| Akihabara (Tokyo) | |
 | |
Location  | |
| State | Japan |
|---|---|
| Region | Kantō |
| Website | Official site |
Akihabara (秋葉原) is a district of the city of Tokyo which is part of Chiyoda.
To know
The district is called the "Electric City" and is located on the eastern side of Chiyoda. The area is home to thousands of shops selling all the tech gadgets you can imagine, from computers to game consoles and vacuum cleaners to DVDs, at reasonable prices. This area is also known as the "Mecca of the game" and has been strongly identified with the subculture of anime and manga (cartoons), with the legions of geeks of otaku known as Akiba-kei.
How to orient yourself
Akihabara: full screen map..jpg/220px-Akihabara_Landscape_(2243476989).jpg)
How to get
Airports
There is no direct connection to the airports, but the neighborhood is easily accessible from Narita Airport with a short connection on the 
, either from Nippori to Keisei Skyliner (55 minutes, ¥ 2550) or from Tokyo via the Narita Express (75 minutes, ¥ 2940). Take the Keisei limited express (tokkyu) often crowded but increases the travel time to 90 minutes and reduces the fare to ¥ 1150. Commuter trains in the evening Access Tokkyu between Narita Airport and Nippori they travel 20 minutes outside the total travel time against an additional fee of ¥ 200.
You can also use Keisei Limited Express from Narita Airport to Funabashi, then walk to JR Funabashi Station and take a train 
to Akihabara (90 minutes, ¥ 1100).
For Haneda Airport, la it will also take you to Hamamatsucho then it is better to move to the Tokyo monorail linked to the airport (40 minutes, 620 ¥).
Trains
- 1 Akihabara Station (秋葉原 駅, akihabara-eki). Akihabara station is on the lines
. Akihabara is also the terminus of the Tsukuba Express line 
, which goes to Tsukuba and to other stations of Ibaraki and north of the Chiba Prefecture (45 minutes from / to Tsukuba with Kaisoku the fast train). It can also be reached by metro per line 
, which goes to 
- To get to the heart of the neighborhood, take the "Akihabara Electric Town" exit.
Underground
- 2 Suehirochō Station (末 広 町 駅, suehirochō-eki). Line station
- 3 Iwamotochō station (岩 本 町 駅, iwamotochō-eki) (10 minute walk southeast of Akibara Station). On the line
| Connections |
| Ikebukuro ← Sugamo ← Ueno ← | No.  S. | → Tokyo → Hamamatsucho → Shinagawa |
| Nakano ← Shinjuku ← Suidobashi ← | OR  IS | → Ryogoku → Ichikawa → Chiba |
| Asakusa ← Ueno ← | No.  S. | → Nihonbasi → Ginza → Akasaka Mitsuke |
Kasukabe ← verse _symbol.svg/30px-Tobu_Skytree_Line_(TS)_symbol.svg.png){kind=small} ←Kitasenju ← Ueno ← | No.  S. | → Tsukiji → Ginza → Roppongi |
Chofu ← verse  ←Shinjuku ← Jinbocho ← | OR  IS | → Sumiyoshi → Funabori → Motoyawata |
| Tsukuba ← Kashiwa ← Asakusa ← | No.  S. | → end |
| Iriya ← Ueno ← | No.  S. | → verse  → Ginza → Shiodome |
How to get around
The neighborhood is small and it is certainly more comfortable to walk around.
What see
What to do
- 1 Stroll through Chūō-dōri (中央 通 り). On Sundays, the main street Chūō-dōri is closed to traffic and turns into an unofficial stage for cosplayer (people disguised as cartoon characters), for local groups and street artists. A lot can be done on Sundays, from karaoke to Inca music. Unfortunately, he's not as busy as he used to be, after a bizarre 2008 incident that saw a knife-wielding madman stabbing random people; however, i cosplayer are back.
- Arcade games. Akihabara is perhaps also the last bastion in the world for the classic arcade game. Although the halls are still present throughout Japan, and even more so in Tokyo, the concentration (and playing skills) are particularly high in Akihabara. The huge Sega halls, Taito and the other towers can't be missed, but places like "Hey Arcade" on Chūō-dōri have entire floors dedicated to shooting games (think Galaga) and fighting games (Tekken). Recommended for a nostalgic trip to the eighties and to see the pros of the game. You can also see it Hatsune Miku a virtual singer, just head to the Akihabara GIGO SEGA (ア キ ハ バ ラ ー コ GIGO), which also has Gundam terminals.
- Purikura (プ リ ク ラ). The Purikura are photo booths that can accommodate a group of up to 8 people and allow you to add decorations to your chosen photo. You can also rent cosplay clothes if you want to take a picture.
Shopping
Electronics
.jpg/220px-Akihabara_(2623556370).jpg)
Scattered in every direction along the main road Chūō-dōri (中央 通 り) there are smaller streets with even more electronics shops. Note that the further you get from the main road, the more you get better prices - but the further you get, the less the shops are open to foreigners. However the Internet has done a great job and some specialty stores, such as the legendary two-story electronic components of Radio Store, closed their doors and moved online. (Its competitors Radio Center is Radio Depart remain open).
Although battery-powered electronics are basically the same as worldwide AC-powered electronics, they are designed for the Japanese market and use 100 volts, so "native" Japanese electronics may require a transformer outside of Japan. The standard 220V voltage is also too high for many devices. Additionally, most of these products do not have an international warranty and are labeled and documented in Japanese only. Head to the many shops duty free to find export models, but note that they have a high price.
Larger stores can arrange tax exemptions for purchases over ¥ 10,000, saving 5%. Unlike in most countries, the tax in Japan is immediately lifted, so there's no need to rush through complicated recovery mechanisms. However, you will need to show your passport and you will have to cancel your purchase at customs at the airport, although there will be no obligation. Many stores accept credit cards, but some may charge you a small percentage added to the transaction. This would not be allowed by credit card companies, and some sellers will refund the charge if properly reported.
It is also advisable to keep an eye on used electronics stores (中古 chūko), which offer used computers, mp3 players, smartphones and other hardware at bargain prices.
- 1 LaOX Duty Free, 1-15-3 Soto-Kanda (on Chuo-dori, near JR Akihabara Station), ☎ 81 3-5207-5027.
Mon-Sun 09: 00-19: 30. LaOX Duty Free specializes in export products and has multilingual staff on hand. - 2 ONODEN Tax-Free (オ ノ デ ン 本館), 1-2-7 Soto-Kanda (on Chuo-dori, near JR Akihabara station, Electric Town exit), ☎ 81 3-3253-4742. Mon-Sun 10 am-8pm. ONODEN specializes in overseas electronics. Multilingual staff
- 3 Akihabara Radio Center (ラ ジ オ セ ン タ ー), 1-14-2 Soto-Kanda (take the JR Akihabara Electric Town exit, then turn right)). Mon-Sun 10 am-7pm. Radio Center is an incredible tangle of small shops, each specializing in LEDs, voltmeters, ceramic capacitors or miniature cameras. Paradise for the DIY electronics enthusiast.
- 4 Yodobashi Camera AKIBA (at the Showa-dori JR Akihabara exit), ☎ 81 3-5209-1010. Mon-Sun 09: 30-22: 00. Yodobashi's giant electronics store, the large 9-story store, sells anything you play or shoot, from PCs to games to cameras. Many languages spoken, tax free and credit cards are not a problem, and their famous system Gold Point Card gives you credit worth 10% of your purchase, usable for two years starting the next day.
Mon-Sun 09: 00-19: 30. LaOX Duty Free specializes in export products and has multilingual staff on hand.Anime and manga
Some of Akihabara's largest anime shops can be found along Chūō-dōri. Head up the street from JR Akihabara Station and walk north.
- 5 Melon Books Akihabara (メ ロ ン ブ ッ ク ス 秋葉原 1 号 店), Chiyoda-ku, Sotokanda, 1 Chome − 10−５ 広 瀬 本社 ビ ル B1, ☎ 81 3-5295-7060. Mon-Fri 11: 00-23, Sat-Sun 10: 00-22: 00. A huge manga shop.
- 6 Animate (ア ニ メ イ ト), 4 Chome-3-２ Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku (on Chūō-dōri, located right next to Comic Toranoana), ☎ 81 3-5209-3330. Mon-Sun 10: 00-21: 00. Seven floors - plus a basement - of pure quality otaku. From DVDs and manga to character goods and games, the variety of products on offer is incredibly vast and will make anime / manga fans want to be made out of money.
- 7 Comic Toranoana (コ ミ ッ ク と ら の あ な), 4 Chome-3-１ Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku (On Chūō-dōri, located right next to Animate), ☎ 81 3-5294-0123.
Mon-Sun 10: 00-22: 00. You look for dōjinshi? This is the place to go. Look next to Taito Station. - 8 BOOKOFF Akihabara Ekimae (BOOKOFF 秋葉原 駅 前 店), 1 Chome-６−４ Kanda Sakumachō, Chiyoda-ku (Opposite the large electronics building), ☎ 81 3-5207-6206. ¥ 105 and up. Mon-Sun 10 am-11pm. About 8 or 9 floors of books. What distinguishes this library from the others is that the last two floors are dedicated exclusively to manga. There is also a small section for dōjinshi, but the selection is limited.
- 9 Mandarake (ま ん だ ら け コ ン プ レ ッ ク ス), 3 Chome-11-１２ Sotokanda, Chiyoda (Through Chūō-dōri), ☎ 81 3-3252-7007. Mon-Sun 12: 00-20: 00. An 8-storey store selling manga, dōjinshi, video games, toys and collectibles. To buy toys from these shop windows you need to find a slip of paper and write down the desired toy code, then bring the card to the counter and the attendant will retrieve the toy for you. It's easy and effective, although the shops can get quite crowded at times. Check the online help.
- 10 [link not working]K-Books, Chiyoda-ku, Sotokanda, 1 Chome − 15−16 秋葉原 ラ ジ オ 会館 3F (In front of Mandarake, he has a huge sign.), ☎ 81 3-3255-4866. ¥ 105 and up. 11:30-20:00. Only two floors. The first floor is half manga / hentai for adults, while the second floor is half dojinshi. If you want regular manga, they also have it on both floors. This shop has only recently opened.
Mon-Sun 10: 00-22: 00. You look for dōjinshi? This is the place to go. Look next to Taito Station.Other products
In addition to electronics, Akihabara also has a large number of specialty hobby shops, ranging from anime and manga to collectible toys to military and railway fandoms.
- 11 Don Quixote (ド ン ・ キ ホ ー テ), 4-3-3 Sotokanda (Chuo-dori), ☎ 81 3-5298-5411. ¥ 3000 for men, ¥ 2000 for women. Japanese discount store chain offering an incredibly wide range of items at low prices, from snacks to clothes to gifts. The Akihabara outlet also has well-stocked adult toy and costume departments to satisfy the local crowd. About halfway there is also a portico. If you want to play rhythm-based games like DDR or Jubeat, it has the cheapest machines in town. Also located on the top floor of Don Quijote, is the AKB48 theater. They perform 6 days a week. If you like J-pop music and cute girls all rolled into one (and are lucky enough to win the ticket lottery), don't miss it.
How to have fun
The latest boom in Akihabara are the maid-cafes, where beautiful girls dressed as French waitresses serve you drinks and drinks, some go so far as to feed you.
- 1 Cure Maid Cafe, Jisto Akiba 6th floor, 3-15-5 Sotokanda, ☎ 81 3-3258-3161. ¥500. One of the original and not very expensive places. Be careful because there can be queues on weekends.
- 2 Neko JaLaLa (ね こ JaLaLa), 1st floor, Sotokanda 3-5-5 (8 minutes from Akihabara Station: On the next main road west after Chuo-doori, approximately 7-8 blocks north of the Chuo train line. Look for a brown sliding door with a cat's foot), ☎ 81 3-3258-2525, @[email protected]. 500 yen for the first 30 minutes; ¥ 150 for every ten minutes; drink from ¥ 300 to ¥ 500. A 'cat cafe': you play with the (very clean) cats in the shop while drinking tea. You will be asked to take off your shoes and wash your hands at the entrance. You'll also be gently pressured to order one of their drinks. It is a different experience.
- 3 The Gravania (Just outside the entrance to the "electric city" near the nearest Sega tunnel, which is the Sega Center, which should be right next to Yamada-Denki LABI Akihabara), ☎ 81 3-3251-5359. ¥800-1000. Another simple maid cafe, but in this case the waitresses behave like normal people. So if you want the atmosphere of a cafe without personalization of the service then this is a good place to entertain.
- 4 @home cafe (あ っ と ほ ぉ ー む ｃａｆｅ), 4th floor Mitsuwa Bldg, Sotokanda 1-11-4, ☎ 81 3-3255-2808. Seating ¥ 500; drinks ¥ 600; food ¥ 1100. 11:00-22:00. This maid cafe has card games, drinks, food and young ladies dressed as waitresses to serve you. If you order an omelette, they will draw a picture of a cute animal high up in the ketchup. Besides this shop, there are 3 outlets elsewhere in Akihabara.
Where to eat
There is a large number of good restaurants in Akihabara, but not for haute cuisine. Under the railroad tracks around Okachimachi Station (JR Yamanote Line), on the east side, you will find ramen bars, izakaya and the like.
Moderate prices
- 1 Yoshinoya (Located across the street from the north exit of Yodobashi Camera). Meals start at around ¥ 300-400. Fast food restaurant chain that sells bowls of gyudon beef.
- 2 Tenya (て ん や), 千代 田 区 外 神 田 ４ 丁目 ５−４ 亀 松 ビ ル (Located a few blocks towards Chuo-dori towards Metro Suehirocho), ☎ 81 3-5807-8422. The basic bowl costs less than ¥ 500. Cheap fast food tempura.
Average prices
- 3 Traveler's Dining Pushup (世界 一周 旅 ダ イ ニ ン グ 居酒屋), Akihabara 1-5 1st floor, ☎ 81 3-5294-5525. A tiny spot in an alley just behind the Akihabara Capsule Inn, it's convenient for everyone staying there. Japanese and foreign food is served. The owner, Yuki, is a former backpacker and will be happy to advise on choosing the right one sho-chu from a selection of 60 different types. Try the raw octopus (tako) in tomato sauce or risotto kimchi!
Where stay
There are only a few places to sleep in Akihabara. Most visitors sleep elsewhere in the city; Uenoin particular, it offers budget accommodation and is minutes away.
Moderate prices
- 1 First Cabin Akihabara, 3-38 Sakuma, Chiyoda-ku (About five minutes walk from Akihabara station.), ☎ 81 3 6240-9798, @[email protected]. Single ¥ 4800-5800. Check in: 17:00, check-out: 10:00. A nice capsule hotel more spacious than usual. Unlike other hotels, the capsules are not stacked vertically, and the first-class cabins have enough space to stand and open luggage. The staff speak English well enough for checking in and responding to any special requests. Breakfast costs ¥ 300 and includes two rice balls (onigiri) and miso soup. There are also vending machines for drinks and hot meals in the lobby.
Average prices
- 2 Akihabara Washington Hotel, 1-8-3 Sakuma, Chiyoda-ku, ☎ 81 3 3255-3311, fax: 81 3 3255-7343, @[email protected]. Single ¥ 13,000, double / twin ¥ 17,000. In front of Akihabara station. Small rooms but excellent value for money and extremely convenient for transport.
High prices
- Remm Akihabara Hotel, 1-6-5 Sakuma, Chiyoda-ku (Next to Akihabara station.), ☎ 81 3 3254-0606. Singles ¥ 14,275, doubles ¥ 243.50. Despite the small rooms, the hotel is very comfortable and the rooms are well furnished.
