Guide · Akihabara

Part of: Things to Do in Akihabara: Local Guide's List

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

Don Quijote Akihabara, at 4-3-3 Sotokanda on Chuo-dori, is a discount store building with much more than discount floors: currency exchange and snack stalls on 1F, an @home cafe maid café on 5F, an amusement arcade on 6F and 7F, and the AKB48 Theater on 8F. Its store page lists it as open 24 hours, tax-free, and taking a long list of cards and payment apps. I run private anime tours here most weeks, and this is the building guests find without trying.

"Donki", as everyone calls it, is a Japanese discount chain famous for packed aisles and late hours. The Akihabara branch is also an Akihabara building, so it stacks anime and idol culture on top of the snacks and cosmetics.

What is on each floor of Don Quijote Akihabara?

Don Quijote's own sales floors sit in the middle of the building, with independent tenants above and below. The official store page lists a pachinko and slot hall on B1 and 1F; currency exchange, crêpes, fried sandwiches, beef skewers and a figure shop on 1F; @home cafe on 5F; Tokyo Leisure Land on 6F and 7F; and the AKB48 Theater on 8F.

This is the list I use with guests on my Akihabara anime tour, from Don Quijote's store page for Akihabara:

Don Quijote's own discount floors are between these. The store page does not publish a floor-by-floor plan of them, so I will not invent one here; follow the signs at the escalators.

Is the maid café in Don Quijote Akihabara a real @home cafe?

Yes. @home cafe lists its Akihabara Donki branch on the 5th floor of Don Quijote Akihabara, at the same address. It runs on the chain's usual system: an entry fee plus one drink per person, for about an hour. Children 12 and under enter free.

The prices, rules and how to choose a maid café without being steered by street promoters are in Akihabara maid cafés. The Donki branch is a good choice for a first visit because you can find it without following anyone.

Can tourists shop tax-free at Don Quijote Akihabara?

Yes. The store page lists tax-free service, along with UnionPay, credit cards, transport IC cards such as Suica and PASMO, and a long list of overseas payment apps, including WeChat Pay, Alipay+ and KakaoPay, though some are accepted only at certain registers. From 1 November 2026 you pay the tax at the till and get it back after a customs check at the airport.

The ¥5,000-per-store, same-day rule and the new airport process are in tax-free shopping in Japan after November 2026. If you need yen, the money exchange on 1F is in the same building; ATMs that take foreign cards covers the alternatives.

What anime goods does Don Quijote sell?

Besides general character goods, Don Quijote releases chain-exclusive anime collaborations. The Akihabara store page lists recent ones, including Blue Lock goods from 10 October 2026 and Bocchi the Rock! Don Quijote–exclusive goods from 17 October 2026, sold until stock runs out.

This is the honest section. Donki is not where serious collectors shop for figures; the secondhand floors elsewhere in Akihabara are. It is where you buy snacks, cosmetics and souvenirs at discount prices, pick up an exclusive collab item, and find something open after the anime shops close. For the serious side, where to buy anime figures in Akihabara is the guide.

Is Don Quijote Akihabara open 24 hours?

Its official store page lists it as open 24 hours with no closing day, with occasional exceptions announced on the page. For example, it closes early on 7 October 2026 for stocktaking and reopens at 9:00 on 8 October. The tenants on other floors keep their own hours.

That makes it the one big Akihabara store you can visit after dinner. The evening plan for the rest of the district is in Akihabara at night.

How do you get to Don Quijote Akihabara?

From JR Akihabara's Electric Town Exit, walk towards UDX and out to Chuo-dori, then about three minutes north towards Okachimachi and Ueno. Or go up onto the UDX deck, where you will see the store on your left after about three minutes, then come down to Chuo-dori. The store has a 36-space car park.

Which exit is which is in getting to Akihabara.

Frequently asked questions

What floor is the maid café at Don Quijote Akihabara? The 5th floor: @home cafe's Akihabara Donki branch.

What is on the 8th floor of Don Quijote Akihabara? The AKB48 Theater.

Is Don Quijote Akihabara tax-free? Yes, according to its store page. Bring your passport.

Is there an arcade in Don Quijote Akihabara? Yes. Tokyo Leisure Land Akihabara No. 2 is on the 6th and 7th floors.

Can I change money at Don Quijote Akihabara? Yes. Akihabara Money Exchange on the 1st floor exchanges foreign currency.

Discount floors in the middle, Akihabara above and below

If you would like the rest of the district planned around the anime you watch, Adventure in Akihabara with Anime is my private half-day walk, three to four hours, never shared with other guests. The price is on the tour page.

About the author. I am Yuuki, a Japanese teacher and Akihabara anime tour guide based in Tokyo. I run private anime tours here most weeks, rated 4.96★ on Airbnb across 171 reviews. I have watched over 1,500 anime series, which is either a qualification or a warning depending on your point of view.

See the Akihabara anime tour →

Sources: Don Quijote (PPIH), Akihabara store page (4-3-3 Sotokanda; open 24 hours, no closing day; stocktaking notice for 7–8 October 2026; services including tax-free, UnionPay, credit cards; electronic money and payment apps, some at certain registers only; car park; walking directions; tenant list by floor; store news on anime collaborations); @home cafe, System (entry fee plus one drink, about one hour, free for 12 and under) and branch list (Akihabara Donki, 5F, 4-3-3 Sotokanda). All checked 4 October 2026.