Welcome to the eccentric Akihabara, where neon lights, tech gadgets, and otaku culture collide! Whether you’re a fan of anime, gaming, technology, or just love seeing all sides of Japan’s unique culture, Akihabara offers a never-ending list of things to see and do.
Let’s take a peak at this quirky neighborhood, and discover some history, landmarks, things to do, and last but not least, best bites.
History
In 1869, there was a great fire that devastated most of Tokyo, including the area Akihabara resides in today. After this disaster, a shrine was constructed in order to prevent great fires like this from ever happening again. It was called the Akiba Shrine, and was named after a fire-controlling deity.
Eventually, the area surrounding the shrine became known as Akibagahara, which was later shortened to the name we know today: Akihabara. This area started out as a town selling lumber, and it was one of the major distribution centers in Tokyo thanks to its large train station that was constructed in the late 1800s.
Akihabara gained the nickname “Electric Town” after many stores in the area started selling household electronics, such as washing machines, refrigerators, and stereos, in the early 1900s. From the 1990s onward, the appeal of household electronics fell, and the goods being sold in this area shifted to computer parts and other electronic parts, and then later otaku culture (the manga, anime, and video game subculture) as well.
Landmarks
Yodobashi Camera
Looking for some new upgrades for your electronics or household appliances? How about some new gadgets to make your life easier? If so, head on down to the Yodobashi Camera right outside of Akihabara Station! All of the major electrical appliance stores are packed into this part of Tokyo, making the selections larger and the prices a lot lower than other areas of Japan. Out of all of these stores, Yodobashi Camera is by far my number one spot!
At Akihabara’s Yodobashi Camera, there are staff who can speak many languages throughout the store, making shopping there a breeze even if you don’t understand Japanese. Even if you just plan on looking around, walking through and checking out the amazing technology that Japan has to offer is a lot of fun. Be careful, though. Many people end up buying something anyway!
Chuo Dori
Busting with energy and tons of nerds, Chuo Dori Street is the beating heart of Akihabara! This vibrant main street is packed with electronic shops, otaku culture, and surprises around every corner, making it the best destination for anyone looking to dive into Tokyo’s geek paradise.
When you arrive in Akihabara, this should be the first place you visit to get an idea of all the crazy things this area has to offer. There are multiple smaller streets that branch out from Chuo Dori that lead to more otaku stores, arcades, and alleyways where some stores start to get… interesting. You can use Chuo Dori as a reference point to start exploring the side streets and alleys without getting lost. Just be careful of which stores you go into!
Mandarake
Are you a fan of retro anime, manga, or video games? Then get ready—Mandarake is a paradise for those looking to take a trip down nostalgia lane! Mandarake is a company that focuses on the purchase and sale of a wide range of used collectables and otaku-related goods.
In Akihabara, this store has 8 floors stocked to the brim with anime goods of all kinds, such as manga, DVDs, video games, figurines, retro toys, and cosplay goods. They also stock some retro western goods, such as old Disney goods and Marvel goods. (Please be advised that some floors are adult themed 18+)
Other popular stores similar to Mandarake are Lashinbang, a second-hand anime goods store, and Animate, a store specializing in popular and new anime goods. Animate is the most family-friendly for those of you who are planning to bring your children.
Don Quijote
Don Quijote is a store that everyone should visit during their time in Japan. With locations at almost every major train station, this giant store is one of the most popular destinations for both locals and travelers alike when it comes to miscellaneous shopping.
Here, you can buy all kinds of goods, including everyday items, electronics, clothes, souvenirs, and a whole bunch of weird stuff. The one in Akihabara is not just your average Don Quijote, though, as it features an AKB48 stage on the top floor! For those of you who do not know who AKB48 is, they are the most popular idol group in Japan, and consist of over 100 girls. This particular Don Quijote was the starting point for the famous group. For fans of this idol group or idol culture in general, this is a must-see spot when visiting Japan.
Kanda Myojin Shrine
Akihabara can get extremely busy during peak hours, but there are many quiet places tucked into the corners.
If you need a little break from the city, then Kanda Myojin Shrine is the best place to go. The shrine is dedicated to Ebisu, the god of prosperity, and Daikokuten, the god of commerce. That makes this shrine a popular spot for businessmen from all over the country.
It is also dedicated to the Spirit of Taira no Masakado. He was a samurai warrior who rebelled against the central government during the Heian Period way back in the year 940. The spirit was so feared that it is now known as a kami, or god. In recent years, this shrine has also gained association with technology, due to the location. It is a very popular spot for IT workers to visit.
This shrine was also prominently featured in the anime “Love Live!”. In the anime, the character Nozomi Tojo worked as a part-time shrine maiden here. She became the official mascot of the shrine in 2015.
Unique Places To Visit
Maid Cafes
While walking around the streets in Akihabara, you’ll probably see many girls dressed up in cute maid costumes all over the place. This may lead some people to wonder what they are doing or why they are dressed like that.
A maid cafe is a cafe where all of the serving staff are waitresses dressed up as cute maids, and they treat their customers as their “master”. Akihabara is well known for these maid cafes that are scattered throughout the area. For those who go to a maid cafe for the first time, it may seem a little odd and embarrassing, but once you are in there for a while, you will start to enjoy the unique atmosphere and experience.
There are endless types of maid cafe, as each has their own theme. The most well-known maid cafe is Maidreamin, with several locations within Akihabara as well as locations all over Japan. Another unique one is “In Akihabara, there is no problem even if a maid from another world serves you!“, which is one with maids from different worlds!
Although these stores are mainly for male customers, if any ladies are interested in going, then don’t be shy and give it a try too!
Final Fantasy XIV Eorzea Cafe
Final Fantasy is one of Japan’s most successful JRPGs (Japanese Role Playing Game) series of all time, and is well known all around the globe as well. Anyone who has played games for some time know about it, and even those who do not play video games may have heard this name before.
This cafe lets you dive into the world of Final Fantasy XIV, with food and drinks that are themed after characters and food found in the game. For those who are a fan of the game, you can finally know what that health potion tastes like, or what that delicious looking dish tastes like.
Even if you’re not a fan, a quick dive into the world of Final Fantasy XIV is an experience you can’t find anywhere else!
GiGO Arcades
Welcome to the home of GiGO! If you like arcade games and winning prizes, then you have come to the right place. There are 4 different GiGO arcades in Akihabara, each with various prizes that you can win. All the arcades have multiple floors full of excitement and fun games to try.
Arcades have been slowly disappearing in Japan due the recent evolution of console games and the emergence of smart phone games, but GiGO, owned by SEGA, has recently had a resurgence post-pandemic, and GiGO arcades have popped up all over Japan.
The first floors always have countless crane games filled with giant plushies, anime figures, and delicious snacks. Test your luck and skill with these games to win awesome prizes!
Akihabara Gachapon Kaikan
Remember the capsule toy vending machines from when you were younger? In Japan, they’ve been taken to a whole new level.
The Gachapon Kaikan, or Akihabara Gachapon Hall, is a store dedicated to capsule toy vending machines, known as gachapon in Japanese. Gachapon in Japan are usually filled with little toys, often of figurines of popular anime characters, of cute animals, or of miniature food. With hundreds of different machines placed all throughout the store, this may be one of the most unusual stores you will stop at on your trip.
The location is a little far from the main area of Akihabara, but it is well worth the walk. The trip to get to the Gachapon Kaikan is also very interesting, since there are many stores full of anime, card games, and electronics, along the way. Feel free to drop in and browse around any store that you find interesting. Who knows, you may even find a hidden gem that even we don’t know about!
Places To Eat
After walking around and exploring Akihabara, let’s take a breather and enjoy some local food!
Seafood
Domannaka ($$〜$$$)
First on the list is some seafood, and we know of a great option called Domannaka. Here, you can try a variety of different seafood, including sashimi, fried fish, grilled fish, or any other style of fish you would like.
They even perform ikizukuri, where the fish is cut open and sliced into pieces while it is still alive. Even though it is technically dead after being cut up, the nerves are still connected, so the fish still moves a little when you eat it. Exciting huh? This restaurant takes fresh seafood to the next level!
Tonkatsu
Marugo ($$)
Akihabara is filled with tonkatsu (pork cutlet) restaurants. Marugo is a family-owned restaurant, and is one of the most popular restaurants out of all the options in Akihabara.
Pork has been very popular in Tokyo for more than a hundred years, so if you plan to eat some pork in Japan, do it in Tokyo. Even within Tokyo, Akihabara is said to be the number one spot for tonkatsu lovers. Here, you can get juicy and tender pork cutlets for a decent price, and you can also choose what kind of cut you want.
Ramen
Ikina Isshou ($〜$$)
Time for some ramen! Akihabara is surrounded by colleges and universities, so the neighborhood has many cheaper restaurants to accommodate the students. A popular choice is ramen, and these restaurants are seriously delicious!
One of the best ramen restaurants in the area is Ikina Isshou, and they specialize in miso-based ramen. You can try either normal miso or spicy miso. For those of you who have never had miso ramen before, we recommend you try the normal miso first!
Wagyu Roast Beef
Roast Beef Ohno-Ya ($$)
Already had wagyu steak before? This restaurant has a different take on wagyu–they specialize in wagyu roast beef. As it is very soft and easy to eat to begin with, wagyu is amazing when made into roast beef. Once you try it, you’ll never be able to go back.
Make sure you try this restaurant’s roast beef bowls; they are mouthwatering and very generous with their portions. There are many types of toppings that you can choose from, but we recommend getting the original, without any toppings, so you can enjoy the natural flavors of the wagyu beef.
This restaurant is super popular among both locals and tourists, so you may have to wait in a long queue if you don’t get there early!
Soba
After a wild day in the electrical city of Akihabara, why not wind down and enjoy some traditional Japanese soba noodles? At Kiritakumi, they make their noodles by hand, so they are some of the freshest and tastiest soba noodles that you can find in the area.
Unlike other soba restaurants, Kiritakumi offers a variety of different sobas, as well as very fresh tempura. There are soba restaurants all over Akihabara, but none of them come close to how good Kiritakumi is. This restaurant is definitely worth a visit!
When you visit Tokyo, be sure to drop by the unique area of Akihabara and get a look at the different subcultures that we have here in Japan!
