Japan Photo Guide

Akihabara, aka Akiba aka “Electric Town,” is the electronic district of Tokyo. If you are looking for some new camera gear, video games, video camera, mp3 player, media player or whatever gadget you are looking for, you can find it in Akihabara. You can find duty free shopping (don’t forget you passport if you plan to buy duty free) and while you use to be able to find really good deals here but they are starting to become harder to find. If you look around, you can still find some good deals but I highly recommend going to a few different places before you buy something.

Akihabara is also undergoing some changes. While it use to be just “Electric Town,” it has morphed into that and also a place associated with manga (Japanese Comics), cosplay (shot for costume play) and maid cafes (cafes where you are served by a girl wearing a french maid outfit).

One store I need to specifically recommend is Yodobashi Camera in Akihabara, you can see the entrance to the store on the right. Yodobashi Camera is a chain for electronic stores all over Japan and this is the largest. This place has 7 floors of electronic goodness from everything to cell phones, cameras, video games, heated toilet seats, washers, fridges, massage chairs and pretty much anything else you can think of. For those of you Americans out there, picture a Bust Buy store and then give that store 7 floors. This place is huge and if you are into electronics is a must see!

For more information about Akihabara see the officail Akihabara home page or the Japan-Guide.com.