A Beginner's Guide to Akihabara

Hello cheapos, Aaron again for TokyoCheapo.com, and despite the cold, we've been sent to the geek otaku mecca of the world. That's right, you can taste it in the air, you can feel it in the earth, we're in Akihabara. While it's true I'm not what you'd call Akihabara's biggest fan, because I hate Akihabara, I still think it's worth visiting at least once just to experience ground zero for Japan's otaku culture. And while recently it's becoming known as a bit of a tourist trap, there's still cheapo fun to be had, especially if you can manage a visit on a Sunday afternoon. That's when the streets shut down and Akihabara becomes a pedestrian paradise. Akihabara Station can be accessed by the JR Yamanote Line, the Keihen Tohoku Line, the Chuo Sobu Line, the Hibiya Subway Line, and the Tsukuba Express. The sad truth about games in Akihabara is that prices don't really differ from shop to shop, but there are a few places a cheapo gamer can feel welcomed. For my go-to unused games, it's Trader 2. If you're looking for car-engined games like PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, Trader 2 is your best bet. They have some of the lowest prices in Akihabara, but you should compare around just to be sure. But if you're the kind of person that believes there's no school like the old school, then you're definitely going to want to see this. The most famous shop in Akihabara is Super Potato. This is a Nintendo retro fan's dream come true. Unfortunately they don't really have cheapo prices. They're actually kind of spiked compared to other places. For the best cheapo prices for retro, you're going to want to try Book Off. Cheapos in Tokyo know Book Off well, but the Akihabara branch has a good collection of retro gaming. It's nowhere near the size of Super Potato, but the prices are probably going to be the lowest around. I mean, where else am I going to find a Wii for 1,000 yen? I mean, I don't want it, but you know, it's there. Anime goods in general are expensive in Japan, but there are a few places I like visiting when I'm in Akihabara. Kotobukiya is a famous chain selling legit anime and game merch, but it's not cheapo. The same can be said for the Akiba Culture Zone. Expensive but worth checking out. The Akiba Culture Zone is one of the larger anime stores in Akihabara. From cards, to collectibles, to figma, to other stuff. Shit. The bottom floor is the Akiba Culture Theater. You can actually see idol shows here. You might not find AKB48, but you could probably find some of the discount versions. Real talk, there is a lot of stuff here I'd hang on my wall, but definitely take down when a girl came over. Liberty 8 is the king of anime figma in Akihabara. There's six floors of every type of figma you can think of. A lot of the figures here are from UFO catchers, and the prices are pretty good too. So if there's a figma that you see that you want to try and win, but you're afraid of losing money, you should try here first. You can find Kotobukiya and the Anime Culture Zone across from Super Potato, while Liberty 8 is on Chuo Dori. There are way too many computer and tech places to mention for this video, but here are a few shops you can always count on having cheap prices. Hard Off in particular has crazy low prices on used items like guitars. These kind of shops can be found all over Akiba Town, but the shops in this video can be found on the west side of Chuo Dori. While Don Quixote, or Donki for short, can be found practically anywhere in Tokyo, the Akihabara branch is special. Not only is it the home base for the infamous AKB48, it also has one of the biggest collection of cosplay goods you can find in Akihabara. It's also a pretty good place to pick up souvenirs and sweets. There's also a popular maid cafe here, but they wouldn't let me in for some reason. You know, a smile wouldn't kill you ladies. Then there's my favorite part of Akihabara, M's. A seven story sex shop devoted to all things smut and filth. Adult toys, AV, joke goods, sexy cosplay, fun for the whole family. So what floor is your mom on? I can't really show you anything in here for obvious reasons, but trust me, it's great. There are plenty of cheapo eats to choose from in Akihabara, but here are a few to get you started. There's also Carl's Jr. if you're looking to pay three times the price that you would for a burger in America. And there's a popular vegan joint right next to the station. Most people visiting Akihabara are going to be rushing off to see the anime girls and video games, but there's actually a pretty cool shrine here. And it's just a ten minute walk from Akihabara station. Look for these stairs and you'll know you're in the right spot. My old enemy, stairs. The 1200 year old shrine isn't as grand as others, but it still serves one of three major festivals found in Tokyo. And the Akiba town citizens have adopted it as their own. The gods represented here are Ebis and Daikoku, the deities of business, wealth, and luck. So it's not surprising to find salary men and job hunters lined up to commune with the celestial plane. Now I'm going to try my luck at an omikuji, or fortune. So wish me luck. Do you have 100 yen? Fortune and glory, friend. Alright, let's check this out. Bad luck and misfortune will infest your pathetic soul for all eternity. Huh. Thanks for watching, and don't forget to subscribe for more videos like these. And also check out TokyoCheapo.com for great articles and tips on saving the yen in Tokyo.