5 Districts you must visit if you're an Otaku!
You have probably heard of "Akihabara" before and that that is quoted: "A must for ANY otaku"
Yeah its good but more for gamers, even tho you should visit it, but do you know that Ikebukuro, Shinjuku and Nakano Broadway is even better? No? Well then.
Yeah its good but more for gamers, even tho you should visit it, but do you know that Ikebukuro, Shinjuku and Nakano Broadway is even better? No? Well then.
Harajuku
The most otaku street and one of the most famous streets in whole Japan is probably Takeshita-Dori ( review of it here ) It's also a park right beside the station that was full with cosplayers some year ago but just like the rest of Harajuku the cosplayers and special styled people have gotten fewer in this district.
Of all the 5 places I will review here I would put this number 5 (bottom)
Why? I have grown away from it, out of the pastel fluff, but I like the atmosfer. But, I need to rank it out of Otaku business. ( I wont let the number one place get affacted tho, god I love that place)
Of all the 5 places I will review here I would put this number 5 (bottom)
Why? I have grown away from it, out of the pastel fluff, but I like the atmosfer. But, I need to rank it out of Otaku business. ( I wont let the number one place get affacted tho, god I love that place)
Shinjuku
Sorry guys but not much to say about this district.
I've lived here and it slike its cut in two, a calm side and a party side. (I lived in the calm)
It has some Otaku shops and (the reason I made it a 4) really nice atmosphere.
Also where parts of DURARARA!! takes place if your intrested in that. (And if you're intressted in Tokyo Ghoul you have some places from that in Shibuya c:)
It also have late night opening and great places to eat aswell as the most popular otaku shops and stores.
Its my personal 4 c:
I've lived here and it slike its cut in two, a calm side and a party side. (I lived in the calm)
It has some Otaku shops and (the reason I made it a 4) really nice atmosphere.
Also where parts of DURARARA!! takes place if your intrested in that. (And if you're intressted in Tokyo Ghoul you have some places from that in Shibuya c:)
It also have late night opening and great places to eat aswell as the most popular otaku shops and stores.
Its my personal 4 c:
Akihabara
I bet you waited for this, my number three, Akihabara.
Akihabar is indeed a great place for Otakus, it have maid cafes, floors on floors with manga and anime, new realeases and games and games and games.
So why isn't it higher up?
I would say Akihabra is a great place but its more for game and electronic fans aswell as yuri, maids and people who are into buying posters with girl with big boobs and string bikini.
It is a great place shoping if you want it to go pretty quick because otaku and gamers stores are everywhere aswell as new events but, in my opinion I dislike the atmosphere a LOT, specially at the night and I never been specialy liking to maid and cat cafes to be honest.
Shops to visit? Yes.
Gachapon Kaikan
Japan's gachapon vending machines dole out brilliantly detailed toys and figures ranging anime and manga characters. Gachapon machines are found all over Japan, but the mother lode is at Akihabara's Gachapon Kaikan where more than 450 machines are lined up. One go costs about ¥100-¥500 a pop (around 80p-£4), you can afford to lose a bit until you score a prize you really want, trust me, I've done it c;
• MN building 1F, 3-15-5 Soto-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, +81 3 5209 6020,akibagacha.com. Open Mon-Thurs 11am-8pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 11am-7pm
-That is one thing you should visit in Akihabara, one other thing is:
Purikuras
Purikuras are like those boses where you go in, click and take photos with friends.
These are those but with much more details, frame fixing, extra affects and they are even these where you put on cosplay clothes you got to borrow from the "shops" and take photos.
A lot of them are in Akihabara.
Now I've been writing at the negativ way about Akihabara even tho it is great at some stuff but sadly I never liked it specially much (sorry guys) Lets move on shall we?
Akihabar is indeed a great place for Otakus, it have maid cafes, floors on floors with manga and anime, new realeases and games and games and games.
So why isn't it higher up?
I would say Akihabra is a great place but its more for game and electronic fans aswell as yuri, maids and people who are into buying posters with girl with big boobs and string bikini.
It is a great place shoping if you want it to go pretty quick because otaku and gamers stores are everywhere aswell as new events but, in my opinion I dislike the atmosphere a LOT, specially at the night and I never been specialy liking to maid and cat cafes to be honest.
Shops to visit? Yes.
Gachapon Kaikan
Japan's gachapon vending machines dole out brilliantly detailed toys and figures ranging anime and manga characters. Gachapon machines are found all over Japan, but the mother lode is at Akihabara's Gachapon Kaikan where more than 450 machines are lined up. One go costs about ¥100-¥500 a pop (around 80p-£4), you can afford to lose a bit until you score a prize you really want, trust me, I've done it c;
• MN building 1F, 3-15-5 Soto-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, +81 3 5209 6020,akibagacha.com. Open Mon-Thurs 11am-8pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 11am-7pm
-That is one thing you should visit in Akihabara, one other thing is:
Purikuras
Purikuras are like those boses where you go in, click and take photos with friends.
These are those but with much more details, frame fixing, extra affects and they are even these where you put on cosplay clothes you got to borrow from the "shops" and take photos.
A lot of them are in Akihabara.
Now I've been writing at the negativ way about Akihabara even tho it is great at some stuff but sadly I never liked it specially much (sorry guys) Lets move on shall we?
Nakano (Broadway)
Nuuuumber two, Nakano Broadway or well, the district is called Nakano but I will jump right into the Otaku business.
Probably the one the smallest amount of people have heard of but it's really great!
A outside and inside mall with a lot of shops for both otakus and other persons, three floors.
One popular shop in Nakano Broadway is:
Mandarake
Mandarake is Japan's number one chain of secondhand anime and manga superstores. Locations can be found throughout the country, but the 16 original stores, each specialising in a different otaku obsession, are inside the Nakano Broadway shopping mall and are still the best. Over a million items line the shelves, and some 45,000 manga titles, anime DVDs and toys are bought and sold each week.
• Nakano Broadway 3F, Nakano-ku, +81 3 3228 0007, mandarake.co.jp. Open daily noon-8pm
-This is one thing you need to know through before going to any Japanese bookstore and think "YEY MANGA HALELULIA!" That. They're. All. In. Japanese. So if you can read Japanese you've hit the jackpot!
They've also some special events here, for example when I was hear the last time I happened to ran into a room where they had published the orginal sketches from Tokyo Ghoul for a while, lucky me :D
Now to the number one!
Probably the one the smallest amount of people have heard of but it's really great!
A outside and inside mall with a lot of shops for both otakus and other persons, three floors.
One popular shop in Nakano Broadway is:
Mandarake
Mandarake is Japan's number one chain of secondhand anime and manga superstores. Locations can be found throughout the country, but the 16 original stores, each specialising in a different otaku obsession, are inside the Nakano Broadway shopping mall and are still the best. Over a million items line the shelves, and some 45,000 manga titles, anime DVDs and toys are bought and sold each week.
• Nakano Broadway 3F, Nakano-ku, +81 3 3228 0007, mandarake.co.jp. Open daily noon-8pm
-This is one thing you need to know through before going to any Japanese bookstore and think "YEY MANGA HALELULIA!" That. They're. All. In. Japanese. So if you can read Japanese you've hit the jackpot!
They've also some special events here, for example when I was hear the last time I happened to ran into a room where they had published the orginal sketches from Tokyo Ghoul for a while, lucky me :D
Now to the number one!
IKEBUKURO
Okay, Okay. My number one goes to Ikebukuro, I LOVE THIS PLACE.
Ikebukuro is pretty much perfect for me.
It specialated on Yaoi and BL. (boyxboy love, you will be surprised about how many loves that stuff, me included) A Otome road (yaoi otaku stuff)
A butler cafe, Swallowtail. I've been here but this post would be to long if I included all that stuff.
A yaoi cafe.
And lots of cosplay shops.
Shops to visit? YES
The Animate Sunshine
Animate Sunshine is a bit different from other Animate shops, and not just in the merchandise they sell. For example, inside Sunshine there is the shop, the perfect place for all kinds of cosplayers ranging from beginners to pros. Furthermore, you will find booths of many different manga- and anime-related companies displaying various items all throughout the store.
Animate
Animate is located in Ikebukuro's Otome-dori (Princess Road) district: an area filled with shops specifically catering to female otaku, tucked away from the bustle of Akihabara. Eight floors are mostly populated by otaku teens and young adults filled with mostly BL (boy love)
• 3-2-1 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, +81 3 3988 1351, animate.co.jp. Open Mon-Sat 10am-8.30pm, Sun 10am-8pm
Animate also exist in other districts as you may have notice from before but this is one of the firts (and what I've heard) one of the best. It's also raeally big k-books shop there and my favorite cosplay shops.
If you like DURARARA!! I can also say that it takes here and to Durarara!! fans probably most important question, is it filled with red vending mashines?? Yes, yes they are.
So here you go, my ultimate top 5!!
Ikebukuro is pretty much perfect for me.
It specialated on Yaoi and BL. (boyxboy love, you will be surprised about how many loves that stuff, me included) A Otome road (yaoi otaku stuff)
A butler cafe, Swallowtail. I've been here but this post would be to long if I included all that stuff.
A yaoi cafe.
And lots of cosplay shops.
Shops to visit? YES
The Animate Sunshine
Animate Sunshine is a bit different from other Animate shops, and not just in the merchandise they sell. For example, inside Sunshine there is the shop, the perfect place for all kinds of cosplayers ranging from beginners to pros. Furthermore, you will find booths of many different manga- and anime-related companies displaying various items all throughout the store.
Animate
Animate is located in Ikebukuro's Otome-dori (Princess Road) district: an area filled with shops specifically catering to female otaku, tucked away from the bustle of Akihabara. Eight floors are mostly populated by otaku teens and young adults filled with mostly BL (boy love)
• 3-2-1 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, +81 3 3988 1351, animate.co.jp. Open Mon-Sat 10am-8.30pm, Sun 10am-8pm
Animate also exist in other districts as you may have notice from before but this is one of the firts (and what I've heard) one of the best. It's also raeally big k-books shop there and my favorite cosplay shops.
If you like DURARARA!! I can also say that it takes here and to Durarara!! fans probably most important question, is it filled with red vending mashines?? Yes, yes they are.
So here you go, my ultimate top 5!!
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