Akihabara — nicknamed "Electric Town" — is Tokyo's legendary electronics district, a dense cluster of multi-storey shops selling everything from the latest consumer gadgets to obscure vintage components. Its reputation took root after World War II, when surplus electrical parts flooded into the black market here, and it has never looked back.
The best way to explore is simply to walk Chuo Dori, the main boulevard, up and down a few times, ducking into whatever catches your eye. Much of the merchandise spills out onto the pavement, and unlike most Tokyo shops there is some room to haggle. Beyond electronics, Akihabara has become Japan's unofficial capital of manga, anime, and gaming culture, with themed cafes and multi-floor hobby shops woven in among the hardware stores.
Two fine shrines sit just west of the main shopping strip — Kanda Myojin and Yushima Seido — offering a quiet contrast to the sensory overload of the main drag. Both were rebuilt in the 1930s after the catastrophic 1923 earthquake levelled much of the area.