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AKIHABARA SHOPPING
Akihabara Shopping - Akihabara is famous for its
electronics and hi tech shopping. Akihabara features the massive Yodobashi Camera store.
Akihabara is Tokyo's
"Electric Town", which is focused around Akihabara Station. Akihabara built its reputation has a place to go in Tokyo for very technically advanced hobbist style parts and equipment sold from many small shops. Today those smaller shops only make up a small and demininshing part of Akihabara. The Akihabara of today caters much more to the main stream consumer and their desires for consumer electronics sold from larger stores.
Some of the smaller market style stores in
Akihabara
Akihabara Shopping
On
Sunday afternoons, the main street is blocked to vehicle traffic and
the area takes on a different feel. This makes it easier to access many small vendors that offer products not seen in the major stores. Refer
to our Akihabara Map for the locations of the most of
the popular stores in Akihabara.
Note that products intended for the Japanese market may only use
110V electricity (most now have international power supplies, but check to make sure), have no international warranty, are
labelled in Japanese and some will only have Japanese documentation. Head for the many duty-free
shops to find export models, which are priced at a premium and the range will be very limited.
Duty Free Stores Larger shops can arrange sales tax exemptions for purchases of over
¥10000, saving you 5%. Unlike most countries, in Japan the sales tax is
refunded immediately, so there is no need to claim the sales tax back at the airport on departure. You will need to show your passport and you should clear your purchase through customs at the airport
at departure time. The larger stores and some smaller shops take credit cards, but a transaction
fee may be applied (usually 2%).
Shopping Comparison Most major items I found to be similar pricing to that in the USA or
Australia, but exchange rate variations can make for short term discounts.
Warranties are the other issue to consider, many brands do not have
international warranties. The advantage of shopping in Japan for electrical
or photographic items is the access to a range of products that are not
released outside of Japan. These items may not have had their international
release or may never be released. This also applies to many smaller items
and accessories, but the internet has started to make some of these items
more available outside of Japan.
Should I buy a camera in Japan or locally? Potentially you may be able to buy a model a few weeks earlier in Japan
or for a little less. It was difficult to make a comparison, but the
difference didn't seem to that great. Part of the problem, particularly with
digital SLR cameras is the lenses packages vary and even the name of the
camera, for example, a Canon EOS 350D in Australia, a Rebel
XT in USA and a KISS in Japan. Then there are many combinations of lenses
that can be packaged with it.
I strongly recommend buying your camera before you travel unless you are
already very familiar with the camera. You really need time to learn all the
different aspects of the camera before you travel, other wise you will be in
a situation where you want to take a difficult or unusual photo and the
result may not be the best it could be. Even with many hours practice with
the camera before I left for Japan, I was still caught out in one situation
where I had to switch to automatic mode, thus missing a particular low light
long range flash photo.
Aisan Aisan store located in Akihabara, supplies mainly cables and networking equipment.
AKKY II Store Just a short walk from JR Akihabara station (Akihabara). Great selection of Duty Free electronic products for overseas use as English OS PC, English OS PDA, Digital Video Camera, Digital Still Camera, Plasma TV, LCD TV,GSM Phone,Travel goods and Souvenirs.
AKKY III Store Just a short walk from JR Akihabara station (Akihabara). Great selection of Duty Free electronic products for overseas use as English OS PC, English OS PDA, Digital Video Camera, Digital Still Camera, Plasma TV, LCD TV,GSM Phone,Travel goods and Souvenirs.
AKKY International Main Store A minute walk from JR Akihabara station (Akihabara). Great selection of Duty Free electronic products for overseas use as English OS PC, English OS PDA, Digital Video Camera, Digital Still Camera, Plasma TV, LCD TV,GSM Phone,Travel goods and Souvenirs.
Docomo Akihabara Docomo is a mobile phone network company and this is their store in Akihabara.
Don Quijote Akihabara Don Quijote is a chain of discount stores selling a wide range of products including groceries, electronics and clothing. This store is located in Akihabara.
Fujisoft ABC Building Akihabara
Ishimaru 1 Akihabara
Kajitsu Duty Free Shop Kajitsu Duty Free Shop focuses on supplying the Chinese traveller with duty free products from Japan.
LAOX Computer Building Laox Computer Store specializes in export products and has multilingual staff on hand. There are in fact eight Laox stores in Akihabara, including the main store, computer store, Duty free store, musical instrument store, hobby, game, watch and camera. Each store covers several levels.
LAOX Duty Free Akihabara Laox Duty Free Store specializes in export products and has multilingual staff on hand. There are in fact eight Laox stores in Akihabara, including the main store, computer store, Duty free store, musical instrument store, hobby, game, watch and camera. Each store covers several levels.
LAOX Mac Akihabara LAOX Mac specializes in Apple products. There are in fact eight Laox stores in Akihabara.
LAOX Main Store Laox Main Store specializes in export products and has multilingual staff on hand. There are in fact eight Laox stores in Akihabara, including the main store, computer store, Duty free store, musical instrument store, hobby, game, watch and camera. Each store covers several levels.
LAOX Watch and Camera Store Laox Watch and Camera Store specializes in export products and has multilingual staff on hand. There are in fact eight Laox stores in Akihabara, including the main store, computer store, Duty free store, musical instrument store, hobby, game, watch and camera. Each store covers several levels.
Mebius
Onoden Main Store Onoden Main Store features Duty Free and English speaking staff. The range includes electrical home appliances through to home entertainment systems and cameras.
Radio Centre Akihabara Electronic component market in Akihabara. Also referred to as Radio Kaikan.
Radio Kaikan The cradle of modern technology in Akihabara. In the early days of personal computers, NEC established a direct sales outlet here, where it sold the first personal computer in Japan. Now there are more hobby-type stores, but on the 7th floor there is a plate announcing ""The Birthplace of Personal Computers"". Radio Kaikan today provides a home for Kaiyodo and other hobby specialists, and is well worth a visit.
Sato Musen
Sega Akihabara Sega Akihabara is the Sega specialty theme store in Akihabara.
Sofmap 4 Akihabara There are some 12 Sofmap stores in Akihabara.
Sofmap Akihabara There are some 12 Sofmap stores in Akihabara.
Sofmap Kakuta Akihabara There are some 12 Sofmap stores in Akihabara.
Sofmap Mac Akihabara There are some 12 Sofmap stores in Akihabara. This one specializes in Apple Mac equipment.
Takarada Duty Free Main Shop Takarada is a large electronics store in Akihabara that sells duty free. This is the main store of two in Akihabara.
Takarada Duty Free Rocket number 1 Store Takarada is a large electronics store in Akihabara that sells duty free. This is their second of two stores in Akihabara.
Tsukumo Robot Kingdom Tsukumo Robot Kingdom was the first specialist store selling robots in the world. Robot fans and builders all over the world come to Tsukumo Robot Kingdom which is just three minutes walk from JR Akihabara Station.
Variety of Do It Yourself parts and tools are prepared for people who want to make robots.
We offer everything from small personal robots to large scale robots.
Yodobashi Camera Akihabara Yodobashi Camera is a chain of camera stores that sell far more than just cameras. Their range includes home eletronics, mobile phones and computers. Yodobashi Camera Akihabara is a massive store with 7 floors of shop space, 2 floors of cafes and restaurants plus parking for 400 cars.
Radio Center Radio Center is an unbelievable two-floor
warren of tiny shops, each specializing in (for example) LEDs, voltage
meters, ceramic capacitors or miniature cameras. Heaven for the
hardcore do-it-yourself electronics geek.
Akihabara CrossField In March 2006, "Akihabara Cross Field", consisting of two high-rise
buildings (Akihabara Daibiru and Akihabara UDX), was opened as a major
redevelopment project slated to become a center for Japan's frontier
IT-related technology, people and culture. It is now a focus of attention as
a venue for "crossings" between industry, technology, people and culture.
The Animation Center on the 4th floor of the Akihabara UDX provides visitors
with information about animation.
