Akihabara

Akihabara.  Otaku heaven.

Otaku, or, 'anime nerds', are people (usually men I find), who have a huge fascination with all things anime.  Anime girls, dating simulation games, pillows, sex toys, porn, maid outfits etc etc can all be found in Akihabara!  

The picture above is a line of otakus waiting for some sort of otaku related event and/or convention.

This was my first time in Akiba (for short), and it was mind blowing.  The things companies come up with to cater to the anime lovers and sex maniacs!  There's an 'adult dvd' store on every corner (and on every building's 2nd floor or basement), there are sex shops aplenty selling masturbation gadgets and blow up dolls, all mixed in along with games, figurines and manga stores.  And then, MEN EVERYWHERE! The only girls I saw were ones dressed up as a maid or anime-like character handing out fliers to maid cafes.  And then a few other girls were like me, a tourist staring in awe at all the nerdiness.  

                                          

Remember that weird vending machine with the canned noodles a few posts back?  That was located in Akiba.  I guess buying games, dvd's and ogling girls school uniforms is busy work.  Otakus need fast food, and there's plenty of that around.  Except for the plethora of maid cafes.  You would take your sweet time in one of those wouldn't you...

Advertisements like these are all over the place.  Anime girls and AKB 48.  Yep, that pretty much sums up Akihabara.

Amongst all the anime-ness, there are legitimately useful things as well.  Well maybe this picture doesn't really show that, but see? You can buy anything electronic-related here.  Even junk computers! 

This is just one of many, many, many small shops selling knick-knacks and electronics or electronic accessories. 

I really want a samurai sword umbrella!  How would I bring it home though?  Haha, I don't care I just want one.  But all the one's I've seen had crappy plastic handles.  At least make 'em somewhat realistic looking!

On a typical Sunday, they close off the main street and let pedestrians crawl all over the place.  This is really helpful as I've later found out.  It's easier to walk in when the crowd is dispersed like this.

A typical UFO Catcher game in an arcade.  It's an anime girl pillow!  Some guys have '2-D' girlfriends instead , and an anime girl on a pillow is perfect.  You can sleep with her, sit her up on a chair for dinners, put a seatbelt over her and go for a drive, or snuggle up for a night in watching movie and eating popcorn...

I want one.

Hello Kitty girl! I want it! But I can't waste my precious 100 yen coins ...

This giant original Game Boy was in a video game store called Super Potato.  It's a famous store that sells all kinds of games, including super retro stuff like the Super Famicom, original Game Boy stuff, and even stuff I've never even heard of, like the Nintendo virtual reality system.

BTW, that giant Game Boy does not function like a real one.  The buttons don't even push down!

A pile of used Super Famicoms (or Super Nintendo in North America)

Just walked by this place and noticed...VAMPIRE BAR!

Have I mentioned AKB 48 yet?  They originated in Akihabara (hence the name AKB 48).  Apparently some guy formed a girls singing and dancing show in top level of a Don Quijote store (a giant discount chain store), and then they got super famous and won the hearts of all the men in Japan.  Today, there's AKB 48 everything, everywhere.  Of course, there's an AKB 48 Cafe right outside Akihabara station.  Everytime I walk by, there's always a huge line-up of mostly men, some girls, waiting to get in.

Also popular is this Gundam Cafe. 

After a busy day in Akihabara, you know, visiting all the sex shops and trying on maid outfits, we went to an izakaya in Shibuya and got down to business. 

This was some sort of prawn cracker sandwiching an okonomiyaki-flavour bean sprouts mix or something or another...

This is the staple ground chicken on a stick dipped in egg yolk.  Delicious as always.  The sweet sauce put on the skewers is key.

Chicken hearts yakitori is a must.

An izakaya dinner is never complete without sake!  Me and a Japanese friend finished this one off, plus a beer or two.

Akihabara was amazing!  The culture and just about everything is SO different.  You would not be able to browse through every store, or look at everything in one lifetime.  I always want to go back there, partly because I'm obsessed with the Super Famicom, and partly because I just want to look some more!

So even if you're not interested in Anime, games, girls or maid cafes, Akihabara is still a must-see when in Tokyo.  The atmosphere and the people (ahem, men), will amaze and captivate you!