Here’s a live camera shot of Chuo Dori which is in the middle of Akihabara. Chuo Dori is one of the main streets with a ton of otaku stores on both sides.
https://youtu.be/Qp08AD-PE_w
Tag Archives: Akihabara
Akihabara Flashmob
Now here’s how flashmobs go down in Akihabara. Nice, cute and orderly…just keep watching for the local police to show up and try to restore order 🙂
EXPLORING AKIHABARA: J-VLOGGING 2016 DAY 6
It was a rainy, wet and cold day in Tokyo but that didn’t stop us from heading to Akihabara for a meeting with a friend before hitting the streets of Akiba to see how it all lights up at night! And we have our first mini giveaway in this vlog update!!
New Hair Salon In Akihabara Caters For Anime Fans
Akihabara is the place where anything and everything goers down for the otaku. And now, for something different, a new hair salon has opened which caters to anime fans. The salon is called OFF-KAi!! and it’s been open since October 1, 2016.
This hair salon plays various songs from different anime’s to pass the time as you wait for your cut and the staff being anime otaku love talking to visitors about anime’s to pass the time. And even better, they can also style your hair as your favourite anime character.
And keeping in theme as with most stores in Akihabara, the hair salon even has its own mascot. Her name is Marwishka Offka and she’s been illustrated by renowned light novel artist, Kurehito Misaki of Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend fame.
If you’re in Japan and fancy getting a haircut like your favourite anime girl or boy, here’s the address: OFF-KAi!!, Sotokanda 3-6-6 Hattori Building 1F, opening hours are from 12 PM to 10 PM with the last appointment at 9. The salon also has its own app through which you can make a booking. You can grab it for both iOS and Android.
Square Enix Opens Cafe In Akihabara
Great news coming out of Tokyo with the announcement that Square Enix have opened a new cafe in the heart of otaku goodness, Akihabara.
It can be easily found as it’s located right next to another landmark in Akiba, Yodobashi Camera, next to Akihabara train station. One of the cool things about the cafe is that the interior theme will change depending on whatever SE is promoting at the time.
This new cafe joins the existing eatery dedicated to Final Fantasy XIV in Akihabara and Artnia, the other cafe situated in Shinjuku. As of writing, the theme for the new cafe is Final Fantasy XV which is evident by footage of the game being broadcast on many monitors. As well as the soundtrack being played through speakers, there are posters, artwork and character statues to really immerse you into the atmosphere.
There’s the obligatory gift store section loaded with goodies from Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest too.
For those of you keen to check it out, here’s the details on where to find it:
Square Enix Cafe /スクウェア・エニックス カフェ
Address: Tokyo-to, Chiyoda-ku, Kanda Hanaoka-cho 1-1, Yodobashi Akiba 1st floor
東京都千代田区神田花岡町1-1 ヨドバシAkiba 1階
Open: 9 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Source: Rocket News
“Good Smile Company 15th Anniversary Exhibition” in Akihabara!
Good Smile Company have opened a 15th anniversary event, commemorating all of the wonderful support from their fans. Not only is this event being held in the Otaku Hub of Tokyo, Akihabara; it features the display of almost every single figure released by GSC (which is over 1000 items!). The event started today on the 20th August and will be running up until Sunday 4th September and best of all, entrance is free.
【グッドスマイルカンパニー15周年記念展示会】入口のねんどろ達は新卒の皆が飾りつけてくれました^ ^ 可愛い写真を撮れるのでオススメです♡ #goodsmile15th #akiba https://t.co/DT2sFcLnvh pic.twitter.com/eqHrXcSKKQ
— hama (@gsc_hama) August 20, 2016
Good Smile have a Figure Exhibition featuring all their previously released figures and some prototypes; a 15th Anniversary Corner showing items that specifically relate to their anniversary; and a Sales Corner for purchasing the various goods and figures available at this amazing event.
Items such as the wonderful looking ‘Stars Bless You’ ver Sakura Kinomoto are on display and lovers of Nendoroids will be in heaven, able to admire all Nendoroids released and up for pre-order/prototyped.
For those who don’t have the luxury of going to the event themselves, AmiAmiBlog have been so kind as to take numerous photos for fans to admire.
And those who have the chance to go to Japan before the event is over, the access details are below!
| Dates | 20th August 2016 – 4th September 2016 |
|---|---|
| Times | Weekdays 12:00 – 20:00 (Last Entry 19:30) Weekends 11:00 – 19:00 (Last Entry 18:30) |
| Location | 3331 Arts Chiyoda 6-11-14 Sotokanda Chiyoda-Ku Tokyo 101-0021 |
| Access | – 1 min. from Tokyo Metro Ginza Line Suehirocho station (Exit 4) – 3 min. from Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line Yushima station (Exit 6) – 6 min. from Toei Oedo Line Ueno-Okachimachi station (Exit A1) – 7 min. from JR Okachimachi station (Southern Exit) – 8 min. from JR Akihabara station (Electric City Exit) |
| Entrance Fee | Free |
New Animate Store For Akihabara
We already know that Akihabara is Ground Zero for all things otaku, right?
Well, now there’s a new store opening up from a very popular chain. Animate has its main store in Ikebukuro, seen as a more female friendly part of Tokyo, catering for the female otaku. But they now have a new store opening up in Akihabara as of June 2016. The new store boasts 7 floors of oatku goodness and is also known as “AKIBA Girls Station”. What separates this store from the others in Akihabara, which tends to be more male-centric, is that the anime/manga are going to be geared more towards their female audience, much like in Ikebukuro. It’s also conveniently located very close to the JR Akihabara station, only about 5 minutes away.
Here are some pics of the new store, courtesy of Tokyo Otaku Mode!
Akiba’s Beat E3 Trailer
Remember Akiba’s Trip on console and handheld a few years ago? That game allowed you to roam the streets of Akihabara with stunning architecture accuracy with pretty much all stores present and accounted for. A new game has emerged from E3 called Akiba’s Beat which is a new RPG from Acquire.
The plot of the game revolves around 19-year-old NEET Asashi Tachibana in a groundhog day scenario where Sunday is on constant loop repeating itself. Have a look at the trailer below which shows some amazing visuals and interesting characters. The game is being developed for PS4 and PS Vita.
https://youtu.be/yBrj1CMuNEg
SAO Kirito Bedsheets Sell Out First Day
The Tokyo Anime Centre in the UDX building, Akihabara is currently hosting a Sword Art Online exhibition from October 15 through to the 26th. And one of the items being sold at the event are bed sheets manufactured by Genco featuring Kirito from SAO II. However fans who missed the opening of the show were left disappointed when they found out that the bedsheets sold out on the first day. Fans of Asuna were in luck though with an abundance of sheets still to be found.
New Otaku Fashion Store Hits Japan
One of the amazing amazing quirky features of Japan would have to be the unique fashion sense. You see this replicated in popular culture in the West as well and in movies. One new fashion trend emerging now is a fusion between otaku elements from anime, manga, gaming plus more with the crazy cool fashion twist from Harajuku. The movement is gaining so much popularity that a store recently opened called Park Harajuku where you can nab some fashions for yourself.
Here’s a video hosted by Elleanor from TokyoFashion.com who recently featured in a new Crunchyroll show called Crunchyroll x Tokyo, catch it here.