Electronics Town
Akihabara Electronics town is geeks paradise, it is a whole suburb dedicated to electronic gadgets and gizmos, from DVD and MP3 players to cameras, to computers to robotics the amount of product on display in this suburb will amaze. There are thousands of stores, from giant department stores right down to the smallest booth selling electronic equipment.
The streets and lanes are jammed packed with electronics, some are models we are familiar with but many are produced especially for the huge Japanese market, there are the expected like cameras, videos, LCDs and Plasmas and the more unusual like electronic toilet seats and USB memory sticks shaped like sushi or rubber duckies.
Most of the Duty Free shops are crammed around the station with more shops filling the blocks either side of Chuo Dori north of the station, This part of Chou Dori was once closed to traffic on Sundays but the 35 year old practice was stopped in 2008 after the Akihabara Massacre. The Sunday Hokōsha Tengoku (pedestrians paradise) is expected to resume mid 2010 and will be a welcome return as it is a great time to visit the area with the Japanese Otaku (geeks) flocking to the area to get the latest computer game, comic book or model train. There have also been many inpromptu street performances along Chou Dori in the past.
There seems to be regions of the suburb which specialise in certain products, there is a area which has DVDs, one that deals in security systems, computers, robotics, audio equipment, home appliances and so on. There are even good second hand shops, which have some many good quality items at reasonable prices.
Mobile phones are in the thousands, just about every store has hundreds if not thousands on display, all with feature we have never seen, Unfortunatly they are not much use outside of Japan.
Recently Japan’s largest department “Yodobashi Camera Co” store has opened in the area, and it only sells electronics, there is over 32000 square meters of display space and over 600000 items on sale. In the coming months several similar sized stores dedicated to electronics will open in the area.
The Akihabara area is also known for its huge range of adult products and world famous magna cartoons and art. There are quite a few stores which have cafes called Magna Kissaten (or comic cafes) with waitresses dressed like characters and places where you can read comics, watch DVDs and surf the internet.
One easy thing about shopping in Japan, is just about everything is label with the price, there is no bargaining, just pay the price (usually only with cash as many places don’t take cards) then have it wrapped, then wrapped again, a bag and a few friendly bows and on your way. Shopping is a real treat. Just remember to carry enough cash with you as ATMs which take our cards are scarce, the post office or 7-11 is the easiest place to withdraw cash from your Visa Card.
The electronics area starts at the Akihabara Station and is easily accessible from the JR Line Keinhin Tohoko, Yamanote and Sobu lines, and from the Metro Hibiya Line or the Tsukuba Express line which opened in 2005.
