# The Complete Otaku Guide to Tokyo: Akihabara, Nakano, Ikebukuro & More | Iheb URL: https://tonykansaiguide.com/en/tokyo-anime-guide/otaku-guide/ Idioma: en > Every otaku district in Tokyo explained: Akihabara, Nakano Broadway, Ikebukuro, Shibuya PARCO, Character Street, Gundam Base, Big Sight, anime locations. Shop rules, tax-free, shipping home. Private guide in English. (Akihabara street) Photo: [Vasconium](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Akihabara,_Tokyo,_Japan_002.jpg) · CC BY-SA 2.0 [Iheb](https://tonykansaiguide.com/en/tokyo-anime-guide/) · The otaku guide # The complete otaku guide to Tokyo Every anime, manga, card and retro-game district explained: what each one is for, when to go, the shop rules nobody tells you, and how to get it all home. [Plan my otaku day with Iheb](https://wa.me/818080155322?text=Hi%20Iheb%2C%20I%E2%80%99m%20looking%20for%20an%20anime%20%2F%20Pok%C3%A9mon%20guide%20in%20Tokyo.%20Dates%3A%20) The best otaku areas in Tokyo are Akihabara (cards, figures, retro games), Nakano Broadway (rare collectibles) and Ikebukuro (Animate, Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo, Otome Road). Add Shibuya PARCO for Nintendo TOKYO, Tokyo Station’s Character Street, and The Gundam Base Tokyo in Odaiba. Iheb, a pop-culture and Pokémon card specialist who lives in Japan, plans the order, the trains and the shops for your group. ★ Figures ★ Manga ★ Trading cards ★ Capsule toys ★ Arcades ★ Anime goods ★ Retro consoles ★ Figures ★ Manga ★ Trading cards ★ Capsule toys ★ Arcades ★ Anime goods ★ Retro consoles ## The districts, one by one - [### Akihabara Card shops on every floor, figure towers, capsule toys and arcades. Best on a weekday morning, before the crowds.](https://tonykansaiguide.com/en/tokyo-anime-guide/akihabara/) Photo: [Vasconium](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Akihabara,_Tokyo,_Japan_002.jpg) · CC BY-SA 2.0 (Super Potato, Akihabara) ### Retro games Floors of classic consoles and cartridges, from the 8-bit era to the 2000s, plus a small retro arcade. Photo: [iqremix](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AAkihabara_-_Super_Potato_Retro_Game_Shop.jpg) · CC BY-SA 2.0 - [### Nakano Broadway The collectors’ mall: rare figures, vintage toys, manga and cards, many in Mandarake shops.](https://tonykansaiguide.com/en/tokyo-anime-guide/nakano-broadway/) Photo: [Kentin](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nakano_broadway_entrance.JPG) · CC BY-SA 3.0 - [### Ikebukuro Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo, the huge Animate flagship and Otome Road, the street for anime goods aimed at women fans.](https://tonykansaiguide.com/en/tokyo-anime-guide/ikebukuro/) Photo: [Kakidai](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sunshine_City_2012.JPG) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (Shibuya PARCO) ### Shibuya PARCO 6F Nintendo TOKYO, Pokémon Center Shibuya, Jump Shop and Capcom Store on one floor. Photo: [江戸村のとくぞう](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AShibuya_Parco_191229b.jpg) · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Tokyo Character Street) ### Tokyo Station Character Street: dozens of official character shops underground at Tokyo Station. Perfect on arrival or departure day. Photo: [Dr.yellow](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ATokyo_station_%22Ichibangai_-_Character_Street%22.jpg) · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Odaiba) ### Odaiba The life-size Unicorn Gundam statue was retired on 31 August 2026; The Gundam Base Tokyo at DiverCity remains, with Tokyo Bay views. Photo: [Suicasmo](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rainbow_Bridge,_Tokyo_20201112.jpg) · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Tokyo Big Sight) ### Tokyo Big Sight Home of Comic Market and big anime and game events. Check the event calendar for your dates. Photo: [Masato Ohta](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ATokyo_Big_Sight_at_Night.jpg) · CC BY 2.0 (Yotsugi, Katsushika) ### Yotsugi The neighborhood of a famous soccer manga, with character statues around the station area. Photo: [nesnad](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AKeisei_yotsugi_station_entrance_-_August_2014.jpg) · CC BY 3.0 ## Real anime locations (day trips) (Kamakura-Kokomae crossing) ### Kamakura-Kokomae The seaside railway crossing from a legendary basketball anime. Go early: it gets busy, and locals live here. Photo: [Quercus acuta](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kamakura_koukou_mae_Fumikiri_-_02.jpg) · CC0 (Fumotoppara campsite) ### Fumotoppara The Mt. Fuji campsite from a hit camping anime, a day trip from Tokyo by car. Photo: [irisgazer](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2018-03-18_The_camper_at_the_foot_of_Mt._Fuji.jpg) · Public domain (Awashima, Numazu) ### Numazu Seaside Numazu in Shizuoka, the setting of a well-known idol anime series. Photo: [Alpsdake](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Awa_Island_from_Uchiura_Bay.JPG) · CC BY-SA 4.0 ## Shop rules nobody tells you - **Photos:** many shops ban photos of their cases. Look for the sign, or ask. - **Floors:** the best shops are often on the 4th floor and up. The ground floor is the tourist floor. - **Cash:** most big shops take cards, but small stalls and capsule machines need cash and coins. - **Tax-free:** bring your passport, keep every receipt, and keep goods sealed until you leave Japan. - **Carry less:** leave bags in a station coin locker and shop with your hands free. - **Getting it home:** post big boxes home by EMS, or send your suitcase to the airport. ## Who comes with Iheb - **Serious collectors** hunting Japanese Pokémon cards, vintage figures or retro games. - **Families** with kids who love Pokémon, Nintendo and anime, at a kid-friendly pace. - **First-timers** who want the whole otaku world in one well-planned day. - **Muslim fans:** halal-friendly lunches and prayer breaks built into the day. ## FAQ What is the best area in Tokyo for anime fans? Akihabara is the classic start (cards, figures, retro games). Collectors also love Nakano Broadway, and Ikebukuro is the hub for anime goods, Animate and Otome Road. Most fans need at least one full day for these three. Can I take photos inside anime and card shops? Often not. Many shops in Akihabara and Nakano ban photos of their display cases. Look for the sign or ask first; Iheb tells you shop by shop. Is tax-free shopping available for tourists? Yes, at shops that display the Tax-Free sign: bring your passport, keep the receipts and do not open the goods before you leave Japan, because the refund is processed on departure. How do I get big purchases home? Many shops pack figures well; for large boxes you can send them home by Japan Post (EMS) or forward your suitcase to the airport with a luggage delivery service. When is Comiket? Comic Market is usually held twice a year, in August and December, at Tokyo Big Sight. It is huge and very crowded; check the official dates first. Pokémon is a trademark of Nintendo, Creatures and GAME FREAK; Gundam and other names belong to their owners. This is an independent private tour, not affiliated with them. [Message Iheb on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/818080155322?text=Hi%20Iheb%2C%20I%E2%80%99m%20looking%20for%20an%20anime%20%2F%20Pok%C3%A9mon%20guide%20in%20Tokyo.%20Dates%3A%20)