Manga/Anime Capital of the World

Akihabara, Tokyo

If you love Japanese manga, anime, or anything pop-culture then Akihabara is a part of Tokyo you will want to make an effort to go.

Basically, make your way to Akihabara Station, which can be reached by a few different train lines... trying to explain the Tokyo metro rail system goes beyond the scope of this post; however it is quite easy, especially if you have a Maps app (Apple, Waze, Google, etc).

You then want to tale the Electric City exit.

We're gonna rock down to Electric Avenue
— Eddy Grant

It's worth finding an Info place and getting a map for the district... or, if you're not looking for anything specific, just browse the stores. A lot of stores are up on higher floors, so it's also worth checking them all out.

We visited a few different Cosplay stores, manga stores, stores full of DVD/CD, video games, etc. The one I was most impressed with was called Mandarake, and is 7 floors of pure geek heaven. Unfortunately, I couldn't find what I was looking for (DVD's of the original Science Ninja Team Gatchaman with English subtitles), but they pretty much had everything. I was tempted to buy all sorts of stuff, but none of it is in English, and I'd be better off just getting what I want from Minotaur or online.

And don't be put off by cute girls in maid outfits handing out flyers — they're advertising the many 'Maid Cafes' that are dotted throughout the district. These are somewhat intriguing and maybe a little creepy... but it's all just a bit of playful fun.

We went to a 'family-friendly' Maid Cafe called @homecafe. Visit that one for the experience. The desserts and hot drinks are amazing, and you can get a 'package' that includes a photo with a Maid. The idea is you are coming home, and your devoted maid is serving you whatever you need. But there are rules: no photos of the maids, no touching, and so on. For me, it was just a little too sweet and cutesy for my tastes, but my daughter and partner loved it, and got photos taken with the maids. It's all about hospitality, at the end of the day.