Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
10am Sat & Sun; JR Yamanote Line to Akihabara, Electric Town exit)
is a retro video arca-
de where you can play on some old-school consoles.
Eat at Marugo
Akiba is known for its
b-kyū gurume
(b-grade gourmet) - comfort food done
well (think fried dishes that defy the generally healthy image of Japanese
food).
Marugo
( 3255-6595; 1-8-14 Soto-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku; meals from ¥1400;
11.30am-3pm & 5-8.20pm; JR Yamanote Line to Akihabara, Electric Town exit)
serves up
delicious
tonkatsu
(deep-fried pork cutlet) and has a loyal following.
Visit a maid cafe
Maid cafes - where waitresses dress as french maids and treat customers with
giggling deference as
go-shujinsama
(master) - are an Akiba institution. Pop
into
@Home Cafe
(@ ;
www.cafe-athome.com
; 4th-7th fl, 1-11-4 Soto-kanda, Chiyoda-ku;
drinks from ¥500; 11.30am-10pm Mon-Fri, from 10.30am Sat & Sun; JR Sōbu Line to Aki-
habara, Electric Town exit)
for a game of
moe moe jankan
(rock, paper, scissors),
maid-style.
Shop at Mandarake Complex
If you want to get an idea of what
otaku
obsess over, a trip to
Mandarake
Complex
(
www.mandarake.co.jp
;
3-11-2 Soto-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku; noon-8pm; JR
Yamanote Line to Akihabara, Electric Town exit)
will do the trick. It's eight storeys of
comic books and DVDs, action figures and cel art.
Use a vending machine
Akihabara has a love affair with vending machines. Look for those dishing out
canned bread and
rāmen
, while
Gachapon Kaikan
(
5209-6020;
www.akibagacha.com
; 3-15-5 Soto-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku;
11am-8pm Mon-Fri, to 10pm Sat, to
