Akihabara

The centre of electronics stores and anime culture

You should head to Akihabara to shop electronics, or just to see the rising trend of “otaku culture.” Only in Akihabara you can window shop ICs, capacitors, and transistors. However as major electronics chains opened stores in different parts of Tokyo, centre of visitor’ focus is gradually shifting from electronics to “otaku culture.”

What is otaku and what is otaku culture? Otaku refers to people with obsessive interests in hobbies; particularly in Japanese anime. To serve these people, unique shops and services opened in Akihabara. The most famous example is the “maid cafe.” They are usual cafes, except that waitresses wear French maid costumes and speak like character in anime. Recent media coverage of these shops and servcies made otaku culture almost a boom. Now many of these shops cater to non-otaku as well, and they are also popular among visitors.

When the first radio broadcasting started, Akihabara was located close to radio parts wholesalers. The wholesalers opened retail shops in Akihabara, and the area received reputation for lower-priced electronics parts. Many street vendors came to Akihabara to serve increasing customers. Since a post-war policy by GHQ discouraged street vending, they were allowed to open small shops under the train tracks. The electronic vendors were permanently attached to Akihabara. Together with the rising demand for electric appliances and electronics in Japan, Akihabara expanded to become the largest electronics shopping area in Japan.

One reason Akihabara attracted otaku is related to computers. While computers became the most important electronic item, Akihabara continued to offer the most variety in both hardware and software. Computer games based on anime stories were popular among otaku, and they came to Akihabara to buy these games. Other types of anime story based products like plastic models and figures were also sold. Rapidly Akihabara became the area for one-stop shopping for otaku.

Whether you are into electronics or anime, Akihabara is worth a visit.

Handpicked links

Shopping in Akihabara by Electronic Store Association

Lists shops selling electronics in English.

Akihabara Tour by Tourism Industry Association

Free tour "New Discovery of Akihabara" on every Saturday.