Akihabara Visit

Following my trip this month to Akihabara I'll post lots of pics and info for retro collectors....

Here's something I saw on the main street in Akihabara outside a Sofmap...it's two guys from the development team (I assume) autographing posters of Grandia II for people.....

(click images to see full sized image)

 

Atomiswave arcade stuff

While wandering around I came across this by mistake....it was pretty hidden....it's an arcade shop....there were thousands of boards in there....really packaed warehouse (walked into it by mistake).....then found the associated shop....it looked like all Atomiswave stuff...

 

Akihabara - Retro shop Guide

Here's details of some retro places in Akihabara. I specifically was looking for Dreamcast stuff, but whenever I found DC stuff I found retro for most other consoles...

There's a map below - the letters indicate shops and the numbers indicate a picture taken from a particular viewpoint. I've included pictures of all the retro shops that I found.

(Click on all the pictures below to get a hi-res version)

Hope you like it!




[size=+2]A - Liberty[/size]






[size=+2]B - Akiba[/size]





[size=+2]C - Liberty[/size]
Forgot to get a picture of this one but it's an identical shop/sign to A above.



[size=+2]D - Sofmap 3[/size]



[size=+2]E - Trader[/size]



[size=+2]F - Sofmap (no number)[/size]
This was just a softmap shop, but it's distinguishable by it not having a Sofmap number on the front of the shop


[size=+2]G - Trader 2[/size]




[size=+2]H - "G-Front" (strictly arcade boards - Atomiswave etc.)[/size]
Shop is on 2nd floor, workshop is on 5th floor. Located on Kuramaebashi Dori.



[size=+2]View 1[/size]





[size=+2]View 2[/size]





[size=+2]View 3[/size]





[size=+2]View 4[/size]





[size=+2]View 5[/size]





[size=+2]View 6[/size]





[size=+2]View 7[/size]





[size=+2]View 8[/size]

 

Bert -- that PCB shop I'm pretty sure is G-Front. Also, I think they'd be signing images of Grandia III, not II, right? Great pictures. If I can't take any better ones for my Akihabara map, mind if I nick yours?

 

Damn those Atomiswave cabinet's are soooooo cool, I want one!!!!

 

Bret, where about was that PCB shop? I'm going to Tokyo in September so I'll be paying a visit to Akihabara for a bit of Retro Core filming.

Yakumo

 

>>Bret, where about was that PCB shop? I'm going to Tokyo in September so
>>I'll be paying a visit to Akihabara for a bit of Retro Core filming.
I'll stick up the location and more pics tonight (at work the now). Trick is to act like a dumb westerner and go to the 5th(I think) floor and enter the workshop....the shop is on the 2nd floor which I didn't realise at first...(until I was escorted out of the workshop....)


>>Bert -- that PCB shop I'm pretty sure is G-Front.
That's the one...

>>Also, I think they'd be signing images of Grandia III, not II, right?
You're quite right, it was Grandia III. There were loads of people so had to barge in a bit to see anything....

>>Great pictures. If I can't take any better ones for my Akihabara map, mind if
>> I nick yours?
No probs...feel free to use them...give me a credit if you could....

 

Yakumo - Updated the map and added a picture of the building for G-Front and included the name of the street it's on...

 

I feel like I'm repeating myself from months ago, but I've had G-Front (and the other worthwhile PCB shops while you're there) on my Akiba map for a while now.
http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~japangaming/akimap.php

 

While in the Akiba game store I came across this DC Pod being desecrated!....

Thye were using it as a PS2 Pod.....shameful.....

 

Thanks for the pics! Now I have a guide to where I need to go if I go to Japan !

 

Rad pics. Always interested to see Akihabara store pics!!

 

Oh man, I cant wait to go to akiba :smt023

And for a girl-sim, now thats a pod that will live in infamy

 

great pics thanks for posting.

 

Bert Hardy, GaijinPunch, Thank you!!! I am going to Tokyo in October. I believe your maps will be very useful!

I am looking for all kinds of hardware, but am thinking of buying a FM Towns Marty or a nice X68000. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Regards..

ConsoleFun

 

Marty -- you can't find in Akihabara. If you do, you're very lucky. You definitely can't find the good games for it in Akiahbara.

X68000 stuff I've never searched for, but I assume it would be somewhat the same unless you know the old school computer stores pretty well. You won't find that stuff in the game shops. MSX, on the other hand, is a lot easier to find... at least it was at one point.

 

I have been to Akihabara 6 times know each of those times I have never come across x6800 or Marty systems the last time I visited I was very suprised that the prices of most of the software had increased greatly.
My own personal opinion is that the place has been raped know and all of the good stuff has gone long ago.
Its fine if you are in to sightseeing just dont expect to get any amazing bargains anymore!!

 

Google Earth

If anyone wants to see good quality ariel pics of Akihabara then download Google Earth and use this bookmark/keyhole file:

http://www.dreamcastgallery.com/dc/akihabara.kmz

 

Well, they never really had any 'amazing bargains' but things are definitely more pricey than they were.... most things anyway.