Surviving Akihabara: What to wear in the Otaku capital of Japan

Akihabra is famous all throughout Japan for the swarms of Japanese anime lovers who flock to this 'Otaku' capital of Japan. Otaku used to mean someone who was so obsessed with computers that they never left their home – and had poor social skills. Now it is typically used to describe die-hard fans of Japanese anime. If you are planning on making a trek down to Akiba, what can you wear?

Cosplay Costumes.

In the past, anime lovers used to collect in Akihabra, wearing their favorite costumes. While that has mostly died down, it is still fairly common to see people walking around in costume. Dressing in this kind of outfit is usually referred to ask 'cosplay.'

If you have a costume and want to wear it, Akihabara might be the place for you. Wearing crazy clothes is one of the most fun things to do in Akihabara.

Japanese Anime Apparel .

Most people don't have costumes sitting around their house. However, Akihabra has one of the largest collections of anime related goods and apparel in Japan. A lot of tourists love to go to Akiba strictly to buy these novelty goods.

If you buy a shirt with a depiction of your favorite character, you can easily slip into a bathroom at the station and change. A large percentage of people strolling around Akihabra wear anime-related apparel. You can fit right in.

Lolita or Maid Costumes

Just like anime character costumes, in the past, girls used to dress up in elaborate Lolita, gothic Lolita, or maid costumes and parade around Akihabara. It was one of the most interesting things to do in Akihabara. Many girls will still partake in this dress; it is much more common to see a Lolita or maid dress than a cosplay character.

Casual Wear

One of the best parts of Akihabra is the lack of judgment. Akiba is one of the only places in Tokyo where you won't feel underdressed, especially if you are just doing a short backpacking trip through Tokyo and weren't able to pack high fashion clothes. However, if you are not a fan of Japanese anime, don't feel any pressure to wear anime apparel goods in Akihabara. Any outfit is perfectly acceptable.