Akihabara is Tokyo's "Electric Town", located on the eastern side of the central Chiyoda ward. The area houses thousands of shops selling every technological gadget you can imagine, from computers to gaming consoles and vacuums to DVDs, at reasonable prices. This area is also known as the "Gamer's Mecca" and has in recent times become strongly identified with anime/manga (cartoon) subculture, with the legions of otaku geeks traipsing down on weekends known as Akiba-kei.

Akihabara has everything in electronics and a lot of new products in both Japanese and English versions. It is the place to go for repairs and spare parts as well. You could blow a lot of money in a few second. Most stores do not allow you to take photos in store.

Akihabara is also perhaps the last stronghold in the world for classic arcade gaming. Although arcades are still everywhere in Japan, and more so in Tokyo, the concentration (and skill of play) is especially high in Akihabara. The huge towers of Sega, Taito and others can't be missed, but places like "Hey Arcade" (on Chuo Dori) have entire floors dedicated to shooting games (think Galaga) and fighting games (think Tekken). Recommended for a nostalgic trip back to the eighties, and to check out the pros.

On a more classic note, Akihabara also has its own temple site, to the left off of Chuo Dori as you walk towards Ueno. It is mostly noteworthy for the festival it organizes around May. On this occasion, a massive shrine is traditionally carried through the streets of Akihabara, providing an interesting contrast with all the high-tech to say the least.