hours: 11:00 - 21:00
Official Website (en)・Akiba Tolim Page (jp)

Whether you know and love GU or you're new to the brand, you've probably heard of Uniqlo before, and GU is a sister brand that's a little like Uniqlo's kid sister - it has a younger style, a sharper focus on the latest fast fashion trends, and a slightly lower price point than the already affordable Uniqlo. An entire floor of Akiba Tolim is dedicated to GU's latest styles, so if you're looking to add Japan's freshest fashion trends to your wardrobe, it's definitely worth a visit!

For a unisex outfit straight from the GU Fall/Winter lookbook, shop staff recommend you grab a pair of wide pants or even parachute pants and pair them with a warm winter coat. Their puffy coats are a perennial hit (try the Heat-Padded Blouson), but their felt coats offer a straighter silhouette that has been especially popular this year, and the lightweight polyester fabric makes them especially convenient when traveling. For hanging out at the hotel, don't miss the chance to pick up one of GU's unreasonably cute Marshmallow-Feel Hoody Sets while you're there, which come complete with cute animal ears! (The panda set is popular, but we liked this year's new lamb-themed sets too.)

GU (ジーユー)・ 4th Floor
Hours: 11:00 - 21:00
Official Website (jp)・Akiba Tolim Page (jp)

A trip to Japan just isn't complete without a meal of fresh sushi straight from the fish markets, and in Tokyo it only makes sense to eat at a spot specializing in Tokyo-style sushi! Commonly referred to as Edo-style sushi (using the old historic name for Tokyo), this sushi is made with a hand-shaped lump of rice and a slice of fresh fish or other seafood, creating the classic dish known around the world. At Tsukiji Sushiko, they take advantage of the fresh catch at the Toyosu fish market to offer some of the city's best Edo-style sushi!

Not sure what to order? Tsukiji Sushiko offers convenient sets like the Tokusen Nigiri (above), but the menu is actually available entirely in English, complete with information on common allergens and gluten, so it's easy to order and try something new! The sushi chefs at the counter will tell you that an order of tuna (especially the five-piece Maguro Zukushi) is a great place to start, because tuna might be caught out on the open ocean, but the best of the best is brought all the way to Tokyo to be sold in Toyosu, allowing the restaurant to offer some top-notch fish. Of course, if you'd like to expand your sushi horizons, the chefs are happy to offer some less obvious recommendations, too! Fresh scallops (hotate) offer a lusciously soft texture and mild seafoody flavor, while the restaurant's "hikarimono" (光物/fish with silver skin) options are often preserved in a vinegary marinade that gives the fish a firm bite and refreshing acidic flavor - two local favorites that many foreign diners miss out on. You can order your meal one piece at a time to treat your palate to a whole world of new sushi delights!

Tsukiji Sushiko (築地すし好) ・ 5th Floor
Hours: 11:00 - 22:00
*Last order 30 minutes prior to closing.
Official Website (en)・Akiba Tolim Page (jp)

When you're looking to indulge a little for lunch or dinner, do as the Japanese do, and enjoy a meal of yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) featuring richly marbled Japanese wagyu beef at Toraji! Yakiniku is often a celebratory meal in Japan, but we think it's only appropriate to relax in one of Toraji's partitioned rooms at Akiba Tolim and celebrate a successful trip to Tokyo. This restaurant's official mission is to use the "magic of yakiniku" to put a smile on your face, and between the exquisite meaty flavor and the melt-in-your-mouth texture of wagyu beef, you'll certainly be grinning by the end of your meal.

Toraji's menu actually features a variety of salads and sides (including beef sushi), but the star of the show is undeniably the Japanese Black cattle wagyu, ready to be grilled to perfection on the small grills installed into each of the restaurant's tables. For diners who aren't sure which cuts to choose, the Toraji Prime Wagyu Assortment is an easy option, with four cuts that show off the mouth-watering textures and flavors that wagyu has to offer. (The Japankuru team's assortment came with sirloin steak, two cuts of chuck flap, and special boneless short rib.) Use the grill to give each slice of meat the juicy center and thin outer crust it deserves, then dip the beef in Toraji's original yakiniku sauces (don't miss their "oroshidashi" sauce made with fresh fruit) before savoring a mouthful of flavor that you're not likely to forget anytime soon.

Toraji Yakiniku (焼肉トラジ) ・ 5th Floor
Hours: 11:00 - 15:00 / 17:00 - 23:00
*Last order 30 minutes prior to closing.
Official Website (en)・Akiba Tolim Page (jp)

For the perfect afternoon snack, or a sweet treat after a meal, stop by the Pie Mania counter on the ground floor of Akiba Tolim. This little shop is a new offshoot of a beloved bakery and restaurant called Kobeya, which was established over a century ago in the western city of Kobe. Kobeya is popular for all kinds of tasty baked goods, but their apple pie has become such a customer favorite that they decided to set up a specialty shop focusing on the pastry: thus was born Akiba Tolim's Pie Mania, the first pie shop of its kind. Pie Mania only sells freshly baked mini apple pies, but when it comes to apple pie, they know what they're doing.

Pie Mania's apple pie is made from a recipe inspired by apple pastries from all over the world, with a flaky crust and a filling made with chunks of sweet apple immersed in creamy custard. It's deliciously nostalgic, but to jazz things up, the shop also offers a whole variety of different flavors to choose from! Each pie is filled with apples and custard, but the matcha pie comes topped with fragrant matcha cream and a dusting of green matcha powder, while the mascarpone pie is crowned with a swirl of sweet mascarpone cheese. One of their most popular varieties is the apple-apple pie, which not only has apples inside, but also extra apples on top, with an enticing aroma of apple-cinnamon. This counter at Akiba Tolim is currently the only place in the world offering Pie Mania pies, so if you're looking to satisfy a sweet tooth, it's worth a visit.

Pie Mania (パイ マニア) ・ Ground Floor
Hours: 10:00 - 21:00
Official Website (jp)・Akiba Tolim Page (jp)

Akiba Tolim's laid-back atmosphere makes it a pleasant place to shop, and between all the Japanese brands and some truly tempting food options, it's ideal for travelers looking to pick up some souvenirs and relax in the busy city of Tokyo. Plus, it's not only convenient for sightseers who are already in Akihabara for all the otaku culture. Akihabara is easily accessible via a handful of different train lines, which means it's only about five minutes from other popular spots like Ueno, Asakusa, and Tokyo Station. Thanks to the mall's direct connection to Akihabara Station, once you arrive in Akihabara, there's nowhere more convenient for a casual shopping trip than Akiba Tolim!