Over the last few decades, nerd culture has exploded in Japan. As more and more people discovered an interest in geekdom, it began to have an increasing impact on Japan’s economy and culture. Today, nerd culture – especially concerning anime, manga, and video games – is everywhere in Japan, and Tokyo is seen as a hub for nerdery – a place that numerous geeks from all over the world make a sort of pilgrimage to. As such, there are numerous places to go in Tokyo if you’re looking to indulge your geekier side.
Pokemon Center Mega Tokyo Store
Debuting in 1996, the first Pokemon games became an immediate smash hit across the world – changing video games and geek culture forever. The success of the first games led to the creation of dozens more, alongside films, a TV show, a card game, and uncountable items of merchandise. Today, Pokemon reigns as the most successful franchise of all time, having generated over $90 billion in revenue.
The Pokemon Center Mega Tokyo Store in, as the name suggests, Tokyo, is entirely dedicated to the king of franchises, and it’s a dreamland for any Pokemon mega-fan. The establishment contains any piece of Pokemon merchandise that a Poke-fan could want. You can buy the latest Pokemon games there, alongside packs of the hugely-popular card game. Pokemon clothes can also be found there, including hoodies, trousers, and adorable Pokemon socks. There’s even a cafe at which customers can eat food ingeniously crafted to look like popular Pokemon. Have you ever wanted to eat a Pikachu rice ball? We know the answer is yes, and now you can!
Studio Ghibli Museum
Since being established in 1985, film company Studio Ghibli has been enchanting the world with its animated masterpieces. Noted for films that are frequently profound, funny, imaginative and deeply touching, Ghibli’s films have been huge successes, and are frequently cited as an influence on animators and filmmakers the world over. An almost untouchable body of work as far as quality and depth are concerned, Ghibli’s legacy is likely to endure for years to come.
One manifestation of that legacy is the Ghibli Museum, which opened in Tokyo in 2001. The museum is dedicated to the film studio’s work, as well as the work of animation in general – featuring several exhibits on both. Visitors can see an exhibit on the history of animation, as well as an exhibit detailing the different processes involved in making an animated film. Fans of the animation studio can expect to be delighted, as they can see several exhibits of different Ghibli films, including ‘Spirited Away’ and ‘My Neighbor Totoro’. The museum also has a cafe and rooftop garden where visitors can relax – and a play area for children that features a replica of the iconic catbus from ‘My Neighbor Totoro’. Ghibli fans will also be thrilled to find that the museum shows short films from the studio that do not play anywhere else in the world.
Akihabara
The area of Akihabara in Tokyo is a true geek paradise. This section of Tokyo found success in the early part of the 20th century as a hub for electronic goods. Eventually, however, this gave way to just computer goods, drawing geeks to Akihabara more often. As such, the area underwent a massive metamorphosis, catering more and more to geek clientele and becoming a full-blown center for nerd paraphernalia.
Nowadays, Akihabara is a place where people go to buy video games, anime and manga and the various merchandise that accompanies them, along with computer products. Walking through the section of streets, visitors can expect to see characters from anime and manga prominently displayed in store windows, so as to establish themselves as part of the geek economy. The spirit of geekdom has gotten so deep into Akihabara that shop-owners even design their stores in the style of anime and manga, to preserve the atmosphere. If you want to feel like you’re walking through the world of an anime – while being able to pick up some geek merchandise – Akihabara is the place to go.
