Guides to Akihabara & Tokyo

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Akihabara Card Shops: Where to Buy Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh! and Other Trading Cards, Floor by Floor

Most of Akihabara's trading card shops are stacked inside one building, Radio Kaikan, right by the station. Which floor sells what, how singles and packs work, and how to avoid the common mistakes.

Akihabara Electronics Today: What Is Still Worth Buying, Where the Parts Shops Are, and What to Check First

Akihabara's electronics today: Yodobashi Akiba for mainstream gear, Akizuki Denshi and Radio Kaikan's Wakamatsu for parts, retro hardware upstairs. What is worth buying as a tourist and what to check first.

Akihabara Gachapon: The Two Places Worth Your Coins, What They Cost, and How to Check Stock Before You Go

The two gachapon stops in Akihabara: Bandai's 500-machine GASHAPON Department Store by the station, and the old-school Gachapon Kaikan near Suehirocho. Prices, how to check stock before you go, and coins.

AKIHABARA Gamers Main Store: What Is on Each Floor, From Card Labo to the Love Live! Floor

AKIHABARA Gamers Main Store, at 1-14-7 Sotokanda, is eight levels: Card Labo in the basement, books, an Ensemble Stars!! store, Bushiroad and BanG Dream!, a Love Live! School Idol Space and daily pop-ups.

Akihabara Manga Stores: Where to Buy New Manga, English Translations, Doujinshi and Vintage Volumes

Where to buy manga in Akihabara: Shosen Book Tower (with an English-translated manga section), animate, Melonbooks for doujinshi, and Mandarake for vintage. Toranoana no longer has an Akihabara shop.

Akihabara Retro Game Stores: Super Potato, Surugaya, Retro Game Camp and BEEP, and What to Check Before You Buy

The four retro game shops worth your afternoon in Akihabara: Super Potato, Surugaya Game-kan (moved in September 2026), Retro Game Camp and BEEP. What each one sells, and what to check before buying for a console at home.

AmiAmi Akihabara: The Figure Tower, the Radio Kaikan Store, and Why They Are Not the Online Shop

AmiAmi has two shops in Akihabara: the eight-floor Figure Tower at 1-15-3 Sotokanda, two minutes from the Electric Town Exit, and a store on Radio Kaikan's 4th floor. Why their stock and prices differ from AmiAmi online.

animate Akihabara: Which Floor Your Series Is On, Across Three Buildings

animate Akihabara is three buildings: Building 1 for character goods by series (Jump on 2F, VTubers and Love Live! on 6F), Building 2 for manga and books, and the ANNEX for game goods, capsule toys and the café.

Buying a Nintendo Switch 2 in Japan: Which Model to Get, and What Nintendo Says About Using It Abroad

Japan sells two Nintendo Switch 2 models: the Japanese-language, Japan-only version, which links only to Japan-region Nintendo Accounts, and the multilingual version, which works with any account in 16 languages. Nintendo also limits wireless use abroad to listed countries.

COSPA Akihabara: Gee!Store Akiba for Cosplay and Character Apparel, and the atre Shop by the Station

COSPA has two official shops in Akihabara: Gee!Store Akiba on the 4th floor of the Onoden Building, with character apparel and COSPATIO cosplay costumes, and a smaller store on atre Akihabara 1's 3rd floor by the station gate.

Don Quijote Akihabara: What Is on Each Floor, Tax-Free Shopping, and the Anime Goods You Will Not Find Elsewhere

Don Quijote Akihabara is the discount store on Chuo-dori with a maid café on 5F, an amusement arcade on 6F–7F and the AKB48 Theater on 8F. Tax-free, many payment apps, and anime collab goods.

Hard Off and Hobby Off Akihabara: Three Secondhand Floors for Games, Junk and Gunpla

Akihabara has two Hard Off stores and a Hobby Off behind Chuo-dori: Hard Off No. 1 next to Mandarake with games, audio, cameras and a basement junk corner; No. 2 with retro games; and Hobby Off upstairs for Gunpla, figures and model railways.

Idolmaster Official Shop Akihabara: Where It Is, the Prize Lotteries, and the Producer Time Clock

The Idolmaster Official Shop in Akihabara is on the 2nd floor of atre Akihabara 1, right outside JR Akihabara's Electric Town gate: original goods, prize lotteries for five brands, and a time clock for producers. SideM fans have 315!!!SHOP in Ikebukuro.

Kotobukiya Akihabara: The Figure Maker's Own Shop, Its Pop-Ups, and When to Choose It Over Secondhand

Kotobukiya Akihabara-kan is the figure and model-kit maker's own shop at 1-8-8 Sotokanda, three minutes from JR Akihabara. Shop-exclusive items, rotating pop-ups, and how it differs from secondhand shops.

Lashinbang Akihabara: AKIBA Flags, Radio Kaikan and DEEP BASE, and Which One You Want

Lashinbang's three Akihabara stores: AKIBA Flags, the flagship on AKIBA Cultures Zone 2F; Radio Kaikan 5F, a minute away; and AKIBA DEEP BASE, cash only.

Mandarake Akihabara: A Floor-by-Floor Guide to Complex and Complex 2

Mandarake has two buildings in Akihabara: Complex (8 floors of manga, doujinshi, dolls and toys) and Complex 2 (cards, games, discs, small toys, trains). A floor-by-floor guide and how to shop there.

ONE PIECE Card Game Official Shops in Tokyo: Where They Are, and the Lottery and ID Rules

Tokyo has three ONE PIECE Card Game official shops, in Ikebukuro, Shinjuku and Shibuya, plus Bandai's DECKS STADIUM card shop in Akihabara. Booster packs are lottery-only, one purchase a day with face recognition, and from 21 November 2026 ID must be a passport or My Number card.

Radio Kaikan, Akihabara: A Floor-by-Floor Guide, Its History, and the Steins;Gate Satellite

Radio Kaikan is the ten-floor building right by Akihabara Station: card shops, figure shops, dolls, Kaiyodo and Volks. A floor-by-floor guide, its history, and the Steins;Gate satellite.

Surugaya Akihabara: What Each of the Six Stores Sells, and Which One You Want

Surugaya has six stores in Akihabara: the Main Store (figures, goods, cards), Station Front, Game-kan (moved Sept 2026), Anime & Hobby-kan, Plamodel-kan and a buying centre. What each sells and where it is.

TAMASHII NATIONS STORE TOKYO: Bandai's Figure Flagship in Akihabara, and the Rules Before You Buy

TAMASHII NATIONS STORE TOKYO, Bandai Spirits' only flagship in Japan, is one minute from JR Akihabara's Electric Town exit: S.H.Figuarts, Chogokin, store-limited figures and exhibitions. Buyers must be 15 or over.

Trader Akihabara: What Is on Each Floor of the Main Store and No. 2, and What to Know Before You Buy

Trader is an Akihabara game and hobby shop with two stores: the main store on Chuo-dori, B1 to 7F, with retro and import games, figures, plastic models and character goods, and a smaller No. 2 store under the JR tracks. Not tax-free.

Volks Akihabara: Hobby Tengoku 2, the Radio Kaikan Doll Floor, and This Month's Pop-Ups

Volks Akihabara has two shops: Hobby Tengoku 2, seven floors of kits, figures and pop-ups at 4-2-10 Sotokanda, and Doll Point on Radio Kaikan 8F. Tax-free.

What to Buy in Akihabara: Ten Things Worth Bringing Home, What They Cost, and Where to Find Them

What to buy in Akihabara: secondhand figures, ¥300 gachapon, Japanese trading cards, retro games, manga, shop-bonus goods, an IT charm from Kanda Myojin, and electronic parts. What each costs and where to get it.

Where Should You Buy Anime Figures in Akihabara? New vs. Secondhand, Compared by a Local Tour Guide

New figures: Kotobukiya or animate. Used, usually cheaper and in great shape: Mandarake, Surugaya, Hobby Off. How to check used boxes and spot bootlegs.

Yodobashi Akiba Floor Guide: Where the Figures, Gunpla, Games and Cards Are

Yodobashi Camera Multimedia Akiba, one minute from Akihabara Station, has games, toys, plastic models, figures, trading cards, gachapon and concert lights on 6F, cameras on 3F, PC accessories and stationery on 2F, and restaurants on 8F.

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Akihabara Arcades: Which One to Walk Into, What Is on Each Floor, and How Paying Actually Works

Akihabara's big arcades are GiGO (Buildings 2, 3 and 5), Taito Station, Hey and Silk Hat, the new 9-floor arcade where GiGO Building 1 used to be. What is on which floor, how to pay, and the rules.

Akihabara at Night: What Is Actually Open, and What to Do Instead of Shopping

Akihabara at night is arcades, lit-up Chuo-dori and dinner, not shopping. Arrive by 17:00 if you want the floors. A local anime tour guide's honest evening plan.

Akihabara Manga Café: Where to Find One, What You Need to Get In, and Whether You Can Stay the Night

Akihabara's manga cafés include two Kaikatsu Club branches near the station, with lockable private rooms and free showers. Tokyo's ordinance means you need one ID showing your name, date of birth and current address, so check your passport first.

Akihabara One-Day Itinerary: A Local Guide's Half-Day and Full-Day Plans (Plus the Ueno and Asakusa Combinations)

Akihabara itinerary from a local guide: a 3-4 hour half-day plan, a full-day plan, and Ueno or Asakusa combos two stops away. Guide rated 4.96 (171 reviews).

Private vs Group Akihabara Tour: Which Should You Book? An Honest Comparison from a Guide Who Runs the Private Kind

Book a private tour if you have a series you care about and want the route built around it; book a group tour if you want the cheapest way to get…

Akihabara on a Rainy Day: A Route That Keeps You Indoors, and the One Thing Rain Cancels

Akihabara is one of the best places in Tokyo for a rainy day: Radio Kaikan's ten floors by the station, arcades, gachapon halls and a station-connected Yodobashi. A rain-proof route, and the one thing rain cancels.

Is There a Tourist Information Center in Akihabara? Where to Get Help, from a Guide Who Works the Street

Yes. Akihabara's tourist information centre is Akiba Info, on the second floor of the UDX building (4-14-1 Sotokanda), open 11:00–17:30 and closed on…

Akihabara with Kids: A Family Half Day That Actually Works

Akihabara works with children if you manage the floors. Arcades, capsule toys and retro games for any age, adult sections always marked. Stroller route, food, and a half-day plan.

The Best Akihabara Anime Tours in 2026, Compared — by a Guide Who Runs One of Them

Book an Akihabara tour on Viator, GetYourGuide, Klook, Airbnb or the operator's own site. The tour is the same; price and cancellation terms differ.…

When Is the Best Time to Visit Akihabara? Hour, Day and Season, from a Guide Who Works the Street Every Week

Late morning on a weekday is the best time to visit Akihabara. Here's what changes by hour, by day of the week and by season, from a guide who works the street every week.

How Long Should You Spend in Akihabara? A Straight Answer from a Local Tour Guide

How much time to spend in Akihabara? Three to four hours covers most visitors — here's what fits in 2, 4 or 8 hours, from a local tour guide.

Is Akihabara Worth Visiting? An Honest Answer from a Tour Guide Who Works There Every Week

Yes, Akihabara is worth visiting: half a day (3–4 hours) for anime, manga or game fans, one to two hours if not. Honest answer from a guide rated 4.96 (171 reviews).

Karaoke in Akihabara: Pasela, Big Echo, and the Rooms Built for Gamers

Karaoke near Akihabara Station: Pasela's AKIBA Multi Entertainment, home of the Dragon Quest bar and the FFXIV Eorzea Cafe, and its Electric Town branch; Big Echo's three branches, two with card-game rooms or plans. All from official pages.

Things to Do in Akihabara: What a Local Anime Tour Guide Actually Recommends (for Anime Fans, at Night, and with Kids)

The best things to do in Akihabara: go up the multi-floor anime shops, give one figure floor and one retro floor an hour, play an arcade, eat a real lunch.

Tokyo Anime Tour: Which District and Which Tour to Pick (Akihabara, Nakano, Ikebukuro, and the Pilgrimage Spots)

For a first anime tour in Tokyo, pick Akihabara. Nakano Broadway is for collectors, Ikebukuro for women-oriented fandom, pilgrimage spots for one series. How to choose.

What Is Akihabara Famous For? The Honest Answer from Someone Who Guides There Every Week

Akihabara is famous for anime, manga, games, figures and idol culture in multi-floor shops. It was an electronics district first. What it is known for now, and what visitors get wrong.

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Should You Visit Akihabara, Nakano Broadway, or Ikebukuro? A Tokyo Otaku Guide Compares All Three

All three, if you have the days. If you have one afternoon, Akihabara. It is the broadest, the easiest to reach, and the only one where a first-time…

animate Ikebukuro Flagship Store: What Is on Every Floor, From the Theatre to the Event Halls

animate Ikebukuro Flagship Store has ten levels: goods and a café on 1F, manga on 2F and 3F, character goods on 4F and 5F, discs and games on 6F, event shops on 7F, an exhibition space on 8F, halls on 9F and a theatre in B2.

Anime Places to Visit in Tokyo: 9 Real Spots, Sorted by What You Actually Want — from a Guide Who Works in One of Them

Tokyo has three kinds of anime place, and mixing them up is why people come home disappointed. There are shopping districts (Akihabara, Nakano…

Capcom Store Tokyo: The Shibuya and Ikebukuro Shops, and the Capcom Cafe

Capcom Store Shibuya (CAPCOM STORE TOKYO) is on Shibuya PARCO 6F; Capcom Store Ikebukuro is on PARCO B2F. Monster Hunter and Resident Evil goods.

Chiikawa Land Tokyo: Where All Five Official Stores Are, and Which One to Visit

Tokyo has five Chiikawa Land official stores: Harajuku, Tokyo Station, Tokyo Skytree Town Solamachi, Shinjuku (one of the largest in the Kantō area) and Ikebukuro PARCO, opened April 2026. Where they are and which to pick.

Crayon Shin-chan Store Tokyo: Action Department Store at Tokyo Station, and Where Else to Find Shin-chan

Crayon Shin-chan's official shop in Tokyo is Action Department Store at Tokyo Station, inside Tokyo Character Street. Shinjuku has Okashina Mogumogu World, and there is a limited-time shop at Narita Airport Terminal 1.

Doraemon Store Tokyo: Where to Buy Doraemon Goods While the Odaiba Shop Is Closed

Doraemon Mirai Depart in Odaiba is closed for renovation from 1 October to reopen on 1 December 2026. Meanwhile: a pop-up at Tokyo Dome City from 9 October to 23 November, and THE DORAEMON STORE on Shibuya PARCO 5F.

Dragon Ball Store Tokyo: Where It Is in Tokyo Station, What Is Inside, and How Entry Works

DRAGON BALL STORE TOKYO, the world's first official Dragon Ball store, is on the 1st floor of Tokyo Station Ichibangai, a minute from the Yaesu North Exit. Statues, Shenron overhead, capsule toys and store-only goods.

Evangelion Store Tokyo-01: Where It Is in Ikebukuro, What to Expect, and What Else Is in the Building

EVANGELION STORE TOKYO-01, the flagship Evangelion store, is on the 6th floor of Ikebukuro PARCO's main building, a minute from Ikebukuro's east exit. Tax-free, monthly events, and the other anime shops in the same building.

Ghibli Store Tokyo: All Five Donguri Republic Shops, and Which One to Visit

Studio Ghibli's official goods chain, Donguri Republic, has five shops in Tokyo: Tokyo Station, Tokyo Skytree Town Solamachi, Sunshine City in Ikebukuro, DiverCity Tokyo Plaza and Tachikawa. Which are tax-free, and which to choose.

Godzilla Store Tokyo: The Official Shops in Shinjuku, Odaiba and Shibuya, and Where Else to Buy Godzilla Goods

Godzilla Store Tokyo, Toho's first official Godzilla shop, is on Shinjuku Marui Annex 1F near the Godzilla Head. Plus the Daiba and Shibuya stores.

Gundam Base Tokyo After the Statue: What Is Still in Odaiba, the New Shibuya Store, and Gunpla in Akihabara

The life-size Unicorn Gundam in Odaiba ended its display on 31 August 2026. The Gundam Base Tokyo is still open at DiverCity, a Shibuya store opens in November 2026, and Akihabara sells Gunpla too.

Hakuhinkan Toy Park Ginza: What Is on Each Floor, Tax-Free, and the Airport Branches

Hakuhinkan Toy Park in Ginza is a four-floor toy shop with about 200,000 items: variety goods on 1F, plush and characters on 2F, toys on 3F, games, hobby and a 36-metre slot-car circuit on 4F. Tax-free from 5,000 yen; branches at Haneda and Narita airports.

Harajuku Anime Stores: Sailor Moon, Kiddy Land, Sanrio, Ultraman and Love Live! in One Walk

Harajuku's anime and character shops: the Sailor Moon store in Laforet, Kiddy Land's five floors, Sanrio Harajuku and Sanrio Cafe on Takeshita-dori, Ultraman's cashless ULTRA MART TOKYO, and Harajuku Gamers for Love Live! Superstar!!

hololive Store Tokyo: The Tokyo Station Shop, the Harajuku Shop, and the Ikebukuro Pop-Up

Tokyo has two hololive official shops, at Tokyo Station's Character Street and at OMOKADO in Harajuku. A pop-up tour also stopped in Ikebukuro 3 Oct–1 Nov 2026 before moving on to Nagoya, Fukuoka, Osaka and Sapporo. Where they are, numbered tickets, and what they sell.

Otome Road, Ikebukuro: Where It Is, Which Shops to Visit, and How to Book the Butler Café

Otome Road is the street on the west side of Sunshine 60 in Ikebukuro, lined with shops for women-oriented anime fandom. animate's flagship, K-BOOKS' many branches, the Swallowtail butler café and how to book it.

JoJo Store Tokyo: The Last Survivor Arcade Game at THE★JOJO WORLD in Shibuya PARCO

THE★JOJO WORLD TOKYO, the hands-on official JoJo's Bizarre Adventure shop, is on Shibuya PARCO 6F, five minutes from Shibuya Station: series goods, attractions and mini-games, and a café with JoJo-themed food. A sister store is in Osaka.

Jump Shop Tokyo: Where All Six Stores Are, Which One to Pick, and Why None of Them Is in Akihabara

Tokyo has five Jump Shops plus THE Jump Shop Jimbocho, Shueisha's own store in the book town. Where each one is, which are tax-free, and when Jimbocho needs an entry reservation. There is no Jump Shop in Akihabara.

Kamen Rider Store Tokyo: Where It Is at Tokyo Station, and What Is On Sale

Kamen Rider Store Tokyo is the official Kamen Rider shop in Tokyo Character Street at Tokyo Station: Showa-to-Reiwa goods, exclusives and early releases.

Kiddy Land Harajuku: What Is on Each of Its Five Floors, From Snoopy to Sanrio

Kiddy Land Harajuku, 6-1-9 Jingumae, is five floors of character goods: Snoopy Town in the basement, Chiikawa Land on 1F, Ghibli, Doraemon and Crayon Shin-chan on 2F, Pokémon, Kirby and Super Mario on 3F, Sanrio and Rilakkuma on 4F.

Mandarake Shibuya: What Is on Its One Big Floor, How to Get There, and How It Compares with Akihabara and Nakano

Mandarake Shibuya is one basement floor, B2 of Shibuya BEAM, five minutes from Hachikō exit: manga, vintage comics, doujinshi, toys, dolls, discs and cards. How it compares with Mandarake in Akihabara and Nakano.

Nakano Broadway Guide: What Is on Each Floor, How Mandarake Is Laid Out, and a Route for a First Visit

Nakano Broadway is one building, B1 to 4F, with over 200 shops and more than thirty Mandarake shops on 1F to 4F. A floor-by-floor guide, how Mandarake is laid out, and a first-visit route.

Nintendo TOKYO: Where It Is, How the Numbered Tickets Work, and the Rest of Shibuya PARCO's 6th Floor

Nintendo TOKYO is on the 6th floor of Shibuya PARCO, five minutes from Shibuya Station, with numbered entry tickets on busy days. The same floor has Pokémon Center Shibuya, Jump Shop and Capcom Store Tokyo.

Odaiba Anime Stores: Gundam, Ghibli, Doraemon and Love Live! After the Statue

Odaiba's anime shops in autumn 2026: The Gundam Base Tokyo on DiverCity 7F and its 2F ANNEX, Donguri Republic for Ghibli on DiverCity 5F, ODAIBA Gamers for Love Live! Nijigasaki at DECKS, and Doraemon Mirai Depart, closed until 1 December.

One Piece Store Tokyo: Where All Five Mugiwara Stores Are, and Which One to Visit

One Piece store Tokyo guide: all five Mugiwara Stores, Shibuya (main store by the scramble), Ikebukuro, Odaiba, Tokyo Station and Harajuku, and tax-free.

Pokémon Center Tokyo: Which of the Five to Visit, What Is Next to Each One, and How Card Sales Work Now

The Tokyo area has five Pokémon Centers plus a Tokyo Station store, and one of them, Pokémon Center Tokyo-Bay, is actually in Chiba. Where each one is, what is next to it, and how new Pokémon cards are sold there now (lottery and face check).

Precure Pretty Store Tokyo: The Official Pretty Cure Shop at Tokyo Station, and Its Photo Studio

Precure store Tokyo: Precure Pretty Store, Toei's official shop on B1 of Tokyo Station Ichibangai, with store-only goods and a kids' costume studio.

Rilakkuma and Sumikko Gurashi Shops in Tokyo: Where They Are, and the Tokyo Station Reopening

San-X's Rilakkuma Store and Sumikko Gurashi Shop in Tokyo: Tokyo Station, Solamachi, Harajuku, Ikebukuro Sunshine City, Shinjuku and Kichijoji. The Tokyo Station shops close 15 to 19 October 2026 and reopen combined on 20 October.

Sailor Moon Store Tokyo: Where It Is in Harajuku, What It Sells, and the Rules Before You Go

The official Sailor Moon store is in Laforet Harajuku, on floor B0.5, one minute from Meiji-jingumae station exit 5. It turned nine on 23 September 2026. Store-original goods, purchase limits, busy-day tickets.

Sanrio Puroland Tickets: The Two Things You Need to Get In, and How to Get to Tama

Sanrio Puroland, the indoor Hello Kitty theme park in Tama, Tokyo, needs two things to enter: a visit reservation and a passport ticket. Official e-passports include the reservation; prices change by date. Halloween runs to 3 November 2026.

SEGA Store Tokyo: Sega's Flagship in Shibuya PARCO for Sonic, Like a Dragon and Atlus Fans

SEGA STORE TOKYO, Sega's first flagship store in Japan, is on Shibuya PARCO 6F: Sonic, Like a Dragon and Atlus character goods, store-only items and SEGA Cooro plush. A second flagship opened in Osaka on 2 October 2026.

Shibuya Anime Shops: PARCO's Character Floors, Mandarake Shibuya and the Anime Center

Shibuya's anime shops cluster in Shibuya PARCO: on 6F, Pokémon Center Shibuya, Nintendo TOKYO, JUMP SHOP, Capcom, SEGA, JoJo and Godzilla stores; on 5F, THE DORAEMON STORE and RADIO EVA. Plus Mandarake Shibuya and Tokyo Anime Center.

Shinjuku Anime Stores: animate, Square Enix, Godzilla and the Rest, Shop by Shop

Shinjuku's anime and game shops: animate Shinjuku in Shinjuku Marui Men 7F, the Square Enix Cafe & Shop and Artnia, Godzilla Store Tokyo near the Godzilla Head, the ONE PIECE Card Game shop in Kabukicho Tower, Crayon Shin-chan's official shop, and two Maidreamin branches.

Solamachi Character Shops: Every Anime and Character Shop at Tokyo Skytree, Floor by Floor

Tokyo Solamachi at Tokyo Skytree has Pokémon Center, JUMP SHOP, Kirby Café, Sanrio, Ultraman World M78 and a Gashapon shop on 4F, Chiikawa Land and Snoopy Town on 3F, and Donguri Republic for Ghibli on 2F. Floor by floor, from the official guide.

Sunshine City Anime Shops: Pokémon, One Piece, Gashapon and Bandai Namco Under One Roof in Ikebukuro

Sunshine City in Ikebukuro has Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo and the One Piece Mugiwara Store on Alpa 2F, plus Bandai Namco Cross Store Tokyo with the giant GASHAPON Department Store on World Import Mart 3F.

Tamagotchi Store Tokyo: Tamagotchi Factory in Harajuku and the Official Shops in Ikebukuro and Shibuya

Tamagotchi's official shops in Tokyo: Tamagotchi Factory in Harajuku's Harakado 3F, with a three-minute mini-figure fill-a-bottle experience and shop-only items, and Tamagotchi no Omise in Bandai Namco Cross Store Ikebukuro and Shibuya.

Tokyo Character Street: The Full Shop List, the Anime Stores Worth Your Time, and How to Find It in Tokyo Station

Tokyo Character Street is inside Tokyo Station, right outside the Yaesu Underground Central Gate. The full shop list: Jump Shop, One Piece, Dragon Ball, hololive, Chiikawa, Pokémon Store and more, and how to fit it into a day.

Ultraman Store Tokyo: The Four Official Shops, From Tokyo Station to the New One in Ikebukuro

Tokyo has four official Ultraman shops: Ultraman World M78 at Tokyo Station and Skytree's Solamachi, ULTRA MART TOKYO in Harajuku (cashless only), and the new ULTRAMAN STORE TOKYO in Ikebukuro PARCO, open since 9 October 2026.

Yamashiroya Ueno: The Toy Building Outside Ueno Station, and What You Will Find Inside

Yamashiroya, 6-14-6 Ueno: a whole building of toys outside JR Ueno's Hirokoji exit, with anime goods, trading cards, figures and a 6th-floor event space.

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Akihabara Maid Cafés: What They Cost, the House Rules, and How to Pick One Without Getting Hustled

A maid café in Akihabara costs an entry fee plus one order per person, for about an hour. Real prices from @home cafe and maidreamin, the house rules, and why you never follow a street promoter.

Anime Collab Cafés in Tokyo: How Booking Actually Works, Where They Are, and How to Get a Seat as a Visitor

How anime collab cafés in Tokyo work: rotating themes, lottery and vacant-seat bookings, ID checks at the door. animate cafe, GiGO's Akihabara collab café, Kirby Café and the Pokémon Cafe, from their official pages.

Cure Maid Café Akihabara: The Original Maid Café, How It Differs, and How to Get In

Cure Maid Cafe, founded in 2001, calls itself Japan's first maid cafe: classic uniforms and a quiet style, inside Gee!Store Akiba on Onoden Building 4F.

Kirby Café Tokyo: How Booking Works Now, Whether You Can Walk In, and the Rules at the Door

Kirby Café Tokyo is at Tokyo Solamachi, Skytree. Since August 2026 bookings need an account with phone verification; walk-ins only if seats are free; 85-minute visits; ID checked at the door. The full rules.

Maidreamin Akihabara: The Seven Branches, the House Rules, and Which One to Pick

Maidreamin has seven Akihabara branches, from the Main Store on 3-16-17 Sotokanda to the 60-seat LIVE RESTAURANT Heaven's Gate by the station. Families welcome, under-school-age children pay no entrance charge, and maids cannot be touched or photographed.

Pokémon Cafe Tokyo: How Reservations Work, When They Open, and What to Do If You Miss Out

Pokémon Cafe Tokyo, in Nihombashi Takashimaya's East Building, is reservation-only. Each month's dates open online at 18:00 JST on the 1st of the month before; same-day booking runs to 08:00. Seats, the 90-minute stay, goods-only entry.

Sanrio Cafe Harajuku: How Booking and Walk-ins Work, and the Sanrio Shop Below It

SANRIO CAFE Harajuku is on the 3rd floor of Takeshita-dori Square, above the Sanrio Harajuku shop: 32 bookable seats and 34 walk-in seats, 90-minute bookings from two people, afternoon tea by advance booking only.

Square Enix Cafe Tokyo: The Shinjuku Café, the Akihabara Bars, and Where to Buy the Goods

Square Enix's Tokyo café is now Officially Licensed SQUARE ENIX Cafe & Shop SHINJUKU, by Shinjuku Station's southeast exit. In Akihabara: Luida's Bar for Dragon Quest and the FFXIV Eorzea Cafe. Plus Artnia and Square Enix Garden.

ufotable Cafe Tokyo: How the Weekly Lottery Works, What Is On, and Whether You Can Just Turn Up

ufotable Cafe Tokyo, the Demon Slayer studio's own café in Nogata, Nakano, is reservation-only: a weekly LivePocket lottery from Wednesday 18:00, results on Friday, cancellations on Monday. What is on in October 2026.

Where Should You Eat in Akihabara? Four Shops, Compared with Photographed Prices

Four Akihabara restaurants compared with photographed prices: curry from ¥750, ramen from ¥790, a steak set from ¥1,100, and a diner open until 23:00.

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Anime Pilgrimage in Japan: What Seichi Junrei Actually Means — and How to Do It Without Annoying the People Who Live There

An anime pilgrimage in Japan — seichi junrei, literally sacred-site pilgrimage — means visiting the real places an anime was set in. Most of those places…

Anime Tokyo Station, Ikebukuro: Tokyo's Free Anime Museum, What Is Inside, and When to Go

Anime Tokyo Station in Ikebukuro is free, needs no booking, and is four minutes from the east exit. Closed Mondays. What is inside, the current exhibitions, and how long to spend there.

Fujiko F. Fujio Museum: How to Get Tickets, How to Get There, and What Is On

The Fujiko F. Fujio Museum in Kawasaki, home of Doraemon's creator, is advance-booking only, with timed entry; no tickets are sold at the museum. Shuttle bus from Noborito Station. A Doraemon gadgets original-art exhibition marks its 15th year.

Ghibli Museum, Mitaka: How to Get There from Central Tokyo, What Is Inside, and What to Know Before You Go

How to get to the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka from Shinjuku or Akihabara, what is inside (Cat Bus, Robot Soldier, Saturn Theater short film), admission prices, and the November 2026 closure. Tickets are advance-only.

Ghibli Park vs Ghibli Museum: The Differences, the Tickets, and Which One Fits Your Trip

Ghibli Museum is a small museum in Tokyo (from ¥1,000, a few hours). Ghibli Park is a full day in Aichi, near Nagoya (day passes ¥3,300–¥7,800). The differences, the tickets, and which suits your trip.

Hasegawa Machiko Museum: Sazae-san's Creator in Setagaya, and What Is On

The Hasegawa Machiko Art Museum and Memorial Museum in Sakura-shinmachi, Setagaya, honour the creator of Sazae-san. One ticket covers both. Until 8 November 2026: a Sazae-san 80th-anniversary exhibition and a wood-carving collection show.

Japan Anime Tour Packages: When a Package Is Worth Buying, and When It Just Costs More

Most anime fans do not need a Japan tour package. Book flights and hotels yourself, pre-book what sells out, and pay for a guide for one half day.

Kanda Myojin: The Shrine Seven Minutes from Akihabara, the Love Live! Steps, and the Charm That Protects Your Laptop

Kanda Myojin is the shrine seven minutes from Akihabara's Electric Town Exit: Akihabara's own guardian shrine, the Love Live! steps, an IT protection charm and a sacred pony. How to visit, from a local guide.

GeGeGe no Kitaro in Chofu: The Statues, the Park and Kitaro Chaya's New Home

Chofu, where Shigeru Mizuki lived and drew for decades, has Kitaro statues along Tenjin-dori from the station to Fuda Tenjin Shrine, the Kitaro Hiroba park, Kitaro buses, and Kitaro Chaya, which moved to Tenjin-dori in November 2024.

Slam Dunk Crossing in Kamakura: What the City Asks of Visitors, and How to Visit Without Being the Problem

The Slam Dunk level crossing by Enoden's Kamakura-Kokomae Station is so crowded that Kamakura City has run guided crowd control, a photo area in Koshigoe Racco Park, trash stations and AI cameras. What the city asks of visitors, from its official pages.

Snoopy Museum Tokyo: How to Get Tickets, What Is On, and What to Know Before You Go

Snoopy Museum Tokyo in Minami-Machida Grandberry Park sells timed advance tickets on e+ until 20:00 the day before; same-day tickets only when there is room. Siblings are Wonderful runs to 28 February 2027, with 15 Peanuts originals never shown before.

Suginami Animation Museum: Free, Hands-On, and the Best Place in Tokyo to See How Anime Is Made

The Suginami Animation Museum near Ogikubo is free, theatre included, and closed on Mondays. Its Shin-Ei Animation 50th exhibition shows Doraemon from 6 October 2026. What is inside and how to get there.

Toei Animation Museum: Free Entry, Closed Wednesdays, and How to Reach Oizumi from Central Tokyo

The Toei Animation Museum in Oizumi, Nerima, is free and takes 30 minutes to an hour. Closed every Wednesday. How to get there from Ikebukuro, what is on in its 70th-anniversary year, and the photo rules.

Tokiwaso Manga Museum: The Apartment Where Manga Grew Up, and How to Visit

The Tokiwaso Manga Museum in Toshima rebuilds the apartment where Osamu Tezuka, Fujiko F. Fujio, Shotaro Ishinomori and Fujio Akatsuka lived. Book ahead for priority entry, bring socks (shoes come off), and note the Jiro Tsunoda exhibition to 23 November.

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Anime Events in Tokyo, October 2026 to March 2027: Dates, Venues, and the One That Moved to Osaka

The big anime events from October 2026 to March 2027, with dates from each official site: Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Fest, TIFF animation, Jump Festa, Comiket 109, and why AnimeJapan 2027 is in Osaka.

Anime Pop-Ups in Tokyo, October 2026: Shops, Collab Cafés and Exhibitions, With Dates

Anime pop-up shops, collab cafés and exhibitions in Tokyo, October–November 2026, from official pages, with closed/running status checked 2 November 2026: Angelique 30th and Doraemon Mirai Depart are running; Love Live! Hasunosora, Cardcaptor Sakura and most October pop-ups have closed; Ace Attorney and Final Fantasy X cafes are running.

Comiket 109 for Visitors: Dates, Wristbands, Cosplay Rules, and How Not to Waste the Day

Comiket 109 runs 29–31 December 2026 at Tokyo Big Sight. Everyone needs a wristband or ticket; details come out in late October or early November. How entry worked at C108, cosplay rules, and first-timer advice.

GUNDAM-Con 2027: Dates, How the Ticket Lottery Works, and What Is On

GUNDAM-Con2027 SIDE MAKUHARI runs 9 to 11 January 2027 at Makuhari Messe Halls 1 to 3, the first of the Gundam 50th-anniversary events. Entry is by paid, timed-entry lottery: second draw to 12 October, third draw 30 October to 8 November 2026.

Jump Festa 2027: Dates, How the Free Ticket Lottery Works, and What You Need Before You Apply

Jump Festa 2027 is on 19 and 20 December 2026 at Makuhari Messe. Entry is free but by lottery through the Jump NAVI app: the open draw runs 2 to 16 November, results 24 November. Stage, shop and art-gallery tickets are a second draw.

Tokyo Anime Center: Where It Is Now, What Is On, and Whether You Need a Ticket

Tokyo Anime Center is on the 2nd floor of Shibuya MODI, three minutes from Hachiko exit. Exhibitions need timed tickets; pop-up shops are free. On now: Angelique 30th to 8 November 2026. Next: Ensemble Stars! THE STAGE costume exhibition from 28 November.

Tokyo Comic Con 2026: Dates, Tickets, Guests and How to Get to Makuhari

Tokyo Comic Con 2026 runs 11 to 13 December 2026 at Makuhari Messe, its 10th anniversary. Day tickets and a limited three-day pass are on sale; photo and autograph tickets need an entry ticket too. Guests include Mads Mikkelsen and Nicolas Cage.

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Convenience Stores and Shops in Japan: How to Pay and What Staff Are Asking You — Explained by a Japanese Teacher in Tokyo

Put your items and your money on the small tray at the register rather than into the staff member's hands, answer the bag question (plastic bags carry a…

Japanese Dining Etiquette: Chopsticks, Slurping, and Eating in Public — Explained by a Japanese Teacher in Tokyo

The rules that actually matter are short: never stand chopsticks upright in rice or pass food chopstick to chopstick, because both echo funeral rites. Slurping noodles is fine, say itadakimasu before you eat, and do not tip.

Japanese Etiquette: A Complete Guide for First-Time Visitors, Written by a Tokyo Teacher and Tour Guide

Shared space belongs to everyone — that's why Japan has quiet trains, no tipping, shoes off indoors. Japan social rules, etiquette and why they exist, from a Tokyo teacher.

What If Nobody Speaks English? How to Get Through Japan Without Japanese — Written by a Tokyo Japanese Teacher

You will be fine, and the reason is not that everyone speaks English. Japan is heavily signposted, staff are trained to help, and most interactions are short and predictable.

Why There Is No Tipping in Japan — and What to Do Instead: A Straight Answer from a Tokyo Tour Guide

Do not tip in Japan: it is not customary in restaurants, taxis, hotels, bars or salons, and cash left on a table is usually returned to you. What replaces a tip is saying thank you out loud and leaving a review.

Why Japan Has No Bins, and What to Do With Your Rubbish — From a Guide Who Carries One Every Day

Public bins are rare in Japan. Carry your rubbish until you reach a convenience store, a station or your hotel, and keep a small plastic bag in your day bag.

Onsen and Sento Etiquette: The Rules, Step by Step, from a Tokyo Guide Who Uses Them

You bathe naked, wash and rinse completely before entering, and use the bath only for soaking. Tattoo rules vary by facility, so check first.

Photography Etiquette in Japan: Where You Can Shoot, and Where You Really Can't — From a Tour Guide Asked This Every Week

Streets and temple grounds: yes. People: ask first. Shops, maid cafés, onsen and hall interiors: no. A Tokyo guide on where photos are OK in Japan.

Public Toilets in Japan: Where to Find One, and What All Those Buttons Do — From a Tokyo Guide Who Gets Asked This Every Week

Public toilets in Japan are free, everywhere and usually clean. The one thing to learn is the panel: 流す is flush, 止 is stop, and 呼出 calls staff — don't press it by mistake.

Shrine and Temple Etiquette in Japan: How to Visit Without Guessing — A Tokyo Tour Guide's Step-by-Step

At a shrine you bow twice, clap twice and bow once; at a temple you do not clap. A Tokyo guide on the water basin, the offering coin, photos and what matters.

Where You Take Your Shoes Off in Japan, and How to Do It Smoothly — Explained by a Japanese Teacher in Tokyo

Take your shoes off wherever there is a step up, a row of slippers or a shoe shelf. A Japanese teacher on the genkan, the toilet-slipper trap and where it applies.

Train and Subway Etiquette in Japan: What Locals Actually Do — From a Guide Who Rides These Lines Every Week

On Japanese trains: no phone calls, backpack off in a crowd, queue on the painted marks, let people off first, and give up priority seats. What locals actually do.

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Which ATMs in Japan Accept Foreign Cards? The Two That Always Work

Most Japanese bank ATMs reject overseas cards. The two networks that always work, where to find them, what they will and will not do, and how to avoid getting stuck without cash.

Do I Need Cash in Japan? An Honest Answer From a Tokyo Guide Who Still Carries a Coin Purse

Yes, a little. Cards cover most of Tokyo; cash is for small restaurants, shrines, markets and old machines. Plus the ATMs that take foreign cards.

How Do You Use Suica on an iPhone in Japan? The Setup, Start to Finish

Add Suica to Apple Wallet before you land, tap through the gates without unlocking, and top up when you run low — the setup, the traps, and what Android users have to do instead.

Tax-Free Shopping in Japan After November 2026: Pay Full Price, Get It Back at the Airport

From 1 November 2026, Japan stops removing tax at the till. You pay full price, show your purchases at the airport, and get the tax back. What changed and what to do.

Welcome Suica: The Card That's Different From "Suica on Your iPhone"

Welcome Suica is JR East's deposit-free IC card for short-term visitors, valid for 28 days, with no refund of the balance. The Mobile app version lasts 180 days on iPhone.

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Where can you store luggage in Akihabara? A Straight Answer from a Local Tour Guide

Where the coin lockers are at Akihabara: JR's 24-hour bank by the Showa-dori exit, Hibiya line exits 3 and 5, TX basement, plus ecbo cloak and Bounce.

How Do You Get to Akihabara, and Which Station Exit Should You Use? Directions from the Guide Who Meets People There Every Week

At Akihabara Station, take any train and leave by the Electric Town Exit; every other exit strands you across the tracks. Narita and Haneda: one change.

eSIM, Pocket Wi-Fi or a SIM Card in Japan? What I Tell Guests Before They Fly

An eSIM covers most visitors. Get pocket Wi-Fi if you are sharing, or a SIM if your phone is locked. Where to pick each up at Narita and Haneda, checked 21 Sept 2026.

Is the JR Pass Worth It in 2026? The Prices, the Catch, and a Five-Minute Test

The official 2026 JR Pass prices, the October 2026 increase for passes bought through overseas agencies, the extra ticket you need for Nozomi trains, and a simple test to see if it pays off.

Shipping Anime Figures Home from Japan: EMS, Packets and Parcels, and What You Cannot Send

How to post anime figures and goods home from Japan with Japan Post: EMS for speed, Small Packets or International Air Packet under 2 kg, International Parcel Post above, labels made online, and the items you cannot send, from sprays to loose lithium batteries.

How Does Luggage Forwarding in Japan Work? Send the Suitcase, Not Yourself

Send your suitcase ahead instead of dragging it through train stations. How takkyubin works hotel to hotel and to the airport, what to keep with you, and when to book.

What Do You Actually Have to Book Before You Get to Tokyo?

Ghibli Museum tickets go on sale at 10am JST on the 10th for the next month. teamLab has no door sales. What must be booked ahead in Tokyo, and what needs nothing.

What Should You Pack for Japan? A Month-by-Month List Built From the Actual Climate Data

Tokyo's official 30-year climate normals, turned into a packing list for each month — what the numbers actually mean for your bag, plus the four things every month needs regardless of season.

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Do Japanese People Really Talk Like Anime Characters? An Honest Answer from a Tokyo Teacher Who Has Watched 1,500+ Series

No. Real Japanese people do not talk like anime characters most of the time, but anime is not fake Japanese either. It is real grammar and real…

Famous Anime Phrases in Japanese: Which Ones You Can Actually Say, and Which Ones Will Make a Room Go Quiet

Famous anime phrases fall into three groups. A small set (itadakimasu, yoroshiku onegaishimasu, sugoi, kawaii) is used by real people every day. A second…

Which Japanese Words Do You Already Know from Anime? 100 Words Sorted by Whether You Can Say Them in Japan, by a Teacher Who's Watched 1,500+ Series

You already know more Japanese than you think. Most anime fans who book a lesson with me arrive with around 100 words they never studied. About 40 of…

How Do You Find a Japanese Tutor Online? A Teacher's Checklist for Picking One

A teacher's checklist for finding a Japanese tutor online — where they actually are, the six things to check before you book, what a first lesson should look like, and when a tutor is the wrong purchase.

Is italki Worth It for Japanese? An Honest Answer from a Japanese Teacher Who Teaches There

An honest answer to "is italki worth it" for Japanese learners, from a Japanese teacher who teaches on italki — what it is good for, where it is not, and how to tell if it fits you.

Where Can You Practise Japanese Conversation Online? A Teacher's Map of the Options

Where to actually practise speaking Japanese online — exchange partners, tutors, group classes, AI and solo drills — what each one can and cannot fix, and the weekly routine that works.

How Do You Learn Japanese Online as a Beginner? A Teacher's Order of Operations

A Japanese teacher's order of operations for absolute beginners learning online — what to do in the first month, when a tutor starts being worth it, and the four beginner habits that waste the most time.

Can You Learn Japanese by Reading Manga? An Honest Answer from an Akihabara Tour Guide Who Teaches Japanese

Yes — manga with furigana is one of the best reading tools for beginners. A Japanese teacher on which titles to start with, how to read without kanji, and where manga stops helping.

Which Website or App Should You Use to Learn Japanese with Anime? A Teacher's Honest Answer

A teacher's honest answer on the websites, apps and browser extensions for learning Japanese with anime — what each type does, what to check before you trust one, and the free setup that works.