7 Reasons Why Akihabara Is The Best Area To Stay In Tokyo

A big part of our stay in Japan took place in Tokyo. Despite leaving for Okinawa, after the whopping 31 days in Akihabara, Tokyo, I can tell you it has not been enough! Anyone staying in Tokyo for a couple of days is seriously missing out on a lot so just a little tip here – slot in a little more time and let me tell you why Akihabara is the best area to stay in Tokyo.

1) Transport links

Akihabara is on JR Yamanote line and since it’s located in Chiyoda ward, you are right in the heart of Tokyo. I don’t think I need to explain that this is a huge benefit as you won’t have to change to get to the majority of tourist attractions. It’s the equivalent of the Circle Line in London which forms a loop around Tokyo and ticks off all major stations, including tourist attractions in Tokyo.

That means you’ll save quite a bit of money on not changing lines and paying each time you use different carrier company. Even better if you’ve purchased a JR Pass! Click here if you’d like to know how the metro system works in Tokyo.

These gaming arcades can get quite addictive! Especially when you discover that the new Dragon Ball game has been released!

2) Electric Town and Anime Hub

Akihabara is the mecca for anime. You haven’t seen Tokyo if you don’t visit Electric Town! Manga aficionados, anime Dai fans (big fans) and cosplay lovers are going to fall in love with this unreal spot!

You will feel completely lost surrounded by the skyscrapers filled with your favourite anime merchandise, second-hand manga book shops, and maid cafes (Spoiler – don’t read if you worry that this can ruin your experience in Akihabara).

In Akihabara or Akiba, you can completely lost in the gigantic Electric Town filled with Maid Cafes, your favourite manga themed cafes, several storey bookstores and countless Pachinko Parlours!

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Of course, the novelty wears off like with everything so after a month of staying in Akihabara dolled up maids enticing us to visit their maid cafe did not seem so fascinating anymore.

3) Reasonable Accommodation

Accommodation (whether short or longer term) is a lot more affordable than in Shinjuku or Shibuya). There are plenty of things to do in Akihabara so you won’t get bored of it unless you’re here to shop purely for latest fashion in Japanese clothing. Akihabara hotels range from Dormy Inn to more exclusive ones if you’d like to splash your cash on accommodation.

Nevertheless, Akihabara is your best bet if you’re looking for cheap hotels in Tokyo and since this spot is pretty nerdy, you will see a lot more food places open till late morning hours accommodating to the gaming addicts strolling out of Pachinko Parlours! 

Check out our apartment tour in Akihabara Tokyo here:

4) Central Location

It’s easy to walk to or cycle to other tourist spots. In our case, we used kick scooters for the majority of our stay. Scooting around Tokyo is not only eco-friendly, and economical but also super practical and convenient. Not to mention the health benefits of riding one and working out your legs and core!

In this link you can find information about using scooters in Japan. If you are like to stay fit whilst travelling and wouldn’t mind saving a few quid on transport, check out our top 5 kick scooters for adults review.

Akihabara creates a very special vibe not to be seen elsewhere in Japan. In all fairness, the manga themed cars are parked up around the Electric Town. Surely, you might find other places praising Manga but definitely not on this scale!

5) Nerdy Akiharaba Stays Busy Till Late Evening

Akihabara is busy during daytime and stays awake even in the early morning hours. Trust me, we’ve seen it all. We had a good comparison of surrounding wards at similar time when we walked back from Shinjuku on a late Saturday night / Sunday morning! There are more ramen and udon places open that in some quieter spots of Shibuya, quite surprising, right? Well, Akihabara is home to some nerdy people out there as I once read and it holds true.

It’s a great chillout spot if you don’t like raves but wouldn’t mind a bit of karaoke, book reading, browsing through second-hand books kept in mint condition – even if you just want to watch people read or visiting some of the biggest arcades to play latest and oldest games all night long! However, be aware that Akihabara gets super quiet past 10 pm so if you like to be out past that time, consider getting a train to Shinjuku or Shibuya instead!

6) Easy and Cheapest Access to Narita Airport

Akihabara is only two stops away from Tokyo station, a place you MUST visit. Day and night time, that is. But the reason why I say that is because of the convenient way to get in and out of Tokyo without wasting too much time or burning your cash away on trains connecting with Tokyo Skyliner.

Not only you’re going to save yourself time on changes but you’ll also save on the transport to Narita airport (it’s only 1000 Yen = 7 pounds) from there. If you’re on a tight budget and booked a flight out of Narita in the morning hours but realised a cab journey is beyond your budget – you can also walk, it takes approximately 25 minutes.

There are also plenty of Keisei and other buses that pass by Akihabara which makes this location quite desirable (other connecting stations are Shinjuku and Shibuya).

It is fairly easy to walk to Ginza from Akihabara (although would not recommend it on a very hot summery day). Despite not having any specific fashion clothing area, you can always stay around the area and do some shopping in this humongous, lavish district full of international and Japanese designers and high street brands.

7) Museums and Luxury Shopping District Within Walking Distance

Located near some really cool museums, parks and shopping district of Ginza, you will be spoilt for choice on what you’d like to plan your day and night activities. If you like taking pictures nearly as much as we do – Akihabara and surrounding areas offer some really beautiful sights and they honestly are walkable from there.

Since it’s Tokyo, it means walking for a while though! However, in my opinion, if you really want to have a good overview of Tokyo – rent a bike or use a scooter, it’s so much fun when you go up and down the slopes.

I hope you found some clarity on where to stay in Tokyo. We did our research before arriving to Tokyo but the stay cemented that decision with unforgettable experiences. This is why we decided to return to Tokyo for the final week in June.

Don’t forget to leave a comment if you agree or disagree with us on whether Akihabara is the best area to stay in Tokyo, it will help other readers decide where to stay in Tokyo for the first time. For more info on the areas of Tokyo, check out our article here, it’s a really good guide to districts in Tokyo. Safe travels!