Akihabara, located in the heart of Tokyo, is the world's largest electronics shopping area and a mecca for anime fans. Filled with anime figure stores, manga shops, and themed cafes, it is one of the birthplaces of Japanese anime culture.
Among its many stores, Animate Akihabara undoubtedly stands out as the brightest star. It is Japan's largest specialty store for anime and manga. For anime enthusiasts seeking the latest merchandise or rare memorabilia, visiting Animate Akihabara is a must.
However, it's essential to know some specifics about Animate Akihabara before the visit, including its transportation, opening hours, highlights, and nearby attractions to make your journey and shopping experience smoother.
So, join us as we delve into Animate Akihabara, this Tokyo anime paradise!
Akihabara Street ViewExploring Animate Akihabara
Animate Akihabara is one of the most famous Akihabara anime stores, located next to the main street of Akihabara's Electric Town. It opened in 1997.
Initially, Animate Akihabara consisted of only a small building, but as anime culture grew in popularity, the store underwent several expansions and renovations. On December 9, 2022, a second building was added.
In April 2023, Building 1 was relocated next to Building 2 and reopened, forming the current Animate Akihabara. Now, Building 1 has eight floors, mainly selling anime merchandise, while Building 2 has seven floors primarily dedicated to manga and books.
Animate Akihabara has become an iconic landmark, attracting countless anime fans from Japan and abroad. If you are an anime enthusiast, stepping into Animate Akihabara will captivate you with its vast array of manga, anime DVDs, Blu-ray discs, figurines, models, and other merchandise. You could easily spend an entire day exploring the store and still not want to leave.
What to Do in Animate Akihabara
Since this is an iconic must-visit spot on any Japan anime tour, what can you do once you arrive at Animate Akihabara?
Purchase Character Goods
As an Akihabara anime shop, the main activity at Animate Akihabara is, of course, shopping for various character goods.
The first to fifth floors of Building 1 are filled with merchandise from popular anime like ONE PIECE, Haikyū!!, Jujutsu Kaisen, and SPY×FAMILY. You'll find an extensive collection of figures, models, clothing, posters, badges, and more.
There is also a dedicated Jump section on the second floor, Space A la mode section on the third floor, and a range of limited edition items.
On the fourth floor of Building 1, you can even find international works like The Founder of Diabolism and The Legend of Hei.
Get Popular Audio, Visual & Game-related Products
Besides character goods, Animate Akihabara has a dedicated section on the B1 floor of Building 1 for anime CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, and games. Here, you can find original soundtracks from popular series such as Demon Slayer, Attack on Titan, and My Hero Academia.
There are also character songs performed by voice actors, anime theme songs, and various games, including titles for the Nintendo Switch.
Explore Manga, Novels & Magazines
If you're looking to buy magazines, novels, or manga, Building 2 will certainly meet your needs. Whether it's old or newly released manga, light novels, BL novels, adult novels, or magazines, you can easily find them at Animate Akihabara.
The first floor of Building 2 mainly features new releases, including manga and photo books.
The third floor offers a variety of comics, novels, art books, and photo books (new releases).
While, the fourth floor is dedicated to previously published boy's comics, young men's comics from Shueisha, Shogakukan, Kodansha, and KADOKAWA, as well as previously published literature books and light novels.
If you're interested in manga for girls, BL manga, etc., head to the fifth floor.
Join Special Fairs & Events
In addition to books and merchandise, both buildings of Animate Akihabara have dedicated event spaces.
The seventh floor of Building 1 and the sixth and seventh floors of Building 2 are used for special exhibitions, such as original art displays and figurine showcases for specific anime or manga works.
They also host autograph sessions, meet-and-greets, and new release events with well-known manga artists, illustrators, and voice actors, such as Eiichiro Oda, Gosho Aoyama, and Yuki Kaji.
Don't Miss Interesting & Personalized Trips to Animate Akihabara and More!
How to Get to Animate Akihabara
Animate Akihabara is conveniently located in the heart of Tokyo's bustling Akihabara district, and easily accessible by various modes of public transportation in Tokyo.
- From Tokyo Station, take the Keihin-Tohoku Line or the Yamanote Line to Akihabara. The journey takes about 4 minutes and costs 140 yen (about 1 dollar).
- From Shinjuku Station, take the JR Chuo-Sobu Line to Akihabara. The trip takes about 18 minutes and costs 170 yen (about 1 dollar).
- From Shibuya Station, take the JR Yamanote Line to Akihabara. The ride takes about 30 minutes and costs 200 yen (about 1.3 dollars).
- From Haneda Airport, take the Keikyu Line to Shinagawa Station, then transfer to the Keihin-Tohoku Line or Yamanote Line to Akihabara.
- From Narita Airport, take the Keisei Line from Narita Airport Terminal 1 to Ueno Station. Then, take the JR Keihin-Tohoku Line or Yamanote Line to Akihabara.
Before visiting Animate Akihabara, be sure to check their operating hours. Animate Akihabara (including the Animate Cafe Gratte Akihabara in Building 2) has different time schedules on weekdays and weekends:
| Animate Akihabara | Weekdays | Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays |
|---|---|---|
| 11:00-21:00 | 10:00-20:00 | |
| Animate Cafe Gratte Akihabara | 12:00-20:00 (last order 19:30) | Gratte: 11:00-19:00 (last order 18:30) |
Things to Do Around Animate Akihabara
As soon as you step into the Akihabara anime district, you'll be immersed in the vibrant atmosphere of anime culture. You can find plenty to explore beyond Animate Akihabara, enriching a unique and exciting experience.
Explore Various Stores & Shops
Around Animate Akihabara, there are many specialized anime stores and shops worth exploring.
One notable place is the iconic Akihabara Radio Kaikan. This multi-story complex, with its 10 floors, is a treasure trove for Akihabara anime merchandise, figures, toys, models, and more.
Another must-visit spot is the Akihabara Gachapon Kaikan, just a 5-minute walk away from Animate Akihabara. This small shop is packed with hundreds of capsule toy machines featuring various anime and animal series, making it a paradise for collectors.
Additionally, Surugaya and Mandarake are excellent choices for second-hand anime shopping. These stores offer a wide range of second-hand anime figures, often in 70-80% new condition. If you have enough time, you can discover many rare and discontinued collectibles here.
Visit an Anime Café
There are also many anime cafes in Akihabara worth visiting such as @Home Café, one of the most famous themed cafes in Tokyo. It is a maid café, just about a 5-minute walk from Animate Akihabara. The café has seven floors, each with different maids. The maids are very friendly and provide attentive service, making you feel as if you are in an anime world.
Cure Maid Café is one of the oldest maid cafés in Akihabara, having opened in 2001. Cure Maid Café emphasizes an elegant, classical, and traditional atmosphere. The maids wear Victorian-style outfits, setting it apart from other maid cafés. Additionally, Cure Maid Café does not charge a seating fee. The food and drinks offered are a blend of Japanese and European cuisines. Their diverse menu includes Japanese curry, tonkatsu, and omurice, as well as a variety of sausages, coleslaw, and fish and chips.
Go for a Gaming Session
If you are a gaming enthusiast, there are many places around Animate Akihabara where you can enjoy gaming experiences.
About a 5-minute walk from Animate Akihabara, the chain store Big Camera offers the latest gaming consoles and software, allowing visitors to try out the newest games. Better still, they offer better discounts for foreigners. So, you can easily get the best deals for newly released games after trying them out.
Additionally, Gamers, operated by Broccoli, is also a well-known specialty store for gaming-related products. Divided into the Anime Building and the Game Building, Gamers spans approximately 2,388 square meters. They primarily sell adult PC games, adult manga magazines, general PC games, Sony console games, and Nintendo console games.
Akihabara Street ViewEmbark on Your Anime Adventure at Animate Akihabara
Walking into Animate Akihabara, you'll be enveloped by the rich atmosphere of anime culture. The store's decorations, background music, and anime merchandise all contribute to the vibrant and captivating world of anime.
For anime & manga enthusiasts, the fun and surprises that Animate Akihabara offers go far beyond what words can describe. Consider commissioning a custom itinerary if you want to have an unforgettable Akihabara anime & gaming adventure tour!
FAQs About Animate Akihabara
Animate Akihabara vs Animate Ikebukuro: What's the difference?
Animate Akihabara is located in Tokyo's Akihabara anime district. It caters to a broad range of anime fans. The store features an extensive selection of items, from the latest anime and manga to classic games and electronic devices. You'll find items such as the latest Demon Slayer figures, limited edition Hatsune Miku models, and the newest anime Blu-ray releases.
While, Animate Ikebukuro is situated in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district, specifically on Otome Road. The stores and merchandise here focus more on female-oriented content, such as otome games (romantic games for women), female character merchandise, and female-oriented manga and anime. You'll find items like character goods from the otome game Hakuouki, limited edition posters from the female-oriented manga Detective Conan, and collectibles from the anime Black Butler.
Does Animate Akihabara offer tax-free shopping?
For most goods, Animate Akihabara generally offers tax-free shopping services for international customers who are non-residents in Japan. You should present your passport or landing permit (should not be a Re-entry Permit) and make sure you have entered Japan within the past 6 months. But the total purchases should exceed 5000 yen (about ＄47).
To proceed with the tax-free procedure, you should tell the staff at the cash register that you would like tax-free service. To prepare everything you need for shopping in Japan, it is advisable to check how to shop in Japan before your visit.
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