The one-of-a-kind Akihabara neighborhood, in the center of Tokyo, is well-known as an otaku (nerd) and techie mecca. Countless multistory electronics stores and anime-themed shops line Akihabara’s bustling streets. You’ll also find retro gaming arcades and maid cafes among the towering skyscrapers adorned with vibrant billboards. You do not have to be an anime superfan to appreciate this unmissable gem in Tokyo’s tapestry, drawing in adventurers and technophiles alike. Here, I’ll share a must-visit Akihabara list as a jumping-off point for your exploration of “Electric Town.”
Let’s take a moment for me to confess that my knowledge of anime, manga, and video game culture is largely crystallized around the decade between 1998-2008. I used to be a mega-fan, but I did not keep up with new titles and trends, so my Akihabara experience can be viewed through this lens. If you are looking for turn-of-the-millennium items like I was, you will have to work a little harder, but I was able to buy several souvenirs at the stores listed below.
Must-Visit Akihabara Shops
We went into more shops (almost all of them multiple floors) than I could count, but my top 5 Akihabara stores were:
- Super Potato – This is my TOP recommendation in Akihabara due to its uniqueness. There is a floor with playable arcade games. There is an area with vintage games for every system going back to the 80s. To get to Super Potato, located above an electronics shop, take the narrow stairway indicated by colorful signage. The building is decorated with 8-bit Pac-Man and Mario murals.
- Akihabara Gachapon Hall – Gachapons (toy capsule vending machines) are ubiquitous in Japan, even in the airport. But this store devoted to them has the widest variety I saw anywhere (over 400 machines). These funny unpredictable toys make affordable souvenirs.
- Mandarake Complex – This complex has 8 floors packed to the brim with anime, manga, and related merchandise. Entire floors are devoted to CDs, DVDs, Books, and models; their inventory spans decades. I was able to find the vintage Sailor V manga of my dreams!
- Radio Kaikan – Take a deep breath, maybe pound an energy drink, because this shop is one of Akihabara’s most iconic stores. It’s got 10 stories plus a basement overflowing with otaku goods. If you just want to browse and gawk, instead of shop for something specific, this is the place to go. And hey, you will probably find something you can’t leave Japan without owning as well.
- Akihabara Kotobukiya – This store is a little less overwhelming; it is more clearly merchandized. You will definitely see toys and models of characters you recognize, even if you aren’t as familiar with the anime subculture. This is a good place for souvenirs as well.
Must-Visit Akihabara Food & Experiences
- My husband saw rave reviews of Gyukatsu Ichi Ni San online so we planned to head over for lunch. Other folks must have seen the good reviews too, because we had to wait over an hour to be seated in the tiny restaurant. Worth it though for the delicious savory beef cutlet!
- For other food, look for a place that looks busy or has a line (totally empty restaurants are a red flag). There are lots of ramen and udon options, a quick way to fill up and get energy for more shopping.
- Square Enix Cafe is a fun spot to get a novelty snack. Their options feature familiar characters from Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, and other Square Enix titles.
- Keep your eye out for pop-up anime cafes, temporary installations to promote a particular title with food and drink tie-ins. They come and go so do a little research a couple of weeks before your trip! Actually, these can be in any part of Tokyo, often in Shinjuku.
- Maid cafes are popular with tourists but aren’t interesting to me. (I think they’re a little creepy). If you think it seems fun or quirky and you want more information on options in Akihabara, GaijinPotTravel has you covered.
- Yodobashi Akiba is technically another multi-story store, but it sells electronics, not anime. There is a highly-recommended food hall and batting cage on the top floor if you want a different experience than just shopping for otaku things.
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Conclusion
If you are a casual anime fan or former superfan like me, this limited Akihabara overview will probably meet your needs, especially if you are on a limited timeline. However, if you are still a full-fledged anime fan who is up to date on all the latest hot titles, you will be able to spend hours and hours geeking out and shopping to your heart’s content, because this just scratches the surface.
Have you visited Akihabara? What would you add that I missed?
