Hello! This is Nele.
This time, I`m reporting from the holy grounds of “otaku” culture – Akihabara.
Among most of us foreigners, Akihabara is famous for its Electric Town and of course otaku culture, right?
To be honest, since I don`t really know much about it, we asked Kodama-san, who is an expert on everything Akihabara, to guide us through this strange town this time.
Me: “Kodama-san, please show how to properly enjoy Akihabara!”
Kodama-san: “No problem – you have found the right one for this.”
Akihabara Radio Kaikan
First things first, let`s go to Radio Kaikan right in front of the station. Many stores specializing in electronic parts, figures or plastic models are put together in this one building, and together they become Radio Kaikan. So let`s have a look.
Me: “Cute in a way, right…?”
Kodama-san: “Here, they are selling artwork that was build from separate parts, or even from scratch. By the way, the right vocabulary is to say “picking them up”, not “buying” them.”
Me: “Okay…”
And there are not only stores selling figures, but stores specialized in all kinds of fields.
Kodama-san: “Do you know this? These are rentable showcases. You can rent you own showcase and display the artwork of your special interest.”
Me: “Meaning all these showcases are like individual stores?”
Kodama-san: “Exactly.”
This is interesting. Earthenware!
Me: “What kind of shop is this?”
Kodama-san: “This is a battle card shop. Normally, you buy them in sealed packs where you cannot check what cards you are actually buying. But here you can not only sell the cards you don`t need any more, but you can also chose the exact cards you want to buy. Rare cards can be really expensive.”
Me: “I see… By the way, what do you do with the cards once you collected them?”
Kodama-san: “Well… you just play with them like this”
Me: “…”
Kodama-san: “This is a vintage audio shop! I`m here for the first time too. This is so interesting!”
Me: “…”
According to Kodama-san, there are still some shops around that have the notion of the “old” Akihabara from many years ago. Radio Kaikan spreads from the basement floor up to the tenth floor, so make sure to have a look once you come here!
Akihabara Radio Kaikan
Tōkyō-to, Chiyoda-ku, Sotokanda 1-15-16
http://www.akihabara-radiokaikan.co.jp/
The Alleys around Akihabara Station
Kodama-san: “Do you know this? Max Coffee?”
I didn`t, so we`ll stroll around for a bit while sipping on Kodama-san`s recommendation – sweet, very sweet coffee.
Kodama-san: “In these alleys, they sell surveillance cameras or electronic parts.”
Me: “Wow. I`m not sure what I´m looking at exactly, but it`s pretty impressive.”
Things like these…
… or these are can be found in these alley stores.
Akihabara`s Speciality – “Oden in a Can”
Kodama-san: “This is a specialty Akihabara is known for. Oden in a can! It was actually originated here.
Strange, right? Let`s have a try!
Kodama-san: “Hm…”
The taste? Kind of like I imagined it to be…
Oden in a Can Vending Machine
Tōkyō-to, Chiyoda-ku, Sotokanda 3-12-15 Chichibu Denki Building
Akihabara Gachapon Kaikan
Next on our schedule is “Gachapon Kaikan”!
Have you all done Gachapon before? It`s kind of like a vending machine for toys. The suspense of not knowing what will come out of the machine, and the disappointment afterwards is part of the charm that is Gachapon.
I got this tiny guy…
Kodama-san also tries his luck.
He got this thing.
At Gachapon Kaikan, numerous Gachabowls are stuffed together in one line. You can enjoy the anticipation of what will come out of the bowls for only a few hundred yen.
Akihabara Gachapon Kaikan
Tōkyō-to, Chiyoda-ku, Sotokanda 3-15-5
http://www.akibagacha.com/
Akihabara Maid Café “Maidreamin”
We`re a little tired by now, so let`s have a break. And where should we go for a break in Akihabara…? A Maid Café, of course!
We chose “Maidreamin” for our coffee break.
A cute maid gives us a warm welcome. And off we go to “the land of dreams”!
The maids explain the menu thoroughly, so you can relax even if you enter a maid café for the very first time (like I did).
Kodama-san ordered a rice omelet with lots of LOVE in it…
… and I got a bear parfait.
And since we are already here, let`s order some extras – a live performance!
Some light sticks…
Maid: “Alright, let`s go!!”
“Tiger! Fire! Cyber! Fiber! Diver! Viber! Jyaa jyaa!”
(These shouts are called “Mix”, apparently.)
And finally, a memory photo shoot.
My first maid café experience. One hour went by in a flash!
If you would like to visit a maid café but are still hesitating – don`t worry! You might feel a little strange at first, but the maids know how to make you feel relaxed and have fun. So be brave and take a trip to “the land of dreams”!
Maidreamin Akihabara Main Store
Tōkyō-to, Chiyoda-ku, Sotokanda 3-16-17 Sumiyoshi Building 6F
http://maidreamin.com/en
Weapon Store “Busō Shōten”
Next on our schedule, the weapon store “Busō Shōten”. Have you ever been in one? I have not, not at all. I was skeptical, to be honest. But it was kind of impressive!
Seems like Kodama-san is in his element… or is it from all the LOVE from the rice omelet he had before…?
For example, swords…
…pistols…
… a whip?!…
…or armors. This store sells all kinds of weapons.
By the way, this one costs 210,000 Yen. Wouldn`t it be a nice souvenir?
As long as you keep it inside the store, you can also do something like this…
I`d say Kodama-san is still excited from the LOVE omelet.
By the way, according to the store owner, the most popular items among foreign customers are imitations of Japanese swords. But there are some countries where it is forbidden to import them, so if you are thinking about buying one, make sure to do the research.
Busō Shōten
Tōkyō-to, Chiyoda-ku, Sotokanda 3-15-7 Mano Building 3F
http://busou.sakura.ne.jp
Where the Owls Are – Akiba Fukurou
And there is still more to see in Akihabara!
This will be our last stop today. A place where you can meet owls – Akiba Fukurou!
You can touch and pet them. Their plumage feels really soft and nice.
Also included in the visit is a memory photo shoot together with your favorite owl!
You can also just try to hold them. To be honest, I really loved to look at them because they were so cute and tiny, but holding them was a little scary at first. But it was really a great experience!
And last but not least, you will get your best shot with the owl as a present. One hour with the owls went by in a heartbeat! Socializing with owls is something you cannot experience every day. You should definitely visit here if you come to Akihabara!
Akiba Fukurou
Tōkyō-to, Chiyoda-ku, Neribeichō 67 Akiba Fukurou Building 1F
http://akiba2960.com
*Reservation required
And at last…
You see, Akihabara is actually not all about anime or idol otaku culture. My view of Akihabara changed after today`s report! I realized that there is so much more to explore and see, and that there are all kinds of stores specialized in one certain field, some of them very strange and unusual. But of course there is so much more than what I have introduced today – I`m sure you will find much more if you go for a stroll in Akihabara.
See you next time!
