We already know that Akihabara is the heaven not only for electronic shoppers but also a paradise for Otaku. If manga, anime, and games are what make you fall in love with Japan, then Akihabara is the best destination when you arrived in Japan or Tokyo, especially when you are an otaku.

1. Visit Tokyo Anime Center for seasonal exhibitions

Tokyo Anime Center is located on the 4th floor of UDX Building of Akihabara Crossfield. As the name is “Anime Center”, it hosts exhibitions and events related to anime, and of course, has a shop that sells toys, stationery, and other souvenirs, of anime/ manga characters as well as figures. Tokyo Anime Center is the place you never get bored even if you visit every time you come to Japan!

Address:
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Sotokanda 4-14-1 Akihabara UDX, 4F

Access:
2mins walk from JR Akihabara Station

Hours:
11:00 am – 7:00 pm. Closed on Monday and National holiday

Website:
http://www.animecenter.jp/ (Japanese Only)

2. Make a hunt for ancient treasure of Anime/Manga in Mandarake

It is the biggest place for collectibles which consists of eight floors selling everything about anime, TV superheroes, characters, and mascots, and manga comics, new and used. If you are a fan of any Japanese anime, manga, games, or movies, ANY entertainment idols as well as under any platform, this is a good place to visit. I’m sure you will see your favorites figures or watching people playing card games! Furthermore, when you enter its website, it let you choose between two version of the websites (indicate by language): Mandarake Earth (for online shopping) or Mandarake Japan (the original website).

Address:
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Sotokanda 3-11-12 

Access:
4mins walk from JR Akihabara Station

Hours:
12pm – 8pm

Website:
Mandarake Earth https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/
Mandarake Japan http://www.mandarake.co.jp/ 

3. Grab all kinds of CDs and DVDs in Liberty

Liberty is a chain of stores in Akihabara specializes in selling used stuff such as CDs, DVDs, Blue-ray, and figures with the very slightly different between new and used things can be recognized. Japanese otaku is known to be very careful with their collectibles, so you don’t have to be worry about buy used stuff. Let’s make the shopping spree fun but economical at the same time! There are several branches of Liberty in Akihabara, each specializing in different products.

Liberty 1-go Ten: Figure, plastic model toys, mini cars, etc

Liberty 2-go Ten: TV and mobile video game, PC games, DVD, etc

Liberty 4-go Ten: TV and mobile video game, trading cards, DVD, idol goods, etc

Liberty 5-go Ten: Figure, plastic model toys, plastic food toys, etc

Liberty 6-go Ten: TV and mobile video game, PC game, trading cards, DVD, idol goods, figure, etc

Liberty 8-go Ten: Figure, plastic model toys, dolls, plastic food toy, military products, etc

Liberty 11-go Ten: Mini cars, train models, etc. The store specializes in vehicle-related goods

Liberty 12-go Ten: Figure, plastic models, dolls, plastic food toy, etc

Address:
There are several branches in Akihabara so check the website http://www.liberty-kaitori.com/map.html for stores location and access

Hours:
10:00 am – 7:00 pm *Hours may change without notice due to maintenance

Website:
http://www.liberty-kaitori.com/ (Japanese Only)

4. Get some cosplay costumes in Cospa Gee Store

COSPA is a manufacturer that produce merchandises related to character life in anime, manga, and games. Cospa Gee Store in Akihabara specializes in selling apparels (cosplay costumes) and other miscellaneous goods! If you find it hard to make your costume for any cosplay event, then come to Gee Store and grab ones! COSPATIO also a shop that sells cosplay costumes too, and it is located in the same building with Cospa Gee Store!

Address:
2F, GEE! STORE AKIBA, 3-15-5, Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Access:
5mins walk from JR Akihabara Station

Hours:
Weekdays 11am-8pm. Weekends 11am-7pm

Website:
http://cospa.com/ / http://www.geestore.com/ (Japanese Only)

5. Find amazing stuffs in the GAMERS

Gamers is the store best known for not selling goods from popular anime and manga, but also for favorite seasonal ones. They have a special area for limited-time widely popular anime, manga and games, so you can easily find out what’s on trend in Japan at the time. Besides comic books, manga, anime (collections, OST, etc.) games DVDs, Gamers also sells related merchandises such as stationaries, mug cups, clothing and so much more!

Address:
1-14-7 Soto Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Takarada Building

Access:
1min walk from Akihabara Station, Electric Town Exit

Hours:
1st Floor 9:00-22:00, 2nd-7th Floor 10:00-21:00

Website:
http://www.anibro.jp/shop/2434/ (Japanese only)

6. See all the very otaku things in Akiba Culture Zone

I must say all seven floors of the Akiba Culture Zone building gathers all the thing that worldwide otakus would want. The building is a complex with ten+ specialized stores, from the fabulous K-Books manga emporium to the replica firearms, figures and used goods, you can find even a collection of model kits from otaku eras past.

Address:
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Sotokanda 1-chome, 7-6

Access:
4mins walk from JR Akihabara Station

Hours:
11:30am-8pm

Website:
http://www.akibacultureszone.com/  (Japanese Only)

7. Get away to fanboy and fan girls’ wonderland ‘Animate’

Animate has eight floors mostly occupied by otaku teens and young adults, and full of anime/ manga goods and merchandise, but the real main point here is the large selection of homoerotic-themed manga and novels from the “boy’s love” genre, a popular and influential subculture of Japan.

Address:
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Sotokanda 4-3-2

Access:
5mins walk from JR Akihabara Station

Hours:
Mon-Sat 10am-8.30pm, Sun 10am-8pm

Website:
https://www.animate.co.jp/shop/akihabara/ (Japanese only)

8. Strike the pot of luck in Gachapon Kaikan

Gachapon is a particular kind of Japanese vending machine, but instead of dropping drinks or foods, this machine drops small (but super cute) prizes, especially each Gachapon machine drops different prizes and specializes mostly in manga, anime, games, movies and small toys such as miniature animals or foods.  

Akihabara Gachapon Kaikan is like the motherland of this attractive machine because there are more than 450 machines are lined up inside a warehouse-like space in here. 

Address:
3-15-5 Soto-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku

Access:
5mins walk from JR Akihabara Station

Hours:
Mon-Thurs 11am-8pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 11am-7pm

Website:
http://www.akibagacha.com/ (Japanese Only)

9. Visit Maids Cafes and play with maids!

Maid Cafes are originated from Akihabara and have become one of Japan’s popular culture icon. Visit this themed cafe with the waiters or waitresses dress as butlers and maids, of course, based on that concept, customers of these Cafes will be treated like “master”. The most fun part of visiting Maid Cafes are having interactions with maids and play under the theme together; chat, play games, and take photos. Another fun part is the food and drink. They have the cutest dishes in all Japan with decorations made by the Maids!

Although some of this cafes have spread to other locations throughout Japan, but to enjoy the most out of it, Maid Cafes in Akihabara still in the top choices!

Below is some significant Maid cafes you should check out:

Cure Maid Cafe

Cure Maid Cafe is said to be the first Maid Cafe ever in Akihabara!

Address:
6F Gee Store Akiba, 3-15-5 Soto-kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Access:
5mins walk from JR Akihabara Station

Hours:
Monday-Thursday 11am-8pm; Friday&Saturday 11am-10pm; Sunday 11am-7pm

Price range:
2,000yen~ 

Website:
http://www.curemaid.jp/  (Japanese only)

@home cafe

@home cafe is a Maid Cafe in cute ‘moe’ style!

Address:
4F, 5F, 6F, 7F, Mitsuwa Building, Soto-Kanda 1-11-4, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo or Akihabara Don Quijote (4-3-3 Soto-kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)

Price range:
1,500yen~

Website:
http://www.cafe-athome.com/en/ (where you can find more information on Access and Operation hours)

Maidreamin

What’s special in Maidreamin is that you have to complete a small “ceremony” to order and enjoy the fun time with the maids!

Address:
There are several shops in Akihabara so check http://maidreamin.com/en/shop/list/ for the stores’ addresses and access

Price range:
2,000yen ~

Website:
http://maidreamin.com/en 

Mononopu

Mononopu is a Sengoku-era themed maid cafe and also Izakaya at night. The maids are dressed in a Sengoku style and samurai-like costume, somewhere between modern and traditional.

Address:
5F (B Floor) Isu Building, Soto-kanda 4-6-2, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Website:
http://mononopu.com/ (Japanese only)

Access and Operation hours:
http://mononopu.com/store/

You can also find out more about maid cafe in Akihabara from this article;

5 Best Maid Cafe in Akihabara in Tokyo you should visit

10. Play games at Arcades

Japan also very famous for its arcade culture, which is game centers, where you can play almost all the coin game for 100yen each round. Games are various, from action, gambling, or sports (basketball), and prizes (U.F.O) catcher, etc.

SEGA

The building of SEGA shows up immediately when you enter the elctric city of Akihabara. SEGA has some more special machines that other arcades may not have, such as horse racing (and bet) machines, etc.

Address:
1-10-9 Soto-kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Access:
2mins walk from JR Akihabara Station

Hours:
10:00-23:30

Website:
http://tempo.sega.jp/am/akiba-new/ (Japanese Only)

TAITO’s Hey

Hey mainly focuses on retro game arcade machines.

Address:
1-10-5 Soto-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku

Access:
2mins walk from JR Akihabara Station

Hours:
10:00-24:00

Website:
https://www.taito.co.jp/ (Japanese Only)

Tokyo Leisure Land

Tokyo Leisure Land is dedicated to music games with instruments.

Address:
1-9-5 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo-to

Access:
3mins walk from JR Akihabara Station

Hours:
10:00-24:55

Website:
http://llakihabara.sakura.ne.jp/intro.html (Japanese Only)