Akihabara is Tokyo's Electric Town, a neighbourhood of electronics stores, anime and manga shops, retro game specialists, arcades and themed cafés. It grew from a postwar market for radio parts into a centre for computer and gaming culture, and it remains the city's best known district for otaku interests. Whether you want a camera, a figure from your favourite series or just a look at the neon and the crowds, it is free to wander and easy to reach.
Why visit Akihabara
After the Second World War, a black market for radio components grew up under the railway tracks here. Over the following decades the area moved from radios to household electronics, then to personal computers and video games, and later to anime, manga and idol culture. Each wave left its mark, so the district mixes giant electronics stores with tiny stalls selling cables and parts, and multi-storey hobby shops.
Akihabara is fun even if you are not a fan of anime or games. The streets are lined with colourful signs and advertising, and the shops are full of things you will not find elsewhere.
Getting to Akihabara by metro and train
Akihabara Station is served by the JR Yamanote, Keihin-Tohoku and Chuo-Sobu lines, the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line and the Tsukuba Express.
- From JR, follow signs for the Electric Town exit, which opens onto the heart of the shopping district.
- On the Hibiya Line, the station is under Showa-dori on the east side, a few minutes' walk from the main streets.
- Suehirocho on the Ginza Line is at the north end of the main street, Chuo-dori, a handy alternative.
- Akihabara is just a few stops from Tokyo Station and Ueno on the JR lines.
Opening hours and shopping tips
There is no entry fee to Akihabara itself. Most shops open from late morning, roughly 10 or 11, and close in the evening, so there is little point arriving early. Hours vary by shop, so check before travelling for a specific store.
- Tax-free shopping: many larger stores offer tax-free purchases for visitors who show their passport. The rules have changed in recent years, so check the current system at the store.
- Electronics: check that devices work with the voltage and plug type at home, and that region settings suit you for games and video.
- Second-hand goods: condition grades are usually marked carefully, and prices for rare items can be high.
- Many small shops ask you not to take photos inside. Look for signs.
Best time to visit Akihabara
Weekday afternoons are relaxed. On Sundays, the main street Chuo-dori has often been closed to cars in the afternoon, turning it into a pedestrian zone, though this depends on the season and local decisions. Evenings are good for the lit-up signs and the arcades. Allow two to three hours for a first look, and much longer if you are a serious collector or shopper.
Highlights in Akihabara
Large electronics stores
Giant stores such as the Yodobashi Camera building on the east side of the station sell everything from cameras to rice cookers across many floors.
Anime, manga and figure shops
Multi-storey shops along Chuo-dori and the side streets specialise in new and second-hand manga, figures, models and collectibles. Radio Kaikan, by the Electric Town exit, gathers many small hobby shops in one building.
Retro games
Several shops focus on older consoles and cartridges, from early home systems to handhelds, and are worth a look even just for nostalgia.
Arcades and game centres
Multi-floor arcades with crane games, rhythm games and photo booths line the main streets.
Under the tracks
Old railway arches house small shops, including the craft shops of 2k540 Aki-Oka Artisan between Akihabara and Okachimachi, and mAAch ecute Kanda Manseibashi, built into a former station by the Kanda River.
Nearby on the same stop
- Kanda Myojin: a historic shrine a walk of around 10 minutes west, popular with the local tech and anime community.
- Yushima Seido: a Confucian temple near Ochanomizu.
- Ameyoko: the market street under the tracks near Ueno, one or two stops north.
- Ueno Park: museums and gardens a short ride away.
See more of what is around this stop on the Akihabara page, or browse every station on the Tokyo metro map.