Akihabara Station
I have previously written about Akihabara and focused a lot on what is available in the area. 2 years ago, I moved to Kinshicho which is just a few stations away from Akihabara. I have had a chance to learn more and more about Akihabara as well as understand the area in a different light. In the past 2 years since my original post about Akihabara many things have changed, yet many things have remained the same. It is still a mecca for geeks and electronics lovers everywhere and it continues to evolve with time.
Akihabara Cross Field (“New Akihabara”)
Akihabara will always be a mecca for geeks, even though the current mayor of the district is trying to push them out. There are several new large buildings that focus more on businesses, but a lot of the side streets are still filled with great little shops to “get your geek on”. A lot of the really old shops that added character to Akihabara have closed down and new larger versions have recently popped up. While the character of Akihabara is modernizing, it is modernizing in a good way for tourists now. A lot of the new buildings are occupied by various larger model and anime shops. The older buildings were a bit of a hazard due to their age and lack of upkeep which created a dingy look. While the gentrification of Akihabara is continuing, in my opinion, the original culture is trying to fight on. While many of the porn shops and shady cafes are gone, many of the original electronics and shops are consolidating into larger outlets. Some of the large buildings with dozens of micro shops are rebuilding in smaller and taller buildings. The variety of stores appears to be improving a bit and tourist friendly big box retailers are moving in slowly. Like the stories in many manga or anime, the geeks may have been knocked down but they still try to maintain their own culture within Akihabara.
AKB48 Cafe on a Sunday
Akihabara is quickly becoming known for AKB48. AKB48 is a huge all girl pop idol group that was born in 2005. The founder of AKB48 wanted to create “an idol you can meet” situation when he created AKB48. AKB48 stands for AKihaBara 48. Originally, he envisioned 48 girls in the group. At times, there were less than 48 but due to the popularity of the group it now stands at over 50. The group has become so popular that they spawned sister groups across Japan as well as one group in Indonesia and another one being developed in Taiwan. AKB48 is also one of the most recognized and top selling groups in Japan. The group started off very humbly and in the past 3 years have exploded beyond their imaginations. They are seen on TV at almost all hours of the day. The most popular girls are on primetime TV while the B and C list tend to dominate late night TV with cutesy programs. They tend to promote the fact that they are young, and at ages ranging from 13 to 29, they play the part very well. In the beginning, many thought of the group as a type of soft kiddie porn due to the way they dance and dress. Today, they are now part of Japanese pop culture and integral in how Japan is viewed from outside. It is unlikely that they will go away soon and they will continue to expand. From what started out as a single theatre has now grown to include a new venue where you can eat at their cafe, see their museum, buy fan items, and watch past concerts in a new small theatre.
Gundam Cafe
Themes are a new trend in Akihabara. A Gundam Cafe had opened since my last post about Akihabara. It is a very popular cafe where fanatics of Gundam can enjoy a Gundam themed coffee. In fact, all of the food and drinks come with a Gundam theme. The cutlery, dishes, and even tables have Gundam themes. When entering the washroom, you will be greeted by the most famous Gundam of all. You don’t have to wait in line to enjoy the food as you can purchase some items at the store. The store itself is pretty small with only a few, yet exclusive, items for sale. While the Gundam Cafe itself is pretty popular, there are other theme attractions in Akihabara. I mentioned that maid cafes are popular, and they continue to be so. Maid cafes come in all shapes and sizes with various costumes. If you aren’t happy with the French maid, or the Japanese style maid, you can always go to one where the girls dress in other costumes. They are harder to find and just as expensive as a normal maid cafe but they tend to be very popular.
Kanda Myojin
An often overlooked area of Akihabara, even by me, is the Kanda Myojin. It is a very important shrine in Tokyo. It is one of the 10 most important shrines in Tokyo. They were selected by a past emperor of Japan and it is considered a small pilgrimage to visit all 10. Kanda Myojin is one of the ten but it is a little off the beaten path. It is located roughly an equal distance from Akihabara Station and Ochanomizu Station. It is a little easier to reach from Akihabara but you must pass through a small residential and business district. Most of Akihabara is centred on Chuo-dori and Kanda Myojin is about 5 minutes from Chuo-dori. It is also easy to be lost on the way to Kanda Myojin but once you are there, you are rewarded with one of the nicer gems of the city. Kanda Myojin is actually more well-known among locals as being a popular place for weddings. It is a little expensive but compared to Meiji Jingu, nowhere near as expensive. There are a few various sculptures in the area and it is worth a visit if you are living in Tokyo, but in reality, if you are pressed for time, don’t bother with it. Just enjoy yourself in Akihabara and think about doing a pilgrimage in the future.
Akihabara (Some things don’t change)
Akihabara continues to evolve with the atmosphere has changed only a little in the past 2 years. It will take a lot more time to know whether or not the area will completely lose the atmosphere that once inhabited the area. It is not the same as before but it isn’t completely different either. You can still find almost everything you can imagine and the area is upgrading the buildings slowly. The old run down stores that looked like they would crumble in a serious earthquake are, for the most part, gone. They have been replaced by several new buildings that have been repopulated by shops that are similar to the original shops in the area. It definitely feels cleaner but at the same time, some of the character of the old dingy shops is gone. In fact, some of the small shops have probably closed for good due to the economy and the changes in Akihabara. I doubt all of them will go away but I feel that things can never return to the technological and otaku heave it once was.
The Akihabara series continues with Akihabara – For the Civilized and Akihabara – For the Eccentric.