From manga to Mario Kart, anime to Akihabara, Japan is the best place in the world for wonderful ‘weeb’ activities and to release your inner ‘otaku’.
Japanese otaku things to do range from maid cafes to a manga museum, the world’s biggest gachapon store to the Taiko no Tatsujin fun drum arcade machines – we also include the free Bandai Namco Museum plus the Nintendo Museum in Uji.
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Celebrating the best geek chic, Japan is the home of anime, manga and the biggest and best gaming centers in the world.
From the trendiest neighborhoods to the coolest otaku activities, it’s time to get your geek on in Japan and awaken your ‘weeb’ – here are the top 25+ Japanese otaku, manga and anime activities in Japan.
This article was originally published on 17 July 2024.
Japan checklist
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What does ‘Otaku’ mean? Japanese Otaku
Otaku (オタク – Japanese pop culture) means a young Japanese person who enjoys pop culture, particularly manga, anime and online gaming but maybe not in the mainstream.
Otaku is perhaps better described as ‘geek chic’, with a large number of young people interested in such activities both online and in person.
Some say otaku is associated with shyness or social reclusion but we aren’t so sure, given how many cool things there are to do ‘IRL’ day or night in Japan.
You might like – Our guide to the top 30+ Tokyo kawaii things to do >
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Otaku vs Weeb
What is the difference between otaku and ‘weeb’? Otaku refers to pop culture fans from Japan whilst ‘weeb’ is the term given to foreigners coming to Japan, looking for otaku activities.
A shortened form of ‘dweeb’, weeb is sometimes seen as a mocking term but many ‘weebs’ wear it as a badge of honor – which is cool!
Manga, anime and otaku things to do in Japan
1. Akihabara
One of Tokyo’s best neighborhoods to explore by night, Akihabara is the ultimate place to release your inner ‘otaku’ and get your geek on. The Akihabara anime scene is epic and it is a 24/7 district (not to mention the spiritual home of AKB48 J-pop idols).
Akiba (as it is called by the cool kids) also has the highest concentration of maid cafes and manga stores plus gachapon and gaming arcades galore. The Mandarake Manga shop and Animate store here are epic too.
Tokyo’s Electric Town Akihabara is certainly a sight to behold, full of bright lights and late nights – from Tokyo’s craft beer bars to gaming galore (plus awesome Akihabara anime stores), check out these 20+ things to do in Akiba >
Check out this Akihabara, anime, manga, games and maid cafe tour and this Akihabara pop culture tour.
2. Den Den Town Osaka / Nipponbashi Street Festa
Osaka’s trendiest neighbourhood and hipster hangout, Den Den Town is the Osaka version of Akihabara.
It has numerous gaming arcades, electronics stores and anime arcades plus weird and wonderful shops like the huge flagship TENGA adult store.
Once a year on the spring equinox, Den Den Town comes alive with the cosplay carnival that is Nipponbashi Street Festa, where thousands of otaku and gamers come out in their finest gaming garb dressed as Manga and anime characters.
Other weeb things to do include a Maidreamin cafe, gachapons galore plus karaoke lounges. It is also a short walk to Dotonbori and the famous Glico Running Man sign.
3. Takeshita Street
Takeshita time! Tokyo’s most famous shopping street, Takeshita Street (Takeshita-dori) in Harajuku is full of ‘character’. Literally, there are dozens of cosplay clothing stores, gaming arcades, gachapon shops plus animal cafes aplenty.
Popular with Tokyo’s trendy teens and cool kids (plus weeb tourists), Takeshita Street gets crazy busy at the weekends, but it is such a perfect place to people watch and indulge in retail therapy, or just eat yourself silly (be sure to arrive on an empty stomach).
Tokyo’s super subculture shopping district, Takeshita Street also has dozens of dog cafes (and an otter cafe!) plus plenty of Puri-kura photo booth machines.
Here is our guide to Tokyo’s Takeshita Street in Harajuku, Japan with photos >
4. Mandarake
Mandarake stores in Japan are otaku heaven – from second hand games to retro toys, Mandarake is one of Japan’s most famous second hand and used good shops, with 15 branches.
Mandarake (まんだらけ) has second hand stores in all the big Japanese cities including Kyoto, Sapporo, Osaka, Fukuoka plus flagship Mandarake stores in Shibuya and Akihabara.
From vintage manga toys to retro vinyl LPs or second-hand dolls, Mandarake has you covered for all kinds of classic merchandise from Studio Ghibli to Gundam, One Piece to Pokémon.
Check out our guide to visiting Mandarake stores in Japan >
You might like these Japan chain restaurants guides
A Happy Pancake >
CoCo Ichibanya >
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Kura Sushi >
Matsunoya Tonkatsu >
Mister Donut >
Saizeriya >
5. Maid Cafes / Butler Cafes
Maid in Japan! Ask anyone about what first comes to mind when mentioning fun dining experiences and it is likely they’ll say Maid Cafes.
The biggest concentration of maid cafes in Japan is Akihabara – there are at least a dozen maid cafes in Akihabara and most of them have huge banners and billboards (professional, not home-maid…sorry not sorry) on the sides of tall buildings looking down over the streets
You can find them in most Tokyo neighbourhoods plus all over Japan in otaku areas like Den-Den Town.
Each maid cafe / cosplay cafe is different (most don’t allow photographs inside) and popular Akihabara maid cafes include HoneyHoney Akihabara, Maid Made and Cure Maid Cafe. The most famous Maid Cafe chain in Japan is Maid-Dreamin.
Expect to pay higher than normal prices for the food and drink inside maid cafes plus some wonderfully wacky service – book your Maid Dreaming experience here >
Love cute and ‘kawaii’ stores in Japan?
Check out our shopping guides!
• Tokyo Character Street stores
• Studio Ghibli stores
• Don Quijote stores
• Doraemon Future Department store
• B-Side Label stores
• Mandarake stores
• Best Gachapon Capsule toys
• Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo
Plus our guide to the best kawaii things to do in Tokyo >
6. Animate anime speciality stores
One of Japan’s largest anime chain shops, Animate has around 130 comic stores and manga merchandise shops, some of which even have special Animate cafes, which get taken over by cute kawaii brands.
One of the biggest and best Animate stores is their Ikebukuro main store, another Tokyo neighborhood with lots of Manga, anime and gaming experiences (plus Japan’s largest gachapon store – more on this below).
Animate in Japan are also known for their special “Only Shops,” which are pop-up shops dedicated to specific anime brands or Manga merchandise.
7. Worlds biggest gachapon store
Tokyo is home to the world’s largest gachapon store (plus there are thousands of gashapon shops across Japan).
The Gashapon Department Main Store has around 4,000 gashapon capsule toy machines and is located in Ikebukuro’s Sunshine City complex.
Popular with otaku (オタク – Japanese pop culture) and visiting families, gachapon machines in Japan are vending machines that dispense capsule toys in a small round plastic case.
Most gachapon machines have four to six types in each machine meaning you often don’t know which one you are going to get – if you want a whole series, be prepared to spend lots of 100 Yen coins.
You might like – Plan My Japan’s guide to the 40+ coolest gachapon capsule toys >
Love gachapon toys? Come and join the Plan My Japan Gachapon Fans Facebook group! >
8. Unicorn Gundam Statue / Gundam Shops
Japan is known for its crazy attractions and theme-park style experiences – it should come as no surprise then that Odaiba in Tokyo is home to a giant Gundam robot / mecha statue.
In fact, Odaiba is Otaku heaven with so many gaming attractions like Joypolis or the new immersive Tokyo fort – check out our Odaiba neighborhood guide >
20 meters high and a towering presence, this massive mecha model is a lifesize RX-0 Unicorn Gundam replica that springs into life every hour, gathering a huge crowd.
There also used to be a Gundam Factory in Yokohama with a life-size Gundam – this closed in early 2024 and was on display at the Osaka Expo in 2025.
Read more in our guide to the Unicorn Gundam statue >
There is also a Life-Size RX-93ff ν Gundam Statue in Fukuoka at the LaLaport Fukuoka shopping mall, plus Gundam bases in shopping centers across Japan.
9. Taiko no Tatsujin arcade drum machines
‘Drum and Fun’ all day long, ‘Taiko no Tatsujin – The Drum Master’ is a joyous Japanese drumming game and arcade activity developed by Bandai Namco that is popular worldwide, both in arcades and home consoles.
However, it is much better to play in its home country as some Japanese arcades have whole floors just dedicated to drumming machines (especially in Akihabara).
A Japanese video game with real rhythm, no trip to a Japan video game arcade is complete with picking up the bashi drumsticks and playing a round of ‘Taiko no Tatsujin’ either solo or in two player mode. You can really become the Drum Master!
The Taiko no Tatsujin games are common and easy to find in Japan – just follow the sound of intense drumming and laughter and make sure you ‘Beat It’.
From how to play to drumming championships and home entertainment versions, here is our otaku guide to Taiko no Tatsujin drum ‘n fun arcade machines >
10. Bandai Namco Museum in Tokyo
A fun free thing to do in Asakusa, Tokyo’s Bandai Namco Museum is dedicated to all things cute and Kawaii plus gachapons and gaming.
Split across two floors plus several large cartoon character models outside including Doraemon and Ultraman, the Bandai Namco museum is a must visit for any otaku fan.
It takes a detailed look at Bandai Namco’s rich history plus has cabinets and display cases full of retro games and modern merchandise.
It even has a rather unusual temporary Thomas Edison museum display on the upper floor, which we include in our weird and wonderful Tokyo guide.
From what to expect in the museum and all the characters inside, here is our guide to Tokyo’s Bandai Namco Museum in Asakusa >
11. NinjaBar Asakusa, Tokyo
Heard about the ‘underground’ ninja bar in Tokyo? Asakusa is usually associated with Sensō-ji and Kappabashi street but beneath its streets lies a very cool thing to do in Tokyo – the subterranean NinjaBar, Tokyo’s top themed ninja bar.
A sake and beer bar operated by a secretive and stealthy ninja, the NinjaBar is a fun night out in Asakusa and a fun experience with over 300 sakes to choose from.
From the quirky interiors to drink prices (and the samurai sword toilet key), release your inner ‘otaku’ with our full guide to drinking in Tokyo’s NinjaBar >
12. Super Potato retro gaming stores
Japan is renowned for its vintage video game shops and retro arcades and is a gamer’s heaven.
One of Japan’s most famous retro video games shops and chains is Super Potato, with locations in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya including their flagship store in Akihabara.
From classic video game consoles like Nintendo NES and Neo Geo to lesser known video games systems like MSX 2 and WonderSwan, Super Potato Japan is a treasure trove of vintage video games and awesome arcade machines from the last few decades.
We’ve visited most of the Super Potato stores (including the Tokyo Akihabara branch) and loved exploring these retro video game palaces, almost akin to living museums of games and consoles.
Read more in our guide to Japan’s Super Potato stores >
13. Mario Kart / Street Karting in Tokyo
You’ve played the video games but weebs can now whizz through the streets of Tokyo at night on go-karts dressed as gaming characters (but not officially as Mario, Luigi or Princess Daisy as Nintendo’s lawyers have put paid to that).
Tour Tokyo’s night-time highlights dressed as cute, comic characters seeing sights like the Tokyo Skytree, Asakusa and Akihabara.
Tokyo street go-karting prices vary depending on the experience but most Tokyo go-kart experiences cost between 15,000 Yen to 20,000 Yen per person as of summer 2025.
There are both daytime and night-time street karting tours in Tokyo.
Please note an international drivers license is required to go street karting in Tokyo.
Book a Tokyo Mario Style Go Kart tour with Klook or Viator.
14. Otaku, Anime and Manga Tours
Get your geek on! Hopefully we’ve given you enough ideas on some cool and creative otaku / weeb experiences in Japan.
However, if you’d rather let a local expert take the lead, try these otaku tours or anime activities:
- Akihabara, anime, manga, games and maid cafe tour >
- Crazy about Anime! Private full day Tokyo manga anime tour by chartered vehicle >
- Akihabara adventure for nostalgic anime and retro gaming >
- Akihabara: anime and gaming adventure tour >
- Gameboy mod workshop at Akihabara >
15. Tokyo SEGA Joypolis
A joyful Japanese gaming experience, Tokyo Joypolis in Odaiba is billed as Japan’s largest indoor theme-park filled with over 20 SEGA arcade games and interactive VR experiences.
This flagship Japan Joypolis store has a series of sensational rides and games like the Gekion Live Roller Coaster, the first coaster attraction in the world that allows you to control the ride through music and rhythm.
You can also enjoy the group shoot-em-up Pirate’s Plunder Game or scream and spin battle on the hedonistic Halfpipe Tokyo experience.
Get your Tokyo Joypolis passport with Klook or Viator – which gives you unlimited readmission to the indoor theme park all day meaning you can combine it with other things to do in Odaiba.
16. Nintendo Tokyo and Parco Shibuya
Shibuya’s sparkling and shiny shopping mall, Shibuya Parco has so many good gaming stores to browse, from e-sports cafes to Shibuya Pokémon Center, plus a basement with multiple restaurants, comic shops and manga merchandise.
Head to level 6 of Shibuya Parco for some of the best otaku shops and cool character stores in Tokyo. These include Nintendo, Jump, Godzilla store, Sega Store, Crayon Shin-chan, Capcom, Tokyo Parade, JoJo and Pokémon.
Ninento features games galore, pop-up shops, character models, trading cards and more. Be prepared to queue to get into Nintendo Tokyo at the weekends and during school holidays.
Read our Shibuya neighborhood guide >
17. Nintendo Museum in Kyoto
Game on! The much anticipated new Nintendo Museum in Uji opened in October 2024 and we visited soon after it opened to see what all the Mario mania was about.
The Nintendo Museum comprises two floors of exhibits and gaming, a shop full of exclusive Nintendo merchandise, a (non-themed) cafe plus workshops.
But does the Japan Nintendo Museum in Kyoto really live up to the hype? Getting tickets to the Nintendo Museum can be tricky (admission must be booked in advance) – so here is our guide to getting tickets plus an honest review of the Nintendo Museum >
We’d highly recommend making a day of visiting Uji and the Nintendo Museum if you are lucky enough to secure tickets – it is a 30 minute walk between the museum and the main riverside and temple area.
18. Mega Pokémon Center in Tokyo
Mega Pokémon Center in Tokyo is one of Japan’s biggest Pokémon stores – because you’ve gotta catch ‘em all!
Located in Ikebukuro (inside the Sunshine City Alpa mall), the Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo is packed full of all your favourite Pokémon characters including exclusive Pokémon Japan merchandise, trading card games, Pokémon Go Lab and even a Pikachu Sweets Cafe – talk about Pika Mix!
There are several Pokémon Centers and stores in Tokyo including Pokémon Center Shibuya, and the Pokémon Store Tokyo Station Shop found in the famous Tokyo Character Street.
From all the cute merchandise to the awesome Pokémon arcade machines, read our guide to visiting the Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo with more photos >
19. AKB48 Theater live music venue in Tokyo
‘Give Me Five’! One of J-pop’s most iconic girl groups (with a mainly male fan-base), AKB48 is named after the Akihabara area and regularly perform in the AKB48 Theater, which is (weirdly) above the Don Quijote Akihabara store.
Formed in 2005, the AKB48 girl group has had many different members over the years (and various versions including trainees) and is one of the biggest selling Japanese female acts of all time.
The AKB48 Theater in Akihabara is a way to see the girl group (or a version of it) up close (and well attended by sweaty men with glow sticks) – weird!
AKB48 Theater tickets are not easy to come by – the theater only has a capacity of 250 people (so you can get up close) and AKB48 tickets are usually allocated by lottery.
You can increase your chances of getting AKB48 tickets by becoming a paying member of their fan-club – definitely one of the ultimate Japanese otaku and weeb experiences. Bring on the glow sticks!
You might like – The cult of plastic food in Japan (‘sampuru’) or weird & wonderful vending machines
20. Tokiwaso Manga Museum, Tokyo
Located in the Tokiwaso Park district of Tokyo, this popular Manga Museum in Japan is relatively new with free entrance to the permanent collection, plus a 500 Yen charge for temporary exhibitions.
Once a traditional wooden apartment building where many young artists lived and studied (including Fujiko F. Fujio who co-created Doraemon), the Tokiwaso Manga Museum opened in its place in 2020.
There are several rooms that recreate how conditions used to be in the old Tokiwaso apartment building plus areas dedicated to each Manga artist and their work. There is also a Manga library where you can read classic and modern Manga and anime comics.
You might like – Our guide to Japanese convenience stores including 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson and konbini egg sandwiches
21. Tokyo Character Street (Tokyo Station)
Tokyo Character Street (AKA First Avenue) in the basement of Tokyo Station is a colourful, cartoon world packed full of anime stores, gachapon galore and all your favourite animated characters.
Otaku heaven and a wonderful weeb thing to do in Tokyo, Character Street (“東京キャラクターストリート”) is located in the First Avenue section of Tokyo Station (close to Ramen Street too – how cool!).
All your favourite Japanese animated characters are here from Studio Ghibli to Sumikko Gurashi.
Featuring the finest First Avenue Tokyo toy shops like Tomica to Kirby Cafe Petit, TV character stores like NHK to TV Asahi, here is our ultimate guide to visiting Tokyo Character Street at Tokyo Station First Avenue >
22. Village Vanguard
Another cute and Kawaii stall selling a vast range of anime and cartoon merchandise, Village Vanguard is a kind of a cross between Mandarake meets Don Quijote.
Usually vast shops selling everything from cutesy character collectibles through to the most random of stationery, Village Vanguard really is a cavern of collectibles and cool stuff.
From Funko Pop to Mofusand, Hangyodon to Ultraman, Village Vanguard has got you covered. They also have gachapons galore instore.
At the time of writing, there are 15 Village Vanguard Japan stores in Tokyo (including a huge store in Shimokitazawa) and many more across the country including Yokohama.
23. Anakuma Bear Paw Café in Tokyo
If you are on social media, you’ll have likely seen videos about the viral Harajuku hole and hand-in the wall cafe.
Harajuku’s Anakuma Café is famous for its mysterious bear paw that serves you drinks from its bear cave.
Place your order on a tablet and a few minutes later, a bear paw pops through the hole in the wall to hand you your drink – be sure to order the special bear bottle.
The ultimate Kawaii coffee, Anakuma Café is a short walk from Takeshita Street and hard to miss as it has a bright green interior (plus there is a frigging great bear inside!)
Get your Anakuma Café coupons (drinks, food sets, etc.) in Tokyo here >
Read more about Anakuma Café in our guide >
24. Mister Donut themed donuts
Japan’s Mister Donut chain (Misdo) is the no.1 donut in Japan! But what makes it so popular? We think it might be something to do with the seasonal and limited edition themed Mister Donut treats like sakura versions and collaborations with famous bakeries.
Gotta Catch Em All! Perhaps the most famous Mister Donut Japan creation in recent years, the Japan Pokémon series launched in 2023 and continues today in 2024 with new releases and limited edition Pokémon donuts. We wonder how they ‘poke’ holes through the middle?
We tried the bright yellow Pikachu donut filled full of cream with caramel custard flavored chocolate (319 Yen) and a Pon De Ring Diglett donut complete with churros center – both were delicious.
Jigglypuff Poké-donuts are also a thing – although alas these special Pokémon donuts are usually only available during certain times of the year.
You might like our guide to Mister Donut Japan (Misdo) >
25. Tokyu Kabukicho Tower gaming and trading card center
Newly opened in 2023, Tokyu Kabukicho Tower in Shinjuku is a 53 storey building (48 floors above ground and 5 below) and one of Japan’s tallest 20 buildings.
An entertainment epicenter, here you’ll find everything from two hotels (Hotel Groove Shinjuku and Bellustar Tokyo) a cinema, theatre, clubs plus lots of gaming and trading card tables.
Namco also have set up an arcade and gaming bar (Namco Tokyo) complete with gachapons galore (there are said to be almost 300 different gachapon toy capsule machines).
On our last visit to Tokyu Kabukicho tower at night, we watched a J-Pop band on the main stage whilst playing arcade machines and also got the elevator up to the free viewing deck on the 17th floors (OK for free but the views aren’t exactly spectacular).
Plan My Japan guides to Japanese convenience stores / ‘konbinis’ featuring:
– 7-Eleven
– FamilyMart
– Lawson
– Daily Yamazaki
– Seicomart
– 7-Eleven smoothies
– Convenience store egg sandwiches
– Lawson fried karaage/chicken nuggets
– 7-Eleven’s famous craft beer shop
– 7-Eleven alcohol guide
Our final bonus Japanese Otaku Experience
26. Samurai Restaurant
One of our BEST ever Shinjuku things to do was the famous Robot Restaurant which we wrote about here >
There are lots of rumours about it returning one day (which have never come to fruition) but for now, the nearest alternative is the Shinjuku Samurai Restaurant.
For an unforgettable night out in Kabuchiko, the Samurai Restaurant serves up dancers, robots and samurai while you eat and drink the evening away. The show consists of three acts and it is an explosion of the senses and a neon nirvana of bright lights and high energy performances.
You can choose from a bento box, ramen, sushi or udon noodles plus your tickets include two free alcoholic or soft drinks – the show is in English and for people over 18 years of age only.
Book your Samurai Restaurant dining experience with Viator or Klook.
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