https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/ Practical guides to Akihabara and Tokyo, written by a local anime tour guide. en Sat, 10 Oct 2026 16:39:32 +0000 https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/is-akihabara-worth-visiting/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/is-akihabara-worth-visiting/ Sat, 10 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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). https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/yodobashi-akiba-floor-guide/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/yodobashi-akiba-floor-guide/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/yamashiroya-ueno/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/yamashiroya-ueno/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Yamashiroya is a whole building of toys right outside JR Ueno Station's Hirokoji exit: trend toys, anime and overseas characters, trading cards, kids' toys, figures and hobby, fancy goods, store exclusives, and a 6th-floor event space. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/what-to-buy-in-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/what-to-buy-in-akihabara/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/welcome-suica-guide-for-tourists/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/welcome-suica-guide-for-tourists/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/volks-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/volks-akihabara/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Volks has two Akihabara shops: Hobby Tengoku 2, seven floors of model kits, figures and pop-up events at 4-2-10 Sotokanda, and Doll Point / Hobby Square on Radio Kaikan's 8th floor. Both tax-free. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/ultraman-store-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/ultraman-store-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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, opening 9 October 2026. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/ufotable-cafe-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/ufotable-cafe-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/trader-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/trader-akihabara/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/tokyo-comic-con-2026/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/tokyo-comic-con-2026/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/tokyo-character-street/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/tokyo-character-street/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/tokyo-anime-center/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/tokyo-anime-center/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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, Hasunosora pop-up 9 to 25 October 2026. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/tokiwaso-manga-museum/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/tokiwaso-manga-museum/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/toei-animation-museum/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/toei-animation-museum/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/tamashii-nations-store-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/tamashii-nations-store-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/tamagotchi-store-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/tamagotchi-store-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/surugaya-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/surugaya-akihabara/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/sunshine-city-anime-shops/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/sunshine-city-anime-shops/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/suginami-animation-museum/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/suginami-animation-museum/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/square-enix-cafe-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/square-enix-cafe-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/solamachi-character-shops/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/solamachi-character-shops/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/snoopy-museum-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/snoopy-museum-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/slam-dunk-crossing-kamakura/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/slam-dunk-crossing-kamakura/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/ship-figures-from-japan/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/ship-figures-from-japan/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/shinjuku-anime-stores/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/shinjuku-anime-stores/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/shibuya-anime-shops/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/shibuya-anime-shops/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/sega-store-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/sega-store-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/sanrio-puroland/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/sanrio-puroland/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/sanrio-cafe-harajuku/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/sanrio-cafe-harajuku/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/sailor-moon-store-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/sailor-moon-store-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/rilakkuma-sumikko-shops-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/rilakkuma-sumikko-shops-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/radio-kaikan-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/radio-kaikan-akihabara/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/precure-pretty-store-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/precure-pretty-store-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Precure Pretty Store Tokyo, Toei Animation's official Pretty Cure shop, is on B1 of Tokyo Station Ichibangai in Tokyo Character Street, with store-only goods and a costume photo studio for small children. New-release days use entry tickets. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/pokemon-center-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/pokemon-center-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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). https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/pokemon-cafe-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/pokemon-cafe-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/one-piece-mugiwara-store-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/one-piece-mugiwara-store-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Tokyo has five official ONE PIECE Mugiwara Stores: Shibuya (the main store, by the scramble crossing), Ikebukuro, Odaiba, Tokyo Station and Harajuku. Where each one is, which are tax-free, and what is next door. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/one-piece-card-game-shop-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/one-piece-card-game-shop-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/odaiba-anime-stores/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/odaiba-anime-stores/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/nintendo-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/nintendo-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/nakano-broadway-guide/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/nakano-broadway-guide/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/mandarake-shibuya/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/mandarake-shibuya/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/mandarake-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/mandarake-akihabara/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/maidreamin-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/maidreamin-akihabara/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/lashinbang-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/lashinbang-akihabara/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Lashinbang, the secondhand anime-goods chain, has three Akihabara stores: AKIBA Flags (the flagship, formerly the New Store), Radio Kaikan 5F, and AKIBA DEEP BASE, which is cash only. What each sells. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/kotobukiya-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/kotobukiya-akihabara/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/kitaro-chofu/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/kitaro-chofu/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/kirby-cafe-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/kirby-cafe-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/kiddy-land-harajuku/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/kiddy-land-harajuku/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/karaoke-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/karaoke-akihabara/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/kanda-myojin/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/kanda-myojin/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/kamen-rider-store-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/kamen-rider-store-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Kamen Rider Store Tokyo is the official Kamen Rider shop inside Tokyo Character Street at Tokyo Station, with Showa-to-Reiwa goods, store exclusives and early releases. Ex-Aid 10th-anniversary goods from 2 October 2026. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/jump-shop-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/jump-shop-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/jump-festa-2027/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/jump-festa-2027/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/jojo-store-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/jojo-store-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/is-italki-worth-it-for-japanese/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/is-italki-worth-it-for-japanese/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/ikebukuro-otome-road/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/ikebukuro-otome-road/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/idolmaster-official-shop-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/idolmaster-official-shop-akihabara/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/hololive-store-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/hololive-store-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Tokyo has two hololive official shops, at Tokyo Station's Character Street and at OMOKADO in Harajuku, plus a pop-up in Ikebukuro until 1 November 2026. Where they are, numbered tickets, and what they sell. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/hasegawa-machiko-museum/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/hasegawa-machiko-museum/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/hard-off-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/hard-off-akihabara/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/harajuku-anime-stores/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/harajuku-anime-stores/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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!! https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/hakuhinkan-toy-park/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/hakuhinkan-toy-park/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/gundam-con-2027/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/gundam-con-2027/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/gundam-base-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/gundam-base-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/godzilla-store-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/godzilla-store-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Toho's official Godzilla shops in Tokyo: Godzilla Store Tokyo, the world's first, on Shinjuku Marui Annex 1F near the Godzilla Head, Godzilla Store Daiba at DiverCity Tokyo Plaza 5F, and Godzilla Store Shibuya on Shibuya PARCO 6F. In Akihabara, Yodobashi, Don Quijote and AmiAmi stock Toho's Godzilla goods. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/ghibli-store-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/ghibli-store-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/ghibli-museum-vs-ghibli-park/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/ghibli-museum-vs-ghibli-park/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/ghibli-museum-visit/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/ghibli-museum-visit/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/fujiko-f-fujio-museum/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/fujiko-f-fujio-museum/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/evangelion-store-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/evangelion-store-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/dragon-ball-store-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/dragon-ball-store-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/doraemon-store-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/doraemon-store-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/don-quijote-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/don-quijote-akihabara/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/cure-maid-cafe/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/cure-maid-cafe/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Cure Maid Café, founded in 2001, calls itself Japan's first maid café: classic uniforms, certified tea, and a quiet, relaxing style. It is inside Gee!Store Akiba on Onoden Building 4F, with rotating anime collab cafés; reservations are for supporter-card members. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/crayon-shin-chan-store-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/crayon-shin-chan-store-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/cospa-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/cospa-akihabara/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/comiket-guide/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/comiket-guide/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/chiikawa-land-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/chiikawa-land-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/capcom-store-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/capcom-store-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Capcom has two official stores in Tokyo: CAPCOM STORE TOKYO on Shibuya PARCO 6F and CAPCOM STORE IKEBUKURO on Ikebukuro PARCO B2F, for Monster Hunter, Resident Evil and Street Fighter goods. Plus Capcom Cafe Ikebukuro. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/buy-switch-2-in-japan/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/buy-switch-2-in-japan/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/anime-tokyo-station-ikebukuro/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/anime-tokyo-station-ikebukuro/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/anime-pop-ups-tokyo-october-2026/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/anime-pop-ups-tokyo-october-2026/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Anime pop-up shops, collab cafés and exhibitions running in Tokyo in October 2026, from official pages: Love Live! Hasunosora at Tokyo Anime Center, Cardcaptor Sakura at Solamachi, Doraemon at Tokyo Dome City, Demon Slayer at ufotable Cafe, Ace Attorney at Capcom Cafe. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/anime-events-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/anime-events-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/anime-collab-cafe-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/anime-collab-cafe-tokyo/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/animate-ikebukuro/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/animate-ikebukuro/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/animate-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/animate-akihabara/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/amiami-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/amiami-akihabara/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-retro-game-stores/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-retro-game-stores/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-rainy-day/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-rainy-day/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-manga-stores/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-manga-stores/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-manga-cafe/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-manga-cafe/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-maid-cafe/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-maid-cafe/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-gamers/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-gamers/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-gachapon/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-gachapon/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-electronics/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-electronics/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-card-shops/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-card-shops/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-arcades/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-arcades/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/where-to-buy-anime-figures-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/where-to-buy-anime-figures-akihabara/ Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 New figures: Kotobukiya or animate. Used, usually cheaper and in great shape: Mandarake, Surugaya, Hobby Off. How to check used boxes and spot bootlegs. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/what-to-pack-for-japan-by-month/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/what-to-pack-for-japan-by-month/ Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/tax-free-shopping-japan-2026/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/tax-free-shopping-japan-2026/ Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/atm-foreign-cards-japan/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/atm-foreign-cards-japan/ Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/tokyo-anime-tour-which-district/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/tokyo-anime-tour-which-district/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/takkyubin-luggage-forwarding-japan/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/takkyubin-luggage-forwarding-japan/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/suica-on-iphone-japan/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/suica-on-iphone-japan/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/learn-japanese-with-anime-tools/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/learn-japanese-with-anime-tools/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/learn-japanese-for-beginners-online/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/learn-japanese-for-beginners-online/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/jr-pass-worth-it-2026/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/jr-pass-worth-it-2026/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/japanese-conversation-practice-online/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/japanese-conversation-practice-online/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/japan-anime-tour-packages/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/japan-anime-tour-packages/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/how-to-find-a-japanese-tutor-online/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/how-to-find-a-japanese-tutor-online/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/famous-anime-phrases-in-japanese/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/famous-anime-phrases-in-japanese/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Famous anime phrases fall into three groups. A small set (itadakimasu, yoroshiku onegaishimasu, sugoi, kawaii) is used by real people every day. A second… https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/best-time-to-visit-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/best-time-to-visit-akihabara/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/anime-places-to-visit-in-tokyo/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/anime-places-to-visit-in-tokyo/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Tokyo has three kinds of anime place, and mixing them up is why people come home disappointed. There are shopping districts (Akihabara, Nakano… https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-tourist-information-center/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-tourist-information-center/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Yes. Akihabara's tourist information centre is Akiba Info, on the second floor of the UDX building (4-14-1 Sotokanda), open 11:00–17:00 and closed on… https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-private-vs-group-tour/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-private-vs-group-tour/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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… https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-one-day-itinerary/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-one-day-itinerary/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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). https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/what-to-book-before-tokyo-trip/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/what-to-book-before-tokyo-trip/ Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/japan-esim-vs-pocket-wifi/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/japan-esim-vs-pocket-wifi/ Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/where-to-eat-in-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/where-to-eat-in-akihabara/ Sun, 20 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/ifu-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/ifu-akihabara/ Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 IFU Akihabara: 19 of 21 ramen bowls under ¥1,100, large noodles free, open 05:00–04:00 daily, 4 min from JR Akihabara. Ticket machine photographed Sept 2026. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/what-is-akihabara-famous-for/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/what-is-akihabara-famous-for/ Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/things-to-do-in-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/things-to-do-in-akihabara/ Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-with-kids/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-with-kids/ Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-at-night/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-at-night/ Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/anime-pilgrimage-japan/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/anime-pilgrimage-japan/ Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Seichi junrei — literally sacred-site pilgrimage — means visiting the real places an anime was set in. Most of those places are ordinary stations, level… https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/learn-japanese-reading-manga/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/learn-japanese-reading-manga/ Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/how-long-in-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/how-long-in-akihabara/ Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Three to four hours covers Akihabara for most visitors. Here's exactly what fits in 2, 4 and 8 hours — from a guide who runs anime tours here most weeks. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/getting-to-akihabara-station-exits/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/getting-to-akihabara-station-exits/ Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/first-100-japanese-words-anime/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/first-100-japanese-words-anime/ Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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… https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/do-japanese-people-talk-like-anime/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/do-japanese-people-talk-like-anime/ Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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… https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-vs-nakano-vs-ikebukuro/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-vs-nakano-vs-ikebukuro/ Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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… https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/best-akihabara-anime-tours-compared/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/best-akihabara-anime-tours-compared/ Sat, 05 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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.… https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/juke-steak-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/juke-steak-akihabara/ Thu, 27 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Juke Steak Akihabara: aged-beef harami steak sets, ¥990–¥2,400, lunch 11:30–14:30 (LO 14:00), 3 min from JR Akihabara Central exit. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/public-toilets-in-japan/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/public-toilets-in-japan/ Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/language-barrier-japan-no-japanese/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/language-barrier-japan-no-japanese/ Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/japanese-etiquette-guide/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/japanese-etiquette-guide/ Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/cash-or-card-in-japan/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/cash-or-card-in-japan/ Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/taking-shoes-off-in-japan/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/taking-shoes-off-in-japan/ Sun, 09 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/photography-etiquette-japan/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/photography-etiquette-japan/ Sun, 09 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/onsen-etiquette-tattoos/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/onsen-etiquette-tattoos/ Sun, 09 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 You bathe naked, wash and rinse completely before entering, and use the bath only for soaking. Tattoo rules vary by facility, so check first. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/no-trash-cans-in-japan/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/no-trash-cans-in-japan/ Sun, 09 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/can-you-learn-japanese-from-anime/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/can-you-learn-japanese-from-anime/ Sun, 09 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Yes — anime is one of the best motivators and listening resources for learning Japanese, but it will not make you fluent on its own. Anime gives you… https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-luggage-storage/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-luggage-storage/ Sun, 09 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-anime-shop-etiquette/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/akihabara-anime-shop-etiquette/ Sun, 09 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 No photography inside Akihabara's anime shops, none of staff or maids, and handle secondhand goods gently. A local guide's rules of the floor. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/train-etiquette-japan/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/train-etiquette-japan/ Fri, 07 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/shrine-temple-etiquette-japan/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/shrine-temple-etiquette-japan/ Fri, 07 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/showa-shokudo-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/showa-shokudo-akihabara/ Fri, 07 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Showa Shokudo Akihabara: the ticket machine has an ENGLISH button. House dish ¥980, served in about 4 minutes, 3 min from the station. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/no-tipping-in-japan/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/no-tipping-in-japan/ Fri, 07 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/japanese-dining-etiquette/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/japanese-dining-etiquette/ Fri, 07 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/gogo-curry-akihabara/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/gogo-curry-akihabara/ Fri, 07 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Gogo Curry (Go!Go!Curry) Akihabara: Kanazawa black curry ¥750–¥1,350, 2 min from JR Akihabara, open 09:55–21:55 daily, cash only. Ticket machine photographed Aug 2026. https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/convenience-store-etiquette-japan/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/convenience-store-etiquette-japan/ Fri, 07 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 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… https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/book-off-guide-for-foreigners/ https://www.animesenseijp.com/tips/book-off-guide-for-foreigners/ Fri, 07 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Yes — you can shop Book Off with zero Japanese, using three things: the twenty shelf labels below, the fact that books are filed by the sound of the…