|
Akihabara
-
Akihabara (秋葉原) is famous for its electronics. You can find every type of electronic equipment at the world's foremost Electric Town - personal computers, electronics, wireless devices, electronic games, and more. In addition to consumer electronics, you'll also find everything from sports equipment to clothes being sold at bargain prices.
Many IT-related businesses are clustered on the north side of Akihabara, and this area has an image as a business district where the brains of Japan are fighting it out daily.
-
In more recent years, Akihabara has gained recognition as the center of Japan's otaku (diehard fan) culture. Otaku is a Japanese slang word that best translates as “geek”.
Otaku interests include computers as well as figurines, role-playing card games, video games, anime and manga. Akihabara has dozen of stores catering to all of these interests.
You will find many shops that cater to anime fans, selling DVDs and figurines. In fact, the district is commonly regarded as the center of otaku culture.
-
Maid cafes are also commonly found in Akihabara. These are cafes where waitresses will dress either in anime or maid costumes and treat their customers like masters.
It’s all in good fun, though! There are also manga kissaten (or “comics cafes”), which are basically internet cafes offering the added bonus of DVDs to watch and comics to read.
-
Recently, it is populated with cosplayers: people who dress up as their favorite characters from animation, comics and games.
The area sees a lot of visitors on weekends and holidays, as it is a gathering and origin point for many subcultures. Come and enjoy in Akihabara.
- POINT!
-
If you are a foreign visitor, it’s important to check the voltage requirements and plug shape needed for appliances in your country of origin.
This will prevent you from accidentally purchasing an item that can only be used in Japan. Many stores stock overseas models of most of their items and will also offer duty free prices on items costing more than 10,000 yen, if you show your passport.
|
|
