A Geek’s Guide to Tokyo
Tokyo is a true juxtaposition of old and new together side by side. Nowhere embraces this stark contrast quite as well as Tokyo. It is this reason that the Capital and Japan has garnered a global reputation for being at the centre stage of pop culture! From anime and manga, games centres, electrical goods stores, themed cafes, and conventions, Tokyo is a paradise for anybody with a slightly ’geeky’ side! Known as being ’Otaku’ in Japan, having a geeky side is embraced here with arms wide open! We have created this page as fellow geeks to showcase all the wonderful content Tokyo can offer you so that you can fully embrace it on your trip to Tokyo, as well as useful information to help make your trip smooth. If you’re a gamer, anime enthusiast or pop culture lover, then this page is for you. On this page you will find the following information :
— 30 Day-trips & Getaways Near Tokyo
A GEEK’S GUIDE TO TOKYO
For the purpose of this section, we have split it into four main sub-categories : Areas to Visit, Shops and Games Centres, Cafes, and Events.
Areas to Visit – Akihabara
If you’re after the best areas in Tokyo to experience pop culture, we have the best recommendations for you! Our first recommendation is none other than Akihabara! Also known as ’Electric Town’, it is a true mecca for all things pop culture. Located in the heart of Tokyo in Chiyoda ward, it is extremely easy to travel to from all major centres in Tokyo. Akihabara station is served by many train lines, including the JR Yamanote Line. Using the Yamanote Line you can travel from Tokyo station in just 4 minutes! Akihabara is a paradise for anybody interested in electronics, especially those looking to buy not only new but second hand products and even electrical parts! You can browse the many stores such as Yodobashi Camera and Akihabara Radio centre in the hope of finding something rare. Many people will often buy second hand Gameboys, games consoles and games. Anime and Manga stores are aplenty here, with some of the largest stores such as Animate, Mandarake and Toranoana being found here. It is worth noting that most shops open around 10am and close by 9pm. Akihabara is also home to many themed cafes, including anime, maid and animal cafes!
Areas to Visit – Nakano
Nakano is located in Nakano ward just West of Shinjuku. You can reach Nakano station in approximately 5 – 10 minutes from Shinjuku station by taking the JR Chuo Line train. In the middle of Nakano is nestled ’Nakano Broadway’. A multi story retro complex packed with stores that specialise in both new and vintage goods for anime, manga, figures and toys, and even luxury watches! You could easily spend hours browsing the many small stores full of weird and wonderful memorabilia. Even if you aren’t interested in pop culture, it makes for an interesting time! You may find some second hand bargains, as many people sell on their items to the shops here! There are many great cafes here, including a cat cafe located on the ground floor where you can sit, relax and play with the cats!
Areas to Visit – Ikebukuro
Ikebukuro is an up and coming area for anime lovers. Located in the Toshima ward of Tokyo, it is a well connected area with major train lines such as the JR Yamanote Line and JR Saikyo Line serving the station. You can reach areas such as Shinjuku in approximately 10 minutes, and Shibuya in approximately 15 minutes. For female anime fans, you can rejoice as Ikebukuro is home to ’Otome Road’. A small area featuring shops specialising in goods popular with the female audience. Ikebukuro is a lively and fun area full of great shops, cafes and restaurants, and a small park. The most popular attraction has to be ’Sunshine City’. This is a large shopping and entertainment complex which is home to shops, cafes and restaurants, Ikebukuro Aquarium, Games Arcades and an observatory. If you’re looking for a rainy day activity in Tokyo, ‘Sunshine City’ is a great option! Sunshine City is home to ’Namco Namja Town’, an indoor theme park with rides, interactive games and a food court specialising in Gyoza. It is also home to the ‘Pokemon Centre Mega Tokyo’ which is one of the largest Pokemon themed stores in Japan. It has a special gaming zone where you can try out the latest Pokemon video games and trading card games. Finally, for those who love ’Gachapon’ (capsule toys), Sunshine City is home to the largest Gacha store in Japan called Gashapon Department Store and has over 3,000 gachapon machines!
Shops and Games Centres
Shopping in Tokyo is excellent, and you will most likely need to buy an extra suitcase for all the things you buy on your trip! Some of the best shops to head to in Tokyo will be Animate and Book-Off for things anime and manga related. You can buy not only brand new items here, but also second hand items if you’re looking for a bargain or some older stock that is not being sold elsewhere. From figures to plushies, manga to games, you can find it all at these two stores which have shops across all of Tokyo. For electrical goods, Yodabashi Camera or Bic Camera are the two largest and most popular stores. Both of these are multi level complexes found all over Tokyo, and sell every gizmo and gadget your heart could desire! If you’re looking for the latest tech, this is the best place to go!
For fans of the characters such as Hello Kitty, Mofusand, Studio Ghibli and many more, ’Kiddy Land’ in Omotesando is a fantastic place to purchase a number of character themed goods. Studio Ghibli has its own store located at the base of the Tokyo Skytree which offers the best selection of Ghibli goods. For those wanting a little more excitement when buying character goods, you can visit the many games centres across Tokyo to play for prizes! Taito and Sega are two of the most popular centres, and stock is always changed every week! Ranging from 100 yen – 300 yen a play, it can become dangerous when trying to win your favourite figure! These games centres will often also have the famous ’Gachapon’ machines (capsule toys) which are very fun! Why not play for a few Gacha as they make for random yet funny souvenirs!
Cafes
One thing Tokyo is incredibly good at is Cafes, particularly themed cafes! You are truly spoilt for choice and it’s hard knowing where to start. For all the Pokemon lovers out there, it is a must to visit one of the many Pokemon Cafes or ’Pikachu Sweets Centres’ in Tokyo. You can find the official and permanent Pokemon Cafe in Nihonbashi in the Pokemon Centre Tokyo DX building. However, Ikebukuro has a great ’Pikachu Sweets Centre’ where you can try a great range of cakes and sweet treats! For those wanting something more pop art focused, we recommend the Takashi Murakami cafe called ’Cafe Zingaro’ in Nakano Broadway! This is a really cool cafe with a retro gaming inspired interior and artwork by Murakami himself. The tables are old arcade game machines, and you can choose from a menu of hot and cold drinks, burgers and sweet treats all of which are Murakami themed!
Finally, how about a cafe that is technology based? We highly recommend the ’DAWN | Avatar Robot Cafe’ in Nihombashi. You can take a refreshment break like no other where you can order food and drinks whilst being served by robots! As you enjoy your refreshments you can watch as the robots around the cafe serving other customers! This cafe is unique in that all the robots are controlled remotely by employees who are living with disabilities and therefore can only work from home. The remote staff speak to you through the robots. The cafe gives employment opportunities to those unable to work in physically demanding jobs and helps tackle social isolation, so you can be happy knowing you are helping to support a great cause! You can even have a try at controlling one of the small robots to see what it’s like for the staff who control them remotely!
Special Events and Pop-Ups
Tokyo holds an abundance of special events and pop-ups across the city every month! There is always something new to discover. The easiest way to keep on top of this is to simply google upcoming events in Tokyo in your desired month! Looking on social media is also a great way to notice what events are on. Some of the most popular events include pop-up cafes! Unlike the permanent cafes we mentioned above, these cafes typically open for only a few weeks, and reservations fill up fast! We highly recommend booking these as far in advance as you can. These cafes cover a wide range of your favourite characters, anime and films. For example, we have recently been to a Toy Story pop-up and a Jujutsu Kaisen pop-up which were great! Both of which were based in the Shibuya area of Tokyo. These cafes also sell limited edition merchandise so make sure to pick up something before you leave!
As well as pop-up cafes, you can also enjoy events such as Comic Cons and Cosplay events! These are hosted throughout the year and across the city. Ikebukuro has become a popular area for Cosplayer meet-ups, where people gather and show off their costumes. There are larger scale and official events held as well, and these will require registration and tickets to enter. If you’re planning on attending a Con event when travelling in Japan, make sure to check the requirements on the event site! Finally, a special event that is always being held is something called ’Ichiban Kuji’. Meaning number one lottery in English, these lotteries are held for a number of different anime and characters where you can purchase tickets in the hopes of winning big prizes. The prizes rank from A through to I, with the top prizes usually being figures. You can take part at any of the participating Convenience Stores (7/11 and Family Mart) where you buy the number of tickets you want, open them and then collect the prizes you get!
BEST TOURS IN TOKYO
Tokyo is steeped in history. The city has faced many hardships from earthquakes, fires and the air raids of WW2, and unfortunately many of its oldest buildings and structures have disappeared over time. However, Tokyo does a fantastic job at celebrating and retaining much of its character and culture, with stunning renovations of temples and shrines, museums housing some of Japan’s finest artefacts, and hidden pockets of neighbourhoods that have managed to preserve its original architecture despite the many challenges its faced. Pop culture lovers will rejoice at Japan’s modern aesthetic, with its bright lights and neon signs that make the city glow at night.
There is so much to see and do in Tokyo, especially fantastic experiences suitable for solo travellers to make your trip fun and engaging. Check out our ’Best Tours in Tokyo’ page which will give you more information on the tours mentioned in the previous section, as well as the best tours in Tokyo and the best day trips from Tokyo throughout the Kanto region.
1 Day Tour
| 1 Day Walking Tour in Shinjuku and Shibuya : The Best of Both | |
|
| |
| Period | All Year Round |
| Time | 09:30 – 17:30 |
| Meeting Place | Inside Yotsuya-Sanchome Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥19,800 |
| Child Rate | ¥13,000 |
1 Day Tour
| Ultimate Tokyo Tour : Imperial Palace, Sake, Robots, Japanese Gardens and Edo Museum | |
| Period | All Year Round |
| Time | 09:30 – 16:45 |
| Meeting Place | Inside Tokyo Station’s Domed Lobby Area by Green and White Information Board |
| Adult Rate | ¥19,800 |
| Child Rate | ¥13,000 |
1 Day Tour
| 1 Day Walking Tour in Shinjuku and Kagurazaka : Tokyo Hot Spots and Hidden Gems | |
| Period | All Year Round |
| Time | 09:30 – 17:30 |
| Meeting Place | Inside Yotsuya Sanchome Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥19,800 |
| Child Rate | ¥13,000 |
THINGS TO DO IN TOKYO
This page would not be complete without also suggesting our wider recommendations on things to do in Tokyo which includes both the golden tourist attractions and some lesser known activities you can enjoy. Why not check out Things to Do in Tokyo page which will also give you plenty of inspiration for your time spent in Tokyo. Here you will find some of the best activities and recommendations on how to spend your time in the Capital, as well as some tours that you can join to make the most out of your trip!
From watching Sumo wrestlers train to eating the freshest sushi at local markets, playing Taiko drums to exploring hidden shrines and temples, Tokyo truly has it all. Our Tokyo tours enable you to pick and choose from a wide range of areas and activities to explore during your trip. Want to explore lesser known neighbourhoods in Tokyo, or do you want to get into the hustle and bustle of the world’s most populated city, then click the link above and start exploring what you can do in Tokyo to make your trip unforgettable.
30 DAY-TRIPS & GETAWAYS NEAR TOKYO
While Tokyo has more than enough to keep you entertained for your entire visit, it is also an ideal base from where to escape the city and explore our home region of Central Japan and beyond. Boasting the majority of Japan’s tallest mountains, verdant forests, open spaces, ancient temples and a slower way of life, it is everything that Tokyo is not. Our ’30 Things To Do Near Tokyo: Best Day-Trips & Overnight Getaways’ page includes some fantastic tips and suggestions of what’s on offer. Here are some examples of the tours we offer outside of Tokyo, but click on the link above to see more . We hope it tempts you to explore beyond the city!
1 Day Tour
| Day Trip to Kawagoe : Experience the ‘Little Edo’ of Japan | |
|
| |
| Period | All Year Round |
| Time | 09:00 – 16:45 |
| Meeting Place | Inside Ikebukuro Train Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥17,800 |
| Child Rate | ¥11,000 |
1 Day Tour
| Mount Fuji Day Trip : Adventure around Lake Kawaguchiko | |
| Period | All Year Round |
| Time | 07:50 – 19:45 |
| Meeting Place | Outside Shinjuku Bus Terminal |
| Adult Rate | ¥24,900 |
| Child Rate | ¥15,500 |
1 Day Tour
| 1 Day Tour : Explore Nikko’s World Heritage and National Park | |
|
| |
| Period | April – October |
| Time | 08:40 – 19:15 |
| Meeting Place | Outside Asakusa Ekimise Department Store |
| Adult Rate | ¥24,900 |
| Child Rate | ¥18,900 |
WHERE TO STAY IN TOKYO
There is no shortage of accommodation in Tokyo ranging from luxury hotels, mid-range to budget, youth hostels and even capsule hotels! The areas of Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Tokyo are among the most popular with tourists, all of which have excellent public transport links, shopping, bars and restaurants. Therefore they make excellent bases for a short stay in the city. Check out our Tokyo destination page which includes everything you need to know about the city, and our ‘Where to Stay in Tokyo’ page for what areas to book your hotels and find the right accommodation for you.
HOW TO GET TO TOKYO
As Japan’s sprawling capital, Tokyo is the start and end point of numerous train lines and express bus services making it easy to reach from all over the country. Our ‘How to Get to Tokyo’ page includes detailed information about how to get there from popular starting points including Tokyo Haneda airport and Tokyo Narita. Why not also check out our ’Comparing Tokyo Haneda Airport and Tokyo Narita Airport’ page for more useful information for planning your trip.
