Things to do in Akihabara – an electronic wonderland

Akihabara is Tokyo’s anime and manga mecca and one of the most famous places to visit in the city. There are hundreds of places to visit and things to do in Akihabara and possibly the best part of it all is simply wandering the streets on a Sunday, when the main thoroughfare is closed off, and people watch, you are bound to see that side of Japan that fascinates travelers the most.

When thinking about what to do in Akihabara you will no doubt read about the Maid cafes, the streets are filled with Japanese girls dressed in cute outfits ready to make all your dreams come true. But there is more to Akihabara than Maid Cafes. There are manga stores, second hand shops, electronics malls, cafes and pretty much anything from all your otaku fantasies. So here are the best things to do in Akihabara.

Have coffee with a Maid

Let’s get this out of the way. If you want to visit a Maid Cafe, Akihabara is the place. The streets are filled with girls dressed as maids and calling you into one of the hundreds of them. Some give out leaflets with coupons, others have clear signs stating no photographs. These girls are notorious for not being happy at all when you take their photo so just ask first. For the original experience head to Cure, the first ever Maid cafe to open in 2001. To visit, you will need to become a member and then book a table ahead, and a Japanese friend to help mediate as they don’t speak English. The privileges of being the first one. Otherwise, fret not, Akihabara is full of them and you can just walk in to most.

Be amazed at Chuor Dori

This is the main thoroughfare where lots of different stores are lined up. Here you will find anything, from stores devoted exclusively to specific anime characters or series to others than stock a bit of everything. There are gaming centers, shops selling paraphernalia and merchandising, collectibles, etc. everything and anything and lots of useless stuff you will regret having bought when you get home. But, hey, this is what you came to Japan for. Spend some time inside these stores and marvel at the great finds.

Yodobashi, the center of all things electronic

Before you even consider jumping on the shopping wagon and spending your pay day money on great Japanese electronics, bear in mind that, to avoid export, all things sold in Japan are usually just in Japanese. So, unless you speak the language, no point buying a camera that can’t be changed into english.

Yodobashi is however great for browsing the largest ranges of cameras and all other types of electronics and, if what you are looking for does not require language skills, then this is the perfect place. It is also a great store to ask questions and get advise on the right product for you, as well as trying it on. I managed to find a rare lens I was looking for and could even place it on the camera to check as they have items on display from pretty much every product.

Fulfil all your gaming fantasies

The most impressive store in Akihabara is Mandarake. This building version of a Batmobile is the center of all things anime and weird. Think porn comic books, all the robots and little figurines of every potential cartoon or Japanese character available on any size, old Game Boys and Nintendo, in short, all sorts of collector’s stuff to fill your wildest hoarder dreams. This is the place to spend money on things you don’t need and will not have a place for when you get home. But they look oh-so enticing and underground. This is Japanese subculture paradise and the heartbeat of Akihabara, at least in my mind. Climb up all the floors because every one of them is devoted to a specific topic from J Pop CDs to comic books, from the oldest items to the newest raging trend. Make sure not to get lost in a world of magic and role play. Mandarake has other branches in other parts of town but the one here is the most authentic because of its location at the center of Tokyo’s subculture play.

Watch famous a J-Pop performance

The place for a unique break. AKB48 is the name and performing headquarters of Japans’ largest girl group. The group is made of over 140 girls today although it started with just 48, hence the name with the letters of Akihabara and 48. The building is split into 3 parts: theatre, where live performances take place, the shop and the bar. If you are just popping by, the bar is where you can enjoy some awful food and drinks while watching some of their performances on the large TV screen. It is slightly strange to the visitor but the place is permanently full with girls, couples and older men, a very unusual crowd, all peeled to the large TV screen.

Robotise yourself

If you are a robot fan, you could try Gundam Cafe instead. The futuristic looking bar is filled with Gundam inspired foods and drinks. While it is not as crazy as other cosplay elements of Japan it adds a bit of Anime flavour into the day.

Meet Celebrities

Other things to watch out for in Akihabara are general celebrity meet and greets. As we were walking around there were two of them where the characters of anime movies or J Pop groups come to meet their fans. The queues in the street will be telling. You won’t get anything but it is fun to watch.

Pray to the geekiest of Gods

Touted by CNN as the “World’s geekiest temple“, Kanda Myojin Shrine is the chosen Shinto shrine for IT geeks and companies to get their blessings and ask for redemption or good fortune. The shrine is famous for new startups to come seeking good luck with their new launch. It is not uncommon to see entire companies praying to the gods. Its success as the place to go stems from the two Gods enshrined there: Ebisu and Daikoku, both known as the gGods of fortune, fishermen and agriculture. What to buy to give back to your fellow geeks back home? An especially designed charm courtesy of the shrine’s monks and which is made of three pieces, a credit-card-sized one for your wallet, a sticky strip for your computer and a tiny SD-card-shaped sticker for your phone so all your devices are properly protected. As blessings and chanting ceremonies are common at the shrine, it is not unusual to find one ongoing when visiting. Quite a display of good fortune.