Akihabara for collectors: where to shop, floor by floor
By Corentin · updated on September 22, 2026
Akihabara's shops line Chuo-dori and the streets behind it, mostly in tall buildings with one shop per floor. Plan half a day for the big names, a full day if you hunt cards or retro games.
Key facts
| Stations | JR Akihabara (Electric Town exit), Suehirocho (Ginza line) |
|---|---|
| Usual shop hours | Around 11:00 to 20:00, varies by shop |
| Car-free Chuo-dori | Sundays 13:00–18:00 (Apr–Sep), 13:00–17:00 (Oct–Mar), cancelled in bad weather |
| Tax-free | In most large shops, from ¥5,000 before tax |
| Time to plan | Half a day to a full day |
As of September 22, 2026
Where should you start shopping in Akihabara?
Start at the Electric Town exit of JR Akihabara station. Akihabara Radio Kaikan is right in front of you: about ten floors of figure, card and hobby shops, a good first look at what the area sells.
From there, walk up Chuo-dori, the main street, then turn into the parallel back streets. Most of the interesting shops are not at street level: look up, each floor of a building is often a different shop.
What should you not miss in Akihabara?
- Akihabara Radio Kaikan: the landmark building by the station, about ten floors of figures, cards and hobby shops.
- Mandarake Complex: vintage toys, figures and manga over several floors, one theme per floor.
- Super Potato: the retro game institution, with cartridges, consoles and a small retro arcade upstairs.
- Kotobukiya Akihabara: the model kit and figure maker’s own shop, with exclusives.
- Gachapon Kaikan: a narrow shop lined with hundreds of capsule machines, just off Chuo-dori.
- BOOKOFF Akihabara Ekimae: second-hand games, cards and figures at chain prices, next to the station.
- Chuo-dori on a Sunday afternoon: the street closes to cars and the whole district is out.
Where can you buy figures?
Akihabara has every kind of figure shop, from new releases to rare second-hand pieces.
- Second-hand and rare: Mandarake Complex stacks several floors of vintage toys, figures and manga, each floor with its own theme.
- New releases and pre-orders: the large chains and the specialist shops around Chuo-dori.
- Dolls and garage kits: Volks Hobby Square, on the 8th floor of Radio Kaikan.
All figure shops of the area are on the Akihabara figure shops page.
Where can you find trading cards?
Card shops sell singles in glass cases and sealed boxes behind the counter. Many are on upper or basement floors.
カードン 秋葉原本店B2F · AkihabaraSee the shop → カードショップ Nem 秋葉原駅前店3F · AkihabaraSee the shop → Hareruya 2 Akihabara Tower晴れる屋2 秋葉原タワー店B1F · AkihabaraSee the shop → Card Labo Akihabara Radio Kaikan 9Fカードラボ 秋葉原ラジオ会館店9F · Akihabara Radio Kaikan · AkihabaraSee the shop →If you are after Pokémon cards, read how to buy Pokémon cards in Japan before you go: purchase limits and prices are explained there. The full list is on the Akihabara card shops page.
Card Labo Akihabara Radio Kaikan 1Fカードラボ 秋葉原ラジオ会館1F店1F · Akihabara Radio Kaikan · AkihabaraSee the shop → Yellow Submarine Akihabara Main Store (Mint)イエローサブマリン 秋葉原本店★ミント6F · Akihabara Radio Kaikan · AkihabaraSee the shop →Where should you look for retro games?
Retro game shops sell cartridges, consoles and accessories, often tested and sorted by console. The second-hand chains are worth a look too: BOOKOFF near the station has games, cards and figures.
BOOKOFF Akihabara Eki-mae StoreBOOKOFF 秋葉原駅前店AkihabaraSee the shop → Super Potato Akihabaraスーパーポテト 秋葉原店3F · AkihabaraSee the shop →Before buying a console or cartridges, check what works at home: region, voltage and cables. More shops on the retro game shops page.
HOBBY OFF · Akihabaraホビーオフ秋葉原店AkihabaraSee the shop → HARD OFF · Akihabaraハードオフ秋葉原1号店AkihabaraSee the shop →Where do you buy manga and anime goods?
For new manga, character goods and the latest releases, animate is the reference.
Animate Akihabaraアニメイト秋葉原AkihabaraSee the shop → GiGO Akihabara 3GiGO秋葉原3号館AkihabaraSee the shop → Lashinbang AKIBA Flagsらしんばん AKIBA Flags2F · AKIBA CULTURES ZONE · AkihabaraSee the shop → JUNGLE AKIBA (Radio Kaikan)JUNGLE AKIBA7F · Akihabara Radio Kaikan · AkihabaraSee the shop → Volks Akihabara Hobby Tengoku 2ボークス秋葉原ホビー天国2AkihabaraSee the shop →When should you go to avoid the crowds?
Weekday mornings, just after opening, are the calmest. On Sundays, Chuo-dori is closed to cars in the afternoon: pleasant for walking, but it is also the busiest time.
How do you not get lost in the buildings?
Take the lift to the top floor and walk down by the stairs: you see every floor without waiting for the lift again. Note the building and floor of a shop you like, because many shops have similar names.
Keep receipts together and check the tax-free rules: from November 1, 2026, the tax is refunded at departure instead of being removed at the till.
Frequently asked questions
Do Akihabara shops open early?
Rarely. Most open between 10:00 and 11:00, and small shops in the buildings often open at 12:00. Arriving around 11:00 is the best compromise.
Can I pay by card?
Large shops take cards and IC cards (Suica, PASMO). Small card and figure shops sometimes take cash only, so carry some yen.
Do I need to speak Japanese?
No. Prices are on tags, and staff in big shops are used to travellers. A translation app helps for condition notes on second-hand items.
Can I negotiate prices?
No, prices are fixed in Japanese shops, second-hand ones included. See our shop etiquette guide.
Where can I leave my luggage?
Coin lockers at JR Akihabara station fill up fast on weekends. Carry a light bag: aisles are narrow and big suitcases are not welcome in small shops.
Where to go
Shops in Akihabara71
- 6FAKIBA-HOBBY秋葉原店Figures
- 1FAkihabara Gachapon Kaikan秋葉原ガチャポン会館Gachapon
- Animate Akihabaraアニメイト秋葉原MangaFigures
- 4FAstop AKIBA Cultures Zoneアストップ カルチャーズ店Figures
- BlisterManga
- BOOKOFF Akihabara Eki-mae StoreBOOKOFF 秋葉原駅前店MangaRetro gamesCardsFigures
- 1FCard Labo Akihabara Radio Kaikan 1Fカードラボ 秋葉原ラジオ会館1F店Cards
- 9FCard Labo Akihabara Radio Kaikan 9Fカードラボ 秋葉原ラジオ会館店Cards
animate shops142
- animateMangaFigures
- B1FAnimateアニメイト小田原MangaFigures
- 3FAnimateMangaFigures
- 2FAnimate - Aeon YonagoアニメイトMangaFigures
- animate · Chūō, Kobeアニメイト三宮店MangaFigures
- animate · Hachinoheアニメイト八戸MangaFigures
- 3Fanimate · Hakodateアニメイト 函館店MangaFigures
- 4Fanimate · Hirosakiアニメイト 弘前店MangaFigures
BOOKOFF shops427
- BOOKOFF Ueno Hirokoji StoreBOOKOFF PLUS 上野広小路店MangaRetro gamesCardsFigures
- Book OffMangaRetro gamesCardsFigures
- Book Off Saitama SugitoMangaRetro gamesCardsFigures
- Book Off Yonago Oroshi DanchiMangaRetro gamesCardsFigures
- BOOKOFFブックオフ田富昭和通り店MangaRetro gamesCardsFigures
- 2FBOOKOFFBOOKOFF 東海荒尾店MangaRetro gamesCardsFigures
- BOOKOFFMangaRetro gamesCardsFigures
- BOOKOFFMangaRetro gamesCardsFigures
Mandarake shops39
- 4FMandarake Anime-kan (Nakano Broadway)まんだらけ アニメ館FiguresManga
- 2FMandarake Card-kan (Nakano Broadway)まんだらけ カード館Cards
- Mandarake CoCoo (Akihabara)まんだらけCoCooMangaFiguresRetro games
- Mandarake ComplexまんだらけコンプレックスMangaFiguresRetro gamesCards
- Mandarake Complex 2 (Akihabara)まんだらけコンプレックス2CardsRetro gamesFigures
- 2FMandarake Cosplay-kan (Nakano Broadway)まんだらけ コスプレ館Figures
- 2FMandarake Daisharin (Nakano Broadway)まんだらけ 大車輪FiguresRetro games
- Mandarake Fukuokaまんだらけ福岡店MangaFiguresRetro gamesCards
Volks shops8
- Volks · Yokohamaボークス 横浜ショールーム ビブレ店Figures
- Volks Akihabara Hobby Tengoku 2ボークス秋葉原ホビー天国2Figures
- 4FVolks Fukuoka ShowroomFigures
- 8FVolks Hobby Square Akihabaraボークス ホビースクエア秋葉原Figures
- Volks Kobe ShowroomFigures
- 2FVolks Nagoya Showroomボークス 名古屋ショールームFigures
- Volks Osaka Showroomボークス大阪ショールームFigures
- 8FVolks Doll Point Akihabaraボークスドールポイント秋葉原Figures