Akihabara ()
Akihabara (“Akiba” in short) is one of the busiest districts in Tokyo, home to countless electronic shops, unique cafes, game arcades and various other subcultures. The lively town is also known as a sanctuary for curry and ramen, as dozens of popular restaurants of those are packed in the area.
Located next to JR Akihabara Station, Yodobashi Camera Multimedia Akiba is one of the largest electronic shopping malls in Japan. The gigantic, 10-story shopping center offers an overwhelming assortment of electrical appliances, cameras and audio-visual equipment at very reasonable prices.
Nearby, Rajio Kaikan (or Radio Center) is home to dozens of small shops that offer new and antique radios and various parts, along with various gaming devices, videos and CDs at exceptionally low prices.
If you are a Gachapon fan, be sure to drop by Gachapon Kaikan (center), as there are no less than 430 machines to dispense all your yen for fun figurines and other miniature goods.
Akihabara is also known for its unique cafés, such as cat and owl cafés, and other themed ones. Maidreamin is a chain of maid cafés where young women in classical western-style maid dresses welcome you with a greeting of “Okaerinasai goshujinsama!” (literally “Welcome back home, my lord!”). If you go, remember the name for bathroom there is “ohanabatake” (flower field), and you need to say “meow meow” first when you call a maid in the café to order a drink.
Manseibashi Bridge is Akihabara’s symbol bridge, a western-style stone and brick bridge built in the town in 1873. A JR station opened near the bridge in 1912 which poised Akihabara to grow into a thriving cityscape. The station closed during World War II and would later become a large railway museum until its closure in 2006. The station and building attached were renovated into a large shopping and restaurant complex mAAch ecute Kanda Manseibashi.
The lively town of various subcultures is also home to several traditional shrines and temples. Visit Yushima Seido, a Confucian temple and an important educational institution built by the Shogunate government in 1690. The unique bronze-roofed main temple hall is a must-see.
Kanda Myojin, founded in the year 730, is one of the most important Shinto shrines in Japan and was a favorite for worship among many Tokugawa shoguns and other feudal lords throughout the centuries. The Kanda Matsuri festival held at the shrine every year is known as one of the three largest festivals in Japan, along with Gion Matsuri (Kyoto) and Tenjin Matsuri (Osaka).
Drop by the shrine museum to learn more about the history and shrine festivals through the elaborate displays.
Akihabara is an interesting town where traditional values and modern pop culture coexist. Let’s discover the wonders along the bustling streets of Akihabara!
