One of the most significant aspects of Japan’s entertainment industry, renowned worldwide, is anime, manga, and video games. The influence of anime/manga and video games continues to expand, with more fans emerging, eager to explore their origins. These diverse forms of media are integral to Japanese culture, and for enthusiasts, experiencing the origins of their favourite content is a must when visiting otaku attractions in Tokyo.
Whether you’re a devoted otaku, passionate about anime, manga, video games, or all of the above, Tokyo offers an array of places to explore and activities to enjoy, ensuring you’ll never experience a dull moment. Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture and embrace the anime lifestyle as you traverse Tokyo, discovering these unique otaku attractions.
Diving Right Into the List of Prime Otaku Attractions in Tokyo
1. Akihabara
This is a city in the Chiyoda ward of Tokyo known for its electric expanse of anime, manga, and otaku gamer-centred shops, sites, and events. A prominent store in Akihabara is Mandarake, which is known as the biggest anime and manga store in the world. There, you can find manga, anime collectables, figures, video games, and more. Mandarake is the go-to shop for finding rare and niche items relating to all your otaku needs.
Of course, Akihabara has many similarly large-scale anime and manga stores, like Animate, Melon Books, Volks, Akihabara Gamers, and Book Off. Book Off is unique in that it is a store selling used books, meaning it has one of the vastest expanses of manga and comic books, in addition to having them in multiple languages. Volks and K-Books and many others are located in the Radio Kaikan building, popular amongs the fans of the hit anime Steins;Gate.
Given Akihabara’s vast and vibrant atmosphere, navigating it all at once can be overwhelming. To simplify your experience, Flip Japan offers guided tours to help you explore the city. The tour will take you to all the major tourist spots, allow for shopping, and include a visit to a maid cafe as well.
Akihabara is also the location of Kanda Myojin Shrine, known and loved by otakus everywhere, especially by those who have seen LoveLive! It is a beautiful serene place to stop by and get a quick blessing.
Experiencing Akihabara and simply strolling around is inherently thrilling, but it becomes even more captivating on Sundays when the main street, Chuo Street, is closed to traffic. Chuo Street shuts down every Sunday from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm from October to March, and from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm from April to September, providing pedestrians with ample opportunity to explore.
2. Nakano
Nakano, situated in the Special Ward of Tokyo, is renowned for Nakano Broadway, a four-story indoor shopping mall. The ground floor houses typical stores like Uniqlo, an ice cream parlor, and cafes. As you ascend to the second floor, you’ll find an extensive array of shops, ranging from Japanese pop culture to Disney and American pop.
Although Nakano Broadway is smaller than Akihabara, given its mall status rather than a city, its uniqueness lies in the diversity of its shops. While there are approximately 25 Mandarake stores, each offers a distinct experience, transforming the mall into a collection of individual shops. For example, on the fourth floor, Mandarake Henya features a hall of Tori gates. Throughout the mall, you’ll encounter numerous quirky and eccentric shops, ensuring endless entertainment with each visit. From collectible figures, cosplays, manga, and video games to all things retro, Nakano Broadway is a must-see for otaku enthusiasts.
3. Pokemon Centre and Cafe
For avid Pokémon enthusiasts, Tokyo boasts 5 Pokémon Centers, with additional locations scattered throughout Japan, including Chuo City, Toshima City, Chiyoda City, Sky Tree, Shibuya City, and more. Moreover, there’s a dedicated Pokémon Cafe offering themed food and beverages, along with collectible items like plushies and kitchen utensils. The cafe even stocks Pokémon video games and trading cards. With its wide array of Pokémon-themed delicacies, interactive games, and merchandise, this center is a haven for all Pokémon lovers.
4. Ghibli Museum
The Ghibli Museum is situated within Inokashira Park, encompassing a vast area dedicated to showcasing the beauty and magic of Ghibli. The museum features both permanent exhibits and rotating displays, offering a dynamic experience that must be encountered in person as photography is prohibited inside. Boasting interactive exhibits, life-size replicas of iconic animated scenes, and a glimpse into the inner workings of Ghibli Studios, this museum epitomizes the spirit of Ghibli. Due to its immense popularity and acclaim, it’s advisable to secure tickets in advance as they tend to sell out rapidly.
For more information and ticket reservations, visit the official website: https://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/.
Ticket Prices:
- Adults (19+): 1000 yen
- Teenagers (13-18): 700 yen
- Children (7-12): 400 yen
- Young Children (4-6): 100 yen
- Children (3 and under): Free
Opening Hours:
- Weekdays: 10:00-17:00
- Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays: 10:00-19:00
5. Shibuya Tokyo Anime Center
The Tokyo Anime Center is a venue hosting various anime exhibitions, pop-up shops, and events. However, it’s not limited to anime alone; manga, video games, and various other digital media are also celebrated here. The exhibition area offers a blend of real and virtual reality experiences, providing visitors with an immersive animation experience. Navigating through the building, visitors can explore exhibitions, browse pop-up shops, and enjoy the cafe, all within a span of two hours.
Ticket prices vary depending on the exhibit.
Opening Hours: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM (Last entry to the exhibit is at 7:30 PM).
6. Real-Life Locations Featured in Anime: Stairs to Suga Shrine Yotsuya (Your Name), Asakusa (Demon Slayer), Shibuya Crossing (Tokyo Revengers, Tokyo Ghoul)
These locations, among others, are renowned as popular real-life anime spots. They’re the very places depicted in different anime series that have captured the imagination of viewers, transforming them into must-visit destinations. While these are just a few notable examples, there’s a multitude of other places waiting to be explored from your favorite anime, offering a glimpse into the true essence of your beloved movies or shows.
7. EJ Anime Theater Shinjuku
Entertainment Japan Anime Theater is a unique fusion of movie theatre and café, where the café offerings typically complement the exhibitions showcased in the theatres. Focused on anime and various other forms of Japanese entertainment, this venue boasts an ever-changing theme and exhibit. This allows visitors to return time and again, experiencing different films and enjoying a variety of culinary delights.
Ticket Prices:
- General: 1,900 yen
- University Student: 1,500 yen
- High School, Junior High, Elementary, and infant: 1,000 yen
- Under 3: Free
8. Jump Shop
Credit: Jump Shop Yokohama
With multiple locations across Tokyo, Jump Shop stands as a must-visit destination for enthusiasts of Shonen Jump. Boasting three prominent outlets in Tokyo – the Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo Dome, and Tokyo Station – in addition to supplementary shops scattered throughout nearby cities, Jump Shop offers an extensive array of merchandise. From beloved titles such as Naruto, One Piece, My Hero Academia, and Jujutsu Kaisen, to an array of other offerings, including clothing, figurines, plush toys, and even unique selections of manga manuscripts and costume pieces, there’s something for every fan.
Whether you’re wandering through the vibrant streets of Shibuya, exploring the cultural riches of Chiyoda City and Bunkyo City, or venturing further afield to Yokohama, Itabashi, or Nagoya, a visit to Jump Shop is an essential part of any otaku’s journey through Tokyo and beyond.
9. Sofmap Amusement
Credit: Sofmap Official Website
This shop, located in Akihabara, serves as a popular destination for anime gamers seeking merchandise. Sofmap offers both new and used games at great deals, with its store layout cleverly organized by game company and specialty across multiple floors. It’s a veritable wonderland for gaming enthusiasts, housing a diverse range of games, anime merchandise, and even idol merchandise on its top floor.
Whether you’re in search of PC, PlayStation, TV, Mobile, Switch, or any other gaming platform, Sofmap is sure to cater to every gaming need. For avid fans exploring otaku attractions in Tokyo, Sofmap is a must-visit destination.
10. Ikebukuro
Credit: Otaku in Tokyo
Ikebukuro is another gem for anime, manga, and video game fans. With stores like Animate, Mandarake, KBooks, and Gamers Ikebukuro, this city is a hotspot for all otakus. However, there is even more within the city for people to see.
Lashinbang isn’t a huge franchise store, so when you’re in Ikebukuro, you have to see it. This shop sells everything from cosplay, Nendoroid, keychains, posters, and other random unique trinkets. They additionally sell DVDs and CDs for original anime and video games.
Otome Road is another spot lined with different shops with anime, manga, and game content. What’s unique about Otome Road, though, is how it is a popular spot for women otakus. The most popular selling items are manga and merchandise that are particularly loved by women, the shoujo, doujinshi, and josei genres. This doesn’t mean that’s all that’s on Otome Road; there are more novelty shops with cosplay and merchandise for everyone to see.
11. Animate
Animate is a staple shop for finding everything anime-, manga-, and game-related. It is another store with multiple floors all dedicated to something unique, making the shopping experience fun and organized. The Animate shop in Ikebukuro was the first of many established all throughout Japan, and even spreading out into Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, Shanghai, and Thailand.
A great thing about Animate is the fact that it sells magazines, books, manga, and more in its original language and also in English. This shop has such a wide variety of items from electronics to art supplies, and everything otaku-centred in between. There are also different events put on in the store, like pop-up shops to attract fans of different animes, mangas, and games.
12. Mugiwara Store
Credit: Mugiwara Store
If you’re a fan of One Piece, then this is the store for you. Wholly dedicated to One Piece, the Mugiwara Store sells everything Straw Hat fans could imagine. From stickers, clothes, cups, keychains, and more, this store is all about giving you the One Piece experience. The entire left side of the store, once you walk in, is lined with gachapon machines, allowing you to pull the lever to get even more merchandise. There is also a section for manga, with limited edition and brand-new pieces for sale.
This main shop is located in Shibuya, with other branches in Ikebukuro, Nagoya, Abeno, Umeda, Fukuoka, and Kumamoto.
13. Tokyo Character Street
Credit: Tokyo Character Street
Found within Tokyo Station is a row of stores featuring various Japanese characters from anime, video games, TV shows, and more. With 26 shops showcasing a wide array of characters, you can never be bored exploring Tokyo Character Street. Some of the featured characters and shops on this street include Pokemon, Studio Ghibli, Doraemon, and more. Along with different characters come various collectables to discover, and you may even stumble upon some new shows and characters along the way. It’s a vibrant hub for otaku attractions in Tokyo, offering endless delights for enthusiasts.
14. Super Potato
Credit: Up in the Nusair
For enthusiasts of all things vintage, Super Potato is a retro video game shop that also boasts an old-school arcade. Another gem in Akihabara, this shop offers a treasure trove of 80s and 90s video games and merchandise. With a special focus on Nintendo, the third and fourth floors house an extensive collection of gaming equipment, games, merchandise, and even soundtrack CDs. The fifth floor is where you can indulge in the vintage arcade experience, with a diverse selection of games available to play. It’s a must-visit destination for those seeking otaku attractions in Tokyo, offering a nostalgic journey through gaming history.
15. Surugaya
Credits: Sugoii Japan
Surugaya is another treasure trove franchise where you can find anything and everything anime, manga, and video game-related. The interesting thing about Surugaya is that it is a second-hand store, meaning that everything is used. You can find newer and more vintage items, depending on your preference, and visiting different locations ensures you won’t see the same things twice. There is always something different and cool to discover and collect, ranging so vastly that you’re sure to find something unique. You can find Surugaya locations in Shinjuku, Sotokanda, Nagoya, Kyoto, and more.
Exploring Otaku Attractions in Tokyo
With all of these spots and more, your time in Tokyo will be filled with all the otaku entertainment you can find. Whether you’re staying for a week, a month, or longer, there are so many places to go and things to see relating to anime/manga and video games in Tokyo. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for anime shops, merchandise, exhibits, games, or food, Tokyo has it all. Come visit the hub of all things otaku in Tokyo and live out your favourite anime.
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