Japan is home to many things that people enjoy such as anime and special hobbies. Check out our article about Akihabara and the best places there for you to enjoy.

Japan is a diverse country with many specialty groups. Hobbyists are an enthusiastic group who are passionate about their pastime and are willing to go all-out for it. This enthusiasm has created a need for them to have a place that will cater to their many hobby needs. Over time that place has been Akihabara in Tokyo. Akihabara is an interesting town in Tokyo that houses all the things a hobbyist would need to be happy. There are other sights to visit in Akihabara that are a must for visitors to experience the largest city in Japan.

Manga, Anime, and Games

The opening to the electric street is one that has been used in many movies and TV shows. It is lined with advertisements for games, anime, music, and upcoming events. They lead to the main street that shows off some of the main stores of Akihabara. These stores offer popular products that otaku and other hobbyists enjoy browsing.

 There are some of the largest stores of manga that can satisfy the needs of any comic enthusiast. Visitors will find walls covered in volumes of different manga titles. For the comic collector looking for rare books, or original Japanese copies, stores near the station will be the place to go. The books will be in Japanese. Rarely will you find the English versions. You will find Japanese versions of American comics here as well. There are book stores that will also have books for those looking to study Japanese or English. If your hobby is figure building or just about any other hobby, you will find the material you are looking for here.

In the large media store of the area, you will find all of the anime you could ever wish to buy. You will find all of the latest shows and the classics as well. There are often special deals or presentations for the release of series DVDs as well. You should be aware that DVD and blue-ray discs are coded for Japan and will only work on machines made for Japan.

If you buy a full series on blue-ray in Japan the discs will not work on your western-based video player. However, they still make nice gifts for collectors and some come with extra prizes and gifts attached to the sets. You will be able to find western shows like The Walking Dead, 24, and Prison Break, as they have gained in popularity and are in high demand in Japan.

Games have their specialty shops that cater to novice as well as experienced players. A few stores try to cover everything a retro gamer could want. These stores sell older cartridges, systems, and even arcade cabinets. You can find some rare Japanese copies of games that might be worth big bucks in other countries.

The newer games and consoles have entire stores dedicated to giving you the best gaming experience you can afford. Computer stores that house all of the parts and accessories you could ever need to build and maintain your gaming rig. Be ready to open your wallet for these items as electronics tend to be more expensive in Japan than in other countries.

Fabulous Food

You don’t see many people talking about the food offerings in Akihabara, but there are a surprising amount of options from which visitor can choose. You have the usual fast-food offerings of McDonald’s and Burger King and the rare Carl’s Jr., but Akihabara has some area-specific places that you can enjoy some great food as well.

You can find Thai noodle shops, meat katsu, special ramen shops, and some family restaurants. The various pop-up shops serve good food, even though their prices tend to be a bit higher. You will be surprised at the wide selection of food you will be able to find there.

Hobby Haven

If you have a group of people who passionately enjoy a specific activity, game, or pop culture, you will find a shop that will cater to your hobby. There are shops for gun enthusiasts scattered around the area that sell airsoft recreations of real guns. Some shops cater specifically to figure groups. They have a wide variety of statues and figures to their customers happy. There are card shops that cater to the many card games that have come out in Japan. These shops will have sections of English version cards in these shops too.

The special themed cafes are some of the more interesting shops in the area. Some are opened to celebrate a game or anime series. The more notable shops are the Gun dam Café and the Monster Hunter Bar.

Another type café that has gained a lot of popularity are the maid cafes. The girls who work the floors in these restaurants where tight and small maid uniforms and pretend to serve their masters. The “maids” speak in high pitch happy voices and try to get everyone to enjoy their experience in the café. You can be treated to a show of karaoke and dance numbers. These cafes are expensive and mostly serve as fun stories for foreigners to bring home.

Arcades

The arcades in Akihabara are some of the best in the country. They are lined wall to wall with cabinets. Some game arcades cater to a variety of gamer tastes and are frequented by people daily.

It is interesting to see the arcade culture still living in the area despite the recent decline of the traditional arcade shop in Japan. The arcades in Akihabara are slowly fading but some are still trying to hold on.

It is one of the most popular places to visit while you travel to Japan, and they have tailored the experience to entertain visitors and keep the locals happy. You can find your hobby in Akihabara if you look hard enough and often it isn’t that hard to do. It is easy to spend an entire day in Akihabara and never get bored.