Every article

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Everything we have written about otaku Japan — the shops, the pilgrimage spots, the conventions and how to actually get in — newest first.

2026

Den Den Town (Osaka)

One Day of Otaku Osaka: A Den Den Town & Otaroad Itinerary

Ikebukuro (Otome Road)

One Day in Ikebukuro: An Otome Road Itinerary for Female Otaku

Nationwide

Cosplay Rules in Japan for Visitors: Where You Can Change, Wear and Photograph

Nationwide

Comiket Survival Guide for Foreign Visitors: Wristbands, Rules & What Goes Wrong

Tokyo

Where to Find Gachapon in Tokyo: The Big Halls, and How the Machines Work

Tokyo

Where to Buy Retro Games in Tokyo — and Whether They'll Work at Home

Tokyo

Where to Buy Doujinshi in Tokyo: Shops, R18 Rules & Getting It Home

Tokyo

Where to Buy Anime Figures in Tokyo: New vs Secondhand, Shop by Shop

Ikebukuro (Otome Road)

2.5D Musicals in Tokyo: What They Are and Where to See One

Ikebukuro (Otome Road)

Where to Buy BL (Boys' Love) Manga and Goods in Tokyo

DoujinIkebukuro (Otome Road)

Toranoana Ikebukuro Store B

Osu (Nagoya)

Osu, Nagoya otaku guide: animate, Mandarake, Jungle & how to get there

ConventionTokyo

Niconico Chokaigi 2027

Figure eventTokyo

Wonder Festival 2027 [Winter]

Retro gamesDen Den Town (Osaka)

Super Potato Nipponbashi (Ota Road Store)

Otaku buildingOsu (Nagoya)

Mandarake Nagoya

FiguresOsu (Nagoya)

Jungle Nagoya

Anime goodsnagoya-station

animate Nagoya

Otaku buildingIkebukuro (Otome Road)

Lashinbang Ikebukuro Women's Doujin Store

Otaku buildingIkebukuro (Otome Road)

Sunshine City

board_gamesAkihabara

Yellow Submarine Akihabara RPG Shop

Otaku buildingAkihabara

Don Quijote Akihabara

Otaku buildingAkihabara

Sofmap AKIBA Amusement-kan

Retro gamesAkihabara

TRADER Akihabara Main Store

Otaku buildingAkihabara

Lashinbang Akihabara New Store

DoujinAkihabara

Melonbooks Akihabara 1st Store

FiguresAkihabara

TAMASHII NATIONS STORE TOKYO

FiguresAkihabara

Volks Akihabara Hobby Tengoku 2

LandmarkTokyo

Life-Size Unicorn Gundam Statue

Character caféTokyo

Pokémon Cafe TOKYO

Tokyo

Where to buy VTuber merch in Tokyo (hololive, Nijisanji & more)

Tokyo

3 days in Tokyo for otaku: the complete first-timer itinerary

FiguresDen Den Town (Osaka)

Volks Osaka Showroom

Trading cardsDen Den Town (Osaka)

Hareruya2 Namba Store

Trading cardsDen Den Town (Osaka)

Hareruya Nipponbashi Store

Otaku buildingIkebukuro (Otome Road)

Mandarake LaLaLa Ikebukuro

Tokyo

Anime collab cafés & pop-ups in Tokyo and Osaka this month (July 2026)

Tokyo

New anime films in Japanese cinemas now, with English subtitles (July 2026)

Tokyo

Do You Need a Reservation for Gundam Base Tokyo? (2026 Rules)

Doujin eventTokyo

Reitaisai 2026 Autumn (Touhou Project Doujin Fair): Date, Venue & Tickets

Doujin eventTokyo

Comic Market 109 (C109) 2026: Dates, Venue & Tickets

Otaku buildingHarajuku

Kiddyland Harajuku

Nationwide

Otaku Japan: the foreigner's guide to etiquette, money & tax-free

Akihabara

Akihabara vs Nakano Broadway vs Ikebukuro: which to visit

Den Den Town (Osaka)

Den Den Town Osaka guide: Nipponbashi otaku shops & Ota Road

Nationwide

Studio Ghibli in Japan: Ghibli Museum & Park Tickets Guide

Tokyo

Gundam in Tokyo: Unicorn Statue, Gundam Base & Buying Gunpla

Tokyo

Pokémon in Tokyo: every Pokémon Center and Café (2026 guide)

Trading cardsDen Den Town (Osaka)

Yellow Submarine Namba Main Store

Maid caféDen Den Town (Osaka)

Maidreamin Osaka Nipponbashi Otaroad

Otaku buildingDen Den Town (Osaka)

Surugaya Osaka Nipponbashi Main Store — Den Den Town, daily 10:00–21:00

Otaku buildingDen Den Town (Osaka)

Mandarake Grand Chaos

Otaku buildingDen Den Town (Osaka)

Joshin Super Kids Land Honten (Nipponbashi)

Anime goodsDen Den Town (Osaka)

Animate Osaka Nipponbashi

Nationwide

Hakone, Evangelion's Real-Life Tokyo-3: Access from Shinjuku (~90 min) & What to See

Nationwide

Numazu & Uchiura — the Love Live! Sunshine!! Hometown (Shizuoka)

Nationwide

The K-On! School — Former Toyosato Elementary (Shiga)

Nationwide

Washinomiya Shrine — the Lucky Star Pilgrimage Origin (Saitama)

Nationwide

The Slam Dunk Railway Crossing at Kamakurakokomae (Kamakura)

Tokyo

The 'Your Name' Staircase at Suga Shrine (Yotsuya, Tokyo)

Nationwide

Anime pilgrimage in Japan: how to visit real-life anime locations (seichi junrei)

Akihabara

One perfect day in Akihabara: a first-timer's otaku itinerary

Nationwide

How to ship figures & anime goods home from Japan (tax-free, customs, options)

Nationwide

Otaku glossary: anime & otaku terms every visitor should know

Ikebukuro (Otome Road)

Ikebukuro Otome Road guide: otaku Tokyo for female fans (animate, BL, 2.5D)

Nakano Broadway

Nakano Broadway Guide: 5 Min from Shinjuku, Dozens of Mandarake Shops (by Floor)

Akihabara

Tax-free shopping in Japan: how it works for otaku buys (passport, minimums, rules)

Akihabara

How to see idols in Akihabara: AKB48 Theater, idol bars & live houses

Akihabara

Where to play card games in Tokyo: Pokémon, Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh & One Piece TCG

Akihabara

Maid café etiquette: a first-timer's guide (photos, charges & rules)

Akihabara

Akihabara otaku guide: shops, by floor, tax-free & how to get there

ConventionTokyo

Jump Festa 2027: Dates Confirmed — 19–20 December 2026, Makuhari Messe

ConventionOsaka

AnimeJapan 2027

Game eventTokyo

Tokyo Game Show 2026 — Sept 17–21, Makuhari Messe

Doujin eventTokyo

Comic Market 108 (C108) — Aug 15–16, 2026, Tokyo Big Sight

Figure eventTokyo

Wonder Festival 2026 [Summer]

Otaku buildingTokyo

Tokyo Character Street

MuseumTokyo

Ghibli Museum, Mitaka

Anime goodsShibuya

Pokémon Center SHIBUYA

Anime goodsShibuya

Nintendo TOKYO

FiguresTokyo

The Gundam Base Tokyo

Anime goodsIkebukuro (Otome Road)

Pokémon Center MEGA TOKYO

DoujinIkebukuro (Otome Road)

K-BOOKS Ikebukuro Otome-kan

Anime goodsIkebukuro (Otome Road)

animate Ikebukuro Flagship Store

Otaku buildingNakano Broadway

Mandarake Nakano

Otaku buildingNakano Broadway

Nakano Broadway

Trading cardsAkihabara

Hareruya2 Akihabara Tower Store

Trading cardsAkihabara

Card Rush Akihabara

Trading cardsAkihabara

BIG MAGIC Akihabara

Trading cardsAkihabara

Hareruya Akihabara: Hours, Access & How to Join Daily MTG Events

Idol caféAkihabara

Twin Box AKIHABARA

Idol caféAkihabara

Akihabara Dear Stage

Maid caféAkihabara

Maidreamin (Akihabara Main Store)

Maid caféAkihabara

@home cafe (Akihabara Main Store)

Idol caféAkihabara

AKB48 Theater

ArcadeAkihabara

GiGO Akihabara Building 2

GachaponAkihabara

Akihabara Gachapon Kaikan

ElectronicsAkihabara

Yodobashi Camera Multimedia Akiba

FiguresAkihabara

Kotobukiya Akihabara

Otaku buildingAkihabara

Surugaya Akihabara Main Store

FiguresAkihabara

AmiAmi Akihabara Radio Kaikan Store

Anime goodsAkihabara

animate Akihabara

Retro gamesAkihabara

Super Potato Akihabara

Otaku buildingAkihabara

Mandarake Complex Akihabara

Otaku buildingAkihabara

Akihabara Radio Kaikan

TCG tournamentTokyo

Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2026 (Tokyo): Held Aug 28-30 — Dates, Venue & Why You Couldn't Attend

Nationwide

Japan's Tax-Free Shopping Change on November 1, 2026: What Otaku Shoppers Need to Know

Trading cardsOsu (Nagoya)

Suruga-ya Nagoya Osu Trading Card & Board Game Hall

Otaku buildingOsu (Nagoya)

Suruga-ya Nagoya Osu Main Store

Otaku buildingOsu (Nagoya)

Lashinbang Nagoya Osu

Akihabara

Pokémon TCG Tournament in Tokyo This Weekend: Where to Play (English-Friendly)

How OTAKU COMPASS verifies information — Editorial Policy

Nationwide

Jump Festa vs AnimeJapan: Which Anime Event Should You Visit?

chiba

Tokyo Game Show 2026 Tickets: How to Buy (Business vs Public Days)

chiba

How to Get to Makuhari Messe from Tokyo (Trains, Time & Cost) — Anime Event Access

chiba

Do You Need Tickets for Jump Festa 2027? Free Entry & Stage Lottery Explained

Nationwide

Anime & Manga Events in Japan 2026-2027: Full Calendar & How to Attend

Akihabara

Can You Take Photos in a Maid Cafe? Japan Rules (2026)