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 summarizes 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 Radio Kaikan 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!!
Where is Radio Kaikan?
Getting to Raido Kaikan 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 to this shop 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!
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.
So, here’s the in-depth floor guide to Radio Kaikan:
B1F
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?!
1F
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.
2F
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!
3F
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.
4F
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!
5F
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! 😉
6F
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!
7F
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.
8F
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!
9F
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!
10F
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.
