Akihabara otaku guide: shops, by floor, tax-free & how to get there
A first-timer's map to Akihabara — what each landmark shop sells, which floors to hit, where to play cards, where to meet idols, and the tax-free + cash tips foreign fans need.
Why Akihabara
Akihabara ("Akiba") is Tokyo's otaku capital — a few dense blocks where anime goods, figures, retro games, trading cards, gachapon, maid cafés and idol stages stack vertically into multi-floor buildings. You can spend a full day here without walking more than ten minutes in any direction.
Getting there
Take the JR Yamanote, Keihin-Tohoku or Sobu line to Akihabara Station and leave by the Electric Town (Denkigai) Exit — almost everything below is within a short walk. The Tokyo Metro Hibiya line (Akihabara) and Ginza line (Suehirocho, for the northern end) also work.
The landmark shops
- Akihabara Radio Kaikan — ten floors of figures, cards and goods right at the station; a one-stop tower.
- Mandarake Complex — eight themed floors of secondhand treasure; tax-free + overseas shipping.
- Super Potato — the famous retro-game store, with a 5F retro arcade.
- animate Akihabara & Kotobukiya — new character goods, plus VTuber official shops at Kotobukiya.
- Yodobashi Akiba — a giant electronics store with a big hobby floor, ideal as a first or last stop.
Cards, gachapon, maids & idols
Card players have Hareruya (Magic), Hareruya2 (Pokémon) and multi-game shops like BIG MAGIC and Card Rush — see our TCG tournament guide. For capsule toys, Gachapon Kaikan has ~500 machines (cash only). First maid café? Read the etiquette guide. To see idols, start with the Akihabara idol guide.
Practical tips
- Tax-free: major shops offer duty-free for foreign passports — carry your passport. See the tax-free guide.
- Cash: cards and IC are common, but some smaller shops and gachapon are cash-only. Carry yen.
- Hours: most shops open late morning (10:00–11:00) and close 20:00–22:00. Maid cafés and arcades run later.
คำถามที่พบบ่อย
- Which station exit for Akihabara?
- JR Akihabara Station's Electric Town (Denkigai) Exit puts you in the heart of the shops. For the northern end (around Kotobukiya / Gachapon Kaikan), Suehirocho on the Ginza line is closer.
- Is Akihabara tax-free for tourists?
- Many large shops (Mandarake, Yodobashi, animate and others) offer tax-free shopping for foreign passport holders, usually above a minimum spend. Bring your passport and look for the Japan Tax-free Shop logo. See our tax-free guide.
- How long do I need in Akihabara?
- Half a day covers the landmark shops; a full day lets you add a maid café, a card tournament or an idol show. Everything is within a ~10-minute walk.
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Akihabara Radio Kaikan
Akihabara's landmark hobby tower right by the station: ten floors of figures, anime goods, trading cards, dolls and model kits.
Mandarake Complex Akihabara
Eight floors of secondhand otaku treasure: vintage figures, doujinshi, retro toys, cosplay and collectibles, each floor with its own theme.
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Super Potato Akihabara
Akihabara's landmark retro game store: vintage consoles and software across three floors, topped by a 5F retro arcade.
Yodobashi Camera Multimedia Akiba
Giant electronics megastore directly at Akihabara Station, with a large toy/hobby floor of figures, models, trading cards and games.
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Hareruya2 Akihabara Tower Store
Whole-building Pokémon TCG specialty store with a 152-seat play space and daily Pokémon tournaments, from the Hareruya group.
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@home cafe (Akihabara Main Store)
One of Akihabara's best-known maid cafés, across several floors of the Mitsuwa Building, welcoming foreign 'masters' and 'princesses' home.
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