Tokyo Realtime

Life-size Ayanami Rei greets customers at Kaiyodo

Sketches from an adult-themed anime

Radio Center entrance

An electronic components shop inside the Radio Market

Miss ko2 (1996, 188cm) by Takashi Murakami in collaboration with Bome of Kaiyodo.

NEC TK-80 considered Japan's first home computer

Radio Kaikan is major destination for otaku interests near JR Akihabara's Electric Town Gate

Maid Arisa of Cafe Mai:lish (mailish.jp)

Gamers

Super Potato retro video game shop

An ita-bike

Mandarake

Oden-in-a-can vending machines, located in front of Akiba Crane Lab

Chuo Dori panoramic

Chuo Dori

Gachapon Kaikan

Inside Gachapon Kaikan

AV Factory

Cosplayer on Chuo Dori. Photo by Minohara Tatsuro.

TOKYO'S ELECTRIC TOWN, Akihabara is Japan's subculture hotspot for anime, manga, games and figures which attracts hardcore fans - and curious visitors - from all over the world. Internationally recognized experts on the area take you on an unforgettable, behind-the-scenes tour of the area. You'll visit all the must-see shops, gain historical knowledge, cultural insights and learn insider jargon like otagei, moé, itasha and more.

If you've enjoyed this program, please share with a friend!

Praise for the Tour

Akihabara is one of the world's most densely intricate urban enclaves, and producer Max Hodges has assembled a crack team of uber-geeks from Japan and abroad to navigate its alleys and decode its mysteries. The audio guide is an illuminating portal into the neighborhood's colorful history and vibrant currents of contemporary pizzazz.
- Roland Kelts, author of Japanamerica

Patrick W. Galbraith reveals an Akihabara that even a long-term resident like me didn't fully understand.
- Jean Snow, Editor-in-Chief snow-mag.com

Interviews with

Patrick Macias - Author of "Cruising the Anime City" and editor of "Otaku USA Magazine"

Morikawa Kaichiro - Professor at Meiji University & author of several books including "Learning from Akihabara"

Danny Choo - blogger and Tokyo Stormtrooper

Kobayashi Takaya - local ward councilman

Kristina Dryza - consumer trend researcher

Mei-chan- otaku and former little sister at a sister café

Produced and Mixed by

Max Hodges

Written and Narrated by

Patrick W. Galbraith

About the Narrator

Patrick W. Galbraith is the author of "The Otaku Encyclopedia" and is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Tokyo where he researches Akihabara and Otaku culture. He is a frequent contributor to Metropolis, Otaku USA Magazine and Otaku2.com

Music by

Nobot - Uke Falls

Donebestdone - M. Clifton

Pa letee of @HomeCafé - Happy Happy Morning

Cutie Pai - Tokyo Refrain

Shane Berry - Canned Oden

Damn Dangerous - Nine to Five

Translation

James Okubo

Navi Voice

Mariko Gale

Sound Design

Kyle Vande Slunt

Greg Sextro

Photography

Max Hodges

Web Site

Dilara Özden, design and illustration alternatecyborg

Fran Dios, programming

Special Thanks

Tomoko Okazaki

Kenn Delbridge

James Okubo

Martin Holtkamp

Ryoko Tsukada

Hunter Ontiveros

Philip Seifi

FreeSound files used in this project

Texas Radio Theatre Company - morse code radio

Galeku - shortwave dial sweep

Elliot Lash aka Halleck - arc of electricity

Xef6 - camera shutter

akihabara