Japan needs no introduction. It is a world destination and trend setter in many departments. Tokyo, the capital is so huge, that the term metropolis sounds small to describe it. Every small bit of space is used in the most diligent manner so as to avoid waste.
Tokyo has many attractions - both of historical significance as well as of course, commercial. One of the modern wonders is the area called Akihabara - the Electronics City of Japan. It is easy to reach - the best way is the Tokyo subway which will take one to the location of same name.
The first sight which greets the traveler is the explosion of neon lights and advertisements covering entire buildings along the main avenue of Akihabara. The place is almost always teeming with people of all ages. There's an absolute 'electric' atmosphere, why not - it's only apt! The main street of course, houses the biggest retailers in the country but the real charm and value of the place is in the secondary streets in and around. One needs to set out a plan and check these streets one by one to find something eye-catching.
Laox - Duty Free Home Electronics Chain
For foreign travelers, the Laox franchise of shops is a good bet for tax-exempt products of all types. Along the streets, one will be surprised with literally mountains and pyramids of hard ware accessories - all on special discounts and more often than not, made in Japan. In the back streets, there is a more specialized variety of niche products like older add-on lens or perhaps some vintage cameras like Leica and Nikon for the pros. Equally distributed with these shops is the ever dominating presence of anime and manga themed gaming and product shops, as well as restaurants. The cosplay-themed restaurants should be visited by the non-fan at least once! Be prepared to be greeted by Anime/Manga clad waitresses offering their restaurant menus.
Highlights in Akihabara
Apart from the theme restaurants, there are the more traditional ones - dig into the local food at the regular teppanyaki and ramen eateries. The menus are varied and great prices by the Japanese standards. Many of the best restaurants are the smaller and quieter ones with a dedicated clientele and excellent service; these are located just left of the main entry area to Akihabara.
Another highlight of the place are the second-hand stores which generally sell barely used or almost new electronic products, DVDs & the likes for amazingly competitive prices. Everything comes with a receipt, history and guarantee in many cases, so it's very hard to turn away!
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