Visit Japan Web Akihabara
Visit Japan Web invites you to explore Akihabara. It started out as a postwar hub of illicit trade. But later it transformed into a hub of Japanese technology with shops selling all kinds of electronics and IT products to the world. Nowadays, it is also the cultural epicenter for the avid fans of gaming, manga and anime known as the otaku. The area has become a haven for enthusiasts of Japanese subcultures, featuring pop idols and cosplayers.
The vicinity of Akihabara functioned as a passageway between the city and the northwestern region of Japan. As a result, the area became a hub for numerous craftsmen, tradesmen, and some lower-class samurai. In 1869, a significant fire in Tokyo ravaged the area, leading to the decision to establish a shrine named Chinkasha. The shrine has a nicknam Akiba after the deity associated with fire control. Later the area is referred to as Akibagahara and then Akihabara. In 1888, the shrine moved to the Taitō ward, where it remains today.
Akihabara has undergone some redevelopment in recent years, introducing modern buildings alongside small to medium-sized shops. Notably, there’s a massive Yodobashi electronics store stands adjacent to the station. A plethora of electronics shops, ranging from small individual stalls to large retailers, are found along the main Chuo Dori street and its bustling side streets. These shops offer a wide range of products, from cutting-edge computers, cameras, and televisions to thrift goods.
The character of Akihabara has constantly evolved over the decades and continues to do so. In recent decades Akihabara has emerged as a center of Japanese otaku and anime culture. There are dozens of stores specializing in anime, manga, retro video games, figurines, card games and other collectibles interspersed among the electronics retailers.
