Akihabara is one of Tokyo’s craziest and most unique neighbourhoods, and the go to destination for everyone in love with anime and gaming. Trot Op! took to the streets and navigated every game center, maid café and otaku store to list Akiba’s twelve best sights for you.
Look for images of Tokyo online, and chances are the neon-lit streets of Akihabara will pop up as one of the first results. This is no coincidence. It’s one of the wildest and most recognisable places in the capital, and the area where I spent the most time – apart from Asakusa where my hotel was located. Akihabara – Akiba for friends – is the ultimate poster child for every excess that makes modern Japanese pop culture both incredibly popular and somewhat alien. It’s a paradise for weebs and otaku (anime nerds) and an absolute assault on the senses. The buildings are covered under a layer of colourful billboards; dozens of anime shops the size of apartment blocks are filled to the brim with merchandise; countless arcades full of gachapon machines allow you to get the whole family a couple of strange souvenirs for a few thousand yen and everywhere on the street girls dressed as sexy French maids hand out flyers to lure you into one of numerous bars. Akihabara simply doesn’t allow you to get bored.
Akihabara: the ultimate guide to Tokyo’s gaming and anime paradise
Present-day Akihabara is actually quite a recent phenomenon. The first seeds were planted when a black market grew here after WWII, full of small stalls selling clandestine electronics to whoever needed them. In the fifties and sixties, Japan industrialised at lightning speeds, which caused these small businesses to be gradually pushed out in favour of larger retailers offering Japanese televisions, fridges and audio systems. The nickname Electric Town originated somewhere around this time, as Akiba grew into Japan’s main technology hub. When the PC and the first gaming consoles emerged in the early eighties, the neighbourhood evolved yet again, becoming the place to be for everything related to hardware, software and games. It was only in the late nineties that Akihabara’s focus shifted to anime and manga, when the area began to identify more and more with the growing otaku subculture. The first maid cafés didn’t even open their doors before the early 2000s. So in short: the bustling Akihabara as a manga Mecca is younger than I am, but the original electronic stores are still here as well. Over the years the district’s different identities and subcultures blended into an all-in-one package for everyone who loves modern Japan to lose themselves in. The following twelve tips will help you on your way for sure.
1. Get lost in Electric Town’s gritty back streets
Leave JR Akihabara Station through the Electric Town exit and you’ll immediately be catapulted into a whole new world. Dozens of illuminated billboards are competing for your attention; music is blaring from various speakers and the street in front of you is a pandemonium of people and colour. Start by following your nose and walk around aimlessly for an hour or two, entering any store that looks interesting. The main boulevard parallel to the station is visually the most impressive, but don’t forget the back streets. If you’re interested in anime figurines (or hentai ones: you know who you are), Pokémon cards or retro games, this is often where you’ll find the best deals. Opposite Radio Kaikan near the station for example, is a corridor full of little shops selling second-hand action figures for almost no money. Akihabara truly comes to life only after sunset, but if you want to have the street to yourself (and a few ten thousand others), it’s best to come and take a look on Sunday afternoon as well. The main avenue is then closed to all traffic, which means you can freely walk the roadway.
2. Unleash your inner simp in a maid café
Anyone passing the rows of mini-skirted cosplay girls recruiting customers on the street at night, might start getting the wrong idea. To make sure everything going on in the maid cafés can see the light of day, I decided to sacrifice myself for science and book a table at Maidreamin. It turned out to be a hilarious experience. The maid bars are the ultimate expression of Japanese kawaii culture: everything should and will be as cute as humanly possible. Upon entering, you’ll be assigned a maid who will enthusiastically take care of your every whim as long as you ask politely by saying meow meow and making a heart with your hands (this is not a joke). Mine proceeded to draw a ketchup kitten on my rice omelette, and then presented me with a dessert that looked as if a few Teletubbies had vomited all over it. Throughout it all the girls perform perfectly choreographed little dances: no raunchy strip show, but like a weird parody of some kid show. Next to me sat a Japanese man in his fifties who was having the time of his life, but I didn’t always know how to compose myself. Maidreamin is the largest and most famous chain of maid cafés – and has a theme song you won’t be able to get out of your head for a week – but there are all sorts of them in Tokyo. There’s a bar where everyone is dressed as a (sexy) North Korean soldier, one where all the girls are bodybuilders who’ll slap you in the face for a small fee, and there’s even one where the maids are drag queens. There’s something for everyone: don’t be shy and just walk in.
3. Akihabara Radio Kaikan: an anime landmark with a history
Radio Kaikan, with its striking yellow façade, is one of the most recognisable buildings in Akihabara. Originally built in the fifties, it was one of many outlets for electronics, but gradually the focus shifted towards anime and otaku culture. The building was demolished due to structural problems in 2011, and the current ten-storey complex was put in its place a few years later. These days it’s somewhat of a geek sanctuary. Dozens of shops found a home here, filled with figurines from every major anime series, endless shelves full of manga comics, countless trading cards and a whole bunch of other gadgets. Some places sell stuff I wouldn’t want to leave on my TV-cabinet when I’m expecting a visit: half-naked figurines dragging around bosoms the size of unmilked udders; calendars full of school girls in various states of excitement and pillows shaped like a yearning kawaii woman for you to shed some tears on whenever you’re facing another lonely night. There must be a market for it somewhere.
4. Mandarake: a treasure trove for second-hand collectors
A little further from the metro station is one of the largest Mandarake stores in Tokyo. Mandarake is a Japanese second-hand chain store specialised in anime, manga, toys, and games. The Akihabara store has eight floors arranged by theme. The collection is similar to Radio Kaikan’s, but more aimed at real collectors. There’s more than just Japanese stuff. I spotted several toys I used to have as a kid, including a couple of GI-Joe action figures around 40 years old that were till in the original packaging (the price was rough). Looking for old games or consoles? You’ll find them here as well. Please take note most games are of course only available in their Japanese version. Every Mandarake makes for a pleasant visit, if only for the enormous nostalgia factor. Another great place for anime lovers is AmiAmi. They also have a huge store in Electric Town.
5. Superpotato: a retro gamer’s paradise
The ultimate destination for retro gamers in Akihabara is not Mandarake but Superpotato. This is a shop with a wonderfully random name, hidden in an inconspicuous building in one of the back streets – you’ll even have to navigate a dark little corridor to get there. You’ll recognize the building by the Pacman and Mario on the front, and inside you’ll find the largest collection of old games you’ll see in your lifetime. Everything is on display here, from Atari, NES and SNES (in Japan these are called Famicon and Super Famicon), Gameboy and Megadrive to the N64, Sega Saturn and the first Playstations. Even obscure consoles like the Neo Geo no one even bought back in the day can still be found here. I even spotted some old gadgets like the Nintendo Virtual Boy (a commercially poisonous early attempt at VR) and R.O.B. The Robot (a barely functional Nintendo “robot” I only knew from an old AVGN episode). On the third floor things get even better. Here you’ll find several original arcade cabinets to play classics like Street Fighter II, Bomberman and Final Fight on for a couple of 100 yen coins. Ah, to get blasted back to the early nineties for even just an hour: lots of people would pay good money for that these days.
6. M’s: find your kink in the world’s largest sex shop
*Haha: there were so many pictures I couldn’t use
“Forbidden” shelves in Radio Kaikan not naughty enough for you? Go to M’s instead. Probably the biggest sex shop on the planet, it has seven floors stacked with everything that dirty mind of yours could possibly come up with. You’ll find the most vanilla stuff on the ground floor, most likely to keep people from running straight back out in panic. Here are your standard vibrators (the purple eggplant one from the picture is hilarious) and lubricants. The higher up the stairs you go, the more you’ll venture into diehard fetish territory. Looking for a silicone version of your favourite porn star’s private parts? Look no further. In need of some nipple clamps, strap-ons or BDSM costumes? They have them by the dozen. A meter long dildo you could slap an armoured knight from his destrier with? Why take one if you could have two? On the top floor is an extensive collection of cosplay costumes, half of them schoolgirl uniforms you’d most likely not be allowed to wear in the Jesuit college I had to attend back in the day. If you can’t find what you crave here, please call either a psychiatrist or the cops because there’s no way back for you.
7. Get some capsule toys from a gachapon machine
Something else Akihabara is know for are the huge arcades and game centers full of shiny crane machines. Getting a decent item out of them requires a certain amount of skill and luck, so chances are you’ll spend half your budget for the day on one of these, only to still end up empty handed. The endless rows of gachapon machines are a safer option. These are vending machines full of tiny capsule balls containing accessories like toys and keychains. The name is a combination of “gacha” (the sound of the crank turning) and “pon” (the sound of the capsule dropping) and they’re extremely popular in Japan. There are hundreds of thousands of these things in the country and there’s a billion-dollar industry behind them. The range of items is enormous and ideal for those looking to score a few unique souvenirs for just a couple of hundred yen. My personal loot: a little orange sausage dog, a hat for my friend’s cat, a turd-shaped keychain and some figurines from obscure games I never expected someone to make merchandise of. Money well spent.
8. Visit Akihabara’s creepy vending machine corner
Even more widespread than the capsule toys, are the countless vending machines selling drinks and snacks you’ll see on almost every street corner in Japan. There are more than five million of them. This means there’s one vending machine for every 23 people, and yet they continue to make money somehow. This has a whole number of reasons and I’ll mention a few of them. Japan is mostly still a cash based society, which means most people walk around with pockets full of change. Furthermore, lots of folks in the big cities live in tiny apartments, many of them without a fridge. In that case a cold drink on the go is often quite welcome. There’s a very unique collection of vending machines hidden somewhere in Akihabara. You’ll find them under “weird vending machines” on Google maps, and they’re right across the bridge from Electric Town. Under an abandoned looking shelter, you’ll see a dozen dilapidated vending machines cramped together. Strangely someone is still restocking them, but no one knows who. There’s a popcorn machine that doesn’t work, another is selling chicken yakitori in a can (stays edible for over five years), one is full of plastic beetles in a jar and another only has weird little cardboard boxes in it with a bunch of political rants written all over them (no idea what’s inside). The amount of coins you’ll have to put in to receive one of these items is just as strange. The yakitori will cost you about double of what you’d pay for it in 7-Eleven (and that one will be way better). So keep your money in your pocket but go and have a look anyway. It’s a pretty cool and creepy spot.
9. Manseibashi: design stores under a train bridge
Not everything in Akihabara revolves around anime and otaku culture. On the other side of the water is an old train bridge, and in recent years a number of shops and restaurants opened up in its vaults. The whole thing is called Manseibashi and its red brick façade and minimalist interior make for a pleasant contrast to Electric town just a hundred meters away. Here you can visit some pop-ups and design stores, but there’s a microbrewery, a wine shop and several restaurants (more stylish than the ones across the water) to enjoy as well. Perfect for anyone in need of escaping the circus for a while. When the weather is good, you can even have your food on a little terrace on the waterside. Seated outdoor dining is a rarity in Tokyo for some reason, so you might as well enjoy it.
10. Koishika wa Korakuen and Tokyo Dome
The following two sights are not in Akihabara, but are close enough to be combined with a visit to Electric Town in a one day itinerary. Koishika wa Korakuen is one of the oldest and most beautiful Japanese gardens in Tokyo and a perfect refuge for those who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city for a while. Here you’ll walk past centuries-old trees held up by ropes, expansive ponds reflecting the autumn colours, stone paths running through the water and the odd food stall here and there. The park is right next to Tokyo Dome. This is the largest indoor stadium in Japan, and when I was having lunch on a park bench, it was hosting a baseball game because the cheers could be heard from a mile away. Around Tokyo Dome lies Tokyo Dome City: an amusement park full of attractions (one of them a roller coaster running through a mall). I didn’t get to visit it myself but that doesn’t sound bad at all.
11. Buy some old books in Jimbocho Book Town
Just a few stops from JR Akihabara Station – north of the Imperial Palace – Jimbocho Book Town is yet another unique little part of Tokyo. More than two hundred second-hand bookstores are concentrated here in just a handful of streets. This makes for some very photogenic spots, because many of the stores are literally stuffed with old books from floor to ceiling and even outside you’ll see whole bookcases full of them. Most shops sell Japanese literature exclusively (everything from Penny Dreadfuls and old manuscripts to erotic magazines from long forgotten days), but you’ll find some English books here and there. Once you’ve found your prize, you can immediately start reading in one of the many curry restaurants the area is also known for. Bon appetit.
12. Nakano Broadway: the original Akihabara
Rabid anime fan but is Electric Town a bit too much for you? Head to Nakano Broadway in West Tokyo instead. This is a somewhat old-fashioned looking mall where the top floors were claimed by otaku shops since the early eighties (about twenty years ahead of Akihabara). Businesses here are generally smaller and a bit less over the top, and focus more on selling second-hand items and valuable editions (there’s a large Mandarake store here too). The ground floor is mainly for your regular stores, but there are a few discoveries to be made here as well. There’s a vending machine selling all sorts of insect snacks for example, and at Daily Chico you can buy the largest cone of soft serve ice cream you’ll ever see (I managed to finish one but it was a chore). According to legend, there’s a gachapon machine selling worn panties hidden somewhere in the complex, but I (fortunately) didn’t find it. The alleys around Nakano Broadway are worth some time as well: they’re narrow and a bit dingy, with power cables running from building to building like vines, but there are plenty of cozy bars and restaurants to enjoy for those willing to find them.
General travel tips for Tokyo: hotels, tours and public transport
**Disclaimer: This section contains a number of (useful) affiliate links. This means that if you book a hotel or tour through a referral on this page, I’ll receive a small compensation for it, so I can put food on the table without having to start an Onlyfans account. It won’t cost you even an extra cent, so why hesitate? Thank you in advance!**
Where you stay in Tokyo doesn’t really matter that much and depends on your budget and interests. Make sure you’re close to a metro station though. It’ll save you plenty of time every day and apart from the occasional bus, you don’t need to use any other means of transport. I found all my hotels in Japan on Booking.com.
You can book a lot of interesting activities, guided tours and food experiences in Tokyo. For a complete overview, take a look at GetYourGuide.
Buy a local eSIM card before you get to Japan, you’ll need it. I’ve been using Airalo for years. This is an app that lets you buy data in almost every country on the planet. It just takes a couple of clicks. Install the sim at home and activate it after landing: that’s it. You really need mobile data in Japan, so you can use Google Maps to navigate through the subway system in real time. Google will tell you which train to take when, which carriage is best for your transfer and which exit you need to use to get to your destination fastest. Without online help you’re almost guaranteed to get lost.
You’ll need a Suica Card to use public transport smoothly. The Welcome Suica Card is specifically catered to tourists and can be ordered online. You can top up the card with cash in any station, and it works in other Japanese cities as well. The Suica Card also serves as an electronic wallet. The Japanese economy is surprisingly cash-focused, so if you don’t pay with your Suica Card, you’ll be carrying around a whole pouch of nearly unusable coins after a couple of days.
If you plan to visit a lot of different cities with the Shinkansen bullet train, it’s best to buy a Japan Rail Pass (book it here directly). You’ll have to do this from home and long before your departure, because they’ll actually send you the pass by mail and you can’t buy one in Japan. If you’re only visiting three or four cities like I did, it might be better to buy separate tickets on the spot – you’ll have to do the math to see which option is preferable. JR-passes can be booked here. Don’t want to bother with all of this and looking for a tailor-made trip (either individually or in a group) instead? Check out Japan Experience: they offer plenty of wonderful itineraries throughout the entire country.
7-Eleven and Lawson are every budget traveller’s friend. These convenience stores (“konbini” in Japanese) are on almost every street corner and many of them are open 24/7. Unlike in the rest of the world, they actually offer decent microwave meals (they’ll warm them up for you for free), delicious pastries and deserts and lots of adventurous stuff I was too afraid to try. Supermarkets are cheaper still, but they’re closed at night. 7-Elevens always have an ATM in store, accepting all foreign cards. You’ll want to use these, because plenty of other places won’t be as compliant.
EU citizens do not need a visa to enter Japan for trips up to ninety days. You could basically leave tomorrow should you want to. The yen is historically low these days, so now is the time.
Ready for more Tokyo? Read my articles on Ginza, Harajuku, Asakusa, Ueno and Marunouchi next.
Looking for another Asian Trip? Read my blog posts on Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore and Hanoi. Would you rather go to Texas? Read my posts on Dallas, Austin and San Antonio.
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