There are only a couple things that are absolutely true in life—if you love anime, then you love Tokyo. That would be one of them.
Within this sprawling megalopolis, there are a few areas that could be considered “sacred sites” for anime lovers. In this article, we picked out three of these locations within Tokyo that we would recommend every weeb to visit.
Akihabara
Akihabara is the undisputed mecca of Otaku culture, located in central Tokyo.
This area has been known as a massive electronics district for the past several decades, but there has been a meteoric rise in the number of anime, manga & video game related specialty stores in recent years.
Animate Akihabara is the pinnacle of anime specialty stores—all of its seven floors are dedicated to anime & manga related goods. They have virtually every otaku culture goods in this store; some rare goods may only be found within Animate Akihabara’s innumerable store shelves.
▼ Animate Akihabara
Address: 4 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0021 2-3-1
Opening hours: Weekdays 11:00-21:00 / Weekends and holidays 10:00-20:00
Tel: 03-5209-3330
Access: 4 minutes walk from JR Akihabara Station
Scattered throughout the alleyways of Akihabara are the famous gachapon machines. If you don’t know, these are small vending machines that spurts out a small capsule that encloses anime, manga, or video game related goods in exchange for coins.
The capsules can be bought at a small price of 300-500 yen a pop. These tiny collectables are scattered all throughout the city: hunting for one of your favorite anime characters is an activity in and of itself.
▼Find 400+ gachapon machines(!) tightly packed together in Akihabara Gachapon Kaikan (7 min. walk from JR Akihabara Station)
11/13 New Arrivals
Harry Potter Shoulder Dune Fig SPY×FAMILY Shoulder Dung Fig (recurrence) pic.twitter.com/5hAgoEURY9 - Akihabara Gachapon Kaikan [Official] (@akibagacha) November 13, 2023
Gachapon contents are seemingly infinite, but you can find popular titles new and old, like Spy × Family, Hunter × Hunter, Sailor Moon, or One Piece, making this the ideal gift for your weeb friends back home.
Asakusa
Asakusa is one of the goated tourist destinations in Tokyo.
Alongside general tourism, this place is also known as the backdrop for various anime titles like Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Lycoris Recoil, and Giant Killing.
This is an always bustling town full of tourists, various shops, and takeaway food stands. One does not necessarily have to be a weeb to enjoy what this town has to offer.
We also recommend renting a Kimono (traditional Japanese attire) from one of the many Kimono rental shops, and walk through town feeling like a Japanese boss from the olden days of Edo.
▼ Kimono rental REN
Address: Kita Building 2F, 1-39-13 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo 111-0032 2F Kitahachi Building
Opening hours: 10:00-17:30 (Closed on Tuesdays except holidays)
Tel: 03-5246-3955
Access: 5 minute walk from Asakusa Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line 5 minutes walk from "Asakusa Station" of Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, 7 minutes walk from "Asakusa Station" of Toei Asakusa Line
Mitaka (Ghibli Museum)
(photo credit: mitakanavi)
The Ghibli Museum in Mitaka is a mega popular destination for anime lovers from across the globe, especially for Studio Ghibli lovers in particular.
The museum is themed after the styles of Studio Ghibli classics like My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. The backdrop of this museum is great too; it's located within Inokashira Park, a nice, woodsy scenic park in western Tokyo.
(photo credit: mitakanavi)
Getting here takes about 30 minutes from JR Shinjuku Station. Although the place is not quite in the center of Tokyo, it’s definitely worth the ride. In here you can find a small, intricately built theater with limited short film screenings, and a rooftop garden where you can greet the robot from The Castle in the Sky. Things don’t end here of course—this place is like a massive Studio Ghibli jewel box.
(photo credit: mitakanavi)
Tours of the gardens and building exterior are free, but first you have to reserve a ticket online to enter the premises. The tickets sell out almost instantly, so plan this out carefully.
＞ Click here to enter the official ticket reservation site
▼ Mitaka no Mori Ghibli Museum of Art (Mitaka City Museum of Animation)
Address: 1-1-83 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka-shi, Tokyo 181-0013 1-1-83, Shimorenjaku 1-chome, Mitaka-shi, Tokyo
Opening hours: 10:00-18:00 (*Specified admission times: 1st 10:00, 2nd 12:00, 3rd 14:00, 4th 16:00)
Closed: Tuesdays (except for occasional holidays when the museum is closed for exhibition changes, maintenance, and winter holidays) (In addition, the museum is occasionally closed for exhibition changes, maintenance, and winter holidays)
Tel: 0570-055-777
Access: 15-minute walk from JR Mitaka Station or 5-minute bus ride. (Take the City Bus bound for Mitaka-no-mori kyunkan or Meisei Gakuen-mae and get off at the Mitaka-no-mori Art Museum bus stop.)
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