We’ve been to Japan twice so far, and each time stayed in Akihabara when visiting Tokyo. While many tourists choose to stay in Shinjuku or the surroundings, we prefer Akiba (the way locals call this neighbourhood) since our favorite places in Tokyo are located to the East.

Akihabara has great connections with public transportation, which makes it a good spot to visit Tokyo and the area. It’s of course the temple of the otaku culture, with many collectibles and electronics shops (although it has become so popular amongst tourists that prices are quite high now). There’s also plenty to do in the evening, from restaurants to shops and nightlife (with a geeky twist).

I gathered here the places we visited, with our impressions: restaurants, cafés and bars, snacks and sweets, grocery shopping, souvenirs, hobby shops… Check our recommendations, as well as the places we wouldn’t recommend!

Sushi Ginzo 🌟🌟

We ate at Sushi Ginzo during our first trip in 2023, and again when we went back to Japan in 2025. Needless to say, we really enjoyed it. And their prices are really good for Akihabara. There’s a wide selection of sushi and the like à la carte, as well as omakase (chef’s suggestion) platters, sashimi, and even a few hot dishes.

I think everyone can find something, whether they’re trying to control their spendings or in the mood to treat themselves. They have English menu on site and are just a few minutes away from Akihabara station.

🔖Address : 1 Chome-8-6 Kanda Sakumacho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 101-0025, Japon

🔖Sushiya Ginzo Akihabara website (Japanese)

Miraizaka (ミライザカ) pub/izakaya🌟

Quite a unique place, kind of an izakaya (for the menu) with a family restaurant look (because of the size and seating style).

It was quite busy and lively but there was still room for us. Orders can be made on a tablet with English option (a nice perk when you have to order in a foreign language and the crowd is loud). The food is really izayaka-style: portions that can easily be shared, beer and high balls (whisky mixed with soda), but it’s much bigger and there’s not seating charge.

There were many things on the menu, we went for yakitori (chicken on a stick), tuna steak, kimchi octopus, chicken meatballs, karaage (fried chicken), but the menu still had tons of possibilities and only our stomach was the limit. To rince it, we tried Japanese favorite evening drink: the highball. I really recommend the ginger one (basic highball is generally lemon flavored).

All in all, this is a great way to try an izakaya menu without the intimidating setting of this kind of restaurant.

Our feast cost 4.100 yens (about €25 – in 2023) for the two of us. Great quality and price for an opportunity to try many different kinds of food.

🔖Address : Japon, 〒101-0025 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Kanda Sakumacho, 1 Chome−8−7 東亜ビル 1F

🔖Miraizaka Akihabara website (Japanese)

Izakaya Kaneko-en🌟

Now to a real izakaya, where it’s possible to order from a QR code. There’s a wide variety of choices à la carte: swordfish sashimi, ginkgo nuts on a stick, grilled chicken meatballs, tuna sashimi and maki, yakisoba, oden… just to name a few.

Our favorite dishes were fried fishcake and chicken liver with garlic. I also highly recommend the mango sour, made with lots of fresh and tasty mango. Drinks refill get a bit cheaper if you choose to keep your glass after your first order. In 2025, cash was necessary in order to pay the bill (note there’s a konbini a few steps away with an ATM inside).

Careful, entrance to the izakaya is through the windowed doors, under the blue and white banner. The place next to it (with a red and white banner) is a yakiniku restaurant.

🔖Address : 〒101-0025 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Kanda Sakumacho, 2 Chome−１０番地２ ２階

Yasubee (tsukemen) 🌟

Right in front of the Starbucks café near Akihabara station lies a restaurant that is easy to miss: Yasubee. We had to queue a little but it’s one of the rare places where we found tsukemen (similar to ramen, but noodles and broth are served separately), and they were amazing, with a slightly spicy broth, sesame and bamboo (a bit different from the go-to salt, soy sauce or miso ramens). They do have English menu on request.

🔖Address : 〒101-0021 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Sotokanda, 1 Chome−15−１１ 秋葉原 西川ビル B1

🔖Yasubee website (Japanese) – they have several restaurants in Tokyo, check out their website

Yakiniku no mansei Akihabara ten🌟

This was our first Yakiniku (indoor Japanese barbecue) experience ever (and still the only one to date). It was easy to get a table without booking on a Friday night, which was a bit scary to be honest (as is the very kitsch entrance of the restaurant). However, we had a great meal and I think prices are quite similar compared to other places of the kind in Akiba (where people were queuing).

We started with a recommandation platter, since we’re not really knowledgeable in meat cuts and qualities in Japan, and it was really nice. The menu is served with its fair share of vegetables and sides, which was a plus, although it seems quite usual in this kind of ready-to-order yakiniku menu. What really made the difference was the extra serving of wagyu beef we tried in addition: that’s when we understood all the fuzz about this kind of meat.

🔖Address : 〒101-0021 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Sotokanda, 1 Chome−16−1 秋葉原トゥモロービル 6階 (first floor of a building)

Nadai Fuji Soba Akihabara

This restaurant has a lot of choice in ramen, soba, Japanese curry and other fast served dishes. The food was really average, my dish was even bland, and extras are not worth it. I’d only recommend if it’s on your way and you’re looking for a check and fast meal (a lot of dishes were under 600 yens – as still the case in February 2026), otherwise don’t even bother.

🔖 Address : 〒101-0027 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Kanda Hirakawacho, ４−8−5 三光白衣秋葉原ビル

🔖Fujisoba website (Japanese, English)

Snacks and desserts in Akihabara

MR.waffle (Belgian waffles in Tokyo!)🌟

We came across that Belgian waffle shop by chance in the Akihabara station. You can have them heated on the sport or take them home and heat them yourself (you get a little how-to guide to do this properly). I wouldn’t recommend this if you’re not staying long in Japan, but as we spent a month there, we found it funny to find and try typical Belgian food!

🔖Adresse : 〒101-0025 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Kanda Sakumacho, 1 Chome−21 東京メトロ日比谷線秋葉原駅構内

🔖Site web MR.waffle (en japonais)

Pico Crepe ピコクレープ (stuffed pancakes in a cone shape)🌟

This kind of pancake is really popular in Japan and exists in sweet or savoury versions, stuffed with various fillings (ice cream, whipped cream, fruits, chocolate, sweets, cheese, fish…). It’s served in a cone shaped, easy to take away and eat outside. As a sweet tooth, I enjoyed them very much. This specific shop is in one of the covered alleys boarding Akihabara station (East-West passage, where the Square Enix Cafe stands). We visited in 2023 and again in 2025.

🔖Address : 〒100-0000 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Kanda Sakumacho, 1 Chome−６番 １外

🔖Pico Crepe Akihabara East-West passage website (Japanese, English)

Drinking in Akihabara: saké, beer, bars, cafés, terraces…

mAAch ecute Kanda Manseibashi (Kanda Jinbocho)🌟

Manseibashi Station was once a busy stop on the Chuo Line. The red-brick structure is now a one-of-a-kind shopping and dining complex that stretches from Ochanomizu Station to Kanda Station along the Kandagawa River. With the odd but memorable name of mAAch ecute Kanda Manseibashi, the space has shops, pop-up shops, restaurants, cafes, and establishments serving organic coffee, craft beer, and various types of cuisine. – GoTokyo

This is were we came across a Japanese brewery that we already know and like: Hitachino Brewing. It has several addresses in Tokyo (we visited their two cafés in Tokyo Station in 2023), but this one is very unique in that it has a terrace next to river Kanda. Their beers are really nice (trust the Belgians on this) and you can also grab German inspired bites for a light meal.

🔖Address : 1-25-4 Kanda, Suda-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

🔖Hitachino Brewing Lab Marche ecute Kanda Manseibashi website (Japanese, English)

MeishuCenter (saké tasting and shop)

This shop has a wide variety of “sake” (“nihonshu”) and it’s possible to taste them. They also have bits and bites. Prices by the glass differ from one bottle to another (you can see them on the bottle label).

We were really hyped by this, as we have a passion for distillery and brewery products, and found out that the real saké you find in Japan is just delicious compared to what we have in Asian restaurants in Europe. However, this was one of the very few addresses we were disappointed with. The shop keeper didn’t seem keen to give us advice on the products, even getting the slightest information about how to read the information labels was not easy (not language-wise, but just because the person seemed bothered to answer to our questions). Maybe just a bad day to visit, but anyway that’s a pity. However, the concept of this shop is quite unique.

The address is in Ochanomizu but it takes less than ten minutes walking or by public transport from Akihabara station.

🔖Address : Lions Plaza Ochanomizu, 1 Chome-2-１２ 1 階 Yushima, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 113-0034

🔖MeishuCenter (in English on the Nihonshu website)

Shopping, groceries and souvenirs

Geek and otaku culture

Of course, you’ll find the usual chain stores in Akihabara (Hard off, Hobby off, Book off, Animate, Mandarake…) but there are other lesser-known shops you shouldn’t overlook if you’re looking for electronics, pop culture goodies and books. For example, I liked Trader hobby shop (〒101-0021 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Sotokanda, 4 Chome−2−1 トレーダー本店ビル). I found other really good ones randomly but I didn’t think of writing the names down (sumimasen).

However, if time allows, you should definitely shop these goods in other neighbourhoods, because Akihabara’s become very touristy and therefor prices can be high (especially in second hand shops, as I guess chain stores selling new articles have national prices). My favorite place for otaku culture is Ikebukuro, but I found the best selections outside of Tokyo, in non touristy cities.

2k240 aki-oka artisan (artisanat et craft japonais)

Looking for quality and one-of-a-kind souvenirs and gifts? This repurposed building, taking advantage of unused space under train tracks, hosts several craft and local shops (clothing, home decor, food, leather goods, jewelry, tableware, souvenirs…).

The address is in Ueno but it takes less than ten minutes to reach it by foot from Akihabara station.

🔖Address : 5 Chome-9 Ueno, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0005, Japon

🔖2k240 aki-oka artisan website (Japanese, English)

Life (raifu) supermarket Kanda-Izumicho

Tourists know about konbini (convenience stores), but very few go to supermarkets. I get why: they’re not very visible, often not on main streets, unlike Western supermarkets. I already discussed this in my post dedicated to travel budgets for Japan, and how to reduce costs.

In Akihabara, we visited the Life supermarket, ten minutes walking from the station (without public transport alternative). It’s organised in two floors: one dedicated to dry food, the other one to fresh products and meals. It’s a great alternative to konbini because there’s a wider range of ready-to-eat fresh meals, for a low price. But you can also shop there for souvenirs and to bring back some food to extend the travel experience back home.

This supermarket is easy to miss because the entrance in inside a building and the shop is not on ground floor.

🔖Address : 2-13 Kanda Izumicho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 101-0024, Japon

🔖Life Kanda Izumicho website (Japanese, English)

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