Pop Culture Experience in Akihabara
**This tour is offered only until end of March 2010**
An American “otaku” dressed as a cartoon character will walk you through the town of Akihabara, Tokyo's world famous Electric Town and seat of "otaku" hardcore fan culture. He will show you aspects of the town that are definitely not explained in guide books!
Step into one of Akihabara’s famous “maid cafes” and take a deeper glimpse into Japanese pop culture.
Not only fans of anime, video games and cosplay but also people without prior knowledge can get a kick out of this tour!
So what do exactly Akiba-kei(style), Otaku and Maid Cafe mean? Here are some detailed information about words and places related to Akihabara Culture:
Otaku: A hardcore fan who allows passion for fantasy to overtake and inform daily experience
Akiba-kei: Akihabara style, typically used to mean a geeky, dorky, weeny guy or gal from the Electronic Town
Maid Cafe: Cafes where woman in themed uniforms perform character types beloved by otaku and serve, play games and interact with customers obligingly
Moe: Literally meaning to blossom, this is the heart of otaku these days and taken by them to mean the burning passion of one responds to a sublime emotional trigger; it is used among non-otaku to mean vapid-looking infantile characters, cuteness or even just sexiness
Cosplay: Costume play wherein fans dress up and embody their favorite characters, masquerading and parading around freely
Figure: A smaller model or toy that is possible and can be played with
Maid Crossing: Where costumed staff of numerous stylish maid cafes gather to draw in customers longing for fantasy relationships and comfort
Asobit City-Hobby: One of many super-stores for fan culture, this one is subdivided by floor into niche otaku and mania interests and even has an indoor shooting range
Patrick W. Galbraith
This tour is a labor of love put together by a cooperative of fans who have roamed every inch of Akihabara and can't wait to share the secrets of the otaku holyland with you! We hope it will be a fun and interactive way to learn the local history, language and culture and open a deeper dialogue among fans the world over!
Detail
| Tour code: | HCA024 |
|---|---|
| Adult: | ¥5,800 (12 or older) * Fare changed from Jun. 2009 |
| Child: | ¥5,800 (6-11yrs) * Fare changed from Jun. 2009 |
| Dates: | **This tour is offered only until end of March 2010**Sundays(Except for the dates that are not highlighted on the calendar above.) |
| Time: | [2.5 hrs] 13:30-16:00 |
| Meeting place: | Tokyo: Akihabara Station, JR Yamanote Line >>Use the train route finder |
| Language: | English |
| Guide: | English-speaking certified tour guide/interpreter |
| Meal: | Not included |
| Participants: | 2-10 people |
| Remarks: | • Please wear comfortable walking shoes. |
| Please note that due to either natural disaster or urgent orders from our activity suppliers, we may be unable to provide the service. Detailed information including cancellation policy can be found in our Tour Conditions and Terms and conditions. |
| Spectators are only permitted by prior reservation (50% tour fee will apply) for the following activities: Samurai Sword Action, Ninja & Make your own Shushi. Non paying spectators will not be allowed into the class. |
You may also be interested in "2009 Japanese Pop Culture Anime Fair Special! "
