Nakano Broadway: Pop Culture Wonderland

Above, the Nakano Broadway entrance from JR Nakano Station. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When foreign tourists can finally travel to Japan unhindered and without overbearing rules as was the case before the pandemic, one must-see location in Tokyo to visit is Nakano Broadway.

Nakano Broadway is considered a "mecca" for otaku shoppers while in Tokyo. I made it a point to stop in whenever I am in Japan. I've purchased a number of items there including Godzilla figures and, if you can believe it, "Nipper", the RCA Victor dog.

Above, RCA Victor's "Nipper" I purchased at Nakano Broadway. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Nippon.com posted an article on Nakano Broadway that is well worth a thorough read.

They start it off with:

At the end of the Nakano Sun Mall shopping arcade outside of JR Nakano Station can be found a holy ground for otaku: Nakano Broadway. Packed with stores selling anime figurines and other ephemera, it even attracts fans who make pilgrimages from abroad. An exploration of the past, present, and future of this iconic Tokyo shopping space.

From Success to Shutters

The year 2022 marked the fifty-sixth anniversary of the opening of Nakano Broadway. A long shopping promenade called Sun Mall extends from the north exit of JR Nakano Station; Nakano Broadway, a 10-story building with three basement levels, sits near the north end of this arcade. The fifth through tenth floors are residential, and residents have access to a rooftop pool, a playground, and a garden plot.

The bottommost two floors are mechanical facilities, but the first basement floor through the fourth floor are jam-packed with a huge variety of shops—as many as 350 tiny outlets. The number isn’t precisely known, for the turnover of shops is constant.

To read more and see some tantalizing photos, go here. 

Mandarake at Tokyo's Nakano Broadway

Above, the Nakano Station entrance to Broadway Nakano. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During the pre-COVID19 days, a vacation trip to Japan was possible for people who could afford and have enough dough to indulge in their collectibles hobby.

I have traveled to Japan eight times over the years since 2001 and one of my frequent stops while in Tokyo was the Nakano Broadway shopping mall, which contains several Mandarake stores that specializes in differing genres of otaku culture collectibles. 

Mandarake is a good source for new and used Godzilla and other kaiju toys.

Live Japan had posted an article on Mandarake in March 2019, but has updated it this month. Therefore, it is worth a look.

They begin it with:

Located in Nakano, just a 5-minute train ride from Shinjuku, Nakano Broadway is well known as a mini Akihabara and has been a haven to otakus and their culture for many years. This huge complex that spans over several floors is home to a multitude of shops all catering to all game, anime, and manga lovers!

Within Nakano Broadway there is one chain that clearly sticks out among the rest: Mandarake. This shop's everywhere in this shopping center and is impossible to miss! And the best part? You don’t even need to be really familiar with this otaku culture to be able to appreciate it and join in on the fun!

To read the full article, go here. 

Savvy Japan: A Guide To Nakano

Above, the entrance to Nakano Broadway. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the "must-do" places for fans of kaiju and other Japanese pop culture genres is a visit to the Nakano Broadway in the Nakano district of Tokyo.

The first time I visited the Nakano Broadway was during my first trip to Japan in November 2001. I visited it a couple of times on that trip (once while sick with a 24-hour flu) and several times thereafter and have purchased some kaiju toys and a porcelain "Nipper" of RCA Victor fame. Mandarake has several shops in Nakano Broadway.

For those who have been to Nakano before or for those who have never been to Japan, Savvy Tokyo has a guide on what to see and do while in the district.

They begin with:

Although a seemingly local and residential area, anyone heading West on the Chuo line will find much to explore in Nakano. Beloved by fans of video games, anime, and manga for offering a quieter version of Akihabara within its multi-floor department store Nakano Broadway, the neighborhood also suits anyone who loves to dig into the local side streets and seek out some gems. Nakano hides over 50 ramen restaurants (some of which are known to be the best in the city) which can mostly be found nestled around the energetic station exits and along the restaurant and bar strip of Rengazaka Street. Although Nakano is one of the most highly populated districts of Tokyo and surrounded by lively neighborhoods such as Koenji and Shinjuku, it’s easily accessible, retains a local, retro vibe and exudes charm.

To read more, go here. 

CNN Travel: Geek's Guide To Tokyo

Above, Godzilla in Shinjuku. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For those who consider themselves otaku, a trip to Japan, particularly Tokyo, is something they probably already made or is on their bucket list.

Tokyo is the mecca for "geekdom" of all genres of fandom and CNN Travel has posted, "Geek's Guide To Tokyo: Where Otaku Culture Thrives".

It begins with:

Tokyo (CNN) — Otaku, which means "your house" in Japanese, was a term used to (snidely) describe people with obsessive hobbies. To wit: An otaku was seen as a shut-in. 

While originally used to negatively characterize people with interests in anime and manga comics, the label, first coined by essayist Akio Nakamori in the 1980s, has grown to include a wide variety of fandoms and is no longer used with disdain. 

There's a warm community for cos-players, online gamers, railfans (otaku preoccupied with trains), music lovers and countless other subcultures. A growing number of people in Japan now self-identify as otaku -- and it's a judgment-free zone. 

Nowhere is the thriving otaku culture more on display than the futuristic Japanese capital of Tokyo, where several whole neighborhoods tend to a diverse range of desires and obsessions. 

Geeks, rejoice!

The "King of the Monsters" is given a good mention in the article.

To read more, go here. 

The Rare Tokyo Gem Called Nakano Broadway

Above, the entrance to Nakano Broadway from Nakano Station. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Whether or not you've ever been to Japan, most undoubtedly you have heard of Nakano Broadway.

It is a mecca for otaku, whether it is manga, books, anime and toys (for kaiju fans, there's Godzilla toys to be found there).

JAPAN Forward has an article on what people will find at the Nakano Broadway.

They wrote (in part):

Nakano Broadway is also the secret otaku paradise, and it’s this specification that makes the area so compelling. Above the grocery market and ice cream parlor obscured in the basement are an array of stores selling vintage toys, manga, anime merchandise, and art books. Mandarake, a company whose flagship store began in Nakano Broadway which focuses on the culture of anime and manga, expands throughout nearly every floor in the shopping complex. The walls of these stores tower high with specialty goods and books. Even their entrances are like something out of a steam-punk, sci-fi fantasy, with corroded pipes and larger-than-life robots grafted into the walls.

 To read more, go here.

Anime and Manga Souvenir Shops

Above, the entrance to Nakano Broadway, where
Mandarake has a store of kaiju toys. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For those going to Japan to fill gaps in their collections, but need to know where to go get those items, Goin' Japanesque has a list of places and stores where fans can find them.

They begin with:

Today we have collected a few souvenir spots that will make your hearts race with excitement, regardless of whether or not you are an “otaku”! Each location carries numerous limited edition items that can only be purchased there, which makes it 100% worth the trip!  

*Otaku: A Japanese term used for people who are extreme fans of the manga/anime fandom, as well as idol groups, etc.

To read more, go here. 

"Tokyo Geek's Guide" For Otaku

For those of you who are otaku of different aspects of Japanese pop culture, there's a new book out called Tokyo Geek's Guide that should interest you.

According to GameSpew:

Tokyo in particular is a sprawling megacity filled with enough cool stuff that it can easily be overwhelming. It can be difficult for any fan from the west to figure out what and what not to do while making their first trip. Luckily, we’ve found the perfect companion for your would-be trip: Gianni Simone’s Tokyo Geek’s Guide. 

Now, to be clear, this is the sort of book you want to read before going to Japan, not while you’re there. It is, after all, jam-packed with enough information that it can feel like a trip in itself just by reading it – which is a good thing! Coming from the mouth of someone who has worked for Vogue Italia, The Japan Times, and CNN Travel, it’s an essential piece that I recommend for planning a trip. Just maybe not for those already there, mainly because of its extreme focus on Otaku culture which, hopefully shouldn’t be too much of a surprise given the book’s title.

Gianni Simone is a familiar name as he reviewed The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan for The Japan Times several years ago.

There is a Godzilla section (below) in the Tokyo Geek's Guide, by the way!

The Tokyo Geek's Guide will be available on Amazon August 11.

For more, go here.

Otaku Magazine Celebrates 10 Years With Offer

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Greetings Fellow OTAKU!

It's hard for me to believe, but for 10 years running, Otaku USA Magazine has been THE source for anime, manga, gaming, j-pop, cosplay, rubber monsters, and other fantastical things from Japan: the land of the rising FUN!

That's right! Otaku USA is officially polishing off our 10th year of publication! Can you believe it all started waaaaaaay back when our first issue hit the stands with an August 2007 cover date?

I'll tell you more about how we got started, but first, to help us celebrate, we're offering fans of Anime Expo a super-special — super cheap — subscription offer: 1 year, for only $14.

That's $21 OFF the single-copy cost. And 30% off our regular subscription rate.

OTAKU USA Magazine
Anime Expo Special Offer
1 Year, $14 Bucks

How We Started

In early 2005, I quit my job at Viz Media, where I had been an assistant editor at Animerica magazine. I spent about a year afterward living in Tokyo, working on book projects, but eventually I needed another regular gig.

In the summer of 2006, I saw an ad looking for an editor for a new "Anime/ Manga/Gaming" magazine, which sounded like something I could do, so I sent over my résumé and crossed my fingers. Once it was clear I got the job, it was knuckle-down time, and the fun really started — we had to make a new magazine from scratch. We've been going strong ever since!

Our Name

The word "otaku" was kind of disreputable in Japan, where it had negative connotations, but lots of American fans were increasingly comfortable using it as sort of a badge of honor; labeling themselves as passionate fans of Japanese pop culture. Most "normal" people didn't know what the word "otaku" meant at all, and that was fine. I didn't want to make an anime-manga magazine for casual viewers.

Our writers lived and breathed in the deep end, and we wanted to reach readers who were down there with us. So I decided to name the magazine Otaku USA. The publisher was okay with that and generally accepted all my editorial decisions from that point on.

Our Readers

One of the most rewarding aspects of working on the magazine is hearing from our readers. We get letters all the time from people that say that they don't have any other friends who like anime and manga where they live so Otaku USA is their only connection to fandom. We've gotten letters from people in prison and people deployed as soldiers overseas who say the magazine helps get their minds off their problems. There was even an Otaku USA wedding... two people met at the bookstore over an issue of Otaku USA and wound up falling in love. They took a photo at their wedding where everyone has an issue of our magazine in their hands.

That's why here at Otaku USA Magazine, we are celebrating 10 glorious years by offering our Anime Expo friends our incredible magazine all year long for a super-discounted price.

THANK YOU FOR 10 YEARS OF OTAKU USA!
Patrick Macias, Editor

OTAKU USA Magazine
Anime Expo Special Offer
1 Year, $14 Bucks

Find It In Akihabara

Above, the Akihabara shopping district. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If one should be in Tokyo and have need for something for their laptop or other Internet devices, there's a section in the city that may have it.

That place is Akihabara.

According to Live Japan:

Once known as a black market where people dealt with random items from international troops stationed in Japan after World War II, Akihabara is now a paradise for those looking to find electronic equipment and for Otaku (Fanatics) looking for the latest anime and manga related merchandise! 

Akiba, as it's known to the locals, is a great place to spend a day traveling and sightseeing. Being close to Asakusa and Ueno, there are a variety of interesting shops and cafes such as the ever-popular maid cafes, where you can be a “master” for a day as elegant young ladies and/or gentlemen cater to your needs! 

If shopping is on your mind, there are a ton of electronic shops, some as small as an office cubicle and others with more than 10 floors of the latest technology! Once you finish shopping, you can head to Ueno or Asakusa and relax and take in the atmosphere of many temple and shrine grounds or visit one of the many museums. With so many things to do in Akihabara, you are sure to have an amazing time!

 To read more, go here.

Tips For Weebing Out In Japan

Above, the Godzilla slide in Yokosuka, Japan. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If you happen to be an otaku, geek, nerd, Japanophile of any sort, Geek.com has 7 helpful tips for first-time visitors to Japan to make their trip much easier.

They begin with:

Going to Japan is one of those lofty nerd goals that nearly anyone who remotely likes video games or anime dreams of. And, if you haven’t gone before and don’t know Japanese, it’s a pretty daunting task. I recently spent two weeks in Glorious Nippon, and I had a blast despite my linguistic ignorance. It’s not hard to have a great time if you keep a few things in mind while planning your trip. 

It’s a vastly different country from the United States, but the commercial and tourist areas are generally friendly and accommodating to English speakers. Most important signs are in English, and most of the symbols and icons we’re used to are used in Japan to the same extent. You don’t have to be intimidated by it. 

Preparation is everything, and even if you can’t teach yourself to be fluent in Japanese in time for your vacation/sabbatical/pilgrimage you can still get ready in some simple and helpful ways. Getting a passing familiarity with maps, locations, and pleasantries can go a long way, and plotting out your trip in advance can save a lot of headaches while still giving you plenty of wiggle room.

It just so happens that it was one year ago today that I made my last trip to Japan. I plan on heading back as soon as the updated edition of The Monsiter Movie Fan's Guide To Japan is completed.

To read more, go here. 

An Otaku Journalist Visits Tokyo

Above, the article writer's hotel. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Lauren Orsini recently visited Japan. She has a two-part article on "Japan: What I Expected, What I Got" at Forbes.com.

She covers fandom and journalism at Otaku Journalist.

In her latest article, Orsini stayed at the Hotel Gracery in Shinjuku, Tokyo and visited a number of places that otaku would be very much interested in, including Odaiba and Diver City.

I found this comment about Japan interesting:

Japan is not the Bizarro World I might have expected as a foreigner, but neither is it anything like what I’m used to.

To read the article, go here.

Nakano Broadway Turns 50 This Year

Above, the entrance to Nakano Broadway. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A special place in Tokyo marks 50 years this year.

It is the mecca for otaku shopping: Nakano Broadway.

The Japan Times reported:

Nakano Broadway turns 50 this year. The shopping complex in Tokyo’s busy Nakano district remains popular with enthusiasts of pop culture, boasting dozens of manga, anime and collectors’ shops. 

The scruffy but vibrant building, housing some 300 shops and restaurants across its five floors, sits at the end of the Nakano Sun Mall shopping street, which is adjacent the north exit of JR Nakano Station. 

Since the opening of Mandarake Inc. stores at the center in 1980, Nakano Broadway has evolved into a center for enthusiasts of pop subculture, offering everything from cosplay items and old movie posters to figurines, plastic models, toys and used books. There is, of course, a good dosing also of manga publications and anime goods.

Along with the various Mandarake stores, Nakano Broadway has other, but smaller, stores who cater to your "inner fanboy" (or "inner fangirl") such as Robot Robot.

It is a must-visit place in Tokyo.

To read more, go here.

For an "ultra-short" history of Nakano Broadway, go here.

8 Things To Look Out For In Akihabara

Above, some of the advertising that adorn businesses in Akihabara. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If you've never been to Japan or have been to Japan but never stepped foot in Akihabara, Tokyo's "electric town," Inside Japan Blog has an article on 8 things for visitors to look out for while in the district. Akihabara is known as a mecca for otaku of varying Japanese pop-culture.

They begin their list of things to look out for with:

Akihabara is truly the Japan’s capital of “otaku” – often translated as ‘someone who has obsessive interests in video games, manga, anime, electronics and the like’. There’s more manga and anime in this little district of Tokyo than exists anywhere else in the world. But whether you consider yourself a fan of such things completely misses the point; this neighborhood is a traveler’s dream because it is unlike anywhere else any of us have ever been and will ever go to. And isn’t that why we travel in the first place? 

In a simple stroll through “Akiba” (as it is commonly and affectionately known by most Tokyo-ites) there are more things to point out, talk about and be astonished by then would ever fit in a single blog post so instead I’ve chosen 8 things that I love about this quirky part of town. If you are coming to the area be sure to keep an eye out for the following!

To read more, go here.

Tokyo Otaku Mode Partners With Japan Tourism Agency; Kaiju Fans Ignored

Above, Akihabara, Tokyo, a center of otaku subcultures. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Tokyo Otaku Mode (TOM) is partnering with the Japan Tourism Agency in promoting Japan travel, according to an Anime News Network article.

They wrote:

TOKYO - Tokyo Otaku Mode Inc. (incorporated in Delaware, U.S. by President and CEO Tomo Kamei), the managing body of Tokyo Otaku Mode (TOM), a worldwide distributor of otaku content including anime, manga, and cosplay, announces its participation in the Visit Japan Campaign, the Japan Tourism Agency's project to promote travel to Japan, as well as the implementation of promotions for overseas Japanese pop/subculture fans through a partnership with Expedia (Washington, U.S. / CEO Dara Khosrowshahi), the world's largest online travel site. This is the second year in a row that TOM will be participating in Visit Japan Campaign. 

The special website (http://otakumode.com/sp/visit_japan) launched last year by TOM during its participation in the Japan Tourism Agency's Visit Japan Campaign, held with the cooperation of Japanese-managed companies using Japanese pop culture in overseas marketing, is getting a massive renewal for this promotion. The site will reopen on Aug. 1, 2014 and will include a survey campaign in which Expedia travel discount coupons will be given out, as well as videos of influential overseas figures introducing Japan, and other content to promote travel to Japan. 

I did some perusing of the site and didn't find anything kaiju fan-related. It appears that for some reason kaiju fans don't seem to warrant the attention of Japan's tourism promoters. Hopefully, this will change in the future. After all, kaiju fans also have money to spend on Japan travel as do fans of manga, anime and cosplay.

It seems odd that this should occur as the new American Godzilla is getting a lot of attention since it opened in Japan July 25. Plus, since Godzilla raked in over half a billion dollars worldwide, do they really think our numbers are too small for their attention?

To read the article, go here. 

36 Classifications of Japanese Train Nerds

Above, shinkansen trains at Tokyo Station. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Rocket News 24 has posted an article on 36 (yes, 36) varieties of "train nerds" (people who love trains).

I was surprised to read about the different train otaku sub-cultures the article came up with.

The article begins with:

You may already be aware that there is a subculture of train fanatics in Japan known as densha otaku, or train nerds. But did you know that there are loads of sub-subcultures within the densha otakus? From those obsessed with train noises to experts in train lunch boxes, we’ve got them all covered for you.

The article has a cool photograph of a model train layout that includes Tokyo Tower.

Are you a "train nerd" and, if so, what category(ies) do you fit in with?

To read the article, go here. 

Survey: 70% of Otakus Choose Hobby Over Love

A new article in RocketNews24 caught my eye as the word otaku was quite prominent. Then I read further and it occurred to me that I know a lot of fanboys who are too devoted to their hobby (in this case, kaiju fandom) to even bother with finding a mate. The article can apply to them.

According to the article:

Over the years, the term “otaku” has, as well as being accepted into the English language, come to mean not just computer or anime fanatics locked away in their bedrooms, but any person who shows above-average fondness for any given hobby or pastime. Crazy about pop idols? You’re an otaku. Can’t get enough cosplay in your life? Same for you. Have a collection of video games so large that your friends casually refer to your house as “the library”? You’d better believe you’re an otaku. 

But is your passion for your hobby so great that you would willingly choose it over love and romance? A recent survey asked a group of otaku that very question, and found that 70.1 percent of them said they’d shun love in favour of their hobby if it came down to it.

 To read more, go here.

Are Japanese Men "Afraid To Get It Dirty"?

Above, aren't Japanese girls interesting to Japanese males?  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For the past several days, I have been seeing stories on how the Japanese government is very concerned over the lack of interest young Japanese males have for sex. Until now, I have been ignoring it.

They are concerned because the population of Japan is aging and not enough babies are being born to maintain current population levels.

According to an article from The Tokyo Times:

If more babies will not be born in Japan, the country’s population will go down by a third by 2060. One of the reasons for the country’s low birthrate could be a new breed of Japanese men – the otaku, who love manga, anime and computers more than sex. 

Kunio Kitamara, of the Japan Family Planning Association, describes many young Japanese men as “herbivores” – passive and lacking carnal desire. 

A survey by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in 2010 found 36 percent of Japanese males aged 16 to 19 had no interest in sex – a figure that had doubled in the space of two years. 

Another reason for Japan’s low birthrate is that even if men and women are involved in relationships, they rarely have sex, according to several surveys. One of the surveys showed that only 27 percent of the couples said they had sex every week.

It is weird to read that Japanese males are so disinterested in sex and prefer "virtual girlfriends" (read the full article) over real flesh and blood females. In a way, I can understand how a married man could be so tired and stressed from work that he isn't interested in indulging with wifey. But younger Japanese males more interested in manga, anime and computers?! Are they that afraid to get it dirty?

There must be a lot of frustrated Japanese women "just ripe for the pickin'!" (Then again, are there any figures on Japanese women's interest in sex? Is it all one-sided?)

To read the full article, go here.