
Video guides to Akihabara (Tokyo area with tons of computer/electronic shops) - nfriedly
http://www.tokyohackerspace.org/akihabara/
======
dotBen
I went to Akihabara on a visit to Tokyo a few years back... I have to say I
was pretty unimpressed.

Visiting Japan is a mind-blowing experience but once you have got over the
crazy ways they do retail in general, Akihabara itself doesn't have much to
offer IMHO.

The few unusual stores that are there are the ones the guide shows, like the
discount test equipment/oscilloscope store
(<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGPddaXFkXU>). Sure they are kind of cool but
most of it is just regular electronics at prices that were not competitive.

The internet really changed things - Akihabara was the place to buy unusual
and rare electronics but the chances are you can buy anything you see in
Akihabara in the US via the Internet, at a cheaper price point. I'm sure you
can buy those second-hand oscilloscopes at similar discount prices via
specialized online retailers.

Do check out the video of the labyrinth 'department stores', which are
buildings full of small vendors
(<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKmwIBfT5U4>). I used to visit buildings like
that in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia that were several levels just full of pirated
software - all dark and full of neon, it was like something out of Blade
Runner.

Roll-up shutters to lock-up style units with all this software on the wall -
patrons would just pick off the wall the names of the software they wanted
(Windows, MS Office, Photoshop, etc) and some kid would run off and bring them
the disks at $1 a pop. Every now and again one of these units would be selling
noodles or soup or pot-stickers.

But again, the Internet has disrupted that market and you don't see them as
much (<http://ahcheo.blogspot.com/2009/06/todays-imbi-plaza.html>) - I guess
because if you are interested in obtaining pirated software you can do it via
Bit Torrent.

Speaking of fake stuff, check out the "Mac Store" in Akihabara:
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/dotben/53700249/>

This photo, <http://www.flickr.com/photos/dotben/53699076/>, also reminded me
that if you do visit Akihabara go at night, when all the neon is lit!

~~~
po
That Apple has a store in Ginza but not Akihabara says a lot I think.

Anyway, I've been taking friends from the US who visit me to Akiba for a while
now and I have always given these disclaimers before going:

1.) In general, things will _not_ be cheaper. This isn't Hong Kong. Here's the
main reason why: <http://www.x-rates.com/d/JPY/USD/graph120.html>

2.) Prepare to enter a world where the average consumer who is shopping there
cares a lot about things you don't care at all about. Like Anime, plastic
figurines and Nintendo Wii games.

3.) Any cool software or hardware that requires software will probably not be
localized to english. Windows rules here and Microsoft makes a special version
of windows for the japanese market. Maybe it's gotten better with windows
vista or 7, I really don't know. That sweet netbook will be awesome for a
Japanese person but you're about to enter a world of pain. Here's an example:

[http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/234200-45-convert-
japanese...](http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/234200-45-convert-japanese-
english)

I had a friend visiting last week and he really wanted to buy a cool USB
microscope that we saw there. I had to warn him that it might be impossible to
get the drivers installed properly.

Another friend wanted to buy the new Jumbo sized Nintendo DS before it was
released in the US but we asked the sales rep and he said there was no way to
switch the UI to english. No sale.

4.) The main reason to visit Akihabara is if you are interested in Japanese
otaku culture and want to understand it more. It's a trip. I recommend it. But
don't go expecting to get a bunch of shit to bring home with you.

~~~
w1ntermute
> Windows rules here and Microsoft makes a special version of windows for the
> japanese market. Maybe it's gotten better with windows vista or 7, I really
> don't know.

I don't know about XP, but with 7 (Ultimate, at least) there definitely isn't
a "special version of Windows for the Japanese market". Japanese Windows is
the same old Windows with a Japanese localization pack installed and enabled.
You can go into the settings and change it. This is why when you install
Windows 7 Ultimate, you get a ton of optional updates that are a bunch of
language packs (there are ~25-30).

~~~
Natsu
I haven't tried installing very many things, but from the instructions I've
read, there appear to be many that won't work properly unless the locale is
set to Japanese when installing and running the software.

------
jdietrich
Japan is played out. China is where it's at -
<http://www.bunniestudios.com/blog/?p=147>

Japanese culture seems to have become dominated by consumption, whereas China
still has a big thing for production.

------
empika
Ah man, I really could have done with this in May. Oh well, was still super
fun discovering it _all_ myself (i think i went in pretty much every shop in
akihabara over the course of about a week!)

Will have to visit the hacker space next time i get the funds together to
visit :)

------
olalonde
Reminds me of HuaQiangBei in Shenzhen, China.
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RafPma9_t8Q&feature=fvw](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RafPma9_t8Q&feature=fvw)

------
elblanco
Reminds me a lot of [http://thedailykimchi.blogspot.com/2006/08/yongsan-
electroni...](http://thedailykimchi.blogspot.com/2006/08/yongsan-electronics-
market.html)

