Akihabara Electric Town

As a female fan of (recent years’) games and anime, I won’t say Akihabara is the best place for my hobby in Tokyo. You can find many maid cafés, game centers, second-hand stores mainly selling figurines and gachapon here. Most of the figurines and goods are related to the works around 2000 or earlier. Some of them are related to some extremely popular works in recent years like lovelive. Maybe Akihabara is a good place for otaku, it’s not a very attractive place for anime fans like me. Whether you will like this spot really depends on what kinds of manga, games and anime you like. In addition, many ramen shops are open in this area.

You can spend hours roaming the streets of Akihabara Electric Town! Although I'm not a huge anime or gaming fan, this suburb is a great place to go with friends to see a different and colorful side of Tokyo. There are shops filled with all kinds of electronics and gaming arcades everywhere - these things to me are part of Tokyo's identity so its an area not to miss. This it the home of maid cafe's where you can go to and experience kawaii culture. I stayed into the night to see the streets light up and went to one of their many restaurants for dinner. I recommend trying the Izakaya bars - these are causal bars with cheap drinks and tapas like food to share with friends. This is a must see area in Tokyo!

I'll admit, I was a little anxious to go to Akihabara for the first time as I wasn't the biggest fan of loud noises, flashing lights, crowds and cramped spaces, but once I got used to them, my love for arcade games got to shine through. From electronics to retro video games to maid cafes and figurine stores, Electric Town is definitely an otaku's haven, as it is renowned for. With maids around every corner, and an array of irresistibly adorable stuffed toys, pockets and wallets are sure to be easily emptied while spending an afternoon at this jam-packed area. There is no shortage of good restaurants either, with a big Don Quijote and karaoke stations, Akihabara's Electric Town is a guarantee-to-have-something-for-everyone location, earning its place on your list of places to visit in Tokyo.

While not a fan of anime or manga culture in general, the area still had plenty to keep me entertained. There are about a million arcades with claw machines and other games that involve dancing, shooting, driving, etc. Safe to say that any person with the slightest interest in gaming will find something for himself. Another part of Akihabara are the electronic shops where you can find gaming consoles from the 80s and 90s in perfect condition. Akihabara also seems to have the biggest density of maid cafe's in Tokyo if you are into that. The sex shops also deserve a separate mention, as they are quite different from their counterparts in other countries. Some of them feature sections or floors that are men only. Finally, Akihabara is also the epicentre of everything manga related from comic books to figurines of all sizes and everything in between. As you can see, even if you are not a fan of comics like myself the colourful and vibrant area still has plenty to offer and should not be overlooked on your visit to Tokyo.

One of my favorite places to visit in Tokyo. Known as the the holy land of anime and manga, Akihabara Electric Town is one of the best places to experience unique Japanese cultures. You can not only shop for anime merchandise but also visit various cafes and game stations. I recommend visiting owl cafe.

Electric Town offers a wide variety of signs to do from the arcades, my favourite is SEGA; many restaurants and the famous maid cafes, numerous anime shops and electronic shops where you can find vintage games and devices. Its an exciting place to walk around and observe otaku culture. Takes you back to being young and excited for games and with so much to offer you definitely need a few days to tackle all Electric Town has!