Sign in with Facebook
Hotel Class: 
3.5 Stars - 22 Opinions
3-23-1 Shiba, Minato, Tokyo Prefecture, 105-0014, Japan
Check Rates and Availability
of people enjoy staying here
22 Opinions
Interior decorations (website photo)
Yummy! (not my pic)
In Shinjuku Gardens
Steak with Rice
Hi...can anyone suggest a good electronics shop in Akihabara that caters to the overseas market? Meaning a shop that sells stuffs meant for tourists from other countries. I know shops like Yodobashi have tons of stuffs but the sad thing its for locals...the menus are in Japanese.
While I forget the name of the shop (it was one of the largest multi-story stores in the area), it did have a small section for international visitors; BUT the prices were no bargains and I could get the same goods for less at home.
Often the "menu's" are multilingual. Even though the manuals may be only in Japanese, it is possible to download foreign language versions, in PDF form, from the manufacturer, using the internet.
I think the stores you are thinking of are:
Laox
Onoden
Takarada
Tokis
They are refered to as "duty free".
Depending on what you buy, a lot of items are starting to have English menus included. My camera has both English and Japanese language menus. So does my TV which I bought last month. While I expect you don't want a TV, certain companies do have English as a standard option.
In terms of where to shop, just walk around and look for the signs. They often have "Duty Free" shops as mentioned. There are also shops that advertise "Foreign Models" and so on. Laox is one of the bigger ones. If you are going really soon, I probably can't check that quickly, but if you leave in a month or so, I'll try to check it out sometime.
Better deals (and more fun) can be found once you get off the main street and away from the old chain stores. I like Akibaoo:
http://www.akibaoo.co.jp/01/main
Yes, the store was Laox, now that you mention the names of the stores.
The other thing to consider is that most electronics are built to be "universal" as the manufacturer does not have to produce different products for different markets. Multiple languages are ususally loaded into the firmware of whatever device you are buying. Usually the only items in the box that are not "universal" are the socket that you plug into the wall and the printed manuals and other printed materials.
Yes, the store was Laox, now that you mention the names of the stores.
The other thing to consider is that most electronics are built to be "universal" as the manufacturer does not have to produce different products for different markets. Multiple languages are ususally loaded into the firmware of whatever device you are buying. Usually the only items in the box that are not "universal" are the socket that you plug into the wall and the printed manuals and other printed materials.
One of the most famous things about Tokyo is the Shibuya Crossing. It's featured in Lost in Translation and probably plenty of other movies and tv shows.
Although it looks really intimidating, it really isn't that bad. Cross the road and then go get a seat at Starbucks and watch other people cross the road. It's really bizarre that I am writing a tip about crossing the road but then Tokyo is bizarre.
Explore the different parts of the city. The main neighbourhoods are (I think) Shinjuku, Shibuya, Roppongi, Ikebukuro and Ginza. But actually most of the stations along the Yamanote-sen are worth jumping off at and have a look at, even though they may not be best described as neighbourhoods. I personally loved a place named Kanda that has a lot of bookstores! I lived in Tokyo for one year, so I have difficulties finding one special memory. I think it is the sense of total freedom, though, that you can feel when you know there's a huge city waiting for you and you can go anywhere you want. Walking through the Kanda book store district were an absolute favourite, just as strolling around Shibuya or taking a walk from the Ueno station to the Okachimachi station, following the Ueno market along the tracks...
It is famous but the tower is a radio tower. Every ground telecast from Tokyo is transmitted through this tower. And the shape of it is modelled after The Eiffel Tower in Paris. It was built in 1958 and is 333meters high. It's a ruin of "modern architecture" today. I just wonder, how many of those who live in Tokyo have ever looked out over the city from the upper observatory of this? I just did it after the age of 35. No, I never had gone up before. I've thought it was just another tourist attraction. And I knew now it was juat another tourist attraction. Yes, folks. It is definitely a tourist attraction.
I've never into this town at all. I've thought this has been a village of souveir shops that the school kids from other part of country shop something fancy as a catch from Tokyo in a school excursion.
The Japanese incorporate technology into every aspect of their lives, and the toilet is no exception. The toilet in my hotel room actually came with detailed operating instructions. As you can see from the photo, there is a little control panel on one side. From here, you can operate the bidet (bottom cleansing jet), which has several settings. As I found out though, this toilet is actually one of the more basic ones available. I encountered a more advanced one that not only had all the standard bidet settings, but it also heated the seat cushion (very nice!) and produced fake flushing noises on demand to allow you to mask any more unpleasant sounds.... eww! Someone obviously put way too much thought into this!
Sponsored Links
Similar to Celestine Hotel Tokyo
Near Celestine Hotel Tokyo
Step Up from Celestine Hotel Tokyo
Great Hotels for Less
Q: average prices in tokyo/nearby springs.... "may get to tag along on a business trip of my husband's next year and wanted to know the average price for a) bottled water and b)..."
A: "Bottled water from a convenience store or vending machine tends to be around 120 yen for a 500ml bottle. A can of coca cola or similar tends to be around the same..."
Sponsored Links
Latest Tokyo hotel reviews
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
We've found that other people looking for this hotel also know it by these names:
Address: 3-23-1 Shiba, Minato, Tokyo Prefecture, 105-0014, Japan
Check Rates and Availability (from our partners)
