Akihabara, or Akihabara Electric Town, is one of Tokyo's most iconic districts, often referred to as the ultimate anime and electronics mecca. The place is particularly famous for its well-lit ...

Like almost everywhere I visited in Japan, I loved the place. The atmosphere in Akihabara Electric Town ... to grab some cool new Pokémon cards for my collection and bolster my retro game shelves ...

My interests however lie squarely in Akihabara’s glorious junk bins. Of all places I think I’m happiest digging through this mass of discarded technology from Japan’s manufacturing past.

I visited several Japanese arcades, aka game centers, in Tokyo’s Akihabara ward. Here’s some advice about how to get the most out of your visit to gamer’s paradise—and which arcade you shouldn’t miss.