Akihabara (秋葉原)

Akihabara (秋葉原), also called Akiba after a former local shrine, is a district in central Tokyo that is famous for its many electronics shops. In more recent years, Akihabara has gained recognition as the center of Japan's otaku (diehard fan) culture, and many shops and establishments devoted to anime and manga are now dispersed among the electronic stores in the district. On Sundays, Chuo Dori, the main street through the district, is closed to car traffic from 13:00 to 18:00 (until 17:00 from October through March).

Akihabara has been undergoing major redevelopment over the years, including the renovation and expansion of Akihabara Station and the construction of new buildings in its proximity. Among these newly opened buildings were a huge Yodobashi electronics store and the Akihabara Crossfield, a business complex with the aim of promoting Akihabara as a center for global electronics technology and trade.

The character of Akihabara has constantly changed over the decades and continues to do so. In the last decade Akihabara has emerged as a center of Japanese otaku and anime culture, and dozens of stores specializing in anime, manga, retro video games, figurines, card games and other collectibles have filled the spaces between the electronics retailers.

In addition to shops, various other animation related establishments have become popular in the area, particularly maid cafes where waitresses dress up and act like maids or anime characters, and manga cafes (manga kissa), a type of internet cafe where customers can read comics and watch DVDs in addition to having access to the internet.

Photos:

"Akiba denkigai" by Jmho - Jmho's file. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Akiba_denkigai.jpg#/media/File:Akiba_denkigai.jpg

"Akibaneon" by Mozaic334 - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Akibaneon.JPG#/media/File:Akibaneon.JPG

"Akihabara Maids". Licensed under Attribution via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Akihabara_Maids.JPG#/media/File:Akihabara_Maids.JPG