To get your otaku fix and see more of the city, catch the best of Akihabara
Akihabara is a common name for the area around Akihabara Station in the Chiyoda ward of Tokyo, Japan. Administratively, the area called Akihabara mainly belongs to the Sotokanda and Kanda-Sakumachō districts in Chiyoda. There exists an administrative district called Akihabara in the Tai…
Manga are comics or graphic novels created in Japan or by creators in the Japanese language, conforming to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century. They have a long and complex pre-history in earlier Japanese art.
Odds are you’ll be spending a lot of time in Shinjuku, many of the things to do for fun in Tokyo are located in this part of the city. This Gyeon, Japanese for garden, is a place to take a break in the center of Shinjuku, a hidden treasure among the many skyscrapers of downtown.
Including the Mecca of Otaku culture, Akihabara, there are several spots in and around Tokyo where Anime and Manga lovers would love to spend time particularly such as shops, museums cafes and other sites.
For more anime events, click here. A huge anime trade show held at Tokyo Big Sight every year. They have big impressive booths set up of upcoming anime series and they tend to give out some nice promo stuff to boot. You’ll find plenty feast your eyes on, like art exhibitions, statues, dioramas, and live performances around the show floor.
Formerly located in Akihabara, the Tokyo Anime Center can now be found in the basement of the DNP Plaza near Ichigaya Station. Besides a small shop featuring anime-related goods and an event space, the center hosts rotating temporary exhibitions about works of anime.
TL;DR: Yes. It is safe but with a catch. Streaming services that have a license to broadcast content within Japan such as Niconico are ideal. Streaming services meant to distribute anime abroad such as Crunchyroll and Hulu are also legal to view in Japan.
Tiger And Bunny. According to a poll in Japan, the Tiger and Bunny franchise came out as the most popular anime production of all time. The characters came from an original manga, were made into an animated series, video games, a stage play, and live-action films.
AkihabaraAkihabara. It's no secret that Akihabara is the capital of otakudom. There are countless shops dedicated to anime, manga, and video games. Although it might be the first place you want to go, we recommend waiting until Sunday.
Akihabara, nicknamed the electric town of Tokyo, is the undisputed centre of anime culture in Japan. Most major anime, manga and gaming stores have a branch here, including the iconic Animate for all things anime and Yodobashi for your techie odds and ends.
The first generation of animators in the late 1910s included Ōten Shimokawa, Jun'ichi Kōuchi and Seitaro Kitayama, commonly referred to as the "fathers" of anime.
According to the data, the first quarter of 2021 has seen demand skyrocket up to 32% higher. The report, which can be seen above, also shows the trend for all of 2020. It seems like the third quarter of last year peaked for anime, but its fourth quarter remained strong.
Reasons Why Anime Is Popular In Japan And because of its visual freedom, producers can make these narratives seem larger than life. In the words of a famous anime expert, Takamasa Sakurai: the unique genre is loved due to its unconventional nature. Hence, anime has killed the idea that only kids watch cartoons.
AkihabaraAkihabara. Akihabara is the center of gaming, manga and anime culture in Japan.
The Anime Studio Visit and Workshop with Japan Awaits is a 4-hour experience at a local Anime Studio in Tokyo, where guests will be able to visit the anime studio and attend a short workshop to learn how to draw anime and manga characters. This is the perfect tour for anime/ manga lovers.
Ghibli Park, a new anime theme park destination in Japan, to open in November. (CNN) — Fans of "My Neighbor Totoro," "Kiki's Delivery Service," and other films from director Hayao Miyazaki of the legendary Studio Ghibli, will have a new destination to add to their travel bucket list later this year.
It might surprise you, but despite being lower on the overall nerdy scale, the South and Midwest states have some serious anime fans. Anime was the top searched fandom in Kansas, Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, South Carolina, and Mississippi. Of course, California was representing the otaku , too.
In current society, it's not just the charming and cool characters that attract fans worldwide, but also the storylines and world views of each show. While some anime are set in foreign countries or made up places, there are many that are set in the Tokyo area of Japan.
Nerima, a residential neighbourhood in eastern Tokyo, has a big claim to fame: it’s where Japan’s anime production was born. In 1958, Toei Animation made Japan’s first full-colour animated feature film, The Tale of the White Serpent, in a studio near Oizumi-gakuen station in Nerima.
If you’re a fan of Toei Animation and have at least half a day free, the Toei Animation Museum is the place to come for anime memorabilia. It opened in 2018 in the Toei Oizumi Animation Studio, the place that gave birth to many of Japan’s best-known anime masterpieces (think Galaxy Express 999, Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon, One Piece and more).
Tama, in west Tokyo, is home to all things cute as it’s where you can meet and interact with Hello Kitty and her entourage.
Opened in 1990 and one of Tokyo’s most popular theme parks, Sanrio Puroland is where you can meet Hello Kitty and many of her Sanrio character friends, who share a common theme: bright, vivid colours and tons of cuteness. The park keeps its millions of annual visitors entertained with events, shows, attractions and loads of merchandise.
Now you’ve seen Hello Kitty’s house, you can see her on several manhole covers, too. Tama has three Hello Kitty manhole covers, all located near Tama Center, the nearest station to Sanrio Puroland. As you may have guessed, Hello Kitty is an official goodwill ambassador for the station, which is also why you get to see a lot of her in the area.
Nakano near Nerima is the place to come if you’re a serious anime shopper or want to gain a deeper understanding of the roots of Japanese anime.
Get ready to fill up your bags! As the epicentre of Japanese subculture, this massive five-storey shopping complex specialises in manga, anime, magazines and figurines, mostly tailored to hobbyists and collectors. Mandarake, specialising in manga comics, is especially popular.
It used to be located in Akihabara, and now it’s relocated to Shibuya MODI 2F.
If you are a manga/anime lover travelling to Japan, you should definitely visit manga and anime places in Japan, especially, there are many of them in Tokyo. Not only the Mecca of Otaku culture, Akihabara, ...
Nakano Broadway is a main hub of the area, which is a large shopping complex which houses numbers of shops including the famous Manga store, Mandarake, offering manga and anime related items. If you have already been to Akihabara, and could not get enough, Nakano Broadway is definitely your next stop.
Pokemon Center is an official Pokemon store offering games and merchandise which every Pokemon fans would wish for. There are currently 14 Pokemon Center in Japan including five in Tokyo. The biggest Pokemon center, Pokemon Center TOKYO DX has opened in Nihonbashi, Tokyo with their first permanent Pokemon Cafe.
4. Akihabara . One of most popular districts in Tokyo, Akihabara is known as the electric town selling a wide range of electronic products, and also famous for being the center of Japanese geek culture.
Fujiko F Fujio is the creator of the long-beloved Japanese manga/animation, DORAEMON, and his museum is located in Kawasaki, just outside of Tokyo. Fujiko F Fujio Museum a.k.a. DORAEMON Museum showcases numbers of precious works of Fujiko, mainly DORAEMON and the original artworks and short films. Visitors can also learn the history ...
When we talk about animations, we can not just ignore the biggest animation studio in the whole world. Tokyo has two Disney themed parks: Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea which are located next to each other in Tokyo Disney Resort.
Formerly located in Akihabara, the Tokyo Anime Center can now be found in the basement of the DNP Plaza near Ichigaya Station. Besides a small shop featuring anime-related goods and an event space, the center hosts rotating temporary exhibitions about works of anime.
This museum is located in Suginami City Ward, a center of Japanese anime production. It features hands-on activities such as a dubbing booth and a digital workshop where you can bring your own creations to life.
There are five Pokemon Centers in Tokyo, one in Nihonbashi 's Takashimaya, one in Ikebukuro 's Sunshine City, one in the Lalaport Tokyo-Bay shopping mall in the eastern suburbs of Tokyo, one in Tokyo Skytree Town and one in the Parco building in Shibuya. Additionally, there are Pokemon Stores at Tokyo Station and Narita Airport.
Fujiko F. Fujiyo Museum (aka Doraemon Museum) The Fujiko F. Fujio Museum , informally known as the Doraemon Museum, show the work of manga artist Fujiko F. Fujio, creator of the influential and long running Doraemon series.
Akihabara. Akihabara is the center of gaming, manga and anime culture in Japan. With its electronics shops, maid cafes and anime stores, it is a paradise for any self-proclaimed otaku.
DiverCity Tokyo Plaza. This shopping, dining and entertainment complex opened in 2012 in Odaiba and features attractions related to the Gundam anime series, including a large, "life-size" Gundam statue in front of the building and Gundam Base Tokyo, a shop dedicated to plastic models.
Nihonbashi Takashimaya hours: 10:30 to 21:00. Shibuya hours: 10:00 to 21:00. Selling all things Pokemon like trading cards, stationery, toys and games, including some exclusive items. They also have areas for playing with Pokemon cards. There are five Pokemon Centers in Tokyo, one in Nihonbashi 's Takashimaya, one in Ikebukuro 's Sunshine City, ...
Review: If you are in Tokyo, you need to go to Akihabara. It is the biggest anime district and the best anime attraction in the world. Closest station: Akihabara JR, Akihabara Tokyo Metro, and Toei Iwamotocho Staton.
1. Akihabara. Firstly, let’s start with the crown Jewel. Akihabara or Akiba, known colloquially as “Anime Heaven,” or “Anime City” is the biggest anime shopping district in the world. In a few words, it is the best otaku spot for any Anime and Manga fan. It’s a place you’ll enjoy every moment.
Pokémon Cafe, launched in 2018 in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, is a cafe-restaurant decorated with all your favorite pokemon. Just next door, the Pokémon Center is a store where you can find all kinds of merch related to the world of Pokemon and Ash Ketchum’s adventures.
Created by Makoto Shinkai, Kimi No Na Wa (君の名は ) or better known as Your Name, is the highest-grossing anime movie in the world. That’s right, it made more money than Spirited Away from Studio Ghibli. Thanks to the popularity of Kimi No Na Wa in 2016, anime pilgrimage has had a rebirth.
The only fun thing to do on this list that is truly outside of Tokyo but it’s a must visit and only two hours away from the downtown area making for a great day trip. Surf, sunbathe and revel in the glory of the pacific ocean as you down a cold Asahi and drink to your time in Japan.
Hang out in Harajuku. Harajuku is the cultural capital of Japan. Cosplay is the norm here so if you want to get some use out of that D. Va costume then bring it with you to Yoyogi Park and feel free to let your inner superhero out. This is one of the best girly things to do in Tokyo.
Sumo is unique to Japan and has a long history going back over 400 years. If your trip is outside the months of January, May and September you won’t be able to see the Sumo tournaments which are held only three times per year during these months in Tokyo.
Tokyo Food & Drink Tour offers a night of food and drink around Asakusa a hot spot for foodies, a mix of walking tour and food tour to get your fix Tokyo’s varied dishes.
No trip to Tokyo is complete without at least one night of getting drunk with the locals. Golden Gai in Shinjuku is THE place to drink the night away until you wake up the next morning and forget who or where you are. Golden Gai consists of hundreds of bars squeezed into a network of narrow alleyways in Shinjuku.
Chill out in Shinjuku Gyeon. Odds are you’ll be spending a lot of time in Shinjuku, many of the things to do for fun in Tokyo are located in this part of the city. This Gyeon, Japanese for garden, is a place to take a break in the center of Shinjuku, a hidden treasure among the many skyscrapers of downtown.
After waking up with a Golden Gai hangover, have a curry at CoCo’s Curryhouse or a bowl of Ramen and then head to Oedo Onsen Monogatari Luxury Spa to recover.
Anime Japan. A huge anime trade show held at Tokyo Big Sight every year. They have big impressive booths set up of upcoming anime series and they tend to give out some nice promo stuff to boot. You’ll find plenty feast your eyes on, like art exhibitions, statues, dioramas, and live performances around the show floor.
Animers is an anime meetup for English and Japanese speakers that rents out a whole floor of a bar gets together every other Friday in Ikebukuro. A great place for meeting Japanese people and practicing your Japanese as well as meeting English speakers living in Tokyo or just dropping by.
Tokyo Game Show. Not exactly an anime event, but anime is no stranger to Japan’s video game industry. Japan’s version of the big video game expo, Tokyo Game Show doesn’ t disappoint. TGS has probably been floating around attached to the news and trailers you’ve been watching for years.
Akihabara, nicknamed the Electric Town of Tokyo, is the undisputed center of anime culture in Japan. Most major anime, manga and gaming stores have a branch here, including the iconic Animate for all things anime and Yodobashi for your techie odds and ends.
Kabukicho is where you’ll find the famed Shinjuku Robot restaurant along with the Capcom Bar. Game developers Atlus ( Devil Survivor) and Square Enix ( Kingdom Hearts) have their headquarters here, and while you can’t go in, you can check out Square’s Artnia café for Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy refreshments.
Nakano Broadway is a popular shopping center on the radar of every geek, gamer and otaku in Tokyo. Find everything from gaming memorabilia and manga to electronics and antique anime cels. There’s also 16 different Mandarake stores, each one focusing on a different aspect of anime and otaku culture. Nakano Broadway is a bit out ...