Hello! While browsing this subreddit I’ve seen several comments saying that Akihabara is pretty dead in the evening, and that one should visit before 8pm otherwise everything will be closed.
The way our schedule works right now, we only have time to visit Akihabara on the day we arrive in Tokyo. Our flight from Europe lands in Haneda at 1:50pm on Friday. Our hotel is in Ginza, so I’m roughly estimating that getting through security, to the hotel, and resting a bit, that we’ll be ready to go out around \~5:30pm or so, maybe even later. Then of course we need to get our Suica cards, figure out public transport, and actually get to Akihabara, so maybe it will be 6-7pm when we actually arrive. Which only leaves about 1-2 hours before supposed 8pm dead zone.
Regarding Akihabara, we’re not super big anime people nor into the geek culture (I watched Naruto and Bleach as a teenager but not much since then and my wife has literally no familiarity), so not trying to do any shopping. Just want to be a tourist and sightsee in this famous neighborhood. I do like arcade games so it would be fun to spend some time there.
Our alternative plan would be to just walk around and explore the stuff nearby our hotel in Ginza that evening. I love parks and greenery, so I saw Kokyo Gaien Garden, Hibiya Park, and Kiriko Lounge of Tokyo Plaza are open 24/7. (Hamarikyu Gardens closes at 5pm so that’s out of the question). Maybe check out Marunouchi Ekimae Square and the area near Tokyo station? We’ll be spending an afternoon in Ginza anyway later in the trip to do some shopping and visiting temples and parks in Kyoto and Nara later, so that’s why I’m not sure the parks near Ginza is worth visiting as opposed to Akihabara which has fewer “substitutes”.
WDYT, any suggestions or advice about Akihabara vs Ginza after we land? Thanks in advance!
15 comments
Well the arcades and restaurants are still open, the stores are mostly closed though and there are way less people (not that this is a negative). There is a different kind of establishments that open during those times on the side streets – not that they would let foreigners enter. But it kind of changes the vibe.
Our hotel this year was in Akihabara, so we got to experience it at some odd times.
Yep, stores basically all close at 8pm, but food usually opens till around 10 and arcades go a little past midnight so there’s still stuff to do if you like arcades
I am a city person so seeing Akiba all lit up is fun for me but as a nature lover, you might not care. Some maid cafes close later than others and arcades usually close the latest.
Imho, Akihabara is skippable unless you there is really something you want to do or buy there. There really isn’t anything to “sightsee” and doesn’t have the “glitter gulch” type of atmosphere that some people expect. The arcades are pretty fun though. That being said, it’s close to ginza by metro, so you could go and just go back to ginza if you get bored.
Since you mentioned parks, hibiya park has a wider variety of plants than kokyo gaien. The latter is mostly cherry trees that are spread apart. Again, both are pretty close to each other, so you could just walk to both if you wanted.
If you are not Anime fun or tech geek,
here is Akihabara tourist course.
If you go before 8pm, shops are open.
Restaurants, Arcade game, maid cafes, concept cafes are still open after 8.
Concept cafes are like, Nurse, mermaids, samurai, army etc. etc.
Don’t expect the taste.
And you need to watch out for rip-off concept cafe.
Exit to “Denki gai guchi” at Akihabara station.
Go main street 1-2minutes away.
Head to north on the main street.
You will see Arcade game, Anime shops, Maid cafe, Concept cafe, Maids on the street every 4feet, Donqi-hote(don quixote) a big store with variety things that tourist like.
And done with Akihabara. 20minutes maybe?
Donqi also exist in Shinjuku shibuya roppongi and other part of Tokyo.
Ginza: Good for high brand shopping and food.
But most of shops close at 8PM.
Restaurants and bars are still open.
Excellent restaurants are there.
You can also find Good Jazz bars.
If you really want night life after 8PM, or cheeper, you should go to Shibjuku, Roppongi, Shibuya.
I think if you like arcade games it’s definitely worth going even at night just for that. My husband and I love anime and gaming and managed to spend a couple hours just wandering the different arcades one night and then another hour another night while waiting for a dinner reservation nearby. You can also do karaoke with your wife if she’s interested in that!
It is not only Akihabara but about everywhere that most stores close at 8pm.
You can still check opening hours of individual stores, like Melonbooks close at 9, but this is a doujin store so you kind of have to be into anime/manga culture to maybe see the appeal. Lashinbang at 9, that is a second hand animé goods store.
Bic camera at 9, Donki open 24/24, but those are big chains that can be found everywhere and maybe not especially representative of Akihabara pop culture side. Ok, Bic Camera can fit in the electronic store category that is also a big part of Alihabara.
Pop life department m’s that close at 11, that is the famous sex shop right next to the electric town exit.
Arcade close at 11:30.
Other that that you would still have restaurants open after 8pm.
So if you are not that much into anime/manga but want to have a taste of Akihabara, having 1-2 hours to check most stores is fines, you can pick some like Radio Kaikan that have many stores on different floors, located just next to the station, plenty of figures and anime goods, then just go walk on the main street, just seeing the lights and the style/vibe of the city can be cool, can still check stores before 8, there is also electronic stores or video games stores. Then after go check arcade and the sex shop, even if you don’t play/buy anything you can see what these places have to offer.
Like others have said, Akihabara is like almost 2 different cities in the day and night. During the day is when most of the anime shops are open. The major anchors like Animate, Sofmap, AmiAmi etc. will open into the night as well as major electronics stores like Bic Camera and Yodobashi. But, these stores also have branches in other parts of the city as well, so they’re not exactly a must-visit. (The only thing I think I should mention is that the same anime shops in Ikebukuro will most likely be more otome-oriented, that is catering to women).
What I like about Akihabara at night though is its food scene, the little restaurants tucked into the streets away from the main road flanked with anime shops come alive with people coming out of work to eat and hang out.
Bic Camera closes 9pm, the upper floor has a bunch of anime/geek stuff
Gamers closes 10pm, though it mostly has recent stuff and love live and similar stuff
The Gigo arcades close pretty late, don’t remember exactly when
My favorite is Radio Kaikan which has the most variety but it closes 8pm. But since you don’t want to do shopping then it’s OK to skip it.
If the goal is not shopping, I think walking around (it’s a super interesting sight at night) and going to the arcades should be fun
Anyone one know if there are old vintage games (I mean really old like 1980s) at arcades in Akihabara?
If you are not into anime and manga there is nothing to do in Akihabara. It is not a sightseeing district or anything.
Explore Ginza area, it is much more sightly.
Personally, I wouldn’t bank on planning anything in the evening. The long flight and time difference are no joke. Walking around near your hotel might be the safer play.
As for Akihabara, there is a buzz until around 10pm or so. Plenty of people on the streets and the lights are bright. That said, other areas like Shinjuku, Shibiya and Ikebukuro can also offer that type of vibe.
Source: Stayed in an Akihabara hotel on the Tokyo leg of my trip.
Most people who’ve come to visit me over the years have insisted on Akihabara and been disappointed by it. Unless you’re really into the otaku/ maid cafe culture, it’s just another neighbourhood. There are two big electronics stores near my apartment, so we just hit those up if that’s what interests visitors.
Japan also used to be much more cutting edge on the electronics front. There’s less that really wows people these days.
We went out the other night in akihabara and there was a pretty decent amount of stuff still going on at 11pm/12am
This is my main gripe with Akihabara. I wish I could browse stores until midnight! There’s so many shops that are so densely packed that I can spend hours scouring one place.