Akihabara has always been our favourite neighbourhood to stay in when travelling to Tokyo. We’ve tried out different areas over the years, and our hearts will always be drawn back to Akihabara. After a long day of walking around Tokyo, every night, we would dump our stuff and head out into the neon streets to find something delicious to eat. Then we were off to play games, explore endless floors of shopping malls, which always seemed open at all hours of the night. Finally, we would end the night singing along to Karaoke and dancing on the streets with the salarymen on their way home from the bars. Akihabara is never lacking for excitement, good food and entertainment. But unlike areas like Shinjuku, it still has that neighbourhood feel and doesn’t overwhelm you.
Otaku Akihabara
Akihabara is often referred to as being the ‘Otaku‘ centre of Tokyo. Otaku refers to a young person who is obsessed with computers or particular aspects of pop culture to the detriment of their social skills. Its kinda like our word “geek” or “nerd.” But just as in our North American vocabulary, these terms are no longer as harmful as they once were. Nerds now run the world! Fantasy comics and movies are now not just for nerds but Hollywood Blockbusters! Initially, Akihabara was known for being a technology hub, it was called electric town. It got this name in WWII when this area was the place where people could find old radio and electronic parts sold illegally under the train lines. It was the only way people could get them since almost everything was given over to the war effort.
Today, you can still find these shops, although they no longer need to hide underground. From old wires to new robotics Akihabara grew into a centre where the geeks of the city would congregate. And today it is this new centre of pop culture. All of these aspects of the neighbourhood make it one of the liveliest areas in Tokyo. If you’ve never been here before hopefully, this guide allows you to explore everything Akihabara has to offer!
Where to Stay?
Glansit Akihabara Capsule Hotel
Capsule Hotels are one of the most unique forms of accommodation in Japan. Capsule hotels are not just a super cool thing to experience; they are also a great way to save some money! Perfect for solo travellers. The Capsules are divided into male and female floors, where you’ll get a single capsule all to yourself to sleep inside. The Glansit Capsules in Akihabara are incredibly modern, clean and even have an onsen attached to the shower area, the perfect way to unwind after a long flight or long day walking around the city.
The capsule here are made of a large, rectangular cube, which is more spacious than you’d imagine. Each capsule comes with its own personal light, tv, bedding, place to plug in all your devices and even air conditioning and a fan. It feels like sleeping in a spaceship. Outside your capsule, you can use all the amenities of a hotel.
Washington Hotel
If you’re looking for a great hotel, just steps away from all the action than the Washington Hotel is the place for you. This hotel is still within most travellers’ budgets but provides everything you need in the perfect location. The hotel is right across the street from the train station, which makes it super easy to get anywhere in the city in minutes. The rooms are spacious in terms of Japanese standards, but be sure not to book the “economy double bed” if you’re a couple since the bed is little more than a large single and you might be a little squished.
Hotel Mystays Ochanomizu
Hotel Mystays Ochanomizu is located just a few minutes away from the central JR rail station, on the opposite side of the rivers from Akihabara. While this means you’re not RIGHT in the centre of the action, this actually might be a plus for some travellers. Being across the river means this hotel feels like it is more a part of the less touristy, neighbourhood part of Akihabara.
The streets are quiet, but only a five minutes walk down the road you’re in the centre of the bustling neon skyscrapers which are iconically Akihabara. While the hotel bills itself as a conference centre/business hotel, I still found it to be perfect for tourists. The price was great, the amenities were excellent, and since a lot of the people staying there were businessmen, it was a super quiet hotel. Ideal for relaxing at the end of a long night. Book a twin room for two people, its the same price as the standard but gives you two beds and more space inside the room.
Where to Eat?
Kikanbo
Kikanbo is my ABSOLUTE favourite restaurant in the entire city. I know this seems odd, and arguably it holds a sentimental part in my heart. Still, even without that, this ramen restaurant is fantastic! Kikanbo is known for its red pepper spicy ramen. When you walk up to the restaurant, you’re greeted with several demon spiked masks on the outside of the building, but don’t let that scare you off. You have complete control over the spice level, so even if you don’t like hot food, the rich miso broth and gorgeous toppings are enough to make for a spectacular meal.
Kikanbo also uses three different noodles in their ramen to give you a variety of textures as you eat, which makes it super unique compared to other ramen restaurants. There is always a line out the door, but it moves quickly. The staff are so friendly and if you don’t know how to order, they’re always more than happy to help you out, even without being able to share a common language!
Toraji
Toraji is a “yakiniku” style restaurant located at the top of the Remm tower in Akihabara. Yakiniku translates into “grilled meat,” as the cooking of the meal is given over to the customer! It’s a tradition that started in Korea and was adopted by the Japanese as well. There is something so enjoyable about being able to cook food at your table, to your tastes, without having to shop for any ingredients and know that everything is still prepared for you.
This restaurant still preserves some of the Korean aspects of the meal, as it serves kimchi and cold noodles along with the various meats and steamed vegetables. Now I know what you might be thinking, “Korean food? In Tokyo?” and yes, this might sound odd. But Korean food is super popular in Tokyo for a reason. You choose a particular set menu, and then the meat and veggies are all brought out to you, as an all-you-can-eat service. Whenever a dish is finished, just ask for another, and it will be brought you fresh from the kitchen. Perfect for hungry eaters.
Gansozushi
While conveyor belt sushi restaurants have started popping up in other locations around the world, they got their start here in Japan. If you’ve never visited one before, then Gansozushi is the best place to start! Conveyor belt sushi restaurants are all over Tokyo, and you really can’t go wrong with any of them. While the fish might not be as high quality as in some upscale restaurants, it’s still far and away better than anything we get in North America. Once you get inside, you’ll be seated around an actual moving conveyor belt with dishes containing various types of sushi.
This restaurant is especially great since it’s so small, the chef is right behind the counter. And you can watch him making the sushi throughout the meal. Each of the plates on which the sushi is placed is a different colour and/or pattern. The plates denote the cost of the sushi, often displayed on small signage inside the restaurant. Just grab what you want and keep the empty plates at your table. These plates are used to calculate your bill at the end of the meal. The sushi is cheap and delicious, and often you’ll be more enticed into trying something new once you see it right there in front of you.
Kanda Yabusoba
Across the river is one of my favourite restaurants, Kanda Yabusoba. This place serves up Soba noodles in a variety of different fashions. I LOVE cold soba noodles, and this restaurant has been making them since 1880! “Soba,” or buckwheat noodles, is a traditional Japanese food dating back to the Edo period. These noodles were a favourite dish of the then Emperor of Japan. Soba noodles are eaten dipped in a tasty broth and enjoyed alongside crispy deep-fried shrimp and vegetable tempura. The other reason I love this place is for the decor. It feels like a traditional tea house, with all wood panels and a peaceful zen garden welcoming you as you come in the front doors.
Blue Bottle Coffee Kanda Cafe
Another popular spot on the riverside is Blue Bottle Coffee. The Japanese have gotten obsessed with coffee, but more than that, they have an obsession with ensuring it is brewed to perfection. This place offers pour-over coffees, which are superb! The beans are roasted to varying degrees based on their unique profile. This cool little cafe offers seats along the riverside, which is a peaceful place to relax and enjoy a morning brew before heading into the clamour of downtown Akihabara.
Mister Donut Akihabara
I realize recommending Mister Donut is like recommending Dunkin’ Donuts to people visiting America or Tim Hortons to those in Canada. But you know what? I think I would do that too. They’re a simple, classic for a reason. Mister Donut is a chain cafe which sells, just that, donuts. But Japanese donuts are unlike the textures and flavour of those in North American, and you need to give them a try! They always have seasonal flavours or different designs to celebrate various events happening in Japan. So there always something new to try every time you visit!
Honey Toast Cafe Akihabara
If donuts aren’t for you, but you have a sweet tooth, then you just have to check out Honey toast Café! Honey toast starts with a thick piece of bread cut almost to the size of a brick! The bread is as fluffy as can be, similar to the texture of Wonder Bread we have in North America. The toast is then smothered in toppings like whipped cream, ice cream, honey and fresh fruits. It’s as decadent as it gets! The plastic models of these desserts sit in window displays outside inviting customers to come inside and let me tell you they’re pretty hard to resist.
Honey toast is often eaten by young teens on their first dates, and often, you’ll find groups of kids heading to Akihabara just to eat honey toast and blush in front of their crushes. Eating a slice of honey toast with your true love feels like you’re just two kids again.
Gyukatsu Ichi Ni San
One of the absolute best places to eat in Akihabara is Gyukatsu Ichi Ni San. Prepare to wait in line or get there early to ensure you get a spot in this bite-sized restaurant. Gyukatsu is a Japanese meal that consists of breaded, deep-fried beef cutlets. At this restaurant, you are given slices of the meat, which has been deep-fried, but the interior is still raw. You are then sat in front of a tiny little pan where you can grill the meat to your desired level of cooking. Staff are super kind and ready to help you with the coking if you are new to the process. They have an English menu, so they are more than welcoming to tourists. Dishes come with a bowl of rice, soup, sauces, and a mountain of veggies!
Taiyaki
Taiyaki is a Japanese street food that is on almost every traveller’s list of things to eat in Japan. It’s a fish-shaped cake, which is filled with your choice of sweet centre before being cooked into the shape of a fish. Typical fillings include red bean paste, custard, chocolate, cheese, or sweet potato. Magikarp Taiyaki is similar to most other stands except for the fact they sell their Taiyaki in the shape of iconic Pokemon character ‘Magikarp.‘ Which I think fits being in Otaku Akihabara.
Fruits de Saison
For a sweet treat, head over to Fruits de Saison. This cafe specializes in fruit parfaits, which are iconic in Japan. Using only the best Japanese fruit of the season they create a sculptural looking dessert with mounds of sweet fruit. And their homemade whipped cream is the perfect topper. But the very best thing to try here is the fruit and cream croissants. Fruit cream sandwiches are a trendy convenience store food in Japan, but stuffed inside a fresh, buttery pastry just takes the dessert to another level!
What to do?
Walk along Chuo Dori
A walk down the main street Chuo Dori is one of the best ways to not only get your bearings upon landing in Japan but also a vibrant way to explore Akihabara. Everywhere you look, especially at night, you’ll find the most amazingly designed signage, neon lights, blaring music and excited people ready to hit the town. Chuo Dori is where you’ll be able to get some fantastic, iconic photographs of Tokyo so its a photographer’s dream.
Arcades
The Japanese pioneer video gaming and with Japan being the centre for its development came to the prevalence of arcades. Here kids and adults alike could play the newest coin-operated games like Street Fighter and Pacman. Today, the games you’ll find in the arcades are a little more sophisticated. And most of them can only be found in arcades as they are designed for that space, and not the home console system. These games are everything from racing games, dancing competitions to VR headsets, which jet you off into space!
But our favourite thing to play at the arcades were the crane games. Not the UFO catchers, those don’t involve any skill. But the arm crane games actually are winnable. The sheer drama of playing and/or watching others win is a suspenseful good time. And everyone loves to cheer for other players too as we’re all in this together. Plus, they always have such strange items to win, like a stuffed bear with a bloody arm or all kinds of scandalously clad anime figurines.
Taito and Sega Arcades
Every arcade brand is similar and yet totally different at the same time. They each have their own look and feel, which makes them stand apart, and you quickly will find which one is your favourite. We prefer the Taito arcades for their selection of cranes games prizes. Still, others love the SEGA arcade as they have a larger range of modern arcade games on the upper floors.
Purikura
In the basement of these arcades, you’ll find dozens of Purikura photo cubicles, each one from a different company offering a unique experience. Purikura machines are where you can get those classic Japanese printed photos where you can add text, stickers and give your face the “anime” treatment. The Purikura experience costs 500 yen ($5 US). Unlike photo booths you find in North America, where you step in and just take your picture, these use a green screen.
The camera moves around, so you get a bunch of different options from portrait mode to full body and even sometimes animated GIFs. Once you finish your photo shoot, you’ll be directed into another booth where you’ll get to decorate, alter, add filters and text to all the photos you took. Afterwards, your photos will be arranged into a collage (often picked by you) and printed out at the same station where you initially put your coins inside. It was great fun trying out different poses and spending as much time as we were allowed decorating the photos into something absolutely ridiculous.
Super Potato
If you’re interested in retro gaming, then a visit to Super Potato is in order. This little arcade, hidden upstairs inside a commercial tower on a side street of Akihabara, has some of the most nostalgic arcade games anywhere in the city. While SEGA and Taito might have all the newest in video game technology, Super Potato is still serving up pong, Super Mario and the original Street Fighter. The first floor of the store also has retro games for sale if you’re looking for something to complete your collection. But I prefer to head upstairs and play the day away on the gaming consoles, which didn’t require a Ph.D. to understand how to play.
Don Quijote
A fantastic late-night activity – for those of us not too interested in drinking the night away – is shopping at Don Quijote. The one in Akihabara is open 24 hours a day, and with over six floors of goods, there is always something new to discover. My favourite part of the store was the cosmetics section. Japanese and Korean cosmetics are some of the best in the world, and Don Quixote carries hundreds of products I’d never even seen before. I especially loved finding the anime character-themed cosmetics. They also had some featuring Sailor Moon, who was always my favourite cartoon character growing up. Don Quixote truly has something for everyone and even things no one would want but are hilarious to look at (e.g. animal-shaped male undergarments.) Honestly, even if you don’t buy anything here, you’ll have hours of fun just looking at all the oddities for sale.
Akihabara Gachapon Hall
Gachapon refers to the little vending machine which dispenses capsule toys. The word ‘Gachapon‘ is onomatopoeia for the sound the crank makes when you use the machine. These devices each contain different sets of toys, and you never know which item from the set you’re going to receive. It’s totally random. Most sets include some rare items which become sought-after collector treasures. The toys set change pretty often, so there’s always something new to buy. We found little plastic cats were sitting on rice cookers, tiny replicas of vintage buckets, Pokemon shaped cookies and lots of Japanese characters often themed the various holidays.
These make for small, cheap souvenirs to bring home for friends and family as they are wonderfully weird and always unexpected. The Akihabara Gachapon Hall is the place where you can find hundreds of these machines all in one place. Although spotting them all over the city is a fun little activity, if you’re looking for something in particular, then this is the place you should check out!
KaraokeKan
The best way to end a night out in Akihabara is to go to a karaoke room. You can come into a karaoke room at any time of the day with any size of the group (or even just solo)! Once inside, you select what kind of room you’d like, how long you want to sing for, and even what kind of karaoke system you wish to use. We had no idea what the difference was, but the staff is there day and night to help you out. And in Akihabara where there are lots of tourists, they know how to help you out even if they don’t speak very much English.
Karaoke Additions
Most karaoke places will require you to buy one beverage in addition to the price of the Karaoke. You can even buy an all-you-can drink option. If you’re going to be there a while, chose that option! In common areas, there are drink machines that serve coffee, soda, juice and sometimes even soft-serve ice cream! Once you have your assigned a room, head on over. Most rooms have coat hooks, phone chargers, mirrors, and some even have musical instruments like tambourines and cowbells!
I was pretty shy about singing at first, but my husband wasn’t shy at all and belted his favourite songs out. It got me in the mood for singing, and soon enough, we had ‘Phantom of the Opera’ and ‘New Order‘ blasting down the halls. Honestly, it was the best night out ever! KaraokeKan in Akihabara is an excellent option as it has a pretty wide variety of English songs. They even rent costumes to perform in for a very unique night out!
Akiba Cultures Zone
Akiba Cultures Zone is a one-stop-shop for anime and otaku goods. There are over seven different levels to this one super mall dedicated to Japan’s anime subculture. Spread out on each level are grouping of different themed stores that specialize in a particular thing from sweets, to figurines, cosplay costumes, wigs and accessories. There is even a theatre on the top floor with performances daily.
Mandarake
If you didn’t find what you were looking for at Akiba Cultures Zone, then head over to Mandarake. Mandarake also has a slightly different selection of goods with more items for collectors of trains, Godzilla, manga and Hello Kitty rather than just pure anime. Once more, this place is more than a store, its eight different floors of collectible merchandise feels like a museum! If you’re looking for something a little more accessible, I would come here over Akiba Cultures Zone, which can feel a bit too specialized. Here you’ll find things from popular culture as well as Japanese anime. But they both really inform travellers into what Otaku culture is all about.
Yodobashi Camera
If technology is your thing, then you have to make a trip over to Yodobashi Camera Akihabara. Exploring the ground level of Yodobashi is like a trip to CES (the Consumer Technology Association convention held every year in Las Vegas). You can see all the newest in gadgetry which Japan has to offer its consumers. You’ll find everything from cameras to robotic toilets and even weird things like specialized drawers for roasting fish. Under the almost blinding white lights inside the store, you’ll find the oddest things which makes for one of the most enjoyable experiences!
CHABARA
Chabara is a grocery store, but its also so much more than that. They sell a variety of artisanal & traditional Japanese foods both to bring home with you as a souvenir or to enjoy back at your hotel. If you’re looking to sample the best Japanse food or perhaps don’t really know what foods you need to try, then this is the place to come! They even have gourmet instant-ramen noodle section, which has been carefully curated to feature only the very best of instant at-home noodles. Their sake selection is also stellar as it features varieties from all over Japan. They also have several kinds which you can try in-store in case you’ve never experienced true Japanese sake. Sake is a great gift to take home, and they will carefully wrap it to ensure it makes it back safe and sound. Something beautiful to remember your trip by!
Akihabara Radio Center
If you’re an electronics tinkerer, then head to Akihabara Radio Center. Akihabara Radio Center still sells cheap electronics parts for absolutely everything. Need a weird battery for something you bought 35 years ago, chances are you’ll find it here. There are entire shops dedicated to screws or wire. Some places only sell types of metal. While these things might not be for everyone, it’s kinda cool to explore the weird hallways and see the kind of shops which put Akihabara on the map back in WWII.
Interesting Vending Machines
Vending machines are pretty much everywhere you look in Japan. They’re on every street corner, down every alley and on every floor anywhere you go. And while most vending machines sell simply food and drinks, some sell genuinely bizarre items. And there is no better place to explore the variety of vending machines than in Akihabara. The specific corner where you’ll find these machines is marked on the map. Here you’ll find a plethora of vending machines that only have unique items inside. No sodas to be found here. These range from dead rhinoceros beetles, scented candles, wind chimes and even mystery boxes with stories written on the outside. Don’t be fooled by these though, aside from the strange stories, the actual prizes inside the blank box aren’t worth the price you’ll pay. Still, getting a chance to pursue the selection is undoubtedly something you’ll only find in Akihabara.
For anyone visiting Tokyo for the first time, my suggestion is always to stay and see Akihabara first. It feels like the perfect introduction to the city as it has it all! Let me what your favourite neighbourhood in Tokyo is or what you love about Akihabara!
Happy Travels, Adventurers!
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