5 Things to do in Akihabara | Tokyo
Embed
- Published on Jul 12, 2017
- Akihabara is one of Tokyo's most popular destinations. We go in search of the best the area has to offer.
► WITNESS the Monster Ramen Challenge: thexvid.com/video/c90C-MbP5UU/video.html
► SUPPORT Abroad in Japan (Patreon): www.patreon.com/abroadinjapan 
Entertainment
I really like how Natsuki says seemingly random words as conversation, but you can perfectly understand what he wants to say, as he were talking in whole sentences.
beraking language barriers the cool way.
T_Kups sometimes I have to do that with native English speakers :/
He make more sense than me trying to do the same in Japanese :)
Broken english really is almost like its own language. Sometimes I literally have to dumb my speech down if I want to communicate with exchange students, and english isn't even my native language.
”He’s a really nice man”
“He’s a sitting man”
*no no, he’s got a point*
Are you by chance Finnish?
@Saga Karlen Genius !
No wonder dark side lost..too busy sitting down 🤭
He's a sithing man
Darth sittius
This place is literally heaven for a weeb/gamer who loves Japanese culture.
or someone who wants cheap electronics, often cool and/or old
999
@Satan OFFICIAL why would you do that when France exists?
i kinda miss when it was mostly just electronics...its a shame, just like radioshacks demise
@Wesley Wyndam-Pryce did you read the edit? think before you comment
last time I was in Japan I stayed in Ochanomizu and Akiba was literally like a minute walk away. Every day, after sightseeing, I would walk around and just look at all the stores and arcades until they closed. I remember going to Super Potato and Mandarake at least 3 times and I never got bored of it because of the sheer concentration of cool shit they have in those stores. I spent so much time looking at weeb shit that I legit forgot to eat at that ramen place every time I was there 😩
those anime figurines are actually really cheap at that store compared to buying from reputable sites like goodsmile where some figurines go well into the the thousands of dollars(US)
You can find different qualities there, from crap Chinese badly made copies, to decent mass produced, to even custom crafted (or parts to do them yourself). Of course the price goes up accordingly... At least the ones he showed were made properly.
@Jason Borshchik There's also places like Hobby Link Japan and Tokyo Otaku Mode among other reputable sites. Export sites tend to be more expensive, because they're dealing with a relatively niche market outside of Japan. Even Gunpla is much cheaper in Japan than it is on most exporter sites and that's before import duties and exceptionally expensive shipping.
Something that chris failed to mention (most likely didn't know, as it's not really his area of expertise) is that Kotobukiya is actually a well known reputable figure producer as well. Their figures generally range a bit cheaper than goodsmile's at relatively similar quality (not always though...they are sometimes a bit more hit or miss there. One of my figures from them had a special add-on that I had a difficult time applying due to the mold being slightly off)
One big difference is that goodsmile generally makes to order. So after the pre-order point there are generally no more produced (unless they do a second run). So they're marked at a more limited edition price.
Where as Kotobukiya generally mass produces their lines (they do still do pre-orders to get a general idea on first run production). A lot of their western lines or really popular figures can be purchased well after the pre-order time.
those are limited edition figures which are really exclusive if they go into the thousands or they're large scaled figures.
god bless you for putting the prices up in dollars and pounds
F for euros, but even dollars is fine for easy enough conversion
@Jonas Leland well, if it wasn’t Monopoly money 3 years ago, it certainly is now…
Yen to USD works so much better than canadian to yen. It’s 1 yen= 106USD
*Sad Euro noises....
I mean 1 yen is pretty much equal to a penny so
This marks the day I finished all AiJ videos. The latest upload in this channel is the Journey Across Japan E14. I binged from E10 and stopped at the next video after this to start from the beginning and watch it all from the 1st ever video.
It's been such a really amazing time watching them all and even inspired my newfound dream to go to Japan someday. Definitely one of my favorite YoutTube channels. Maraming salamat, Chris! All the best and I'll be looking forward to the new uploads!
The only thing that gets in mind when I see or hear the word Akihabara, is time travel.
Steins;Gate
And chicken nuggies. Tuturu!
Ah, a mad scientist of culture I see.
Because of where i live
It makes me think of
Akinwale arobieke
Heres a video about him
thexvid.com/video/wm0FQMo85GM/video.html
ngl the name does remind me of abenobashi
I am Japanese.
Thank you for coming to Japan.
(That’s all it takes? So all I have to do is go to a Japanese TheXvid channel and say I’m American Thank you for being Japanese)
それってそれだけですか?だから私がしなければならないのは、日本のTheXvidチャンネルに行って、私はアメリカ人だと言うことだけです。
(申し訳ありませんが、これはひどい翻訳されている場合)
@Beau B weeb spotted
Is it too late to wish there wasn't any toxic people on the net?
Yup too late
@Samurai Josh Isn't what I said the same as you though? People that's obsessed with Japanese culture and/or products outside of Japan
It's literally it, it's just some people doesn't get bothered by it anymore and it lost its impact
It's the same as the word Jaywalking, it's used to be an extremely crude and rude word, but with time people didn't care about it anymore, it lost its meaning and even became an official word used in the law
@Alvin Valentino The word "weeb" is used to shame ppl who are too obsessed with Japanese culture. That's the truth, you can't just make up new definitions to feel better about being called a "weeb".
I was lucky enough to go to Japan last year, and I visited Akihabara, among other places. I love figurines and other M&A gadgets, and it is much better to look for smaller, more hidden shops, where they have cheaper figurines, sometimes because the series that were once popular are not that popular anymore or because those are second-hand figurines (still in great shape!). I found a LOT of really cheap and truly awesome ones!
But a much better place for figurine collectors, or any Manga & Anime fan whatsoever, was a whole 7-floors tall Anime shopping centre in Kitakyushu (well, ok. 5 floors of shops, 1 floor of a small manga museum and 1 floor of cosplay and photo studio).
PS: I went back home with 9 new figurines and a few other gadgets.... I probably would have bought more if not for the luggage limit...
Please could you go to an "English themed" restaurant, just to see how the Japanese make a full English and a roast dinner? ( Huge fan of your videos, keep up the good work man )
I went to a steakhouse when I visited Japan. I got chicken (lol) and it tasted pretty good. The rest of my family got steak and they said it wasn't as good as back home. We're from Australia.
SweetAFP I saw an American store in kyoto, it was a bunch of cowboy and toy guns
SPTX
Oi! Don't say that about our food! >8( (Just kidding. I found your comment funny! XD)
Has anyone ever been able to emulate the awful stench emanating from british cuisine?
Ahh, I've actually been searching throughout your videos to see if you've been to Akihabara, and I finally found a video! One of the places I definitely want to re-visit when I go to Japan again is Akihabara. As an anime fan, this is my paradise ;D
Me: Isn't natsuki like 45?? What does he mean 1990? 30 seconds of pondering later: Jesus christ 1990 was 30 years ago
@Cosmobane They are like best friends for yrs now, so it really doesn't matter!
Is he really 45? If so, than Chris has been a bit disrespectful to him all the time lol.
By the way, Tokyo university professor
made a micro sattellite with parts in
Akiba.
Tuturu!!!
Hououin Kyouma
@Syauqi M. A. yes
@Rei omg. Im sad that so little people understood that reference.
Is this Steins;Gate reference????
Lots of unique collectibles, love the little charmander. Seems to be in Japan many people love collecting items and have high appreciation for their things.
Love videos like this - would be neat to see Akihabara in pictures and video over time from the 40s to now - looks like a cool place to visit!
That intro was flawless. I'm visiting Japan next year with my best friend and a year or two after that I'm planning on moving there! Luckily I have a friend who lives there so I can stay at his place until I get a grasp of their culture.
The nostalgia is strong seeing all that 70s/80s retro equipment. Electronics and gaming history should always be preserved for future generations to experience.
I legit hoped the entire video would have that VHS filter!
Anyway, Akihabara and Shibuya are probably the first places I wish to visit in Japan once I go there. I'm not into figurines but I wanna buy cosplay costumes and retro games~
Damn, those figurines are actually remarkably cheap... for a figure that size in america, you'd be lucky to find it for $250.
Yep especially that blonde (from Fate?) one for 5800yen in red clothes is damn cheap! It easily goes for 3x-5x more here in overseas.
I saw a golden thingy (wasn't real gold, but the character was super yellow), not sure what it was, it was a really old machine thingy character, that was like 400k yen. And it wasn't even that big!
@Freakzontour Yeah for sure. The absolute biggest is Mandarake (order.mandarake.co.jp/order/?lang=en ). It can be a bit of a hassle to find what you're looking for sometimes as they use both english and japanese names, but they have multiple stores with an absolutely massive inventory, and generally the best prices.
Amiami (www.amiami.com/eng/ ), hobbylink japan (hlj.com/ ) nippon-yasan (www.nippon-yasan.com/ ) and hobby search (www.1999.co.jp/eng/m/ ) are generally for new/preorder items, but I think they have a used section as well. Amiami definitely does atleast.
Solaris (solarisjapan.com/ ) has good variety of new and used, but their prices can be pretty high sometimes. There are others, but those are the main ones I use. Sorry for the long reply, but hope that helps! ^^
@Dynikus is there a reliable website you can recommend for such used figurines?
@Dynikus very true! Looking for second-hand figurines was great! I was able to find figurines in absolutely perfect shape for even as little as 600 yen (less than $6)! Because the figurine did not have its box (still, they packed it very carefully). Or there were new figurines but the box was opened ONCE. It wasn't even sold to anyone, I am the first owner, but since the box was opened, the price dropped significantly.
When we were in Akihabara I loved seeing all of the collectible trading cards in every shop. I had never heard of Vanguard until then.
Loved this, such a nostalgia trip! I missed some of this when I was out there including the Ramen place annoyingly! I will say if you want to know why I'm called RGI The Anime Figure Guy it's Akihabara to blame as I won a figure in the arcade and then proceeded to get hooked! Seriously people figure collecting is addictive, as now I have over 400 of them! XD
We want a full version of "Relax a Woman" by Natsuki!
This place seems so cool, I've heard it's not as awesome as it once was but it's great to see places like Super Potato still going strong.
"I can't help but feel some of the magic has been lost by downloading video games just off the internet."
Agreed. I love having physical copies and enjoying the artwork on the cases, but the digital copies are so convenient!
Digital is more convenient but I'm a liddle goblin who needs to have something to put their hand s on
i only buy digital nowadays because i hate having to swap out sd cards. I would never buy a physical PC game either.
If you are talking about current 2015 to 2019 games to dl digital then it is good for some games, however if you refer to retro games from past gen consoles then it is better to dl cause it is difficult as hell to find physical copies and even for games that were only release on arcades or in other countries
Me and my rom hacks.
What? Buying p3 would cost me 156 and that's before I buy a console... I'll emulate and play for free thanks. The money doesn't even go to the creators
I still purely go for physical copies for my Switch. There's just something special about having all those cartridges. Even if they're basically just SD cards now.
Looking forward for more Akihabara videos. Explore more on anime figures and 90s merch.
I recommend checking out the Shosen Book Tower. It's closest to the Hibiya Line. There's about 8 floors (if I remember correctly) and each floor is a different genre of books. One floor has books about trains while another floor has, of course, a variety of manga to choose from that I'm not able to see at other book shops as far as I'm aware (I'm probably wrong though). They even have a section full of Japanese books that you can buy especially if you're studying for the JLPT. The exterior is unique not to mention.
Another special in Akihabara pleaseeeee
This needs to be a series theres way too much going on in Akihabara not to cover more
Mate I`m binge watching all your videos in preparation of me finally returning to live in Japan again.
I`m SO hyped.
For maximum 80's nostalgia watch this video in 144p.
Lol my LTE is slow so it's automatic :(
@Skrim like it wont update without you refreshing the page
@Skrim it doesn’t work well tho
@Requiem yeah you can, I just checked.
You can’t decrease video quality on mobile anymore :(
Akihabara is definitely a must stop when I can afford to take a holiday in Japan
i think it's one of your VERY BEST videos so far !
Thank you for making me laugh with this great work, and especially with the "special effects"... hehehe :D
when fans wants some 4K video but u gave them 1980s colored VHS
@Lelouch Vi Britania WAY BETTER
Matsuri
Fitting given the music genre he uses "Citypop" is itself recreation of 80ies style music, you can hear this type of music in some 80ies anime movies.
Sauce for pfp?
YES
ultimate sarcasm.
Just another service.
Is Y i subscribe.
10:45 - 11:05 That transition with the music worked really well actually.
Nice editing on that part for sure.
I need to go to Akihabara again... it was so magical :'))
As someone who grew up in the 80s, I really appreciated the nostalgia of the VHS-quality beginning and ending. :)
@Roberto richardsen I remember that, but also when you had to open up a front panel and do it manually. ;)
i remember most video recorders had auto-tracking .. lol
If they have Pong, Coleco Vision or the Magnavox Odyssey, I'd be very impressed...I had Pong & an Odyssey with the voice cartridge...pretty sure that was the first ones that could talk...and it was some disturbing sounding ai speech too...but cutting edge for the late mid to late 70s...now that's an original gamer...those even predate the Atari 2600, which I still have, as well as an Atari 800 XL home computer that still works...
I love this. I have never moved on from Sega Mega Drive. I purchased a Nintendo Wii and a XBOX 360 but they didn't do it for me. My favourite year is 1989. I will be heading straight for Akihabara when I visit. Cannot wait for this Influenza Pandemic to be over.
Sorry we couldn't give you Akihabara in 4k. We're not that good. Hopefully the 80's VHS made up for it.
But WHAT do you recommend to do in Akihabara?! LET us know in the comments section below!
@Home Cafe. The OG Maid Cafe.
Kobato Miku used to work there.
@Mystic Virgo I remember that place! Creepy yes, but a great selection.
Question. How is travel from the USA during Corona pandemic? I have 4 weeks vacation and want to rent a studio near Akasaka Tokyo. And make side trips to hot spring ryokans in the north and south. But I'm not sure if Japan is accepting tourism at this time
Wow, AKB didnt make the top 5?
The filter and introductory narration had me laughing. You sounded like David Attenborough. And that pause "....video." XD
Wasn't the back story to the vents for Kylo's lightsaber was explained that his cracked kyber crystal (him being not fully turned into a sith is why it cracked) was unstable inside the lightsaber and he created the vents to help stabilize it?
When I went back to watch this video today, I was a bit surprised (and disappointed), to find the original opening had been cut. The one with Chris exclaiming "8K megakaukasaurus" with regard to people complaining about missing 4K quality on his videos, before cutting to the retro looking opening we immediately get today. I really liked that joke, and, as strange as it may sound, it was in fact the reason I revisited this video from time to time.
My speculation would be, that cutting the original opening, might have something to do with TheXvid monetization issues and "megakaukasaurus" containing a very c-word sounding part within. Removing the opening also had the unfortunate side-effect that all timestamps in the comments are now about 20 seconds late.
So let me close of with a request. Could we have a link to the unlisted original video, within the description of this video. Thanks for all the amazing videos so far.
How could you leave out my favorite shrine in Japan... The Shrine for IT and Animators is by far a must-see spot. If you are in Akihabara you have to stop at Kanda Myojin and grab charms for your computer.
my eyes went unbelievably wide as i found this video because i absolutely loved akihabara after playing and watching steins;gate, it really did sound like heaven
Damn, Natsuki was in junior high in 1919? I always thought Japanese people aged very well...
@Abroad in Japan He's the real Hououin Kyouma then.
Chantal Ward your hair looks great
Chantal Ward 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Abroad in Japan Your comment reminded me of Steins Gate
Natsuki's childhood was Ghouls 'n Ghosts. Good taste.
I might be going to Japan twice next year. Really excited to go to Akihabara.
The quality and detail of the figures are amazing!
if there was a town that benefits from an 80's vibe... it's Akihabara
Akihabara was one of the first stops on my journey due to my camera breaking down on the first day. Most expensive souvenir ever. Loved the area
Love this place. I go to Japan every year and come to see whats new
Came to Aki to buy games, figurines and manga.
Left with Hentai, Jav and an Onahole.
Wise man
Task failed successfully
@brian grant what happened in akb stays in akb
Discovered your channel few weeks ago. Suuuuuch a big fan ! ♥
Thanks for all the good jokes and informations. 🙏🏻
I took a stroll through Akihabara and what caught my eye was when I saw the card shop and almost died when I saw the new YUGIOH cards :D
I've been watching your channel for a few years now. Your content and banter are both consistently fan-f**king-tastic, thanks for all the effort you put into your videos!!
with the exception of monster ramen, I happened into all of this during my trip there.
I've often wondered how so many of these shops can coexist, and considering the prices of the figures...the shops must have some other source of income to stay in business.
Wow! Your videos are so high quality! So much better than TV 📺 xD
Damn. That opening is so damn nostalgic. Makes me want to find a time machine
more videos with him pls he's too funny!
Best team in town, finding nostalgia for relatively reasonable prices.
Started following you awhile back and I cant wait to Japan! You guys look like you have so much fun there. I'll be coming to japan maybe next year. Do you ever meet up with fans?
OF COURSE Natsuki owns a beauty salon.
hahahahahahaha
The real question is, how do you get all this awesome stuff back in your luggage?
Nice. I‘ve been to all of them during my stay :) I also suggest (if you‘re 18+) to check out the local sex shops. They‘re very diverse and partly creepy, so the perfect tourist attraction. Just pay attention to the no-camera signs, since there are also regular Japanese people shopping there.
Loved the intro but the outro was even better❤️👍
4:28 Japan truly has it all. They even have a maid reaming service. Now that’s true service;)
@Professional Fangster if they're getting paid well and they have other career options then it's their choice. they might even like their job. i asked this girl who used to work as an escort what her customers were like and she said most of them weren't lonely or inexperienced
LMAO I-
@Vandole it's funny joke
Those perfect condition consoles...dirt cheap....the tears down my cheeks.....
I’d spend a fortune in there!
@BlackEpyon in the uk prices are cheap like that too, xbox 360 £1-£10 wii £10 gamecube £10 n64 £20 ps2 £2
Went to Akiba for the adult goods, came home with a Super Famicom and a bunch of family-friendly classic games.
@optieダティディヅュズダンダートチｨプ- I have no idea if that’s how you write it holy crap katakana is hard
DIRTY DEEDS... DONE DIRT CHEAP!
And the number one reason to go there, and in my case the ONLY reason, are the electrical/electronic goods. It took a lot of walking to get what I wanted but I found all the components I needed for a tower desktop computer.
I also like electronics, I have heard than Shenzhen is another great place to visit if you are interested in that.
Saving up money and going on a spending spree in that classic games shop. My whole childhood in one store.
A mecca for retro gaming!
Just yet another reason why I would love to visit Tokyo.
This must be the 10th time I've watched this can't believe I haven't contented...
Now I have ☺ ♥ 🇯🇵
I liked Akihabara. My wife hated it... Next time I go to Japan, I'm doing a solo trip to Akihabara. She can go to Harajuku...
@Siv Vinod lol
Obviously she didn't like finding out she was inferior to anime girls (jk)
I've avoided this video for a very long time. I collect anime and all the non-hentai figures I can find. It's a sickness with no cure. My next visit to Japan will include a trip to Akihabara. May the God's have mercy on my bank account. Loved the video! My favorite part (besides seeing Shiori) is having Natsuki break down into Duran Duran's song Relax. If that's not EPIC I don't know what is!
If they have Pong, Coleco Vision or the Magnavox Odyssey, I'd be very impressed...I had Pong & an Odyssey with the voice cartridge...pretty sure that was the first ones that could talk...and it was some disturbing sounding ai speech too...but cutting edge for the late mid to late 70s...now that's an original gamer...those even predate the Atari 2600, which I still have, as well as an Atari 800 XL home computer that still works...
Ugh.... I want to go to Japan so damn bad! Has always been a dream of mine to go.
Can't go anywhere now. Can't spend money on much of anything now.
Save up.
In exactly 1 month i will be waking up in Tokyo for an exiting 1 week vacation. First time ever in Japan, and all alone. Adventure is out there!
How was it?
Dan Roger K. Johansen Hope u are enjoying yourself!!
Does natsuki really own a beauty salon? If he does, you should do a episode about a day in life in his shop
Yehhh saw natsuki the movie. My dreams came to fruition 🙌🙌🙌
Well luckily for you
Figures are much cheaper when you go into the shadier looking used stores. Picked up a ton of figures for $100, would have cost me well over a thousand buying brand new out of the box
“I appreciate the craftsmanship.”
Yea, sure you do Chris.
"chris: What year that was?
Natsuki: Junior high school
Chris: 1950s?" Underappreciated
Always enjoy your videos!
Continue having fun
i really love the 80s feel of the intro
Good stuff, we went to the Maid Cafe in Akihabara, so lovely and kawaii!
fkn love that retro video intro. DO MORE OF THAT.
I have to say, I'm a pretty big weeaboo, so akiba was one of my fave spots and I did the basic stuff like Sega arcades, Animate, Maid Dreamin', Yodobashi Camera. I would've liked to do more, but hopefully there's a next time!
If I ever visit Japan for the first time someday, I would only want to check out Akihabara. There, the otaku don't bother you and the store clerks can speak English since they are used to seeing non-Japanese anime fans and gamers going around there.
nah the otaku probably dont give shit about akihabara. after all they be busy enjoying anime.
I've been there more than a couple of times, it's quite wonderful.
I spent 2 days in akihabara..loved it..me and my whife stumbled into a underground j pop concert and it was one of the best things i saw in japan!
I love how everything is in sealed plastic. That's so nice.
Try out a maid cafe! Would love to see your reaction!
Maid Cafe's are a lot like the breastaurants in the USA (Hooters, Tilted Kilt, Twin Peaks, etc.). They sell overpriced food and have attractive waitresses. Though, there is one big difference. While US restaurants like Hooters have waitresses that dress provocatively and behave in a flirtatious manner with their customers, maid-cafes dress far less provocatively and act cutesy instead of flirtatious.
Show down go ahead man! Its not my cup of tea but everyone is different!
Yami Yami chan
Wow that is quite expensive. Probably i will be trying out when i m going to japan because i want to see how a maid cafe is :D
Show down i dont really remember since its been like 3 years since i have been, but i believe they can go up to ¥1500 ($15ish) for ONE plate of tomato sauce pasta (which doesnt taste all that great) so if you have the money and a backup meal or restaurant then go ahead lol.
Yami Yami chan
How much is the food for the maid cafe? Give me an average price because I really want to try out
If you, for some reason, ever release your playlist of Japanese retro songs, I would be really glad to check it out.
Looking to study abroad in Japan for my BA in cyber security, if I can find a sponsor.
I must avoid Akihabara at all costs, because I want to go there so bad...
I know this is a 3 year old video. Chris if you still live in Japan. I love to see shops that sell anything related to Transformers. I hope you can do one soon after the COVID-19 thing is going on.
@jb0258 Who does not love The Transformers???
He still lives in Japan. His last few videos have been at his current place. Idk if he likes transformers, but now that you mention it... I'd really love to see a transformers video too lol.
Bonus points if he found a place that has old Beast Wars figures!
"Over a kilogram of food"
Me, an American: Those are rookie numbers
Edit: lol i started an argument on the internet
@BlackEpyon swaggerer is a great name
@B Benson arguments on the internet are futile
What a preposterous accusation! Americans wouldn't know what a kilogram is.
Why is everyone arguin about how much scran they eat?
@Brett Phil Me an American who paid attention in science class: "About 2.20 pounds."
Whenever I think of Japan, I ALWAYS think of it with this feeling! Old VHS style is synonymous with Japan.
Love the retro vibe of this video.
Japanese style Gachapon is starting to catch on in other places. I live in the USA and I've seen the machines at conventions, at Hot Topic, and at a place called 2nd and Charles.
The first part of the video had the best quality. You should record more like that
Perfect, just what i'm expecting to actually see there.
Now i'll just need to figure out if i should bring them figurines back in the suitcase or send them by post beforehand.
Been to most of the places in the video and always love visiting here when I vacation in Japan. One thing I would recommend is the Yodobashi Camera store in Akiba. Its a 9 story wonderland of electronics, food and just about anything you can imagine. Hope you check it out and make a video.
The intro was nostalgic I loved IT