Akihabara
 

What can people tell me about Akihabara in Tokyo? I've heard a bit about it, and it seems interesting, but i don't know much else about it other than there is a lot of electronic retailers, lots of little cafes, and there was a massacre there in 2008.(Which is irrelevant, but whatever.) is there other specific stuff someone knows? I'd just like to know more about it. Thanks. :)

Akihabara is full of porn, electronics, and people. It's pretty much exactly how people describe it -- all forms of cameras, games, computers, and girls handing out flyers.

I didn't find it all that interesting, considering the electronics are geared towards the Japanese and in Japanese (language)


But the Akihabara massacre -- now that's interesting!

massacre
 

Yeeeaah, no....Tomohiro Kato is definitely not the ideal role model, ha ha. as for the electronics, must be pretty cool...

You mean the guy who posted on 2channel and told everyone he was going to kill people because he was pissed off about work or something? I remember Masafumi Goto mentioning that in one of his concerts.

Akihabara used to be a mecca for electronics. A place where you could buy anything from a television set to a 15 ohm 25 watt resistor.

It's still the place where electronics geeks hang out but I noticed a big change from the retail to services sector when I last visited. Lots of internet cafes, lots of stores selling manga, porn, etc.

Check out the @Home Maid cafe if you visit. It's very entertaining (for both males and females) and it's probably worth the visit to Akihabara alone. :D

Its still called the "electronic street", but the true "essence" of anything electronic died down years ago, I mean there are still all kind of electronic goods, but the manga/anime world took over a good chunk of it. I still remember buying parts to build my first LED chaser and power supply for a NeHe laser tube there........ they had everything you need to build a detonator if you want to...

The first time i went to Akiba i thought it would be a station where only few ppl get off, you can see the otakus already in the Subway etc. Outside there would be maids waiting for you and Manga and small electronicshops everywhere.

Truth was that alot off ppl get of in akiba because it is a important Station to change on the JR line so it is crazy in the morning. When you leave the Station you will have lots of electronic shops wich sell Cameras, games, etc. There is Yodobashi Camera next to the Station wich is huge!!! On the other side there is Radio Kaikan wich is more like youd think of Akiba. Lot of small stores cramped in a building selling electrics and Figures. On the mainstreet there are quite a few pornshops, Managshops (wich porn in the underground or Topfloors) and shops selling figures. Othewise more shops selling electronic tax free (thats only 5% though).
It can be heaven for anime/manga fans because shops like Animate stock heaps of Manga but they are all Japanese. The Figure shops are better because you wont need the language and prices are ussualy reasonable. I couldnt find lot of merchandise like Shirts or posters, doesnt seem to be a Japanese thing (ppl dont have space). You can find stuff in some figure shops and in Animate i think on the second floor. There is also the Animation Center wich always has something in display and some stuff for sale. Its hidden in the UTX (help me guys is it called UTX or different?) Building.
Otherwise theres lots of fun stuff around like the Maidcafes, a Maidcasino (akiba Guild) and ive seen Videos of a train cafe (where you can ride Modelltrains).
To the maidcafes: The @home cafe is in the Donki Hotte wich is a fun shop. There is a 500yen seating charge and a short show once an hour (you play Janken for a free drink) You have to buy 1 drink and can only stay 1 hour. Prices for drinks are ok and you will most probably see some real Otakus here.

I recommend the Nekko cafe on the second/third floor of Animate (or in the next building?). Its like a normal Cafe, no seating charge, reasonable prices and the waitress wear maid costums with cute Catears.

Theres lots of other cafes as well, i read of a prison cafe, a little sister cafe and a Mother cafe (so they play sister or mother) and other weird stuff but you will have to know where stuff is.
Akiba is quite big so better take a map ( i think the animation center has maps more specific for anime fans).

Weekends sees lot of people, Maids giving flyers and some cosplayers. Lots of foreigners during summer.

Dont worry bout the massacer, Greater Tokyo has over 30 million ppl so this happens sometime.


Have fun!


Edit: I forgot to mention that Yodobashi has a few hundred Gatcha Gatcha (machines sellings figures in balls) and other figures on the top floor.

Whoa-ho-ho! *O* It's definitely eye-catching!

Mother and sister cafes, huh? o.O That's surely different, but couldn't expect less from Japan.

Thank you for the information Firebird.

your welcome,

here 2 pictures

DSCF5901.jpg (image)

DSCF5902.jpg (image)

Its a cool place, been there twice, if you like goodies, take a lot of money with you.:)

I ride my bike there from time to time to shop in a couple used camera shops near the station. I've had lunch at a maid cafe, and checked out the various stores and shops.

You'll see the "electric city" exit at the train station platform, just go through this exit and follow the crowds.

There are still quite a few electronics shops to be found, they sell things like closed-circuit tv cameras (perverts love them), and various audio-video gear. There are also countless shops which sell new and used computer gear and accessories.

But most of the smaller shops have been driven out by the bigger retailers, like Sofmap, Yodobashi, and the like. Don't bother shopping in these stores, the prices are much lower in America. Europeans may find some good deals though, though don't expect to save much.

The maid cafes are expensive and over-rated. They are popular mainly with tourists (from within Japan as well as foreigners), but the food is not particularly good, and the pre-school level games the maids play with the customers aren't my cup of tea.

There are lots of porn shops, though explicit pornography is not legal in Japan. Still, the shops manage to do a good business, particularly with Kanda (home to many single men) nearby. There isn't much reason to go to a porn shop when you can simply go to soapland in Kabukicho or Ikebukuro and get the real thing.

Other things to see are the comic and video stores. You'll often find long lines in front of these places when a new comic or video becomes available. It's funny to see a long line of otaku-types (men from their 20's to 30's) waiting patiently for hours while reading manga, or playing with a DS or PSP.

Akihabara is probably the best place for gamers to visit. It is full of new and used game shops, selling all types, from 70's era Pong and Atari 1600 games to the latest and greatest. You'll find lots of good deals on the used stuff.

There are also lots of costume shops for cosplayers to pick up things. If you don't feel like buying a costume, you can rent one for a day. I saw a bunch of ----- from England who were acting like idiots in Asakusa wearing costumes found in Akihabara. People don't mind cosplayers in Harajuku, but the old people don't care to see them (particularly foreign cosplayers) at the Sensoji temple, it's not very respectful.

Akihabara is an interesting place to spend the day. It's only a couple of stops from Tokyo station, and close to Ueno, anyone who comes to Tokyo should spend at least half a day there.

Gah... is Tokyo always that colourful?

Is it just me... or is that a maid in the bottom-right corner...


Eh... Tokyo is definitely something else...

I think it is a maid. lol.

That picture is how my heaven looks..... lol

I think I understand what M said about standing out... I will, most definitely, stand out. Then again, I stand out over here, too.

On another note; my fellow Scotsman!

I don't think it would be easy to stand out. Not unless you wore really bright clothes. lol. Although, you'd certainly stand out more than the locals.

Off-topic - Another Scottish Japan Fan? Nice. What part of Scotland are you from?

YouTube - Sega and Shinjuku

Shameful YouTube plug, activate!

On a serious note, Akiba is pretty chill. I did some of this footage a couple of weeks back, but I tend to go there about once a week to see what the latest deals are. Surprisingly, Akiba is really small in comparison to what people may think. You've got the major strip with the flashing lights and a couple more lit up side streets, but the majority of it is just major office buildings.

Anyone know if Den Den Town, the Osaka version of Akihabara, has also changed to more services lately? When I was there in the mid 90's, it was almost all small electronic stores, though there were also some duty-free gift shops selling things like kimonos and laquerware. There were no maid cafes or manga shops there back then, though there was 1 small manga shop I knew about 3 or 4 few blocks away on a side street.

Perhaps those still looking for a more traditional Akiba experience might go there instead, unless it has changed too...

I was there in 2008, but others might have more recent info. I don't recall any duty-free shops, but there's several HUGE anime/gaming stores now and a big modelling/minatures shop too. I'm told there are maid cafes and stuff there, but I never really looked for them so I've no idea really. But still, lots of electronics stores too, especially the smaller ones.

What's the other one in Tokyo...Ikeburo? Ike---something.


Urghhh.... I'm so sorry.

Unfortunately, I can't call myself a pure-blood Scot. In short, I'm a mutt. But, GLORY TO THE SCOTS!

And, that was my brazen outburst for the day.

I guess I should check out Akiba when I visit... it'd be interesting to set foot in a maid/butler cafe... but... I'd probably just chill there for the coffee... everyone loves the coffee hype. Coffee is your (a university student's) best friend...

I wonder if they have the same type of atmosphere as a normal cafe - none of that starbucks or timmy junk.

A little bit Scots is always better than none. The bit to hope for is the accent, I believe. :rolleyes:

But on-topic, I guess every big Japanese city (Kyoto, Osaka, Sapporo etc.) has their own version of Akihabara. Would I be right in saying that?

Your posts fascinate me, Swordmaster.

A maid cafe is not a place to "chill". Men go there because of the costumed staff. It does not have the atmosphere of a normal cafe... that's why men go there and pay inordinate amounts of money to be spoon fed ice cream by a woman in a maid outfit.

I have not the words to express myself... so I shall go with the:

G-gah...




Followed by a "dot dot dot".



Butler cafes are different, right? Please tell me they're different...

I wonder if there are any normal cafes out there...

Yes, butler cafes are different. They are maid cafes for female clientèle.

99.9% of cafes in Japan are "normal cafes".

Whew, I was worried for a bit.

Then again, there's some interesting aspect about going to maid/butler cafe...

I sense a research (excuse) opportunity.

I personally love the idea of being spoon fed ice cream by a woman in a maid outfit. It really appeals to me, & it wouldn't be the only thing there

My friends took me to the @Home Cafe in Akihabara two years ago. The 5 of us had a drink each, played games with the maids and had our picture taken. I think the bill was well over $100.

I'll be checking out Akihabara in a few months but I don't think I'll return. However, I'll be sure to check out a ツンドレ cafe instead. ;)

Thanks for clearing that up! XD It's funny when you have to state that out loud before people assume Akihabara is the staple for all of Japan--NO! Even though it sounds interesting, I prefer onsens and window shopping. It would feel too weird to have a person (man or women) waiting on me and spoon-feeding me~*shivers uncomfortably*

Tangent: Anyone know if stores in Akihabara (or Tokyo in general) will start opening after New Year's, like the Monday after? I'm worried that when I go, no shops will be open (I stay in Tokyo until January 4th).

When are you going?

I am thinking you mean a ツンデレ cafe.

Doh! You're absolutely right.

Have you ever been to a maid cafe, MMM?
I`ve been to a few, and have a friend who worked in one for a few years. The image they have is a lot different than reality. It really IS a normal cafe - just with the sales point of girls dressed up as maids and acting like them.

In fact, they`re pretty famous for being extremely disappointing for any guys looking for something more than just a regular cafe with a bit of eye candy. Unlike other places catering to men, the only thing making it uncomfortable for a girl to go into a maid cafe would be the other customers. They`re definitely not キャバクラ-lite.

No, I know, Nyororin. But if someone is simply looking for a good cup of coffee and a place to chill, Akihabara maid cafes are probably not the most economical way to go. I have been to a couple...looked at the menu at the window, and decided spending 2000 yen on a banana split was not money well spent.

Naturally there are all kinds and all levels and price ranges. The "Mother" cafes at the top of the Mandarake shops are pretty tame, but at the same time, if you want a good cup of coffee for 600 yen, there are many better places to go, usually within blocks.

If I implied a maid cafe was like a strip club, then that is my fault. They are not. You get much more for your money at a strip club.

Thanks for the clarification. It sounded like you were lumping them together with the more "service" type places. (キャバクラ, hostess club, and the like)... When they`re really just overpriced cafes with a chance of getting a girl in a maid costume to maybe feed you a spoonful of something (if you`re lucky). Usually it`s just some cutesy submissive greeting with the maid outfit server pretending you are very important - and nothing else.

A waste of money for most of it, but at the same time it can be an amusing and unique experience without any overt sexuality and cost obligations as in a キャバクラ/hostess club.

They usually are top notch in food quality, and obviously in general service (as that is the whole point). If you just want a good cup of coffee and a place to sit down for a while though, I agree there are better places. But there is nothing wrong with just getting a cup of coffee and relaxing - you don`t have to pay for the maid to come over and talk to you, or spoon feed you, or any of the other silly cutesy services they offer. A maid cafe can actually be cheaper than a regular cafe in the same area if you don`t want any of the service frills - of course, without the frills there is no reason to go to one.

A hostel hopping university student could certainly find a better way to to burn his money.

Ditto. But it's an experience, right? If you're in the area, why not, right?


And for M - for some reason I can't reach those stakes in my back. Somehow, those comments were a bit more crippling than I thought... Ah well, there's some truth in it.

The one I went to had a 30 minute wait to get in and a 2 hour limit to your stay. And the guys wearing their huge bulky costumes would always bump into my arm while passing by. (Yes, there are many cosplay/anime fanatics who dress up to attend these cafes.)

Not exactly the most relaxing atmosphere but it was a worthwhile experience. I nearly picked up one of the maids since she was coming to Canada on a working holiday visa and wanted to spend some more time talking to me. Unfortunately, the exchange of personal info between the customers and maids is forbidden. :mad:

For some reason you take all of my comments as personal attacks. I don't know you at all. I am just responding to your questions.

Nah, M. I'm only joking around, don't worry about it.

As for you, Tuna, you should've asked her when her shift was over - hung around a bit and then went for some coffee at the cafe conveniently beside you.

I have to admit that meeting people is really awesome - foreigners, especially. It opens up your world - gives you a different perspective.

Haha! If only it were that easy.

Once their shift is done, the girls are whisked away into a waiting minivan to escape the potential stalkers. :eek:

You're kidding? Now... that... I didn't expect... That's pretty cool, though. It's perfectly understandable, I suppose, though.