visiting akihabara

[gozaimas]

I'm off on my first trip to the promised land next week. just wondering if you guys had any advice on places to visit for games purchasing. I know there are a load of shops that are tucked away so any names directions would be gladly received.

cheers,

goz

[Tonma]

Doesn't Asobit City close down next week or the week after?

Pray that you're there for the closing down sale.

[Pootle UK]

Just explore everywhere!

I could've easily spent a week just wandering round there

[Len]

This should help you out:

http://ntsc-uk.domino.org/viewtopic.php?t=19458

Njoy...

[Himura Kaji]

Umm right... come out the subway, depending on what side you are you will see an arcade with lots of crane games inside.
If you are cross the road. Turn left then right at the next turn.
Follow this road up, on the right you will find a lil alley way that has lots of lil shops for figurines and music players etc there is a small net cafe half way down this on your left which is very useful.
Anyway ignore the alley and carry on walking along and you shall come to a crossing with a BIG LAOX building on the left turn right and your onto the street you wanna be on.
Across the road there is CLUB SEGA, down the side road before this theres a SOFTWARE think its 3 (this is the name). Come back on yourself and carry on walking down, theres a few GAMERS and more SOFTWARES etc most of the shops along this road but remember to check all the lil side roads for cool lil shops.
I could go on but it would take forever.... p.s. bout 5 mins walk past gamers is a McDs for your food needs. Remember its a 'SET' not a 'MEAL'.

Luke.

[kinsukejpn]

Please use this map. (sorry, not updated recently)

http://www.tky.3web.ne.jp/~kinsuke/akihabara.gif

[kotatsuneko]

imho for aki its more convienient to use the train instead of the tube

[Jushin-Thunder-Liger]

Just walk around is the best advice i can give, dont plan to much, its pretty small and easy to navigate

[kotatsuneko]

oh and ... get out of tokyo! its filthy dirty, stinks of fags old men and whisky, and in general the people are horrible..

get a rail pass and use it if your budget/time stretches to it.. izu isnt too far away or himeji, beppu, etc .. just stay well away from nagoya, that places is full of weirdos

[kinsukejpn]

By the way, I see many foreign people in Akihabara, whenever I visit there.
Especially, in Trader, used game shops.
Maybe, some of them are the members of NTSC-UK forum

[MD]

I've been in Japan for a week now and apart from one day in Mitaka for the Studio Ghibli museum and half a day in Shinjuku I've been living in Akihabara.

Astro Bit City is moving rather then closing down. Think I've found most of the games shops in Aki, including the one that had a Epoch Cassette vision and a Atari 2800, boy was I tempted. It was like Satan had said look, nice Japanese console and its 80 quid, go on buy it, you don't need food....

So if you see a strange guy wearing game on t-shirts looking at games going 'Got got got got' that'll be me.

[Pavey]

To quote Himura Kaji, i believe its SOFMAP, not SOFTWARE, and i think that is number 3. Its a great shop so check it out. I got my Q there for ?117.
Back in Shinjuku is SOFMAP 4 which i also rate as one of the better shops.
All of the aforementioned shops you have to go see aswell.
Good luck
Nick

[JU!]

Akiba is such a brilliant place i found it easy just to walk round as well to my knowledge all the great games shops r easy to spot, can't wait to go bck soon for a month or a year (workin Visa). MD i know how u feel those Dreamcasts n Saturns r still calling my name, who can resist the bargains Plus the Japanese keep there pre owned stuff in such good condition its untrue, all my pre owned stuff i bought looks like new.

[tokyochojin]

If you do manage to get out of Tokyo the prices are alot cheaper matey! Osaka and Sapporo especially have alot more baragins(like Radiant Silver gun for 3000Y!) anyway just enjoy it and don't plan. Akihabara isn't big so you shouldnt have any problems. Just remember look up, as not everything is on the first floor!!

[DCharlie]

"Maybe, some of them are the members of NTSC-UK forum "

Hell, i used to go to aki every weekend.

But i've managed to stay away for the last 2 months - my local games store in leafy Toritsu Daigaku more than covers what i need now, and i can spend infinitely less cash if i just stick to that store.

Also, the mamebox sort of negated the need to go PCB shopping.

But , one thing i would say, is that Aki is slowly dying. So enjoy it now. The soon to come influx of office workers due to the two big blocks going up at the moment will inevitably push the price of real estate up.

Game stores have been closing left , right and centre - these are being replaced with restaurants and eateries - no doubt ready for the large influx of a new kind of punter.

Ah well - trips to Den Den Town it is....

(Den Den Town still has the best game store on the planet)