Ninety seconds on Akihabara
Browsing the parts stalls under the railway, then the towers of figures, manga and old consoles above them, is the quickest way into Japan's fan culture. On a Sunday you walk down the middle of the main avenue.
Radio Center, the two floors of stalls under the tracks beside the station, is the place to start. Many counters sell one thing only: capacitors, or LEDs, or multimeters. Then walk up Chuo-dori, where the big stores stack anime, figures and games floor on floor, and turn into the side streets for the retro game shops.
In a maid café, do not photograph the maids or other guests on your own phone. The only photo allowed is the instant print taken with a maid, and a sitting is usually an hour, though each café sets its own rules. On the car-free Sunday, street selling, busking, cycling and smoking are banned on the avenue.
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