Tokyo · Akihabara and Kanda
Akihabara Electric Town
After World War II, street sellers gathered between Kanda and Akihabara, selling electrical parts and wire from army surplus. In 1949 the occupation authorities issued an order against street stalls, and the sellers moved under the tracks of Akihabara Station. In Japan's years of growth a double structure formed here: big electrical stores on the main street, and parts shops in the alleys.
In the 90s, when sales of electrical goods fell, the computer shops came, then computer games, then figures and anime goods. The Tokyo tourism site says there were once about 1,000 electronics shops here in an area of about one square kilometer. Today the main avenue, Chuo-dori, is full of computer, anime, manga, game and figure shops, and the alleys hold old games and used computer parts.
Every Sunday about 570 meters of Chuo-dori close to cars, from the Sotokanda 5 intersection to the Manseibashi intersection: 13:00-18:00 from April to September, and 13:00-17:00 from October to March. The arrangement stopped after the vehicle and stabbing attack of June 2008, and returned in January 2011.
Good to know
- The closure to cars can be canceled in rain, strong wind or at short notice. The police canceled it on 28 December 2025 and 4 January 2026, and you should expect the same around the civil New Year.
- Do not stay only on the avenue. Old games and computer parts are in the alleys behind it.
- If you want every shop open, come after 12:00.
What is nearby
Approximate walking minutes from the entrance of Akihabara Electric Town.
- HereAkihabara Electric Town
- 1 min
Super Potato: a living museum of old video games Shopping
Two floors of consoles and games from the 80s and 90s (Famicom, Game Boy, Sega), and on the floor above them a retro arcade, from ¥100 a gam
- 1 min
Taito Hey Akihabara More to see
A four-floor arcade on the main street, open all year.
- ~2 min
Tonkatsu Marugo Food
Pork tonkatsu, chosen for Tabelog's Tonkatsu 100 in 2026. No reservations. Not kosher.
- ~3 min
animate Akihabara Shopping
The anime goods chain, after a renovation that ended on 8 August 2026: floors of character goods in Building 1, and in the ANNEX building, B1 and floor 1, capsule machines (POP @P CAPSULE).
- ~3 min
Mandarake Complex Shopping
A building of used manga, doujinshi, toys and figures. The shop also buys items, until 19:30.
- ~3 min
COSPA Official Store Akihabara Shopping
The official store of Cospa, a long-standing maker of official anime clothing: T-shirts, hoodies and bags from hundreds of series, from subt
- ~3 min
Komaki Shokudo Food
Buddhist shojin cuisine in Akihabara, in the CHABARA market under the tracks: no animal ingredient at all, no white sugar, and no garlic, on
- ~5 min
Yodobashi Camera Multimedia Akiba Shopping
An electronics and appliance store on the east side of the station, with a restaurant floor on floor 8. The restaurants are not kosher.
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