Akihabara is a popular tourist destination

Akihabara
Akihabara is a popular tourist destination for visitors to Japan.
It is known as the center of Japanese subcultures such as anime and manga, which are popular even overseas, and is famous as the origin of Japan’s unique otaku culture. Popular anime goods are also available for purchase, making it a fun place to spend time for anime and manga lovers. In addition, the large number of duty-free stores and the ability to purchase electrical appliances at low prices are some of the reasons for Akihabara’s popularity.

There are several popular spots in Akihabara, such as Akihabara Radio Kaikan and Akihabara Gachapon Kaikan, but this time we would like to introduce some places where you can stop by casually on your way home from visiting the spots you are looking for.

 

CHABARA Chabara

It is located a couple of minutes’ walk from the Electric Town air strip of JR Akihabara Station.This commercial facility was established in 2013 as a project to make effective use of the area under the elevated railway tracks in Akihabara.You can purchase “food specialties” collected from all over Japan and all over the world.The store also contains restaurants and coffee shops, so it is a good place to have a meal or take a break.

 
When you enter the store, you will see many products lined up in a row.
The products are displayed by prefecture, such as Fukuoka Prefecture, Kumamoto Prefecture, etc., so you can tell at a glance which region’s specialty products you are looking for.

There is a wide variety of products from various regions, from drinks such as alcohol and tea, snacks and delicacies, as well as seasonings, sweets, ramen noodles, and more.
I bought these products as souvenirs.
 

 
Bodai Moto Nigori Sake, a local sake from Okayama, and Eel Bone, a famous snack from Shizuoka.
Bodai-moto nigori sake is made using the “Bodai-moto brewing method,” a brewing method only a few breweries in Japan use. It is characterized by its refreshing acidity and sweetness. Eel bone is a snack consisting of crispy fried and seasoned eel bones. The unique texture is addictive.

These foods, which are rare overseas, are available for purchase and make great souvenirs. It is also nice to be able to purchase products from all over Japan while in Akihabara. Please stop by while you are in Akihabara.

CHABARA Chabara
8-2 Kanda Neribei-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
TEL: 03-3258-0051
Business hours: 11:00 – 20:00
https://www.jrtk.jp/chabara/

 
2k540 AKI-OKA ARTISAN
It is located a 6-minute walk from the Electric Town air air strip of JR Akihabara Station, and a 4-minute walk from the south air strip of JR Okachimachi Station.
Like CHABARA Chabara, this commercial facility was established prior to CHABARA Chabara as a project to make effective use of the area under the elevated railway tracks in Akihabara.
The theme of this facility is “manufacturing”.
Many of the stores are combined as a workshop and a store, and some of them offer workshops for hands-on manufacturing experience.
 

Among the many stores, we would like to introduce “Nijiyura,” a store specializing in tenugui hand towels. All tenugui hand towels here are dyed by a technique called “chusen” (pour-dyeing). As the name suggests, chusen is a technique of dyeing by pouring dye into the cloth.
Tenugui can be used in various ways. They can be used in place of towels or handkerchiefs, as wrapping for bottles of wine, sake, etc., or can be framed and enjoyed like a painting. The store staff will be happy to teach you how to use them, so if you are interested, please ask them.

 
Some are brightly colored, some are lightly colored, some have Japanese patterns, some have Western patterns, and a wide variety of tenugui are fun to look at. They make great Japanese souvenirs.

This store offers paid workshops, such as actually dyeing tenugui, in the workshop space at the back of the store.
Advance reservations are required to participate in the workshops, so please check or inquire at the Nijiyura website.

 
In addition to Nijiyura, there are kaleidoscope stores, leather goods and denim stores, and many other unique stores, so please visit us.

2k540 AKI-OKA ARTISAN
5-9 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo (under the elevated railway tracks between Akihabara and Okachimachi stations on the Yamanote Line)
Business hours: 11:00-19:00
Closed: Wednesday
https://www.jrtk.jp/2k540/
 
Nijiyura
5-9 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo (inside 2k540 AKI-OKA ARTISAN)
03-5826-4125
Business hours: 11:00-19:00
Closed: Wednesday
https://nijiyura.com/

 

Akatsuka

In the bustling town of Akihabara, there is a restaurant with a slightly different atmosphere.
Founded in 1954, Akatsuka is a seasonal restaurant.
It is a long-established restaurant that has continued for 70 years without changing its atmosphere from the time of its establishment. You can feel the good old, Showa-era retro atmosphere.
This restaurant was featured in a gourmet manga titled “Tonight at Konojide.”

In front of the large U-shaped counter, there is a machine for heating hot sake, another uniquely Japanese sight!

If you visit during the cold season such as winter, please try drinking hot sake. It will warm you up.Hot sake is heated sake in a container called a tokuri. It is served in a small cup called an ochoko.

Be sure to try the chicken stew at Akatsuka. It is a popular menu item at the restaurant. This is also a hot dish, but it can be enjoyed even in the summer. Chicken stew is a dish of stewed chicken entrails. It also contains tofu and konnyaku. The strong seasoning goes well with sake. Another dish is grilled squid with mirin (sweet sake). The squid is tender and very tasty. When you dip it in mayonnaise, the taste mellows out and you can enjoy a different flavor.

Other seasonal dishes are available depending on the time of year.
All dishes go well with sake, so be careful not to drink too much.

Akatsuka
1-10-2 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
TEL : 03-3251-2585
Business hours:
Weekdays 11:30-14:00 (L.O. 13:30)
　　　　　　　　17:00-22:00 (L.O. 21:15)
Saturday 17:00-21:00 (L.O. 20:15)
Closed: Sunday, holidays, 1st, 3rd and 5th Saturdays
https://akatsuka-j.jp/