Jonny Gleason

Japan is well known for its love of geeky hobbies. If you’ve visited the country, you’ve seen the anime models, the vintage toys, collectables, and video games. Mandrake is perhaps the most well-known destination that sells these things, and where better to shop for them than in Akihabara? It’s time for another huge guide!

The two most famous places in Japan’s capital for collectables (and all things geeky) are Nakano Broadway and Akihabara, both sell similar things, but are vastly different destinations. While Nakano Broadway is stuffed full of little Mandarake stores (30 to be exact), the dark and slightly ominous building in Akihabara is a little more manageable and definitely worth putting on your bucket list if you’re anything like me.

Just as we did with Radio Kaikan, I’m going to do a floor guide for the entire building so you can see if it’s worth visiting or not. Fair warning, we’ll be skipping a couple of floors for reasons that will become apparent!

Disclaimer: Mandarake is probably the most well-known shop for nerds like me, and couple that with a central location that’s frequented by tourists, you’ll definitely be paying a premium for certain pieces. But, as we know from the Pokémon guide, it only takes one store to find what you’ve been chasing after. I don’t know about you, but I’d happily pay slightly more for something I can’t find anywhere else.

Mandarake Akihabara Opening Times

The Mandarake Akihabara Complex is open from 12:00pm – 8:00pm, 365 days of the year. If you’re looking to sell anything, the buy-back counter closes at 7:30pm.

If you haven’t been to Japan before, those opening hours might seem a little strange. Most things in Japan tend to open at around 11:00am, so it’s worth planning your visit with that time in mind (roughly).

Getting to Mandarake Akihabara

Getting to this Mandarake complex is very easy. Once you’ve arrived at Akihabara station (usually from the JR Yamanote Line or the JR Chuo Line), it takes just 6 minutes to walk.

Top Tip: If you’re looking for similar shops nearby, check out my guide to Radio Kaikan. If you take the electric town station exit, you’ll walk right past this on your way to Mandarake!

1F – Buy-Back Counter / JPA

I spent very little time on this floor as it’s mainly there for those who want sell things to Mandarake. There’s a couple of feature pieces around the sides, but unless you’re living in Japan, you can probably skip to the next floor entirely.

2F – Dolls, Magical Girl, Shojo Anime Toys, and Cosplay

I’m not interested in dolls, but there’s a huge selection here for those who are. As you can probably guess, 99% of them are in boxes and look pretty much as good as new. I go down a lot of collecting rabbit holes, but Japan always seems to find another to throw in my direction!

3F – Comics, Board Games, & Vintage

If you’re interested in comics, this is the floor for you. Comic books are fairly popular throughout Japanese culture, and not just Manga. There’s a large amount of English language comics for sale as well, and not just in Mandarake.

They seem to be just as popular as the Japanese language prints, especially DC and Marvel types. If you’re looking for PSA graded or hunting for a specific comic number, head to Jimbocho, Tokyo’s book town (written by me!), or stick to somewhere like Ikebukuro, which is full of TCG shops that stock vintage copies.

4F – Doujinshi, Adult Comics, Light Novels, 5F – Doujinshi, Shoujo Manga, Male Idols

For reasons you can probably imagine, judging by their floor title, I’ll leave you to explore these floors on your own (or skip them entirely!

6F – CDs, DVDs, and Games

Tokyo’s music and gaming scene is huge. Their movie scene isn’t so much, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Koenji or Shimokitazawa frequently had indie movie nights at some of the cafes. In fact, you’ll want to visit those areas (specifically Koenji) if you’re interested in checking out Tokyo’s underground Jazz scene.

Of course, you’ll have independent vinyl shops all over Tokyo, as well as video game stores, too. This floor of Mandarake is just a great collection of some of the most interesting titles. Think soundtracks to anime, popular games, and (if I’m being honest) albums that have artwork I just want to display!

7F – Tokusatsu, Cards, Stickers, Cars, and Trains

Floor 7 of Mandarake Akihabara is BY FAR the one I spend the most time on. Not only does it have a large variety of TCG available, but it also has a ton of memorabilia to purchase as well. I’m not saying I’ve got ¥69,300 to drop on some vintage Pokémon stickers, but these are the kinds of products you can expect to find here. My search for the Izumo Express continues, and I’m happy to go bankrupt buying that train.

I’ve also taken a sudden but very welcome liking to model cars. There are definitely better places to buy them (KEN BOX in Shinjuku being my favourite), but there’s something nice about everything being in one place. Floor 7 has a few walls of cars, and I found it to be equally as good as my local hardoff for selection.

8F – Toys, Characters, and Figures

On the 8th floor, we’ve got a number of Japanese figurines (mostly transformer types) as well as Gundam. If you’re looking for specific Japanese video games, like Gundam GBA games, Transformer games, etc., this is another place you need to look.

Walking around Tokyo can get overwhelming, and while shops like mandarake are more expensive than other places, they definitely have their place. It’s why, despite it being almost continuously busy, Bic Camera and Yodobashi Camera will always be somewhere I’ll visit.

The same goes for Mandarake. If I’m in Nakano, then I’ll probably stop over to see if they’ve got anything off my ever-growing wishlist of geeky products. I visit the one in Akhabara less, but only because there’s so much else to do there. But, if you’ve got limited time and you can’t persuade the people you’re travelling with to visit another 45 stores, Mandarake has a place on your itinerary!

If you’re anything like me, travelling to Japan isn’t just about the temples, ancient towns, and damn good food. For some of us, technology defines our itinerary. We’re geeks, and we’re proud – Pokémon cards, RC cars, custom-made keyboards, sofubi, and everything in between. There’s a place, probably many, in Japan that sells them.

Two such destinations stand out: Akihabara and Nakano Broadway.

While there are lots more, these are the initial areas you’ll want to head to. These are the places that I constantly return to time after time, much to my girlfriend’s delight. But if you can only visit one of them, which should you choose? Well, after visiting both of them well over 20 times (don’t judge me…), I decided to figure that out.

Akihabara

It seems to be the only place that’s talked about if you’re looking for that ‘tech-heavy’ Japanese experience. It’s got the shops (like the world’s biggest tech store, Yodobashi), it’s got the flashing neon signs, and it seems to be in just about every travel book and article going. But, is its popularity its downfall?

Getting to Akihabara

Due to where we live in Japan, we usually end up travelling to Akihabara on the Yamanote Line, but it’s really not a difficult place to get to. If you’re staying anywhere in Tokyo, you’ll easily be able to make your way here.

The lines you can access from and to Akihabara Station:

• Keihin-Tohoku Line
• Yamanote Line
• Chuo-Sobu Line
• Hibiya Line (Tokyo Metro)

Shops to visit in Akihabara

As with everything in Japan, getting lost for hours in a city is usually my favourite method of exploration. If you don’t have that kind of time, which we so often don’t with only a few weeks per year for a holiday, these are some of the highlights of Akihabara.

Pokémon Card Shops

It’s not my favourite place to buy Pokémon cards in Tokyo (that honour falls to Ikebukuro), but there’s still a huge number of places to hunt for them. Take a look at the article linked above, where I detail exactly where those places are.

On the whole, you’re going to be paying a slight premium to buy cards in what is pretty much the most well-known ‘gamer district’ in the whole of Japan. If this is your main goal, visit a second-hand Japanese store out of town, where you’re slightly more likely to find those deals.

However, it was the only place I was able to find Pickachu #227/S-P, the JP Post collaboration card, in PSA 10, no less. So, it’s worth looking through if you have the time.

Japanese Figure Stores

Anime is big business in Japan, and it’s the reason a lot of people head here in the first place. So, it stands to reason that Japanese figurines and models are among the most popular purchases. Whether you’re on the hunt for a scale model of your favourite character from that Anime you binge, or you’re trying to recreate the nostalgia from that first time you watched Yu-Gi-Oh (guilty…), you won’t be short on stores to visit here.

You might find it a little tougher to find something less mainstream in Akihabara, but if you know the right stores to visit, then you’ll give yourself the best chance to find it.

ASTOP
Opening Hours: 11 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.

I love a bargain, but I also love second-hand shopping. We all know that second-hand shopping in Japan is a great experience, and with anime figurines, it’s no different. ASTOP is located on the 4th floor of Akiba Zone, and there’s another store on the 2nd floor of Radio Kaikan, which is just a few steps away from the station.

Notably, it’s also close, quite possibly the coolest Warhammer store I’ve ever been inside.

ASTOP is Akihabara’s largest rental showcase that sells figures, trading cards, and idol memorabilia on behalf of customers. Inside, you’ll find wall-to-wall display cases of figurines from anime you love, and those you’ve never heard of. For central Tokyo, prices here can be fairly reasonable.

Mandarake
Opening Hours: 12:00 noon to 8:00 p.m.

Admittedly, you’ll probably be paying a premium for shopping here, but the experience alone is worth it. I’ve briefly mentioned the Mandarake store when we talked about buying secondhand games in Japan, but this shop sells a lot more. If you’re looking for slightly older Japanese items like toys, games, movies, posters, figurines, etc, take a slow wander around one of its 8 unique floors. Keep in mind, Mandarake is globally recognised, and just like some of the other famous shops in Akihabara (like Super Potato) it will carry a markup.
If you’re only interested in buying games, I’ve put some great alternatives in the article I’ve linked above.

Super Potato isn’t on this list because of that markup. As one Reddit user put it:

“Super Potato is good for browsing, but terrible for buying.”

Which was followed by an equally insightful comment of:

”Super Potato is more of a landmark to check out if you’re interested in the hobby

Radio Kaikan

Radio Kaikan is such a prolific shop that it deserves its own bullet point (and I’ve linked to a previous article I wrote about it). When I say shop, I actually mean a shopping mall with several shops inside it and a beer hall on the bottom floor. I’ve no idea why they thought geek shops and beer go together, but I’m not complaining. Definitely worth checking out due to its proximity to the station, but I’d avoid it if you’re around in rush hour or at the weekend.

Yodobashi Camera

I don’t know if this is the biggest tech store in the world, but climbing through 8 floors devoted entirely to technology (and Akihabara’s biggest Uniqlo) sure does make it feel that way. If there’s one shop I’ve been to most while living in Japan, it’s Yodobashi Camera. Walking into a shop (with a jingle that’s now permanently etched into my head) that contains every camera currently on the market just waiting to be held and tested is a far cry from the UK, where there are exactly zero places to try out cameras before buying them.

Model Car & Hobby Stores

Tamtam Hobby Shop
Aside from having to queue for the lift (sadly, no stairs) every time I’ve visited this shop, it’s easily one of the best shops for model car enthusiasts in Tokyo. Not only that, but also trains, RC Cars, diecast models and a whole host of other hobbies. Unlike a lot of the other stores in Tokyo, this one’s incredibly spacious, and I don’t feel like I’m being pushed around every corner. If you can deal with the queue and lift at the beginning, make sure it’s on your Tokyo geek Itinerary.

Surugaya

This is a chain store that you’ll find throughout Japan, and one of its offerings is a combined 10 million trading cards throughout its stores. I often find myself at Surugaya Akihabara Game Museum (because of my unhealthy love of retro Japanese games), but there are about 7 of these dotted throughout the district, with each one of them specialising in something different. There’s one on the main strip on the right-hand side, named “Surugaya Anime Hobby Pavilion”, which is probably the best shop in Akihabara to buy model cars from. Usually, I’d stick to Off stores throughout Japan, and Ken-box (the newer one) in Shinjuku, but it’s still worth checking out if you’re in the area

SUPER RAJIKON
Opening Hours: 10 am–9 pm (8 pm on Sunday)
Love RC Cars? Love the Tokyo Drift scene? With prebuilt and DIY options, this is the shop for you. It’s worth noting that I turned up to Super Rajikon in Akihabara about 30 minutes before closing, and they wouldn’t let me in – best to visit earlier in the day if possible.

Leonardo LG & Leonardo ET

These are both shops that stock model kits and books. Mostly older and slightly more niche, but it has a nice atmosphere as it’s set slightly back from the road.

For those wondering why I’ve left out the Off stores, it’s simply because Akihabara doesn’t have any worth mentioning. If you’re on the hunt for games or books, there’s BOOKOFF Akihabara Ekimae Store, which is just under the train tracks, but I’ve never found it to be that great.

Yusha Kobo Keyboard Speciality Shop

Fancy trying out all those custom keyboards you’ve seen online? Here’s an article I wrote on Yusha Kobo Keyboard Speciality Shop, where I did just that. …and then bought the Rainyh 75 pro, which is an absolute beast of a keyboard.

Accommodation options in Akihabara

Whenever we book with Agoda (almost always the cheapest hotel aggregator when you’re already in Japan), Akihabara comes up as the cheapest. I’m talking, $30 when booked at 7 pm on a Saturday night, literally just a couple of hours before.

Admittedly, this is usually with APA Hotels. Despite what I may think about the president of APA group, my bank account cannot argue with those prices.

If you can’t stomach going with APA group (honestly, I don’t blame you), you’ll find that most of the other cheap, business hotel deals can be found in the East/South-East of Tokyo, just a few stops away. My best advice would be to check Agoda and book with whichever works out cheapest on the day.

Food Options in Akihabara

I’m not the best person to judge a place by its food quality (I leave that to The Japanese Rose), but Akihbara isn’t exactly renowned for its food. You’ll find all the usual options, and you won’t go hungry, but if you’re looking for the best that Japan has to offer (and at a reasonable price), look elsewhere.

That said, there are a few places that I’ve eaten at in the area that I think are worth mentioning.

Kyushu Jangara Akihabara
Opening Hours: 11:00 – 22:00

• Kyushu Jangara does some incredible ramen, and we aren’t the only people who think this. There are five stores throughout Tokyo, and one of them is in Akihabara. Unless you get there before the evening rush, you’ll be queuing. If you don’t want to wait, the next option is about 10 seconds away.

Menya Takeichi Akihabara
Opening Hours: 11:00 – 21:00 (22:00 on Friday and Saturday)

• Ramen that’s just as good as Kyushu Jangara, though far less known to tourists.

Komaki Shokudo Kamakura Fushikian
Opening Hours: 11 am–4 pm, 5–7:30 pm (11 am–7:30 pm on Saturday and Sunday)

• This place is easily my favourite restaurant to eat at in Akihabara. We found it by mistake one night, and with the intention of heading back home, decided to stay in the city instead. Traditional food, picky bits, and flowing drinks. It could be worth booking a table if you’re coming on the weekend.

Nakano Broadway

Quite frankly, visiting Nakano Broadway makes me feel like a kid in a sweet store. There’s so much going on, it’s dark, a little bit grotty, and I feel like I’m going to find a secret store each time I visit. Founded in 1966 as a luxury shopping centre, Nakano Broadway is now one of the best places for anime and manga fans to absolutely destroy their wallets. But those aren’t the only things that this shopping centre sells.

Before we go any further, this half will be considerably shorter than the first. The reason for this is? Comparing Akihabara and Nakano Broadway is slightly unfair. One is an entire neighbourhood, and the other is a shopping centre. However, if you like one, you’ll probably like the other!

Getting to Nakano Broadway

Depending on the time of day, it’ll take you around 25 minutes from Shibuya (including walking at the end), and from Shinjuku, it could take you as little as 8.

The shopping centre itself is just a short walk from Nakano Station. Exit via the North side, and you’ll find a semi-covered parade of shops that lead up to the mall. There’s not too much to mention about these stores, apart from a couple of pet stores that pull me in every time I pass by.

There are also a few watch shops and a fairly decent camera shop (FUJIYA CAMERA Junk Hall) as well, but otherwise nothing exceptional. If you’re interested in cameras, Fujiya Camera is just a few streets East of the Junk Hall.

Shops to visit in Nakano Broadway

Mandarake

Inside Nakano Broadway, you’ll find over 30 separate Mandarake stores, each focusing on a slightly different niche. The first of which was a pre-owned comic dealer established in 1987 – things have changed a lot since.

As I mentioned before, shopping in Mandarake will mean you’re paying slightly more, but the selection of retro Japanese things for sale in Nakano is second to none. If you’re looking for something old, niche, or one of a kind, one of these 30 shops should have it.

Watch Shops

There’s been a lot of talk over the last few years that Nakano Broadway is changing from what it once was, to a mall overrun with watches. I can see how people have drawn this conclusion, considering one of the floors is pretty much just watches.

Honestly, I’d call that a positive change, and I personally know quite a few people who have found their perfect second-hand watch there. The mall still retains its magic, but perhaps for those who visited decades ago, it’s a big change.

In any case, if you’re looking to buy a watch in Japan, other than in Ginza, Nakano Broadway is the place to buy one.

Secret Nakano Broadway Shops

As I mentioned at the start of this post, I’ve been to Nakano Broadway probably close to 20 times, and I still feel like I’m finding new stores to spend money in. This is either because I’m horrendous at systematic exploration, or because Nakano Broadway is a rabbit warren of shops that seemingly has no end. I like to think it’s the latter.

You’ll also find a meat market on the bottom floor, for a reason I’m not quite sure of.

Accommodation options near Nakano Broadway

I wouldn’t go out of your way to stay in the area, unless you’re heading further west to somewhere like Mount Takao. It would probably be best to stay in either Shibuya/Shinjuku or East Tokyo. Really, anywhere that’s offering a cheap stay.

Food options in Nakano Broadway

There’s actually only one place in Nakano Broadway I’d recommend eating at, and that’s Korinbo.

Opening Hours:
11:30 am – 3:00 pm
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Despite those opening hours supposedly being correct, we’ve been a number of times, and it seems to have been closed for one reason or another.

It’s on the second floor of Akihabara and serves absolutely wonderful Taiwanese food. However, my personal opinion is that you’ll find much better Japanese food at nearby Shimokitazawa or Koenji. Both of them have a much more appealing night vibe, and a lot to offer in terms of cuisine (and Japanese Jazz cafés!)

Nakano Broadway or Akihabara?

Everyone’s situation is a little bit different, so here’s a brief TLDR guide on which will work best for you. Don’t forget to let me know your favourite in the comments below!

Best for collectors: Akihabara

• Unless you’re a niche collector, then it’s Nakano!

Best for vintage collectors: Nakano Broadway

Best for hobby enthusiasts: Akihabara

Best for one-off finds: Nakano Broadway

Best for Pokémon or TCG collectors: Akihabara

• Ikebukuro, really.

Best for those who don’t know what they’re looking for: Akihabara

Best for those who don’t like crowds: Both and neither

• If you go at the right time to either, you’ll be fine, but Nakano Broadway has no windows, so it can feel a little claustrophobic even on a good day.

Easiest to get to: Akihabara

• However, there are lots of good places near Nakano Broadway, like Shimokitazawa and Koenji, so it’s easy to make a day of it.

While I don’t claim to be a custom keyboard expert, I do type a lot. While I’m traveling, most of that typing is done on some form of the magic keyboard by Apple, but when I’m at home I use my incredibly annoying Cherry MX Blue switch keyboard. Technically it’s supposed to be good for typing, but my goodness does that sound drive me mad.

So, I’m sort of in the market for a new keyboard and when I realized that perhaps one of the best custom keyboard shops in the world is only a short train journey away from me, I decided to check it out!

Located just a few minutes walk from Akihabara station and its many retro game stores, Yusha Kobo Keyboard Specialty shop is any custom keyboard nerd’s dream (mine included), stocking everything from switches, artisan keycaps, accessories, and fully built boards. If you’re in Akihabara and you love keyboards, this is a must-visit destination!

Interested? Me too! Let me show you way too many pictures and hopefully convince you that it deserves a place on your itinerary!

Yusha Kobo Keyboard Speciality Shop Location

While this custom keyboard shop in Akihabara is set back from the main strip, it’s still very easy to get to. The closest station is Suehirochō, though for most people walking from Akihabara will be the easiest route (plus you get to pop into these Pokemon stores too!).

Five minutes walk from Akihabara station and if you haven’t got lost, you’ll find yourself down a fairly unassuming back alley with a shop displaying and selling some of the coolest custom keyboards you’ve ever laid your eyes on.

Before you even get inside the store, if you take a look in the shop windows you’ll notice a number of pretty cool-looking keyboards. Although I don’t know about you, but a literal fidget spinner attached to my keyboard is likely going to be the worst way to increase my productivity…

Of course, there are a lot of experimental keyboards in Yusha Kobo Keyboard Speciality Shop, but there are also things like the N64 Keyboard, a genuine piece of history!

Fancy a board full of almost every switch known to man? They’ve got you covered!

What does Yusha Kobo Keyboard Speciality Shop sell?

If you were hoping for an article that goes into all the technical aspects of each keyboard, this probably won’t be for you. I heard a few people talking about this stuff in the shop and it went way over my head. I love keyboards like this because of how they look, and how they feel to press, that’s it!

If you were hoping for loads of pictures of all the custom keyboards and other funky bits that Yusha Kobo sells, you’re in luck!

Inside this custom keyboard store, you’ll find absolutely loads of Japanese keyboards (Not quite as many as Yodobashi down the road, but far more custom builds), mouse pads, keycaps, cables, switches, and practically anything else you need to build your very own custom keyboard.

I’ve seen these keyboards around before, but actually trying to type on one that’s split in half is extremely tricky. Technically they’re actually really good for you if you orient it in the correct way, but I would imagine it takes quite a lot of getting used to.

I’m way more of a fan of these smaller keyboard builds, and I’d love to buy something similar in the future. The only issue with the keyboard above is, where the hell is the spacebar?…

Too high profile for my taste, but I do dig the random icon of Saturn. No idea what that button would do, but I felt a burning desire to press it and find out…

I LOVE the color palette on this one but I’m not quite ready to commit to a split board. With the amount of writing I do, even a single day of learning how to type on it would be valuable time lost.

I’ve never seen one of these out in the wild, so make use of it if you come here! One of the biggest issues with building or buying your own keyboard is that you can’t actually feel those new switches and keycaps you want to buy.

Yes they look nice, and that person on YouTube said they’re really good, but if you haven’t personally tried them out then you’re still taking a gamble.

Pressing any of the switches here ‘switches’ the page on the iPad to the switch you’ve just pressed. If I were you, I’d spend some time going through all of them and writing down your thoughts.

Perhaps, if you’ve got time, record yourself and the sound they make. That way, you’ll remember what you thought of all of them, and when it comes to buying new keyboard switches further down the line, you’ll be prepared.

As you might have guessed, Yusha Kobo Keyboard Speciality Shop doesn’t just sell custom keyboards, but they also sell a range of other things as well. For instance, if you look at the photo above, you’ll see it’s the fluffy face of a dog on top of a keycap.

Is it a great idea to use these for FPS games on the WASD keys? Almost definitely not. But shove him on the ESC key, and you’ll get to boop this dog’s head every once in a while.

A number of mouse and keyboard pads were also available as well. I wasn’t a fan of the designs and don’t use these anyway, but you’ll find a few unique designs here for sure.

Make your way toward the cashier and you’ll see a glass cabinet that’s full of Artisan Keycaps, hand-crafted designs that all have Japanese themes. I love these and will almost certainly be buying one soon!

If your keyboard isn’t as extra as it can be, buy the one with the red T-Rex on it. And send me a photo too, I need to see it!!

The top corner of the shop is home to the more experimental builds. Other than a few numberpads, I don’t have any clue what a lot of the keyboards in the photo above and below are. Of course, that didn’t stop me from playing…

Again, shelves and shelves of stuff if you’re looking to make your own board. If you’re coming to Japan on holiday, make sure you’ve got enough space in your luggage to take it home!

I think this was full of keycaps, and as you can see there were absolutely loads to choose from!

Is it worth visiting the Yusha Kobo Keyboard Speciality Shop?

Yes. Easily one of the coolest shops in Akihabara for me, though I suppose I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to things like this. Its incredibly convenient location means if you’re in the area then there’s really no reason not to visit.

Even if you aren’t as much of a keyboard addict as you think you should be to visit Yusha Kobo Keyboard Speciality Shop, it’s worth going to because there’s absolutely nothing like this anywhere else (as far as I know). Tap some keyboards, do a bit of research, and you’ll be incredibly thankful when you come to buy or build your first custom keyboard!

More interested in gaming than building your own keyboard? The most expensive games in Japan can be found in a store about 10 minutes walk from Yusha Kobo Keyboard Speciality Shop, so make sure to check that out if you’re interested in going bankrupt extremely quickly 😉

I’ve never really been into Halloween, but I quite enjoy occasions that mean I get to dress up in stupid clothing. So when the opportunity to visit one of the most famous fancy dress street parties in Japan came up, I couldn’t say no! Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations.

Visiting Halloween in Shibuya isn’t going to be worth it for the majority of people. The crowds are huge, the authentic experience and connection are lacking, and there’s little to do other than walk around. However, if you’re looking for thousands of the most creative and visually exciting Halloween costumes in Japan, this is the place to come!

So, what makes this world-renowned gathering not worth your time, and why does everyone think it is?

The History of Halloween in Japan

Halloween in Japan has a relatively brief history but has rapidly gained popularity in recent decades. The origins of Halloween in Japan can be traced back to the late 20th century when it was primarily introduced through commercial interests (Similar to Easter in Japan).

Initially, Halloween was embraced by businesses and retailers looking for new marketing opportunities, particularly those selling costumes, decorations, and sweets. This is pretty similar to a number of occasions or holidays in Japan, and to be honest, the entire world.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Halloween began to make its way into Japanese pop culture, with costume parties and events mainly organized by foreign residents and enthusiasts. These gatherings were often attended by young people who saw it as a chance to dress up in creative costumes and enjoy a taste of Western-style festivities.

However, it wasn’t until the early 2000s that Halloween truly took off in Japan, driven by the widespread influence of social media and international cultural exchanges. Shibuya, a bustling district in Tokyo, became the epicenter of Japan’s Halloween celebrations, drawing thousands of people each year.

This is the first time I heard about Halloween being properly celebrated in Japan, though perhaps it’s because of the huge numbers that turn up each year.

Today, Halloween in Japan is not only about costume parties but has also become an opportunity for businesses, neighborhoods, and families to participate in the fun. Local shops decorate their storefronts, and even convenience stores sell Halloween-themed treats and products. 7-Eleven is of course one of those businesses!

Interestingly enough, of the many festivals and holidays that Japan celebrates throughout the year, Obon may be more closely related to what we typically consider to be Halloween in the West. Families visit graves, perform rituals, dance, and attend festivals in remembrance and respect of deceased loved ones.

Getting ‘forced’ to join in with the dancing with a bunch of Obasans at one of these festivals was definitely something I’ll remember for a long time, though that’s a story for another day!

The crowds and the chaos

To figure out whether visiting Shibuya on Halloween is worth it for you or not, you need to question the reasons you’ve come to Japan and what you hope to get out of your evening. I’ll tell you right now that if you’re looking to see how another culture celebrates Halloween and have a chilled-out night, this isn’t somewhere you should come.

I’ve talked a little bit before about when and why Japan is crowded, but visiting Shibuya on Halloween takes that all to the next level. I’ve heard about these ‘legendary’ Shibuya Halloween street parties for years, but what I was met with was more people than I’ve ever seen in one space at the same time.

There was barely any space to move, no time to stop walking, and little time to appreciate the (admittedly awesome) costumes that you’d pass by. Luckily we’d booked into a nearby hotel because I cannot imagine heading back on the train in this situation. …Even though falling asleep on a Japanese train is completely acceptable!

Safety concerns

Only a couple of days after the tragedy in Korea, I must admit I was a little apprehensive to purposefully venture to an area that I knew was to be filled with people. We arrived in the city at around 3 O’clock to check in and get something to eat, and the streets were already fairly busy.

From that moment until late at night, there were police absolutely everywhere.

While I understand they were here to move everyone on to prevent any unfortunate situations from occurring, being able to constantly hear commands shouted by the police didn’t really give it the best atmosphere.

I also popped into don quijote in Central Shibuya to buy a V for Vendetta mask, and you’d be absolutely right if you thought that was a bad idea on my behalf. Loads of people, really hot, small spaces, what could go wrong!?

Finding something to do in Shibuya on Halloween

Thinking about going for a drink somewhere in Shibuya on Halloween? Forget it.

To be fair I doubt you’ll even have time to stop moving for long enough to see if any of the places have space to sit down. And spoiler alert: they won’t.

But hey, perhaps you think that this’ll be a good time and place to visit Shibuya Scramble? Nope. Take a look at that picture and tell me honestly whether you think walking through that is going to be pleasant?…

Look, it’s not all that bad, there are a fair few fun costumes as you can imagine! My favorite of the night was these dogs, of course!

As well as seeing several similar dressed-up dogs, I also saw a pig in a pram too… Honestly, these animals were my favourite thing about the night.

In fact, there were quite a lot of pet owners that had dressed their animals up and then parked themselves out of the way so people could stop and get a picture of them. I much prefer this approach to the one where people stick their camera phone in your face to try and grab a photo of your costume, apparently personal space means nothing in this kind of event…

Pros and Cons of Visiting Shibuya on Halloween

Ok so it wasn’t my idea of fun, but this is your holiday, and it’s up to you to make that decision. So to make it easier for you, here is a list of the pros and cons of visiting Shibuya on Halloween.

Pros:

1. Unforgettable Atmosphere: Shibuya on Halloween is going to be unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. The amount of people, the amount of costumes, it’s going to be incredibly hard to replicate this atmosphere anywhere else. It doesn’t hurt that it’s in the buzzing capital of Tokyo, either!
2. Creative Costumes: The creativity of the costumes on display is damn cool. You’ll have the opportunity to see some of the most imaginative and eye-catching outfits, making it a paradise for costume enthusiasts and photographers. Both me and Nadia had our photo taken a number of times.
3. Nightlife and Entertainment: Numerous bars, clubs, and restaurants in the area host Halloween-themed events and specials, making it a fantastic destination for those looking to enjoy the nightlife. I know people that have been to these events and they do speak highly of them. However as I’ve said before, you’ll be unlikely to be able to attend any of these places or events unless you’ve booked beforehand. So don’t leave it till the last minute!

Cons:

1. Overwhelming Crowds: The sheer number of people in Shibuya on Halloween was incredibly overwhelming, and that’s coming from a person who usually has no anxiety or unease around a lot of people. Navigating through the dense crowds can be challenging, and you might find yourself stuck in one spot for extended periods of time (luckily we were by a vending machine when this happened to us 😉
2. Traffic and Transportation Issues: Halloween in Shibuya leads to significant traffic congestion and transportation delays. Trains and buses can be packed, and you might experience delays getting to and from the area. For us, this simply wasn’t worth it so we stayed in a hotel. I honestly can’t imagine how horrendous Shibuya train station would have been at this time.
3. Safety Concerns: As with any large gathering, there are obviously going to be safety concerns. The Japanese police were pretty much all over this to be fair, but they can’t prepare for every eventuality.
4. Limited Interactions: Due to the massive scale of the event, personal interactions with locals or fellow revelers can be limited. If you’re seeking deep cultural experiences, this isn’t the place you should come to. There were a lot of tourists which makes me think that most Japanese people and locals realize it’s not a particularly pleasant place to come on Halloween.

While visiting Shibuya on Halloween is an experience you won’t soon forget, it’s not without its challenges. Whether it’s worth it visiting or not depends on your love for Halloween, your tolerance for crowds, and your willingness to embrace the chaos.

In case you haven’t guessed, it wasn’t worth it for me but at the same time, I’m glad I’ve done it. Does that make sense?

You’ve done it! You’ve planned your trip to Japan, saved up, and finally landed in Tokyo. Now what? Depending on the time your flight arrives (or how tired you are), you can often find yourself with a few hours or just short of a day to fill.

Unless you’ve got a fully booked up itinerary that’s planned out to the minute and you’re simply determined to pack as much as possible into your holiday (kind of don’t blame you), it’s relatively important to pace yourself in the early days. This is especially true if your holiday is 3 weeks or longer because all those days of traveling and being on your feet really do add up.

It’s very important not to overdo things at the beginning (trust me I’ve been there and it doesnt end well), but other than that, here are some things to do after arriving in Tokyo.

1. Take it easy

The very first thing you should do after landing in Tokyo is rest. I know that’s not going to be what a lot of you want to hear, but going too hard in the first day or two is a really bad idea.

Japan jetlag can be absolutely brutal if you haven’t prepared for it, but it doesn’t have to be the end of your trip. If you’ve got a tightly packed schedule then this might not be achievable in the same way, but if you don’t have a plan for your trip to Japan (or you’re adaptable over the first day or two) you should try not to travel anymore and chill out.

But what if your itinerary is basically full? Always keep this first day as flexible as possible. Still, want to get out and about to enjoy the best of what Tokyo has to offer? There is still a bunch of relaxing things you can do in the capital, and your body will thank you for taking it easy.

2. Activate your Japan Rail Pass

If you’ve decided to buy the Japan Rail Pass (after the recent price hike, I don’t think it’s worth it), the first thing you’ll need to do when you arrive at Haneda or Narita airport is activate it.

I’ve never used the Japan Rail Pass (nor has anyone I know), but I’m fairly certain you just take it to a JR Office inside the station and then write down the day you want to activate your pass. At that point, they’ll exchange your piece of paper with the real pass.

Use this Japan Rail Pass calculator to see if you could save money during your trip (and how much you could save), just remember that there are a number of lines and trains that the JR Pass doesn’t cover.

3. Grab yourself a Suica or Pasmo card

Even if you have the JR Pass, getting an IC Card like the Suica or Pasmo is one of the first things you should do after landing in Tokyo. It’s a much easier way of getting around Japan than buying tickets, and annoyingly isn’t something I figured out until my second trip over here…

Getting an IC card in Tokyo is really easy, and only costs ¥500 ($3.42) which you can get back when you leave the country. All you have to do is head over the any of the green machines at the station that has the word ‘Ticket’ or ‘Suica’ on them, change the language to English, and follow the on-screen instructions.

Once you’ve done that, you only need to charge them up when you run out of money (using the ‘recharge’ machines). And don’t worry if you get caught out and don’t have enough money once you’ve completed your trip, there are loads of machines where you can top up the difference before tapping out. No big deal!

4. Exchange currency

Japan is absolutely a cash-heavy country, so it’ll be a good idea to have some on hand at all times. If you’re going entirely cash based for the whole of your holiday, it’s time to exchange your currency if you haven’t done that already.

While this is one of the first things you should do after landing in Tokyo, I’d recommend using WISE instead. It’s basically a multi currency card which makes it perfect for peopl who visit more than one country and don’t have time to exchange currencies.

The fees are transparent and low, and I highly reccomend it to people coming over to Japan on holiday.

5. Double check your Airlo SIM (or pockect wifi)

This one will depend on if you’ve decided to stay connected during your trip to Japan or not. If you have, one of the first things you should do after arriving in Tokyo is sort out your connectivity.

On my first trip to Japan I had absoutely nothing (I didn’t even know. that IC cards were a thing. Needless to say, navigating trainstations and everything else was an issue.

On every trip after that, I used my Garmin watch (a little rough and ready, but it worked), and now I’m using a pocket wifi. For you, either Airlo or a pocket WIFI will likely be the best choice.

In terms of options you have to stay connected – some of them you’ll need to deal with as soon as you’ve landed in Tokyo/Japan, and some will be a little before that.

6. Change the time on your watch

If you still have an analog watch, make sure you remember to change the time on it! You’d think this would be obvious but I’ve forgotten to change mine more than a few times…

Here’s a list of the time differences from a number of different countries around the world. If you have digital watches and phones then they should change themselves, but just remember to double-check.

Country	Time Difference to Japan
United States	PST: +17 hours*
	MST: +16 hours*
	CST: +15 hours*
	EST: +14 hours*
Canada	PST: +17 hours*
	MST: +16 hours*
	CST: +15 hours*
	EST: +14 hours*
United Kingdom	GMT: +9 hours
Australia	Sydney: +1 hour
	Melbourne: +1 hour
	Brisbane: same time
New Zealand	Auckland: -3 hours
Germany	CET: +8 hours
Sweden	CET: +8 hours
Norway	CET: +8 hours
Denmark	CET: +8 hours
Switzerland	CET: +8 hours
Netherlands	CET: +8 hours

*Note: The time differences listed for the United States and Canada are approximate and may vary depending on the location you’re coming from.

7. Freshen up and have a shower at your hotel

I don’t know about you, but I feel like an absolute mess whenever I come off of long-haul flights. Surviving your flight to Japan is one thing, but unless you’re living it up in first class, there’s nothing quite like having a nice refreshing shower afterward.

I find it almost therapeutic. It’s like I can finally detach my mind from the traveling part of the holiday, and then get in the headspace of exploring mode.

You could even pop into the local supermarket or Don Quijote and grab some Japanese Skincare products to help make you feel your absolute best for the rest of the holiday.

Unfortunately, this does depend on the hotel or Hotel or Airbnb you’ve booked, so double-check what your check-in time is because if it’s not early, you won’t be able to check in yet. This is the exact thing that happened to us when we took the night bus to Osaka, we arrived at 5 in the morning and couldn’t check in until 5 in the evening…

If you do end up finding yourself in this position, throw your suitcases and bags in a locker and take a look at these things to do in Tokyo in the morning. Hopefully, that should keep you busy for a while!

8. Buy some snacks and food from the nearest Konbini

Technically you should be doing this at all points on your holiday, but there’s nothing quite like grabbing some fami chiki from Family Mart or a fruit sando from 7-Eleven after landing in Tokyo.

In fact (and this is genuinely not even a lie), I’ve seen multiple people on YOUは何しに日本へ？ (a Japanese TV show where people are asked why they came to Japan) who state that the main reason they’ve come to Japan is to eat Konbini food.

Maybe you have slightly different intentions for coming to Japan, but I challenge you to leave the country and not daydream about the convenience, and interesting snack foods you find in a Japanese Konbini!

For instance, I barely ate jelly until I can to Japan. Now I eat it probably once a week in a giant tub with oranges in it. IT’S SO GOOD!

9. Go over your itinerary for the next few days

If you’re anything like me, you’re going to be extremely excited about your holiday to Japan. That’s probably how you’ve found this website I’d imagine, by doing a load of research!

Well, it stands to reason then, that you’ll probably be the type of person who enjoys figuring out all the things they can do during their time in Japan. Not compulsively, but you’re definitely someone who wants to make the most of their time over here at least.

However, the idea here is not to add anything new to it (unless it’s really cool, then I won’t blame you!), but simply a way to double check things and feel prepared. If I were you, I’d try my best to do this inside a local cafe or “Kissaten”.

Why would I choose to do it there, rather than in my hotel?

Well, you’re out and about, but in a fairly relaxed environment for one thing. Make sure it’s one near your hotel so you aren’t traipsing halfway across the capital, though.

Watch the world pass you by, ground yourself in this new country with these new experiences, and pinch yourself when you realize you’re actually not dreaming. You really did make it to Japan!

10. Explore the area close to your hotel

Whatever you decide to do after landing in Tokyo, make sure it’s relatively near to your hotel. Ideally, you wont be getting on any trains after you’ve made it to the area you’re staying at.

even if I havent just landed in Tokyo, this is something I really enjoy doing. Exploring the area around your hotel is bound to bring up a few hidden gems and depending on where you’re staying, is not likely to be an area heavily frequented by tourists.

As I say, that really depends on where you’re staying. When we had 2 days in Hiroshima, we stayed in an Airbnb about 20 minutes bus ride from the city.

Other than being the best Airbnb I’ve stayed at in Japan, the area it was located in (Fuchū) was just a 10 minute walk from an epic gorge that we only found because we explored around that area. It wasnt on our itinerary, but made for a really memorable occasion!

If you’re visiting in Summer, there might even be a festival or two happening in your area. I’ll write a separate blog post about matsuri (Japanese Summer festivals), but they’re well worth visiting if you get the chance!

11. Skip the tourist magnets

I don’t like touristy places at the best of times, but visiting somewhere that’s bound to have a lot of people probably isn’t the best idea if you’re feeling tired from your flight and in need of a rest. For instance, only visit Sensō-ji if your idea of fun is overpriced

To be fair, it’s the oldest temple in Tokyo which is kind of cool, but there are way better places to be exploring as soon as you’ve landed in Tokyo. Of course, there are some places like Shibuya Crossing that you might specifically visit for the crowds in Japan, but the novelty quickly wears off.

To be fair, I recently went to Shibuya sky on the first day with some visiting family members and it was actually a really nice way to start the holiday. That wasn’t one of the first things we did when they landed, but it was still planned for the first day.

12. Check out the toilets

Honestly, this is probably the first thing you’re likely to do after you arrive in Tokyo. After arriving at Narita Airport for the very first time, I needed to go to the toilet even before going through passport control.

Needless to say, the clean, slightly futuristic TOTO Toilet seats are going to be one of the things you miss most in Japan when you leave. And I encourage you to just press all the buttons and see what they do as well – no fear!

Some of the more upmarket ones have deodorizers, play privacy music (usually running water sounds), dryers, and other similar things.

It may seem strange to suggest that you check out the toilets straight after landing in Tokyo, but they’re something that never disappoints. You always know the ones at the airport are going to be decent, and it’s like a guaranteed positive note to start your holiday off with.

It’s the first country I’ve been to where 95% of the toilets are incredibly clean which means you don’t have to worry about using them when you’re out and about! Yay for clean toilets!

Have you arrived in Tokyo early in the morning and don’t know what to do? Or perhaps you’ve got some time to fill before your plans in the evening. It’s a situation I’ve found myself in many times, so I thought I’d tell you about my top 20 favorite things to do in Tokyo in the morning.

Tokyo is filled with a huge amount of things to do in the morning – if you can imagine it, you can probably do it. From zen parks to towering skyscraper views and Otaku product treasure troves, the only limit is your imagination. And it’s never too early for ramen!!

Oh, and I didn’t put ‘visiting a konbini’ on the list, and grabbing any number of snacks and food because that’s just a given! If you are looking for food, you’ll find number 20 interesting 😉

1. Stroll through Ueno Park

If you’re looking for somewhere to relax in Tokyo in the morning, Ueno Park should definitely be high on that list. You’ll likely find quite a few locals doing their morning exercises or yoga if you go really early in the morning, or if you’ve turned up a little later, you could enjoy a coffee a pastry, or ten as you watch the world pass by.

The park is also home to Ueno Zoo, a place I decided to visit on my very first trip to Japan. Although I think that was in the Summer time so I don’t imagine we got too far before giving up and heading to somewhere a little cooler!

Fast forward several years and trips, and every time I’ve tried to visit, it’s been raining… Hopefully, you’ll have more luck!

2. Visit Asakusa Senso-ji Temple

I’ll come clean and tell you that in all honesty, I’m not really a fan of this place. The temple, though visually stunning (and the oldest in Tokyo), is a tourist hotspot and is often one of the most crowded attractions in Japan.

Granted, I wouldn’t blame you if you did decide to visit because like I said, it’s damn impressive. If you don’t like crowds, visiting this place in the morning is your best bet by far.

You’ve probably seen the millions of photos on social media of the parade of shops located just in front of the temple. I wouldn’t worry about shopping here, you’ll get much better options in other parts of Tokyo, and arriving early enough to beat the crowds and see the temple is a far better choice.

3. Scramble across Shibuya Crossing

It’s hectic, noisy, practically always busy, and definitely, something you should do at least once. This is something I’d recommend doing in Tokyo in the morning when it’s slightly less busy, or at night when it’s super busy and all the neon lights are on.

I took the photo above when I first came to Japan, and I honestly quite like it. The top left photo was taken from the Tsutaya coffee shop (a really cool place to grab a coffee if you can get a seat!), the top right was taken as soon as you get out of the station, and the bottom was taken in the middle of the madness.

You’ll also find a number of people queueing up to snap a photo with the statue of the famous Japanese dog Hachiko. I’d suggest skipping this, and if you really want to see something similar, visit Hachiko’s shrine which is far less popular.

4. Get lost in Nakano Broadway

Are you weird? Do you like weird things? Me too!

If you’re looking for things to do in Tokyo in the morning, and the thought of going somewhere as hectic as Akihabara makes you want to crawl back under the covers, Nakano Broadway is the place to come.

From 10:00 in the morning, you can dive into the depths of this otaku paradise and find shops filled with Pokemon cards, retro tech, expensive Japanese videogames, and more.

It’s absolutely huge, and I find myself spending hours here each time I visit. Not quite as much time as I can spend in Yodobashi Camera, but pretty close!

5. Stroll through Yoyogi Park

More often than I care to admit, I find myself waking up in a random hotel in Shibuya after a night out (work events, of course…). After such nights in the area, I figured out that there’s truly no better way to spend a morning than to grab a bite to eat from 7-Eleven and wander around Yoyogi Park.

I prefer this park to Ueno, simply because it seems to be a little more chilled out. Families and locals frequent the area, and it’s always nice to see loads of people being outside just because they can be/want to be.

Having a slow walk around somewhere like Yoyogi Park in the morning is a great way to recover from the hectic nature of Tokyo, or from a slightly heavier-than-intended night out! Walking around a park in the big city is also a great way to deal with your Japanese jetlag, and a great thing to do after landing in Tokyo.

6. Travel to Nikko

It might not be in Tokyo, but if you’re feeling adventurous, then taking the train out of Tokyo is a great thing to do in the morning. The earlier you get up and out, the fewer people you’ll find, and the more time you’ll have to spend at your destination.

Nikko is one of my favorite day trips from Tokyo, and a wonderful little escape to add to your itinerary if you aren’t planning any, or only a few days in the countryside. There’s so much to do in the area, though I’m particularly partial to a ride on an authentic Japanese riverboat!

Fancy something a little more chilled out, or perhaps something that includes Onsen? Hakone is the day trip from Tokyo you’re looking for.

7. Chill out in Sugamo (Harajuku for Grannies)

We’ve all heard of (and probably been to) Takeshita Street. The problem is, it’s busy practically all the time. In fact, it’s so busy that I haven’t been the entire time I’ve lived in Japan. Every time I take the train and go past Harajuku, I’m never sorry I’ve made that decision!

So, for those of you who agree with me and are looking for something a little more slow-paced, you should check out Sugamo if you’ve got a morning spare in Tokyo. Nicknamed ‘Harajuku for grannies’, Sugamo Jizodori Shopping Street is lined with shops selling sewing equipment, clothing for the elderly amongst other things, and most certainly lives up to its name.

It’s a slow pace of life around here, and you’ll certainly get a lot more personal space than you’re likely to get in Harajuku. Granted it might not have all those Instagram-friendly shops you’ve been seeing, but part of what makes this area appealing is its lack of tourists. Off-the-beaten-track destinations are my favorite!

8. Grab breakfast in Tokyo’s trendiest neighborhoods

I live in the countryside in Japan and life over here moves at about 1mph. So, every time I’m in Tokyo I do enjoy visiting places that are ‘happening’ or at least have a buzz to them. Two such places are Shimokitazawa and Koenji.

Filled with trendy food joints, cute cafes, and boutique clothing outlets, this is a fantastically chilled-out place to wander around in the morning. If it were me, I’d grab a coffee and a cake from one of the cafes in these places.

I’m not really a fan of chain shops, so I’ll do my best to go somewhere independent. Luckily enough, there are loads of this kind of breakfast options throughout these areas. You’ll be spoilt for choice!

9. Get lost inside Radio Kaikan

If Nakano Broadway sounded too tame for you and you’d rather bury yourself in the madness of Akihabara early in the morning, you’ll probably make no better use of your time in Tokyo than to visit Radio Kaikan. The key here is that you’ll be doing so before the crowd comes!

Once again, this is an Otakus paradise and sells practically anything you could want to buy from secondhand Japanese games ,Gundam and Anime to Pokemon Cards and games. It’s got 11 floors, and believe me when I tell you that this place gets extremely busy.

It’s conveniently located outside Akihabara station in Electric Town, so easily accessible to everyone. It might not be my idea of fun this early in the morning, but visiting before the crowd comes is a very good idea if this place is on your itinerary anyway.

10. Wander through Rikugien Gardens

I love Japanese parks, and luckily for me, there are plenty of them! There are also heaps of them in America as well.

Yoyogi Park and Ueno Park are both great if you’re looking to chill out and watch the world go past, but if you’re looking for a slice of zen to visit in the morning in Tokyo, Rikugien Gardens is the place to go.

It costs just ¥600 to get in, and it’s absolutely stunning. We went in the summer, so I can only imagine how beautiful this park will look during the changing of the leaves in Autumn and Spring.

There are two tracks you can go around depending on how much time you have, and there are a couple of tea houses along the way as well. I think this is a relatively unknown area for tourists who come to Tokyo, or at least not very frequently written about.

Take advantage of that, go in the morning, grab a cup of tea, and live out your Japan dreams!

11. Walk around the Gardens at Tokyo Palace

Walking around the Gardens at Tokyo Palace is something we did in the morning after we disembarked from Japan’s last-running sleeper train. After having coffee at one of the best-designed Starbucks in the country (seen about 3/4 of the way down that page), we set off to the palace and originally thought you had to pay to get in.

Turns out, most of those queues you’ll see in the morning are just people waiting for the guided tour. I mean that sounds fun as well, but just remember that you don’t have to spend any money to get into the gardens pictured above. For its proximity to Tokyo station, it’s a fantastic thing to do in Tokyo in the morning if you’ve got some spare time, and it could even fill up most of your day if you get on one of those tours as well.

12. Explore Tokyo’s oldest neighborhood, Yanaka Ginza

Lots of people seem to have an image of Tokyo (and Japan) living in the future. As someone who lives here, I can tell you that this isn’t the case the majority of the time. But if you’re just visiting, those bright lights in Tokyo’s most popular areas can easily make you feel like it is and sometimes get a bit much.

Yanaka Ginza is one of my favorite places to step away from it all and also happens to be one of the oldest neighborhoods in Tokyo.

Shops in Japan tend to open a little later than you’ll be used to, but wandering around an older neighborhood like this one when there are just a few Obassan and Ojisan walking around in the morning is going to be one hell of a memory!

13. Grab some ramen for breakfast (and lunch, and dinner!)

Ramen is easily my favorite Japanese food, and I could literally eat it daily… probably. People in Japan have no issues eating fish, curry, or any manner of things for breakfast, so as far as I’m concerned, there’s no reason why you can’t eat Ramen!

If you don’t have any dietary restrictions, find a ramen restaurant that’s away from the main strip, and preferably only has locals eating inside. The longer the line, and the smaller the shop (normally) the better!

If you do have dietary restrictions you’ve got a few choices, T’s Tan Tan and Ippudo are two of the best we’ve found so far. Though good luck finding T’s Tan Tan, I’ve been to Tokyo Station soooo many times, and I always get lost trying to find that ramen shop!

14. Visit Shibuya Sky

Ok, so I haven’t visited Shibuya Sky in the Morning (hence this picture above), but the views you’ll be provided with are really something special. You can even grab something to drink on the open-air viewing deck and spend as long as you like up here.

You’ll have to book in advance which means it’s not great if you need to be spontaneous, but it’s well worth putting on your itinerary. There’s something seriously special about Tokyo’s skyline, and it’s one hell of a view to start your morning with.

If you’re closer to the west of Tokyo, (near the Skytree, Akihabara, Tokyo Station, etc) I would recommend visiting this viewing platform. It’s free, in a random part of Tokyo that practically no one visits, and gives you equally stunning views.

15. Spend the morning buying Pokemon cards

I mean, the morning is just as good as any other time to buy Pokemon cards in Tokyo, right? I’d suggest going to Ikebukuro over Akihabara because of the more relaxed atmosphere, but you may prefer the latter.

Stay away from those vending machines that have cards inside. If you don’t you’ll probably waste all your money before the Afternoon. …I’m not speaking from experience of course…

16. Grab a bargain at Hard-OFF

Just as I refuse to believe it’s ever too early for ramen, it’s also never too early to hunt through your local Hard Off for an absolute bargain (or rare find!). Secondhand shopping in Tokyo (and Japan in general) is an absolute addiction of mine.

Take a look at the article I’ve linked in the above paragraph, and you’ll see that there are so many options to find a great deal in Japan. The only caveat is the ‘Off’ stores in central Tokyo tend to be picked dry of decent finds.

I’ve always had more luck in those that are slightly more out of the city, but you never know. Just don’t bother going to the Hard Off in Akihabara, that place is pretty rubbish and never seems to have anything.

17. Spend the day avoiding jet lag

I know you want to make the most of your trip to Japan, and honestly, no one would blame you if you had an itinerary that was planned up to the minute. The issue with this is that jet lag can take hold and ruin all those plans.

Dealing with jetlag in Japan is a lot like dealing with it for other countries, but if you’ve got into the country and still feel like rubbish then it could really improve your trip if you just take it easy for a bit. Of course, if you’ve booked things up and you can’t change anything then you’ll just have to power through.

My advice is that if you know you’ll be arriving very late at night or early in the morning in Tokyo, make the first day in your itinerary adaptable. I’m not saying you should sleep the whole day, but having a loose plan of visiting a couple of gardens in Tokyo in the morning and grabbing dinner at some point is going to be much nicer than trying to visit Harajuku, Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Akihabara in one day.

Unfortunately, I’ve seen people try to do that even when they don’t have jetlag, it never ends well.

18. Join an outdoor exercise group

If you’ve been to Yoyogi Park or Ueno Park early in the morning, you’ll likely have seen a good few people doing their exercises. Whether they’re running, doing tai-chi, or doing a group radio Taiso (love that show!), it’s a very active place in the early hours of the morning.

If you love running, why not put on your shoes and go for an exploration? It’s particularly nice to do when hardly anyone else is up and the sun is just peaking above the horizon. Couple that with running streets you’ve never seen before and you’re in for a winner!

19. Go watch shopping at Seiko Square

I recently visited Ginza with a few family members who came to visit us, it’s a really nice place and the morning is a great time to visit. The reason we went here was for a member of our party who wanted to buy a watch in that massive building you can see in the photo.

They’re all far out of my price range, but he came away with a limited edition Seiko that I must admit was pretty special. There are so many luxury shops in Ginza, so if you’re after anything a bit spendy this is the place to come.

If you’re considering buying a watch in Tokyo, while Ginza has the best selection of luxury watches in Tokyo, Nakano Broadway also has a pretty good amount. They also sell a lot of vintage/second-hand watches over there so if you’re looking for something a little more unique, head over that way instead.

20. Eat breakfast at KOMEDA is

Eating breakfast at practically any Kissaten in Tokyo is possibly going to be my favorite way to spend a morning in the capital. There’s something so relaxing about eating pancakes, orange juice, and overly exuberant desserts in the morning as you watch the world pass you by.

I mean sure you could eat a ‘proper’ breakfast, but who wants to do that when cake is on offer??

Komeda IS, is our favorite Kissaten and it’s located in Ginza. If you’re in this part of Tokyo in the morning, I highly recommend grabbing breakfast or an early lunch here!

Tokyo is… a lot. It’s overwhelmingly big, loud, and visually noisy. So, I do my best to find as many relaxing places in Tokyo as possible, Yanaka Ginza being the newest entry to that list.

Yanaka Ginza is not only a brilliant little shopping district for homemade crafts, street food, and kakigori, it’s also part of the wider area ‘Yanaka’, an old part of Tokyo that provides you with a whole host of things to do, places to see, and the time to chill out and relax for a bit in the big city.

So, is a visit to Yanaka Ginza something you should put on your itinerary? Well, I took a trip there the other day to figure out that exact question!

How to get to Yanaka Ginza

Getting to Yanaka Ginza is incredibly simple. It’s basically a 5-minute walk from the closest station (Nippori), and that walk is just straight down one road, depending on what entrance you get out of.

It’s a really nice walk to be honest, especially when it’s sunny and the light passes through the trees to Yanaka Cemetry at just the right angle. The cemetery is actually one of the most popular places to visit in the area and it’s the one place I didn’t know existed until I started writing this article…

Anyway, you’ll basically just walk straight up the very small hill in the picture above, and follow that road until you come across the Yanaka Ginza sign in the main image of this post. Simple!

The Shopping Street

Food, cute shops, cafes, friendly people, this place seemingly has it all. ¥100 kakigori (shaved ice) was perhaps our best purchase of the day, and eating it in someone’s driveway with seats they’d put out made it a real experience. More on that later!

Before you even reach the sign (and the street, I suppose?) there are a few stores worth taking a look at. They used pop-up gazebos, but I’m pretty sure that was just for shade, and they were actually connected to the buildings/houses behind.

So the photo above is of a shop that’s the first store in Yanaka Ginza that we came across. They were offering Obi, Jinbei, Kimonos, and Yukata, as well as any number of accessories.

The crazy part about this is that pretty much everything was ¥500. ¥500!!!!

That’s like, what, $3.60? For an entire Kimono! So, naturally, Nadia bought one.

I also wanted to, but the Jinbei (traditional clothes worn by men in the summer) are so popular that they’d already sold out. I’m guessing it’s a pretty well-known local spot, or perhaps no one can pass without buying one because they’re such great value.

Plus, the quality was genuinely very high for the price. We bought another Kimono for around ¥5000 ($36) from one of our local clothes shops, and the quality wasn’t nearly as good.

So if you’re looking to buy traditional clothing, it’s a great idea to find smaller places like these rather than ordering from Amazon or something.

Another shop that we liked the look of was selling these wicker baskets and other sorts of homewares inside. If our visas were sorted for the next few years and we knew we’d be staying in Japan, I’d absolutely have bought one!

Things was another shop I would have bought from if I was certain of the duration of time I’d be in Japan for. It sold things like cutting tools, scissors, and blades, all handmade and really high quality. It’s only a small shop and very easy to miss!

With temperatures over 100°F, I was more than happy with a few cold/refreshing treats along the way. One of those came in the form of peaches, and damn were they nice! Admittedly yes it was expensive for a single peach, but try Japanese fruit and then tell me it was a waste of money, I dare you!

Slightly further down the main street was another shop selling what I think was fresh lemonade, though I can’t quite remember. If you’re coming here in summer, you’ll be spoilt for choice with the refreshing food and drink on offer!

There were a lot of shops like this where I’m fairly certain it was just inside someone’s garage. As we’ll talk about in a minute, this really added to the laid-back vibe of this place.

I almost don’t care how good quality these wares are, or where you got them from – the experience of shopping in what felt like a yard sale kind of way in the middle of Tokyo was super fun to me.

There were also a few places that had tables outside of them like the photo above. Honestly, they didn’t really catch my eye apart from taking this photo and show you, and there were far better things on offer down the street.

But hey, if you like this stuff, then come and visit Yanaka Ginza in Summer!

When you get to the end of that street, you can either go left or right down another small (yet characterful) street. We went right and managed to grab ourselves some kakigori.

You have no idea how hyped I was to get it for ¥100 ($0.70), it honestly made my day!

I’m not entirely sure if this was because we came on the same day as an Omatsuri (Summer festival) where they were selling Kakigori, but you’ll usually find it popping up all over the place during summer. I’ve already had more than I can count haha!

I went for lemon, and Nadia went for strawberry. Literally just ice and syrup, and perhaps the greatest Summer dessert of all time.

My next paycheck is absolutely going on one of these machines!

The Vibe

As I said earlier, the vibe of Yanaka Ginza was spectacular. It was chilled out, everyone was having fun, and music from My Neighbor Totoro was playing on the town speakers. Can you imagine living somewhere like this? *frantically checks www.japanrealestate.co.jp*

There are lots of bikes around here, none are locked up of course, and most have children’s seats on the back. It seems like this place is incredibly popular with families as well as tourists etc.

I can’t understate how many places there were to buy kakigori and ice cream from. There was one place that served kakigori that I considered going to (and I think might have been renowned for it) but at ¥700 ($3.93) it seemed a little too much.

Side note: I always see people suggesting that eating out and traveling in Japan is really expensive, but to be honest, I can’t understand why. Maybe that depends on where you’re coming from but still, the food and transport here is incredibly good value for money!

The light always looks great in Japan, but in places like this, it looks even better. Late afternoon is a great time to visit Yanaka Ginza, especially in the summer.

Also, I don’t quite know why, but Yanaka Ginza is well known for having an extortionate amount of cats (it’s literally nicknamed ‘Cat Town’), and after coming back home I was disappointed that I didn’t see any.

However, after adding this photo above to the article, I found one! Can you spot it?

Well, I suppose here are two more! Plus, another place to grab some ice cream from!

Summer is an extremely festive time in Japan, and most of that has to do with the Omatsuri (Summer festivals). I’ve already been to a couple, and plan to go to a lot more, but it seems that without meaning to we stumbled into one in Yanaka Ginza!

It’s a high possibility that the matsuri changed the overall vibe of Yanaka Ginza, but even still, I got a similar feeling from here as I did from Koenji and Shimokitazawa, a great one.

Things to do near Yanaka Ginza

This is going to be a list of things to do near Yanaka Ginza. Technically these travel posts I make will usually be ‘things to do in‘ instead, but Yanaka Ginza is too specific and is technically a ‘thing to do/see’ in Yanaka itself.

Still with me? Great!

1. Yanaka Cemetery

Okay, okay, I know visiting a cemetery might not be on your typical travel itinerary, but trust me, this is no ordinary cemetery. Yanaka Cemetery is more like a peaceful park, full of history and tranquility.

It’s the final resting place of many prominent figures from Japan’s past, and the serene atmosphere offers a chance to take a reflective stroll amidst beautiful cherry blossoms in the spring or vibrant foliage in the fall.

..or in my case, had I remembered to visit, it would have offered some much-needed shade from the sun…

In any case, it’s a great spot to experience a different side of Tokyo’s culture and pay respects to the past.

2. Tokyo Bike

Now, if you’re a bike enthusiast or simply looking for a fun and eco-friendly way to explore the city, you should check out Tokyo Bike! This cool bike rental shop near Yanaka Ginza offers a variety of stylish bikes to fit your taste and needs.

I’m fully committed to buying one of these bikes if I manage to stay in Japan for the next few years as well!

In a chilled-out location like Yanaka, this is a super cool way to get yourself around. It’s an ideal activity for adventurous souls who crave a unique experience.

3. Himitsudo Shaved Ice

Oh, boy, I’ve heard incredible things about this place! On a warm day, you won’t want to miss a chance to indulge in the deliciousness of Himitsudo’s shaved ice.

Now, if you’re running low on money then this might not be your first choice (and the ¥100 kakigori I had was insanely good), but this really is the ‘level up’ dessert.

This isn’t your ordinary snow cone, my friends. Their shaved ice is fluffy like clouds and topped with all kinds of syrups made from seasonal fruits. It’s a true taste of Japan and the perfect treat to cool down after exploring Yanaka Ginza.

4. Yanaka Beer Hall

Cheers to this exciting find! For the beer aficionados among us, the Yanaka Beer Hall is a must-visit spot that rivals the beer scene in Sapporo.

Offering a wide range of craft beers, including local brews and unique imports, this cozy little joint is the perfect place to unwind after a day of sightseeing (or before, I’m not judging!).

Is it worth visiting?

Ultimately when it comes to deciding if Yanaka Ginza is worth visiting, I think it is under a few conditions. First off, if you love shopping and street food then it definitely makes sense to visit.

If you’re only staying around Tokyo, then once again I would highly recommend visiting. Tokyo can seem like such a modern city, so it’s great to find a slice of that old town Yanaka Ginza and have a wander.

However, if you’re running slightly shorter on time or are planning to visit somewhere like Kyoto, you may not need to go. Don’t get me wrong, I love the place but there are so many areas worth exploring in Japan that you’ll have to prioritize if either time or money aren’t on your side.

I start lots of these introductions by telling you how I love geeky things, and this is no different. Akihabara is an otaku’s paradise, and if there’s one place that summarises that perfectly, it’s Radio Kaikan.

Radio Kaikan is one of the most well-known stores in Akihabara with 11 floors of Otaku goods. Whether you’re a hobbyist, anime enthusiast, card collector, video game player, or esteemed window shopper, you’ll find what you’re looking for here.

So, after visiting this place at least 4 times (possibly more, I can’t quite remember), I decided to make a floor-by-floor guide of the Radio Kaikan building to make it easier to plan your trips to Akihabara and make sure you’re making the most out of your time in Japan. Oh, and make sure to visit these Japanese game stores if you’re in the area!!

Are you a bit of a geek like me? Great! I’ve written a huge guide to help you decide whether you should visit Nakano Broadway or Akihabara. Since you’re already researching floor guides for shops in Akihabara, I can tell that Nakano Broadway will be right up your street!

Where is Radio Kaikan?

Just like the very nearby Mandarake, getting to the Raido Kaikan building literally couldn’t be easier. I could practically jump the distance from Akihabara train station to the front door! The only problem you might have is exiting the station from the wrong side.

Now, I’ve been here probably 4 or 5 times, and I still accidentally take the wrong exit sometimes… Make sure you follow the signs for Electric Town South Exit when you get off your train. If you do that, you’ll have no issues!

…sometimes I get confident and go off track, that never goes well…

I must warn you that I don’t have very many pictures of this place because it was PACKED every time I went. So, the article is going to be a little more text-based than usual, but hopefully just as informative.

The History of Radio Kaikan in Akihabara

The original Radio Kaikan building was built in 1962 but was recently demolished in 2011. In its place stands a new building filled to the brim with stores selling all kinds of Otaku products. I’m pretty sure the old one sold similar things, but was just not up to building regulations.

While the old building had 8 floors, the newly constructed one has 10 above ground and 1 below. Yes, it’s great to have more shops to look around, but it absolutely makes the places a lot busier than it should be.

It’s an incredibly well-known building, and often the main one that people think of when they hear the word “Akihabara” and “Anime” in the same sentence. Granted, there are a lot of Japanese figurine shops inside Radio Kaikan, but that wasn’t always the case.

The Shops Inside Radio Kaikan

First up, let’s address the issue of how many flipping floors this place has. If you’re looking for one of the stores further up, don’t bother waiting for the elevator.

Yes, it seems like it would take less time but it also stops at every other floor and is often packed with tourists and locals alike. Part of this has to do with its location being just outside of Akiba (Akihabara) station, but it’s also just a really popular place as well.

I didn’t manage to snap photos of each of these shops, so I thought to give you the best overview of what’s inside Radio Kaikan and whether you should visit it or not, we’d go through each and every floor and discuss the shops on them.

It’s also worth noting there are no true radio kaikan opening hours, so just go via the shop below that you’re interested in.

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Ginza Lion

Opening Hours: 12:00-22:00 (Monday to Saturday) 12:00-21:00 (Sundays and holidays)

Store website: www.ginzalion.jp

Founded in 1899, Ginza Lion offers 8 different types of draft beer to start or end your day’s exploring in Akihabara with. A favorite sold here for many people is Sapporo draft beer, including me!

I must admit I wasn’t expecting to find a brewery in a shop like this. It’s a nice surprise don’t get me wrong, but who knew that beer, sausage platters, and anime would be sold in the same place?!

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Hobby Station Akihabara Radio Hall

Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00

Store website: http://www.hbst.net

What they sell: Vanguard, Buddyfight, Wicross, Lord of Vermillion, Haikyuu!! Baboka!!, Pokemon Card Game, Sengoku Taisen, Duel Masters, Ganbarizing, Magic: The Gathering, Yokai Medal, Dragon Ball Heroes, Gundam Try Age, Aikatsu!, Z/X, Mushiking, Fire Emblem 0.

I’ve already professed my love for Hobby Station many times on this website, and one of the reasons why is that they’re all over Japan. If you’re looking for anything related to trading cards, this is one of the many great places to visit in Radio Kaikan.

Though having said that, you’ll come to realize that in this building alone there are more than a few options!

FamilyMart Akihabara Radio Kaikan

Opening Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

Store website: http://www.family.co.jp

What they sell: Food and drink, and also Muji for some reason!

Love a good konbini, and Family Mart is for sure one of the best. They’re great places to pop in for a snack when you don’t fancy a full meal.

Their Famichiki is legendary!

Gift Shop The Akiba

Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00

Store website: https://twitter.com/akibagiftshop

What they sell: Limited edition souvenirs, anime, sweets, and misc goods for VTubers

Looking for a few gifts for your family but would prefer to be browsing anime stores? This is the place for you! Anime-inspired sweet treats and souvenirs to take home to your family and friends ^_^

Card Lab AKihabara Radion Kaikan Purchase Center

Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00

Store website: https://www.c-labo.jp/shop/kaitoricenter

What they sell: Pokemon cards & Yu-Gi-Oh Cards among others

Another decent place to pick up Japanese Pokemon cards, though be careful of the vending machines in the front which have claimed far too much of my yen without providing much value.

OWNDAYS Akihabara Radio Kaikan

Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00

Store website: http://www.owndays.com/jp/ja/

What they sell: Sunglasses and frames (Ray-Ban, Burberry, Jon Dillinger, Air, Gucci, Senichisaku, Butterfly effect, K.moriyama, Armani)

Another slightly strange addition to the Radio Kaikan roster, OWNDAYS NINE sells sunglasses from national and international brands such as Ray-Ban and Burberry as well as lesser-known boutique brands.

Fukufuku Trading Card Akihabara Radio Kaikan

Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00

Store website: https://www.fukufuku-toreka.com

What they sell: Duel Masters, Shadowverse Evolved, Yu-Gi-Oh OCG, Pokemon Card Game, Weiss Schwarz, and others

Another well-respected trading card store in Radio Kaikan Akihabara, they have a bunch of new and old cards that are well worth checking out.

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Rental Showcase Astop Radio Kaikan

Opening Hours: 10:30-20:00

Store website: http://www.astop.co.jp

What they sell: A selection of trading cards (not too big), pop idol merchandise, Japanese toys, and anime figurines.

Im not saying you’re going to find a bargain in Radio Kaikan as you can do in Nakano Broadway, but this is a great place to find unique or one-off items thanks to their stock of second-hand goods.

Hobby Station Akihabara Station

Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00

Store website: http://www.hbst.net

What they sell: Vanguard, Buddyfight, Wicross, Lord of Vermillion, Haikyuu!! Baboka!!, Pokemon Cards, Sengoku Taisen, Duel Masters, Ganbarizing, Magic: The Gathering, Yokai Medal, Dragon Ball Heroes, Gundam Try Age, Aikatsu!, Z/X, Mushiking, Fire Emblem 0

I told you there were a lot of these places around!

It holds the exact same type of things as the store below, but depending on what people have sold to which store, you’re likely to find different cards. Check out both if you’re looking for something specific because if one place doesn’t have something, the other might.

I’d guess the shop on the lower floor would be busier most of the time because it’s inside as soon as you go through the door, but again this might change from day to day. Both have been equally busy each time I’ve been.

Habikoro Toy Radio Kaikan

Opening Hours: 11:00-20:00

Store website: N/A

What they sell: Trading cars, Japanese anime figurines, and a LOT of anime-related products/toys

These guys sell a few trading cards, but the majority falls under figurines of all shapes and sizes as well as DIY figures.

Tomoka Denki Pro Shop

Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00

Store website: http://www.tomoca.co.jp/shop/proshop

What they sell: Microphones, DAWs, conversion cables, amplifiers, mixers, microphone stands, connectors, VU meters, conversion connectors, recorders, effectors, general commercial broadcasting equipment, soundproofing equipment, microphone windshields, cables, tape LEDs, speakers, commercial LED lighting.

If you’re looking for broadcasting equipment or professional audio equipment, this is a fantastic place to come. They claim to have one of the biggest and best selections of cables and connectors in Japan, and after visiting, I’m inclined to agree!

Card Shop Buyer King Radio Kaikan

Opening Hours: 11:00-20:00

Store website: https://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/asimani/

What they sell: Huge amounts of trading cards and accessories/supplies to go along with them

An independent TCG shop that sells a large variety of trading cards. Not the biggest at Radio Kaikan, but definitely worth the visit.

Who knows, maybe they’ve got your chase card!

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K-BOOKS Akihabara main building + Akihabara MEN’S building

Opening Hours: 12:00-20:00 on weekdays, 11:30-20:00 on weekends and holidays

Store website: http://www.k-books.co.jp

What they sell: Doujinshi, body pillow covers, CDs, figures, female voice actor goods, DVDs & Blu-rays, goods, and tapestries.

This is a great store to come to if you aren’t after anything specific but still want to walk out of Radio Kaikan with a bag full of goodies. It seems to have something for every type of Otaku in here, from books and CDs to video software, figures, and more. It’s also got the largest amount of doujinshi (fan-produced manga) anywhere in Akihabara.

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AmiAmi Akihabara Radio Kaikan

Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00

Store website: https://www.amiami.jp/

What they sell: Character goods, gunpla, figurines, trading cards, and a used section

AmiAmi is a very well-respected online anime store as well as a physical store in Akihabara. You’ll get good quality second-hand products here as well as more new products than you or your wallet can handle.

Sounds perfect to me!

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Wakamatsu Trading

Opening Hours: 10:00-19:00 (10:00-18:30 on Tuesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays)

Store website: http://www.wakamatsu-net.com/biz/

What they sell: Capacitors, vacuum tubes, transistors, memories, diodes, resistors, ICs, transformers, various kits, and digital products.

Wakamatsu Trading takes Radio Kaikan back to its routes by offering huge amounts of sound engineering and radio broadcasting equipment. Couple that with a bunch more electronic parts and you’ve got a treasure trove for the electronic nerds (me!).

Dolly Teria Akihabara Radio Hall

Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00

Store website: https://www.dollyteria.com/

What they sell: Dollfie Dream, Rikarizu, Jenny, Blythe, Pullip, Wonder Frog, Yunoacrus, Licca, Super Dollfie, momoko, ETC.

Quite simply, this is one of the best places to come if you’re looking for any kind of doll in Akihabara (don’t forget DOLK on floor 7, though!). They both buy and sell used dolls and accessories, including domestic and internationally recognized manufacturers like Barbie.

Trio Radio Kaikan

Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00

Store website: http://www.trio-broadway.com/

What they sell: J-Pop and K-Pop merchandise (posters, books, photos etc)

I’ve already had the divisive debate of J-Pop vs K-pop on this website before, and while it’s clear that K-Pop is more popular, you’ll find numerous products from each of them at Trio Radio Kaikan. If these guys don’t stock it, I doubt you’ll need it!

Kaiyodo Hobby Lobby Tokyo

Opening Hours: 11:00-20:00

Store website: http://www.kaiyodo.co.jp/kaiyodo_HB/TK_topics/

What they sell: Models and capsule machine toys (gacha)

This is the official shop of Kaiyodo, a model figurine specialist, and a pretty fantastic one at that! You’ll find some of his original works as well as collaborations with other brands. Also, they’ve got some special capsule figurines for sale here, and it’s the only place you’re able to purchase them from in Japan.

Uchusen Akihabara Radio Kaikan

Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00

Store website: http://www.uchusen.co.jp/

What they sell: Figures, miscellaneous anime goods, and dolls.

Fancy being a kid in a candy store where the candy is an absolute ton of Japanese toys and figurines? Uchesen Akihabara Radio Kaikan is the place for you! From alloy robots and imported toys to hero and military figures, it’s got everything you need to bring your Japanese toy display to life!

IN PuLse

Opening Hours: 10:30-18:00

Store website: http://www.impulse.co.jp

What they sell: High-end car audio, amplifiers, Japanese speaker systems, and accessories

The perfect place to come to satisfy even the most demanding audiophile! If you’re looking for a collection of high-end audio equipment, this is a fantastic place to start your search

Akiba no X Rajikan

Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00

Store website: http://www.x-jpn.co.jp

What they sell: New and used character merchandise

You’ll be able to find a whole host of rare items, cheap items, second-hand items, and new items at Akiba no X Rajikan. It’s a nicely laid out store and has a really good variety of products.

From what I remember there are also a couple of crane machines and vending machines, so stay away from those if you can! 😉

magi Akihabara radio Kaikan

Opening Hours: 12:00-18:00

Store website: N/A

What they sell: Yu-Gi-Oh, Pokemon, Old Back, Old Digica, Mushiking, Zatchbell

Used Japanese trading cards galore! This is pretty much the flea market of trading cards, games, and even (for some strange reason) some sneakers. Go forth and find your chase card! 😉

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Yellow Submarine Akihabara Main Store (& Mint!)

Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00

Store website: http://www.yellowsubmarine.co.jp/

What they sell: Japanese board games, plastic models, figurines, Toys, TCG, and more.

I LOVE Yellow Submarine. It’s like my paradise and it’s way too tempting to not pop into one when I see it on my travels. Why is this such a great version of the store? It’s got a Mint in it!

I briefly mentioned Mint Trading Card stores on my Pokemon Cards in Tokyo post but didn’t have a need to visit them at the time.

That’s now completely changed (as has my love for Yakyu (Baseball in Japan)), and Mint has become another of my favorite stores to visit. That’s 2 great stores for the price of 1 on this floor!

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DOLK

Opening Hours: 12:00-20:00

Store website: http://dolk.jp/pages/dollstock/

What they sell: Dolls and doll accessories/supplies

While the store itself is rather small, the dolls held inside are numerous. In total, there are around 150 dolls lined up behind glass to showcase their beauty to visitors. You’ll find domestic and foreign dolls, and as we know from Japanese second-hand stores practically all of them will be in fantastic condition.

Trading Card Park AKIBA radio store

Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00

Store website: http://www.furu1.net/shop/_1106/_1908.html

What they sell: Trading cards

If you hadn’t guessed by the name of the store, Trading Card Park AKIBA radio store sells trading cards. It’s a big store that was incredibly busy when I went last, but where it makes up for the large number of people, is with its broad amount of stock.

Yu-Gi-Oh, VG, BF, WS, Z/X, DM, etc. It’s all here!

Jungle Akihabara 2nd store

Opening Hours: 12:00-20:00 weekdays, 11:00-20:00 weekends and holidays.

Store website: http://www.jungle-scs.co.jp/

What they sell: alloy and plastic figures, plastic models, anime goods

This shop has a wide variety of retro and new products that cover toy figurines, plastic models, to anime.

Azone Label Shop Akihabara

Opening Hours: 11:00-20:00

Store Website: http://azoneakiba.blog45.fc2.com/

What they sell: Dolls between 15-50 cm high, and doll clothes and other items

A great place to find a mix of toys, international and domestic collectors dolls, and more.

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Volks Hobby Square Akihabara

Opening Hours: 11:00-20:00 weekdays, 10:00-20:00 weekends and holidays

Store Website: http://www.volks.co.jp

What they sell: Models including railroads, tools, supplies, airplanes, ships, AFVs, and model trains.

I’m gonna be honest I love model trains. I’ve never bought one, and to be real, I don’t think I’ve ever even held one, but I love how they look and the idea behind them.

Anyway…

It makes me incredibly sad that I never even knew this shop existed in Radio Kaikan during the 4+ times I’ve been here. If anything, learn from my mistakes and make sure you go!

Volks Doll Point Akihabara

Opening Hours: 11:00-20:00 weekdays, 10:00-20:00 weekends and holidays

Store Website: http://www.volks.co.jp

What they sell: Dolfie Dream, Super Dollfie, Doll care products

I know very little about Japanese doll products, but according to their web page, this is the largest collection of Dolfie Dream dolls in the entire world. So if you love Dolfie Dream dolls (whatever they are?…) make sure you pay this place a visit!

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Full Comp Akihabara Radio Kaikan

Opening Hours: 10:00 – 20:00

Store Website: https://www.fullcomp.jp/

What they sell: Yu-Gi-Oh OCG, Weiss Schwarz, Duel Masters, Dragon Ball Heroes, Cardfight!! Vanguard, Pokemon cards.

At Full Comp Akihabara Radio Kaikan you’ll find single-used cards of all the different TCG above and new trading cards, new supplies, booster packs, and pre-constructed decks.

BIG MAGIC Akihabara

Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00

Store Website: http://www.bigmagic.net/akihabara

What they sell: general trading cards

A pretty general trading card store, though as I constantly say, they’re all worth checking in just in case you manage to find your chase card!

I’ve run into BIG MAGIC in Ikebukuro before, another fantastic place for trading card games. You’ll find a solid supply of cards and a pleasant atmosphere if the shop isn’t too busy.

Card Lab Akihabara Radio Kaikan Main Store

Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00

Store Website: https://www.c-labo.jp/shop/radiohonten/

What they sell: Duel Masters, Build Divide, Magic: The Gathering, WIXOSS, Weiss Schwarz, Yu-Gi-Oh Card Game, Battle Spirits, Pokemon Card Game, Zex, Lycee , etc.

Other than an intimidatingly large set of TCG cards, Card Lab’s main store in Akihabara Radio Kaikan is home to the largest dueling spot in the area. With 100 seats, some of the events here can get pretty wild!

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Event Space

Opening Hours: 10:20:00

Website: N/A

What they sell: N/A

I did go all the way up to the top of Radio Kaikan but didn’t see the event space. Mainly because I was lost, and also because I had no need to haha.

If you do have a reason to use this space, I’d advise getting in contact with Radio Kaikan directly.

Is it worth Visiting Radio Kaikan?

So obviously there’s a lot to see here which is great, but lots of stores in a single place means one thing: crowds. Crowds in Japan aren’t ever ideal, but in an enclosed space, I’m really not a fan.

It’s in Akihabara, a very touristy part of Tokyo, and it’s right outside the exit of the station which doesn’t exactly help its case. I mean it’s great that it’s so accessible, but if you’re visiting Radio Kaikan on a weekend or busy time of year, good luck is all I can say.

I’m not saying I wouldn’t recommend Radio Kaikan, especially if you love anime and all that kind of stuff, but I am saying that there are a lot of other decent places you can visit around Tokyo (or perhaps just Akihabara) that you could enjoy without so many people.

If you’re looking for something a little less ram-packed and altogether less overwhelming, check out Nakano Broadway which is only 5 minutes away from Shibuya.