Subculture walk: Nakano
Akihabara may be the place for anime and electronics otaku, but for the other otaku out there, thereâs Nakano Broadway (5-52-15 Nakano, Nakano-ku). In this retro arcade, youâll find something for every kind of geek, and no matter how many times you go, youâll always find something new.Â
We start our walk at Mandarake (Nakano Broadway, 5-52-15 Nakano, Nakano-ku), which occupies a large section of the Nakano Broadway building. Mandarake has over one million items, mostly manga and anime merchandise and knick-knacks. If youâre looking for an anime or manga-related item and canât find it at Mandarake, chances are you wonât find it anywhere.
Next, look for the bright red torii gate and youâll be at Mandarake Henya (4F Nakano Broadway), which sells a large amount of Japanese pre-war collectables, soaps, coin banks and other rare goods that canât be found elsewhere.Â
Mandarake Henya
At Anime Kan (4F Nakano Broadway), also on this floor, you might find cels from classics such as âPrincess Mononokeâ and âNausicaÀ of the Valley of the Windâ. In the bookstore on the third floor, shelves packed with all types of manga cover the entire wall.
After scooping up some treasures, take a break at Bar Zingaro (2F Nakano Broadway), where you can enjoy specialty coffee from Fuglen while surrounded by Takashi Murakamiâs signature âflowersâ. This is no coincidence since Nakano Broadway houses three galleries operated by Murakamiâs company, Kaikai Kiki: Hidari Zingaro (3F Nakano Broadway) is a con