Since I've been getting nostalgic about visiting Japan recently, I'd thought I'd share some of my pictures and videos of Akihabara. For those who don't know of Akihabara, it's a shopping district in Tokyo that is a mecca for anyone interested in computers, electronics, games and otaku goodies. If you're in Tokyo and the kind of person this might appeal to, I'd make it an essential part of your holiday plans.
Akihabara first gained popularity as a haven for radio parts and early electronics in the post-WWII period. During the 1980s and early 1990s it then became home to the latest computer technologies. With the onset of mass-media anime, manga and games in the late 1990s, a vast number of shops arose to cater for the 'otaku' market as they came to be known. Although Akiba (a shortened name used by those friendly to Akihabara) has changed over the years, you'll still see shops that reflect the breadth of the history of Akiba.
Chuo-dori is the main road that runs through the heart of Akiba and you'll find the majority of the large shops down this road. You'll be assaulted by gaudy imagery, music and video from the store fronts as you walk down Chuo-dori. Don't be put off though, it's a brilliant and fascinating experience different to that you'll find in the UK. The edges of Akiba are reached by the bridge over the river to the south and past the Liberty figure stores to the north. Akihabara railway station is conveniently located near the heart of Akiba and most of the large shops are within a relatively short walking distance of it.
A couple of the larger places can be seen in the photo above. Taito Game Station (the red store) has lots of UFO catchers, arcade machines and things like rhythm games to play on. Sofmap (the blue store to the right) has a number of stores in Akiba that sell a variety of computer and otaku goods between them. Think this one sells character goods, CDs and the like.
In the photo above are Toranoana and Animate just visible on the left. These two shops cater especially for otaku and can also be found in other areas of Tokyo. Toranoana specialises in manga and doujin, with the dodgier stuff on the upper floors. Animate stocks a much wider range of goods. I found Animate good for finding newly released figures that were harder to find elsewhere.
Nice Lucky Star parody of The Girl Who Lept Through Time poster. Can also just about make out the bottom of a Kodomo no Jikan poster above it - a little odd to see plastered on a huge poster above the streets, considering the characters ^^;
If you happen to get lost whilst walking around, the green railway bridge makes a great landmark and will help you find your way back home. Look out for it on the Chuo-dori.
Lots of stores have huge posters, especially those near the station. Monster Hunter seemed to be very popular in 2008 and still see adverts for the sequels now.
In Spring 2008, the building on the corner in the middle of the photo was just a construction sight. A year later, it was a finished and open building. Not bad! Think there was a Windows 7 live demonstration going on there. Lots of fanfare in Japan advertising it at the time but I wonder what the Japanese actually thought of it?
Don't believe your CPU cooler does much? Or that your CPU could probably cook your breakfast if it didn't have a cooler on it? A live demonstration in Akiba shows just how effective those things are. Best not to go touching those.
Been to a couple of maid cafes whilst in Akiba. Cure Maid Cafe was freshly remodeled at the time and had a very quaint, Victorian atmosphere. Made a brilliant rest from the hustle and bustle of Akiba, and was the first time I tried Earl Grey tea - am an addict now. The other maid cafe was a bit more gaudy but provided us with the hilarious experience of being served by a deeply voiced Osakan maid.
Another Sofmap store. This is tucked away in a den of little stores across from the station on the other side of Chuo-dori. The robotics shop and argueably the best retro gaming store are around here too. Look out for the black building with the 8-bit style paintings on it.
You can just about make out the stores tucked under the railway bridge. Lots of electrical and electronics components that hark back to the yester-year of Akiba.
Think this is taken from under the bridge facing south - that would be the Radio Kaiken building. It's a maze of little stores but worth exploring as much as possible. It's easy to miss some of the goodies on offer. Radio Kaiken is the big building that you see across from the southern exit of the station.
Life-size figures of Asuka and Rei from Neon Genesis Evangelion. These aren't for sale sadly - they are just enticing people to come in and gamble their money away on pachinko, a traditional Japanese game that is their equivalent of the fruit machines that you used to see in British pubs.
There's a vending machine for almost anything. If you're in a hurry at Akiba station, you can get your umbrellas and 'pan in a can' (bread) from them.
Although it's probably the last place you really want to eat in Japan, McDonalds is far too convenient to pass up on sometimes - especially when exploring Akihabara where there isn't that many cheap places to eat. Most of the warnings on this sign seem fairly obvious, but I'm not sure 'no Mikuru eye-beams' in the bottom middle is a legitimate warning.
Yodobashi Camera is pretty much the biggest store in Akiba that sells almost anything computer, electronic or otaku related. It can be found at the north-east exit of the station and is probably well signposted. This photo shows the older train mascot which has now become a train-inspired maid - you'll see it a little further down.
This photo of just one of the entrances doesn't do the store justice. It really is huge on each floor and even has a food mall on one of the floors.
It looks like people do use these things - that be my girlfriend and I then, making sure the money spent on these by Yodobashi wasn't wasted.
If you've been inspired to go to Akihabara and make it there, I'd certainly recommend taking plenty of spending money with you. It really is unbelievable just how much there is. My recommendations are to stock up on figures which are almost impossible to find outside of Japan. Good stores are the two stores in the center of the Radio Kaiken building (named simply Hobby Shop I think), the Kotobukiya store also in the Radio Kaiken building, Mandarake Deep which is just off the beaten track and the Liberty stores a bit further up Chuo-dori to the north on the east side. As for DVDs, be prepared to pay significantly more for less.
If you've enjoyed this article, please let me know and you can also check out my Youtube video of Akihabara which breathes a bit of life into what you've seen in the pictures here.
