Akihabara Electric Town

Akihabara's Electric Town is a shopping area densely packed with specialty stores for anime and game goods, attracting many tourists from both Japan and abroad. Located just a one-minute walk from the Electric Town exit of JR Akihabara Station is the nine-story Akihabara Radio Kaikan, which is lined with figure shops and anime-related stores. Each floor is dedicated to a specific genre, and they also handle idol goods, cameras, and computer-related products. Additionally, it's a hub for pop culture and is known as a "cosplay player" holy land. There are also many shops and cafes in the surrounding area where you can feel the culture of Akihabara. For tourists, it's a popular destination as the holy land for anime and game-related goods.

Akihabara Electric Town has many large stores that handle home appliances and PC-related goods. It's about a 1-minute walk from the Electric Town exit of JR Akihabara Station, where you'll find stores like Yodobashi Camera Multimedia Akiba and Yamada Denki LABI1. Along Chuo Street, there's AKIBA Cultures ZONE, which has a wide variety of anime, game goods, and figures. Akihabara Building and Sofmap AKIBA 1st Store also specialize in PC-related goods. In addition to the home electronics stores, there are also many individual shops related to electrical appliances that retain the old-fashioned atmosphere. To fully enjoy Akihabara culture, we recommend not only exploring the main street but also the back alleys.

Akihabara's electric town is a popular pastime spot in and of itself. At AKIHABARA Gamers Main Store, you can find idol and voice actor goods. Exhibitions and events are held at AKIHABARA UDX in AKIBA Culture Zone. There are also shrines and temples such as Yushima Shrine and Akiha Shrine. Yushima Shrine is known for its "otanuki-san" (lucky raccoon dog) statue. There are also hidden gems within walking distance of Akihabara Station, such as AKIBA KING and AKIBA CULTURES ZONE, which are recommended for souvenir shopping. AKIBA Culture Theater hosts various events such as idol concerts and rakugo (traditional Japanese comic storytelling). There are also articles that summarize beginner-friendly spots in Akihabara, so be sure to explore them when you visit, even if you're new to Akihabara.

Akihabara was a residential area for lower-ranked samurai since the Edo period and was plagued by fires. Before the war, electrical equipment wholesalers had shops on Akihabara Chuo-dori, but it was not an electric town by any means. During the chaotic post-war period, street vendors flourished, and vendors selling goods lined up between the Ogawamachi intersection on the south side and the Sudamachi intersection. Akihabara Electric Town had electrical appliance dealers entering before the war, and after the war, joint stores were established by the electrical appliance dealers who were mainly in Kanda, resulting in its development into one of the world's leading electric towns.

There are tourist spots such as Kanda Myojin Shrine and Kanda Used Bookstore District around Akihabara. You can also visit Ueno Park and Sensoji Temple, which are within walking distance from Akihabara Station. There are many restaurants and eateries around Akihabara Station where you can enjoy delicious food of various genres such as ramen and curry. Cosplayers may also be holding photoshoots around Akihabara Station. If you want to take photos, be sure to follow proper etiquette. That's all for the tourist spots around Akihabara. Enjoy the Akiba culture and try out delicious food and other tourist spots.