CONTENTS
Sightseeing in Akihabara? Get ready for arcades, anime, technology, and even a little Shinto shrine history!
A Quick Look at Akihabara
A must-see for nerdy sightseers of all stripes, the Akihabara area of Tokyo gets its name from a Japanese god said to control fire, but perhaps it would have made more sense to find a god of electricity! The establishment of Akihabara Station sparked the growth of a large market in the late 1800s, and after World War II, Akihabara's sellers went from offering fresh produce to black-market goods, eventually leading to an explosion in household appliances. Since then, the Akihabara crowd has expanded to include all kinds of "otaku," and modern-day shoppers still flock to Akihabara to buy electronics both used and new, plus video games, anime and manga merchandise, cosplay materials, hobby goods, and a variety of other niche products. All kinds of hangout spaces have also popped up to let those with nerdy interests mix and mingle, including unique cafes and arcades that reach high into the sky. And of course, there is still a touch of Japanese tradition to be found in this unique Tokyo neighborhood!
Scrounge Up Some Great Deals on Tech
With origins as a marketplace for electronic goods, it's no surprise that there is still plenty of electronics shopping to be found in Akihabara. For the latest products sold brand new, a handful of large-scale major electronics chains have sprung up in the area, like Yodobashi Akiba, a Yodobashi Camera department store with six floors of electronic goods, a floor of clothing and lifestyle goods, a restaurant floor, and rooftop batting cages. Many Akihabara experts who know what they're looking for will avoid the enormous electronics department stores, however, and instead make their way to the small electronics stores selling new and used items down the smaller side alleys a little bit further from Akihabara Station. These shops have more specialized wares and staff, more unusual items, and sometimes unbeatable deals – if you get lucky!
Browse the Shelves of Anime Figures, Manga Volumes, and Endless Merchandise
Anime, manga, video game, and other character merchandise is big business in Akihabara, and there's no avoiding the many shops that specialize in these goods. Down the main street and along side alleys, there are stores selling figures of Gundam mechs and flirtatious anime heroines, cute character keychains, big stuffed Pokemon toys, pillows, posters, t-shirts, stickers, stationery, and all kinds of goods that are simultaneously tempting and clearly totally useless. Many well-known names in the business have one or more locations in Akihabara, including Animate, Lashinbang, Mandarake, and Surugaya, and for those feeling a little lost in the bustle of the area, the Akiba Cultures Zone is a 5-floor complex that makes an easy place to start. Like with electronics, though, part of the fun of Akihabara shopping is to explore the streets and enter all kinds of shops, big and small, to search for hidden treasures!
Play Games & Flip Tables in an Arcade
For a glimpse of Japan's famous arcade scene, there's nowhere like Akihabara! While the neighborhood's famously enormous Sega arcade closed its doors back in autumn 2020, the area still has a number of huge, multi-floor buildings dedicated to arcade games of every genre, ready to take up the mantle. Classic fighting games, rhythm games controlled by feet, hands, or drumsticks, shooting games controlled by big plastic guns, racing games controlled by big plastic wheels, and even some unusual games that are unlikely to be found outside of Japan (like our favorite, where you cause as much destruction as possible by flipping a real plastic table top), the arcades have just about everything. And while you can certainly spend hours going from game to game and quickly going through hundreds of yen, you can also take some silly photobooth pictures at a purikura machine (generally found in arcades), or even watch others play certain games at a level you're not likely to reach (sometimes audiences will even form around unbelievably good players). Akihabara's arcades are worth a look, whether you frequent them back home or you're a total newbie.
Eat with Some Unique Company at a Theme Cafe
There's only so long you can shop and game before a break is in order, and when the time comes, Akihabara's nerd culture has created some interesting options for rest and relaxation. The classic Akihabara choice is a maid cafe, where young women dressed in maid costumes serve guests cutesy food, pose for photos, and occasionally perform songs or dances (all for a price). It's an experience that rests somewhere on the border between uncomfortable and not-to-be-missed. (A certain level of irony might be a prerequisite for a visit, but don't let cynicism ruin your brief trip to a magical world of pink, frills, and finger hearts!) There are a number of popular maid cafes around Akihabara, including those with different themes (sometimes it's maids with animal ears, or maids in Japanese style costumes), but there are also cat cafes, owl cafes, and other kinds of themed cafes for anyone who isn't quite ready to hang with the maids (or has been there, done that). Up until January 2022, for 12 whole years, the Gundam Cafe right next to the Akihabara Station entrance was a must-see for fans of the beloved, long-lived world of Gundam. Perhaps the lack of foreign tourists proved to be a death blow for this unique eatery. But the Gundam Cafe has paved the way for other nerdy establishments of its kind, and we look forward to seeing what will follow in its footsteps.
Pray to the Shinto Gods at Kanda Myojin
Want to get away from the crowds of Akihabara's busy shopping streets and find a different kind of vibe? Just a few minutes on foot from Akihabara Station, the quiet grounds of the area's most popular Shinto shrine offer a different kind of Akihabara experience. Kanda Myojin Shrine was established 1,270 years ago, and is dedicated to three major deities, Daikokuten, Ebisu, and Taira no Masakado. In the Edo period (1693-1868), the shrine was important to both average citizens and the samurai class of Edo, even attracting the likes of Tokugawa Ieyasu (Japan's first shogun). These days, you're not likely to spot any samurai at the shrine, but visitors include tourists coming to see the beautiful architecture, locals out on walks, and plenty of nerdy folk taking a break from shopping. The shrine's omamori talisman offerings even include good luck charms said to ward off computer viruses and other electronics problems! Don't forget to grab your own omamori at Kanda Myojin to protect all your purchases before you leave Akihabara.
Kanda Myojin Shrine (神田明神)
2-16-2 Sotokanda, Chiyoda City, Tokyo
Official Website (jp)
Around Akihabara
Akihabara made a name for itself in postwar Japan through the sales of cheap electronics, and the area has grown into a mecca for all things nerdy, attracting visitors from all over the country (and all over the world). For anyone with a full wallet, an empty suitcase, and an interest in Japanese otaku culture, a visit to Akihabara could easily take up a whole day. But for those who want to squeeze a whole lot of Tokyo into a little bit of time, Akihabara Station is on the convenient JR Yamanote Line, which means it's easily accessible from just about anywhere in Tokyo! Plus, there are a few other areas nearby that are worth checking out at the same time. Just a 3-minute train ride (or 20-minute walk) to the north is Ueno (with its park, the zoo, museums, and plenty of nightlife), and about the same distance to the south of Akihabara is the Tokyo Station area. The more traditional neighborhood of Asakusa is only about 5 to 10 minutes away by train (depending on whether you take the Tsukuba Express or the Tokyo Metro), and while Kanda Myojin is popular in its own way, the shrine has nothing on the crowds that gather at Asakusa's famous Sensoji Temple! There's lots to do in Akihabara, but when you expand your options to include its surroundings, the possibilities are endless.
For more info and updates from Japan, check Japankuru for new articles, and don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!
Details
NAME:Akihabara (秋葉原)
PROFILE
Follow us @Japankuru on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
COMMENT
FEATURED MEDIA
VIEW MORE・Accommodations for Odaiba Sightseers: Mitsui Garden Hotel Toyosu PREMIER ・住宿推薦 三井花園飯店 豐洲普米爾 ・오다이바 관광 맞춤 숙소: 미츠이 가든 호텔 토요스 프리미어 ・ค้างคืนที่ Mitsui Garden Hotel Toyosu Premier โรงแรมสำหรับผู้มาเยือน Odaiba #japankuru #odaiba #tokyo #tokyotrip #japantrip #japantravel #mitsuigardenhotel #mitsuigardenhoteltoyosupremier #tokyohotel #odaibahotel #toyosu #tokyoview #tokyobay #rainbowbridge #미츠이가든호텔토요스프리미어 #오다이바 #오다이바맛집 #오다이바건담 #오다이바해변공원 #오다이바야경 #오다이바온천
Nagano Prefecture is famous for delicious soba noodles, and in the city of Ueda, you can learn from the experts! Local aunties run this cooking class, teaching you everything you need to know to make your own delicious plate of soba noodles entirely from scratch. #japankuru #soba #sobanoodles #japanesefood #travelexperience #japan #japantrip #ueda #nagano #japaneseculture #japanexperience #daytrip #daytour #cookingclass #japanesecookingclass #上田市 #そば作り #소바체험 #우에다시 #나가노여행 #일본소바
Kuramae Shrine is known for its early-blooming cherry blossoms and its gorgeous golden mimosa blooms, making it a great sakura spot for travelers arriving in Tokyo a little early for the main cherry blossom season. It’s also tucked away in a neighborhood packed with trendy cafes and coffee shops. Kuramae is a lovely place to spend the day. 🌸☕️ ・ #japankuru #kuramaeshrine #kuramae #tokyo #tokyotrip #cherryblossom #cherryblossoms #mimosa #tokyocherry #花見 #蔵前神社 #ミモザ #桜 #東京 #Japan #日本 #일본 #Japon #ญี่ปุ่น #Japão #Japón #япония #japantravel #日本旅行 #日本旅遊 #일본여행 #japan_of_insta #japantrip #traveljapan
Local Japanese Favorites at the Okinawa Don Quijote ② Ohta’s Isan, the digestive aid of the Japanese people ・ ・ 2024唐吉訶德不可不知的好物推薦② 日本國民消化小幫手:太田胃散 ・ ・ 오키나와 돈키호테 숨은 꿀템2. 일본 국민 소화제! 오타이산 #japankuru #okinawa #donki #沖縄 #오키나와 #오키나와여행 #오키나와돈키호테 #일본쇼핑리스트 #오타이산 #일본소화제 #太田胃酸 #ohtasisan
Happy Valentine's Day from the Japankuru team! May your day be full of sweet chocolates and sweet nothings. 💕 Or, if you're like a rising number of women in Japan, take the opportunity to treat yourself! 🍫💝💆 • Find out more at Japankuru.com! (Link in bio.) • #japankuru #valentinesday #valentineschocolate #japanesechocolate #japaneseculture #バレンタイン #バレンタインチョコ #メリーチョコレート #Japan #日本 #일본 #Japon #ญี่ปุ่น #Japão #япония #japantravel #日本旅行 #日本旅遊 #일본여행 #japan_of_insta #japantrip #traveljapan #japan🇯🇵 #japanlife #igerstokyo #explorejapan #japanfocus #enjoyjapan #japantravelphoto
Japankuru Coupon: BEAMS fashion, accessories, lifestyle goods, and more! BEAMS 5% Discount Coupon ▶︎ Validity Dates: February 1 ~ February 29, 2024 ▶︎ Discount: 5% off all products in-store ▶︎ Usable At: BEAMS stores throughout Japan (all stores except BEAMS JAPAN Izumo and BEAMS JAPAN Nikko) ▶︎ Details: Please present this coupon page before payment to receive your discount! This coupon is also valid in combination with tax-free discounts/refunds for foreign tourists. (Tax-free shopping is only available at some BEAMS locations.) Some products may not be eligible for discount. ・ ・ ・ BEAMS - JAPANKURU優惠折扣券 BEAMS 2024年2月限定特別優惠券 店內全部商品95折 ▶︎使用期間:2024/2/1到2024/2/29 ▶︎使用範圍:日本全國店舖 ▶︎使用方法:結帳時請務必事先向店員出示本優惠券,若未出示本優惠券恕無法享有本優惠。本優惠券可搭配免稅優惠一併使用,但不排除特定門市無法使用本優惠券。此外,不排除特定商品不適用本優惠券。 ・ ・ ・ 「빔즈(BEAMS) x 재팬쿠루(JAPANKURU)」스페셜 할인 쿠폰 빔즈(BEAMS) 5% 할인 쿠폰 ▶유효기간: 2024년 2월 1일 ~ 2월 29일(한 달 동안) ▶︎할인율: 매장 내 전 상품 “5% 할인" ▶︎해당 매장: 일본 전국 빔즈 (BEAMS) 매장 (BEAMS JAPAN이즈모、BEAMS JAPAN닛코는 쿠폰 할인 대상 제외 점포입니다) ▶︎상세 내용: 결제 전 본 쿠폰 페이지를 제시하면 정가대비 5% 할인된 금액에 구매하실 수 있습니다! 본 쿠폰은 외국인 관광객들을 대상으로 하고 있으므로 면세 혜택(빔즈 일부 매장)과 별도로 추가 할인이 가능합니다. (일부 매장 및 제품은 대상에서 제외될 수 있습니다.) #japankuru #beams #beamsjapan #beamsginza #coupon #재팬쿠루 #빔즈재팬 #빔즈 #일본여행 #일본쇼핑 #일본쇼핑리스트 #銀座 #東京 #tokyoshopping #japankurucoupon