Akihabara - Tokyo, Japan
No image of Tokyo is complete without a shot of the
world-famous Akihabara ’Electric Town’ (Akihabara Denki Gai). Aside from the towering, psychedelic fluorescent
light displays, this quirky neighborhood of bustling Tokyo is an insanely
popular electronics-shopping district with hundreds of boutiques.
Walking through this small district is a true assault on
your senses. Be prepared to be dazzled
with bright visuals and pulse-pounding music and voices as each shop attempts
to draw in the most customers. Just
five minutes by rail from Tokyo Station, Akihabara is a ’must-see’ when
visiting Tokyo along with other districts like Shibuya, Ginza, and Kabuki-Cho.
The land where Akihabara now sits began as an overcrowded
community frequented by lower-class samurai in the 19th century. It consisted of poorly built wooden
buildings that were prone to fire. A rather
serious fire destroyed most of the district in 1869—threateningly close to the
Imperial Palace. Local authorities
decided to leave an open field between the district and the Palace to act as a
firewall against future fires. As trees
slowly took over the open field, their leaves began to blanket the entire area
in the autumn. Locals began calling the
field ’Akinobohara’, or Autumn Leaves Field.
When a train station was built there in 1890, conductors shortened the
name to ’Akihabara’ and the name hasn’t changed since then.
The district began taking on prominence just before World
War II as a black market for radio parts.
Most of the equipment was funneled through the hands of local electrical
engineering students in a nearby college, under the protection of the raised
railroad. Despite the best efforts of
local authorities, and even the Americans after World War II, Akihabara
remained the best place to get cheap electronics.
Today, the Akihabara district has blossomed into the primary
location in Japan to purchase the latest in state-of-the-art consumer
electronics. You can select from
thousands of cell phones, home theatre, home appliances, and entertainment
systems. A newer focus on personal
computers (link) offered by big name stores like Laox have become the
premiere destination for visitors.
Of course, you should be cautious of whatever you purchase
in Akihabara for a number of reasons.
For one thing, certain consumer items are labeled ’not for export’ and
may not be taken out of the country. Another
common problem is the difference in electrical supply systems in Japan. Many devices require different voltages not
offered in North American electrical outlets.
Lastly, for cell phones and other network devices, compatibility with
your home network is not ensured, so shop with caution!
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