Shopping in Akihabara is a must if you are a gadget or electronic lover. My recent trip to Tokyo in 2012 left me with choices of places to visit here, and this was on top of my list as the last time I saw Akihabara was back in 1990.

That was 22 years ago, and I had to see how things had changed since my last visit here. To my surprise, the development of Akihabara left me speechless. From a mere few streets of electrical gadgets, it has extended into such a prominent place. I remember covering most of the main places in under half a day, but that time only allowed me to see half of the entire area.

Shopping in Akihabara

The bigger corporations have established dominance along the main streets with huge mega electrical stores and hypermarts, some of which are even multiple floors high.

My exploration once again took me to the back lanes of Akihabara, where I stumbled upon the good old small vendors who sold all sorts of gadgets, second-hand goods, and other interesting and quirky items. At these little stores, you have to sieve through boxes of stuff, and you may find something interesting.

While walking around the back lanes, I also noticed many Japanese Maid Cafes operating, especially on the first floor of the buildings. Cute Japanese girls in maid costumes would stand on the balcony, clapping their hands and shouting Japanese words to get customers’ attention.

Well, that being one of the top novelties in Japan, I pushed that curiosity out of my head and continued with my fascination with the electric city here. I did!

I was amazed at how some of these vendors displayed high-end electrical items like video and digital cameras on plain tables with a tablecloth outside their shops. However, in Kuala Lumpur, they would be behind a lock and key in a glass cabinet that is out of the customer’s reach.

A Canon Video Recorder sold for $500 here and was selling for only $150 there. Again, I was just astonished and went along my way. Other interesting items included a hard disc with 2.5 to 3 Terra Bytes, which was 30-40% cheaper than in Malaysia!

In 2012, the iPhone 4s and iPad 2 were the hottest items around, and over here in Akihabara, they were selling for dirt cheap! The only catch: it was all in Japanese. I found a salesperson who spoke very basic English, and he told me that the affordable units were only for Japanese use and not overseas.

So, if you are looking for excellent deals here, double-check if the items are for worldwide use. However, exploring a camera shop was interesting as the items sold there were, in fact, for worldwide use.

All models are about $75-150 cheaper than in Malaysia, but here is the catch – The units all come with a Japanese text display. So you need them to change it to English before leaving the store.

This would also be a haven for Japanese manga lovers or gamers. I advise bringing a Japanese friend who can translate everything for you. Otherwise, you will have some language issues if you speak something other than Japanese.

Tons of games were being sold, some even in bundles. A friend who was exploring the other parts found a super deal here. He went through some boxes displayed outside a store and found six Nintendo DX Lite sets selling for about $30 each. Taking all six, he eventually got them for $25 each. So, if you are into specific electrical or gaming stuff, this would be your mecca.

For the rest of the afternoon, I indulged myself by trying to cover most of the place, but I did not buy anything. I was looking for a DSLR camera, so most places I ventured into were camera stores. I saw a few, but the Japanese in-screen text turned me off again.

The next time I visit Akihabara, I will have something that I will need. Who knows. Anyway, below are a few more pictures taken of this fantastic place known as the electronic or gadget city of Tokyo.

Photos of Akihabara

My trip to Tokyo was via AirAsia X, as the airline flies straight into Haneda Airport, which is much more convenient than Narita Airport, which I also reviewed. This was my second trip here after visiting Osaka with the same airline a few months earlier in 2013. Find out what to do in Osaka if you see this other amazing Japanese city.

The streets of Akihabara in Tokyo.

Conclusion

Overall, Akihabara is a must-visit place in Tokyo if you love electronics and gadgets. On the bright side, if you are following your spouse, friend or loved one, check out some of the quirky items sold there.

What I mean is that I saw some shops selling—of all things—maid Costumes! They were ready to wear, too. There is a market for these, and they were relatively cheap, too. Food is available throughout the area, and there are some great Japanese Ramen shops and popular fast-food joints. I recommend spending at least 4 to 6 hours here if you plan to shop in Akihabara.