Akihabara is a popular place in Tokyo – mostly for foreigners. The area is offering many unique things that you won’t find elsewhere. If you are looking for manga goods or electronics, then you are on the right path. The area is definitely different from other places and areas in Tokyo. If you are ready for new challenges, you should include Akihabara in your itinerary.
Akihabara Appeal
The place is often called Akiba because it was used to be a shrine with the similar name there. Originally, the area was known for electronics. But as time flies by, and as the otaku culture has grown, the area is also popular for its devotion to manga and anime. Chuo Dori, the main road of the district, is closed to car traffic on Sundays. It generally lasts from 1 PM to 6 PM. Between October and March, the closing hour lasts from 1 PM to 5 PM.
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What to Do in Akihabara
There are electronic shops, manga or otaku stores, and many others all over Akihabara. If you want to try something unique, you should go to the maid cafes where the waitress will dress up in maid costumes as well as acting up as maids. They will also call you ‘Master’. This is definitely a kind of experience you won’t find anywhere else. Besides the maid cafes, you can also visit Gundam Cafe with a Gundam theme. Of course, there are also other places and establishments where you can find other tasty foods. But seriously, you shouldn’t miss Gundam Cafe or the maid cafes.
Want to have another experience, visit manga cafes. They are basically internet cafes. What makes them unique is the fact that you can watch DVDs or read manga comics besides browsing the internet. In some cases, backpackers would spend their nights at these cafes. When they are tired, they can simply sleep inside the booth. It is a cheaper alternative to budget-traveller hotels or backpacker hotels.
If you are looking for electronic devices or gadgets, there are tons of electronic shops in the district. Some are very popular but you can always have other options. In fact, the district is heaven for electronics enthusiasts or those who want to find the latest devices.
Reaching Akihabara
It is fairly easy to reach Akihabara because you can always get off at Akihabara Station. It serves many JR lines (Keihin-Tohoku, Sobu, and Yamanote) as well as Hibiya Subway and Tsukuba Express. If you are taking Ginza Subway line, you can get off at Suehirocho Station located on the northern side of the area.
If you are travelling from Tokyo Station, Akihabara is only two stations away (going to the northern side) by Keihin-Tohoku and Yamanote JR line. You only need to spend 140 yen with a travelling time of 3 minutes. If you are travelling from Shinjuku Station, take the orange coloured JR Chuo line. Head to Ochanomizu Station (it takes 10 minutes) and then transfer to the yellow JR Sobu line. From there, it takes 2 minutes to Akihabara. If you don’t want to make any transfer, you can take the yellow train from Shinjuku to Akihabara. It takes 17 minutes and also 170 yen for the fare.
Travelling around Tokyo can be fun – and quite adventurous. The subway and train system can be confusing and challenging. But if you aren’t in a hurry and you are ready for the adventurous exploration around the place, then it can be fun. If you are thinking about going to Tokyo on your next trip, plan everything. You should go to Airpaz and reserve the flights – such as Air Asia or Singapore Airlines. Who knows? Maybe you can find the best deal.