The Tokyo Tour

When traveling to Tokyo, I have a few key destinations I never miss. It’s bordering on routine, but with so much activity, so many brightly colored things to buy, blazing neon lights and millions of people crammed into the streets, it never fails to feel fresh. If you’re going to Tokyo (and you’re reading the Meat Bun blog), your first destination should always be Akihabara, Tokyo’s electric town and a mecca for all things geek.

Manga, toys, hobbyist goods, anime, and, of course, video games will surround you, assaulting your wallet. Your first stop for all things old should be Super Potato.

Grab an old Famicom, some lovingly cared for carts, one or two video game art books, then marvel at the 98,000 yen copy of Mortal Kombat Trilogy for the PlayStation or the even more expensive Japanese release of Maximum Carnage for the Sega Genesis, which is outrageously priced at nearly one thousand U.S. dollars. They also have Super Mario World golf shoes, a retro arcade on the third floor and, well, just about anything else you’re looking for. After Super Potato, I like to hit Liberty 7 for old capsule toys, Sofmap for something new and cheap, then GoGo Curry or Mister Donut for a massive calorie injection.

Remember, never go into the basement of an Akihabara manga store. That’s where the repulsive porn is kept.

Maybe you’ll want to go to the Gundam Cafe? I don’t know. The lines were crazy long on the weekend.

I prefer to eat my meals at the Kebab Box in Harajuku before heading to Beams T, Graniph, Kiddie Land and the approximately one thousand other shops in the Laforet Building. The Kebab Box serves one thing and is quite proud of the fact that Britney Spears has eaten it.

Foreigners may also like to hit up the crepe stands, popular with weeabos and approved by young Japanese idols, apparently.

For a less well-worn destination, make sure to head to the massive Mandarake in Nakano.

More lovingly preserved robots, manga (helpfully catalogued in English!), disgusting hentai, video games, action figures, vinyl toys and even more nerd stock than your bank account could ever handle. Nakano is also a prime destination for getting lost and getting drunk, with dozens of little watering holes tucked away a few blocks from the train station.

But go to the Nakano Mandarake, which is spread across multiple floors at the far end of the Nakano Broadway mall. Get lucky, get a one-eyed lucky cat!