The name Akihabara is now world famous. More than 250 electrical appliance and electronic shops of all sizes are located in a small area centered around Chuo-dori Street, to the west of Akihabara Station. In the past several years, the main trend has been a shift away from general home electrical appliances towards the new world of computers and the Internet. Emerging animation-related shops have also been attracting much attention. The shop assistants have a wealth of knowledge and are able to answer all sorts of questions. Many of them speak English, Chinese or Korean.
This town began as an area specializing in electrical equipment in the latter half of the 1940s, when people’s primary source of information was radio. In the beginning, a gathering of many shops dealing in radio parts sprang up under the elevated JR railroad structures. Later, these shops began dealing in home electrical appliances, with the area ultimately developing into the world’s largest electrical equipment marketplace.
The site of many service centers and showrooms of major manufacturers, as well as duty-free shops and a wide array of events, the town is quite attractive in the eyes of visitors. Among the many events are the Denki-matsuri Festivals held in summer and winter. They are the biggest of the events, and a great chance to find good shopping bargains that should not be missed. Take the time to fully explore this “electronic wonderland.”
