where is the anime capital in japan

Where is the best place to watch anime in Japan?

Nerima City is the birthplace of Japanese animation. At Oizumi-Gakuen Station, you’ll see statues of characters from classic shows like Astro Boy and Tomorrow’s Joe. A short walk from here is the Toei Oizumi Animation Studio, the masterminds behind Dragonball, Sailor Moon, and One Piece.

What is an otaku town in Tokyo?

Each Otaku town is also different in fields of expertise of the pop culture. For example, some towns are famous for Anime and Manga, and others for electronics. Today, I’d like to introduce 3 major Otaku towns in Tokyo where numerous stores for Otaku stand: Akihabara, Ikebukuro and Nakano.

Where can I buy anime in Tokyo?

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.

Where are the Pokemon centers in Tokyo?

There are four 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, and one in Tokyo Skytree Town. Additionally, there are Pokemon Stores at Tokyo Station and Narita Airport.

Where is the Tokyo anime center?

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.

Where is the Japanese anime museum?

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.

How many Pokemon centers are there in Tokyo?

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.

What is the name of the Sanrio theme park?

Centered around Sanrio's most famous creation, Hello Kitty, Sanrio Puroland is a theme park for younger children and features Hello Kitty's house, a boat ride and various theaters and live shows. There are also stores that sell Sanrio products.

What is the name of the museum in Tokyo?

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.

What is Akihabara in Japan?

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.

Where is the Gundam statue in Tokyo?

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.

Where did the samurai live in Edo?

During the Edo Period (1603 to 1868), Akihabara was where lower-class samurai were thought to live, and the area served as a passage between the capital of Edo (present-day Tokyo) to the north. Fires frequently ravaged the flatlands here, leading to the construction of Chinkasha, a shrine thought to help prevent future fires, in the late 1860s. Chinkasha today was nicknamed Akiba Shrine, leading to the area’s eventual naming of Akihabara. The shrine is also one of the reasons why Akihabara is sometimes referred to as Akiba.

What is Akihabara known for?

Akihabara is known today as a paradise of anime, manga, games, and electronics, but it wasn’t always like this . This otaku capital in Tokyo has transformed over the decades into an entertainment mecca.

What was the computer craze in Japan in the 80s?

During the computer craze in the 80s and 90s with the release of the Macintosh and Windows 95, Akihabara continued to lead Tokyo and Japan with its advancement. Electronic shops, from one-man operated stands to larger stores, started popping up, catering to computer and technology enthusiasts. The mid-1990s premiere of “Evangelion” revolutionized the animation industry in Japan, leading to more stores carrying anime and animation-related goods, attracting those also interested in gaming and anime. Akihabara was at the forefront of this new form of pop culture at the time and remains an attractive, entertaining area to fans.

What is the name of the shrine in Tokyo?

One of Tokyo's frequent fires destroyed the area in 1869, and the people decided to replace the buildings of the area with a shrine called Chinkasha (now known as Akiba Shrine ( 秋葉神社, Akiba Jinja) ), meaning fire extinguisher shrine, in an attempt to prevent the spread of future fires.

Where is Doujinshi from?

Doujinshi (amateur or fanmade manga based on an anime/manga/game) has been growing in Akihabara since the 1970s when publishers began to drop manga that were not ready for large markets. Comiket is largest spot sale of Doujinshi in Japan.

What district is Akihabara in?

As mentioned above, the area called Akihabara now ranges over some districts in Chiyoda ward: Sotokanda (外神田, the west of the station including electric town), Kanda-Hanaokachō (神田花岡町, the east of the station), and Kanda-Sakumachō (神田佐久間町, the south and southeast of the station). There exists an administrative district called Akihabara in ...

What is Akihabara's influence on the anime world?

The influence of otaku culture has shaped Akihabara's businesses and buildings to reflect the interests of otaku and gained the district worldwide fame for its distinctive imagery. Akihabara tries to create an atmosphere as close as possible to the game and anime worlds of customers' interest.

Why are Akihabara stores so opaque?

Architects design the stores of Akihabara to be more opaque and closed to reflect the general desire of many otaku to live in their anime worlds rather than display their interests to the world at large.

What is the coordinates of Akihabara?

Coordinates: 35°41′54″N 139°46′23″E. /  35.69833°N 139.77306°E  / 35.69833; 139.77306. Akihabara ( Japanese: 秋葉原) 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 (外神田) and Kanda-Sakumachō districts in Chiyoda.

What is Akihabara known for?

Akihabara is considered by many to be the centre of modern Japanese popular culture and a major shopping district for video games, anime, manga, electronics and computer -related goods.

Where to learn about anime production?

Tokyoites sometimes refer to the Suginami district as “Anime Town” for its animation studios and companies. The Sugninami Animation Museum provides a fun and systematic way for you to experience and learn about anime production. Best of all, it’s free to enter, and you can rent multi-language audio guides.#N#First, you’ll learn about the history of Japanese animation. You’ll also pass displays of beloved director’s desks and a wall decorated with autographs by creators such as Ayumu Watanabe, who made the animated series Doraemon. As you continue, you’ll find hands-on activities where you can draw or dub your voice over a scene.

What is the museum of manga?

The museum also focuses on the development of manga and how the rest of the world has adopted it. In addition to its permanent collection, there are often temporary exhibits and events that feature foreign artists. Most of the books are in Japanese, but there's a small section with translated manga.

How many floors are there in the Kyoto International Manga Museum?

The entire building consists of three floors and a basement, and stacks of manga cover nearly every wall.

What is Akihabara known for?

With endless rows of merchandise stores, multi-storied arcades, and themed cafes, Akihabara is the capital of Otakudom. Up until a few years ago, it was most famous for its hundreds of electronics shops, ranging from one-person stalls to large retailers. Now, you’ll find dozens of stores specializing in manga, anime, retro video games, figurines, ...

Who is the Godfather of anime?

Osamu Tezuka was one of the foremost animators of this time and earned the nickname “The Godfather of Anime” thanks to his creations like Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion. The first floor features replicas of the life support tanks from his masterpiece Fire Bird.

How long is the Sun Mall?

On your way from the station, you’ll walk through the 225-meter long Sun Mall shopping street, which has restaurants and arcades. The Sun Mall ends at Nakano Broadway, which has four levels for browsing. The first floor mostly sells eclectic used clothing, while the second and third floors have shops dedicated to anime, manga, ...

Akihabara

Akihabara is one of the most visited towns in Tokyo by international tourists and even local Japanese tourists. It’s the birthplace of Otaku culture as people might call it and it also has a nickname called The Electric Town of Tokyo so much so that it’s usually busy and has many interesting and cool spots to visit.

Nakano

Nakano is a less popular Otaku city compared to Akihabara but it has the Otaku culture going on for a long period of time. It’s one of the Otaku towns visited by Japanese tourists and it’s located a bit far from Akihabara.

Shibuya

Shibuya is another famous Otaku town in Tokyo that has made appearances in popular anime series like Tokyo Ghoul. It’s also one of the crowded towns in Japan with many tourists and locals walking hither and thither.

Odaiba

Odaiba is one of the coolest towns in Tokyo where everyone should hang out. Odaiba is a must-visit place for every anime and manga fan. Odaiba is a large island in the southeast of Tokyo that was artificially built by the Japanese during the 90s.

Best Otaku Towns in Tokyo for Anime and Manga: FAQs

Akihabara is the Japanese city that is home to a huge variety of anime and manga related entertainment.

What is the capital of Otaku culture?

The capital Tokyo is the city which is filled with the Otaku culture including Anime, Manga, idol pop singers groups, video games, computers, high-tech devices and so on. Characteristics differ from one town to the next in Tokyo, and there are some towns Otaku people like in Tokyo. Each Otaku town is also different in fields of expertise ...

Where are the Otaku stores in Tokyo?

Today, I’d like to introduce 3 major Otaku towns in Tokyo where numerous stores for Otaku stand: Akihabara, Ikebukuro and Nakano. Akihabara is already famous and popular town for foreign visitors, however, there are some less-known towns in Tokyo for Otaku. Let’s explore Tokyo deeper with the Otaku culture.

Why is Akihabara so popular?

It is Akihabara to embody Japanese pop culture and Otaku culture. Akihabara is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Tokyo and famous Otaku town visited by international geeks. Of course, Japanese geeks frequently visit Akihabara for the lineup of Otaku shops. There are numerous shops specialized for items related to Anime, Manga, ...

What are the best places to visit in Tokyo?

Japanese pop culture including Otaku culture and subculture is one of the hottest trends for tourists to Tokyo, and it’s strongly recommended to travel those three towns in Tokyo: Akihabara, Ikebukuro and Nakano. For more info about Japanese unique culture, you might like these articles below, too.

How many floors does Ikebukuro have?

Animate Ikebukuro has 9 floors selling books, CDs, DVDs, character goods, video games and so on related to various Anime from classic Studio Ghibli to hot ongoing works. For Sanrio lovers, hit Sanrio Gift Gate Ikebukuro and which provides various items of Hello Kitty and other Sanrio characters.

Where is Otome Road in Ikebukuro?

Yaoi fandom) who like comic books and novels with the theme of Boys Love (male/male slash). Otome Road (which means maiden road) is located in the east of Ikebukuro Station.

Where is the AKB48 Theater?

AKB48 Theater is located on the 8th floor of Don Quijote Akihabara where they regularly give a live performance.

Where is the anime capital of Japan?

Akihabara (秋葉原), known as the anime capital of Japan, sets the colorful stage for Steins;Gate - a tale of time travelling otaku vs international conspiracies. Wandering the city, you’ll surely come across locations related to Steins;Gate, along with dozens of other anime!

When they cry anime?

When They Cry’s fictional setting is based on deeply historic village of Shirakawa-go (白川郷) in Gifu . Along with being a staple anime pilgrimage site, the town's dozens of ancient triangular thatched roof houses have earned it World Heritage recognition. While now an extremely popular tourist attraction, the town is still populated by residents enjoying a simple and steady lifestyle despite the fame.#N#Along with borrowing the town’s otherworldly ambiance, When They Cry directly lifts much of its scenery for its twisted story. Some famous locations include the Hachiman Shrine (白川八幡神社) and Wada House (和田家), together with various houses, bridges, and other bits and pieces you’ll be able to find by wandering around. See if you can spot Rika’s home!

Where does Bunny Girl Senpai take place?

Most of Bunny Girl Senpai takes place in Japan's second most populous prefecture, Kanagawa (神奈川県). Renowned as a beachy and laid-back area popular with tourists, there is lots of anime-related sightseeing to do here!#N#Among its numerous settings, the biggest highlight is Enoshima (江の島), a tiny island off the coast of Fujisawa City (藤沢市) that is connected to the mainland via bridge. Attractions seen in the anime include the stunning Enoshima Shrine (江ノ島神社) and the Nakamise Shopping Street (仲見世通り), where you can sample the scrumptious whitebait famous in the area. The widely publicized promotional image featuring the titular bunny girl in front of a jellyfish aquarium is from Enoshima Aquarium’s Jellyfish Fantasy Hall. A short walk from the island along the mainland coast will bring you to Shichirigahama Beach (七里ヶ浜), where many of the anime’s dramatic beachside scenes take place.

Where does neon Genesis take place?

While Neon Genesis Evangelion takes place in a barely recognizable post-apocalyptic world, there is enough of the mountainous hot spring Hakone (箱根) region featured to warrant a visit. Within the story, Hakone, around two hours by train from Tokyo, is the site of the fortified city of Tokyo-3 and its mountains, lakes, and streets are often ravaged by fierce fights between the Eva Units and the Angels. One iconic location is Lake Ashi (芦ノ湖), a gorgeous lake with Mt. Fuji views and an eye-catching torii gate in the water (pictured). The lake acts as the battleground for Shinji and Rei’s fight against the powerful angel Ramiel in episodes five and six. Those with keen eyes might be able to spot the lake’s torii gate in the 2007 film remake.#N#Even if you don’t find any recognizable locations, Hakone has become enough of a pilgrimage site to prompt the development of Evangelion-themed stores, restaurants, attractions, and more! This includes the recent addition of a two-meter tall Evangelion Unit-01 and diorama of the Nerv complex at Togendai Station (桃源台駅), a terminal on the Hakone Ropeway.

Where is Sato's neighborhood?

Fans who were moved by main character Sato's all too relatable anguish can make the pilgrimage to his neighborhood of Ikuta (生田 ) in Kawasaki City. While not all that special in itself, Ikuta presents a pleasant slice of an archetypal Japanese neighborhood and a chance to relive the memories of NHK’s emotional ride.

Where do the final episodes of Grand Blue take place?

Of course, if you’re a Grand Blue fan, you’ll want to finish your tour in Okinawa, where the final three episodes of the anime take place. The team visit the breathtaking Miyakojima Island (宮古島) while staying at the real life Beachside House Miyakojima, which is right on the beachfront and perfect for divers! 8.

Where is Mita Park #1?

Mita Park #1 (三田第1公園 ) is where Sato and Misaki hold their therapy sessions, which is authenticated by the concerning ‘beware of molesters’ sign featured in the anime. Nearby you can see Misaki’s house, which, like the anime, is atop a hill overlooking the entire area.

Overview

Akihabara (Japanese: 秋葉原) 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 (外神田) and Kanda-Sakumachō districts in Chiyoda. There exists an administrative district called Akihabara in the Taitō ward further north of Akihabara Station, but it is not the place people generally refer to as Akihabara.

Geography

History

Otaku culture

See also

External links