The Radio Kaikan opened in 1950 as a market for radio tubes and parts, and gave Akihabara its reputation for electronics. The building was rebuilt in 2014 as a ten-storey tower, but the spirit stayed: today the floors are leased to the specialist shops that define the area, from Kaiyodo’s figures and Volks’ garage kits to K-Books’ doujinshi and Astop’s trading cards.
Think of it as a vertical sampler of the district. Start at the top, where the most niche stock sits, and treat each floor as a different shop with different staff. The building keeps regular hours, so it is reliable on a rainy day when the open-air parts stalls shut early.
Tips
- Kaiyodo and Volks are the floors for collectors of figures and garage kits, while Yellow Submarine covers tabletop and card games
- Fans of Steins;Gate come for the roof where the satellite crashed in the story, so expect photo-taking at the entrance
- The building is directly opposite the Electric Town exit, making it the simplest first stop in the district