Akihabara Station 秋葉原駅

Published on : 19/03/2019
by : O.F.

The gateway to the Electric Town

Akihabara Station is located northeast of Tokyo, in the Chiyoda district, between Kanda and Okachimachi stations on the JR Yamanote Line. Akihabara is known for being a bustling shopping district, with many stores specializing in electronics, anime, and manga.

The history of the station

Akihabara Station was opened in November 1890 as a freight terminal. It was not opened to passenger traffic until 1925 after the Yamanote Line was completed. At that time, the convenience of transportation in this part of Tokyo caused many wholesalers to congregate around the station. This then led to Akihabara being seen as a fruit and vegetable market.

The station was expanded for the first time in 1932 with the opening of an extension of the Sōbu Line, making Akihabara an important transfer station for passengers from eastern Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture.

The Hibiya Line metro station was opened in 1962. The last line to date to be added to Akihabara station was on August 24, 2005, with the inauguration of the terminus of the new Tsukuba express line.

Interestingly, the outdoor section of Akihabara Station is cross-shaped, with the tracks of the Chuo-Sobu Line running east to west and the Yamanote and Keihin-Tohoku lines running north to south.

Gare d'Akihabara en 1925 — Akihabara station in 1925
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The station today

Akihabara station is therefore nowadays served by the following lines:

The Keihin-Tohoku line which connects the cities of Saitama, Kawaguchi, Tokyo, Kawasaki and Yokohama,
The Yamanote line that loops through Tokyo,
The Chûô-Sôbu line which crosses Tokyo and Chiba prefecture,
The Tokyo Hibiya metro line which connects Naka-Meguro in Meguro and Kita-Senju in Adachi
A railway line of the Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company, the Tsukuba Express, connects Akihabara Station to Tsukuba Station in Ibaraki.

In addition to trains, special buses are available for Tokyo Disneyland and Haneda Airport. Both destinations are about 30 min from Akihabara station.

To visit: Tokyo Disneyland, an extraordinary amusement park

City buses are also there, such as the Akiba shuttle which leaves from the central exit of Akihabara station towards the Asakusa district (in front of the Kaminarimon gate) and for the Tokyo Sky Tree. Long-distance buses also serve the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and other destinations in the Kansai region, as well as the prefectures of Gunma, Yamagata, and Iwate.

On the third floor of the station, access allows direct access to the ATRE shopping center. The latter, built around and above the station, includes many shops and restaurants.

Around the station - the electric town

It is a shopping district famous for its many electronics stores. Hundreds line the main Chuo Dori street and its adjoining streets, ranging from tiny specialty stalls to large electronics retailers.

You can find everything you need there : computers, cameras, televisions, mobile phones, electronic parts and household appliances. From the newest device to second-hand goods, it's all there!

Fans of "retro gaming" will also find their happiness there with many shops dedicated to the first video games created.

Akihabara has also gained international recognition as a center of Japanese otaku culture . . As such, many manga and anime-themed stores can be found here.

Fans of Dragon Ball, Bleach, Naruto, Final Fantasy, or One Piece? If you are looking for figurines, video games, rare works, or other derivative products, this is the place to go!

In addition to shops, various establishments related to these themes draw crowds to the neighborhood such as Maid Cafes and Manga Cafes (also called manga kissa ). They allow you to live your passion and meet other enthusiasts.

Akihabara Electric Town is easily accessible from the station via the "Electric Town" exit.

Kanda-myōjin

Located 10 min from Akihabara's main thoroughfare, don't miss Kanda-myôjin either.

This Shinto shrine is not very popular with tourists, but it has been an important place for locals since the Edo period (1603-1868). Today, he is particularly loved by electronics and computer entrepreneurs who come to pray for their good fortune.

Mid-May, it is home to one of Tokyo's most well-known and popular festivals, the Kanda Matsuri.