The building that defined Akihabara — a floor-by-floor directory
Akihabara Radio Kaikan is the single most recognizable building in Akihabara and arguably the densest otaku retail location in Tokyo. The current 10-floor complex reopened in 2014 after a full rebuild, but the site has anchored Akihabara's identity since the original post-war radio and electronics market. Today it houses roughly 30 shops across 10 floors, covering figures, plastic models, trading cards, doujinshi, used anime goods, doll customization, hobby supplies, and specialty electronics. If you only have time for one stop in Akihabara, Radio Kaikan is the standard recommendation — and this directory walks you through what is on each floor so you can plan before you arrive.
The building sits a one-minute walk from JR Akihabara Station's Electric Town exit, on the corner of Chuo-dori. Hours vary slightly by shop, but the building is generally open 10:00–20:00 with some restaurants and event spaces operating later. There is no admission fee; you walk in off the street.
10F — Event space and rooftop
The top floor is the 10F Event Space, used for temporary pop-up shops, lottery draws (kuji), and anniversary events. This is also the floor where Radio Kaikan hosts its rooftop ceremonies, including the 2026 Steins;Gate RE:BOOT. 12th-anniversary celebration. If a special collaboration is running, check here first — it is usually the venue.
9F — Trading cards and accessories
Floor 9 is trading-card territory: Card Labo Akihabara Radio Kaikan Honten (general card trading and buying), BIG MAGIC Akihabara (trading card shop and play space, including Bushiroad games), and Fullcomp Akihabara Radio Kaikan (single-card specialist for competitive players). If you are looking for Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, One Piece Card Game, or Magic singles, this floor covers it.
8F — Volks: dolls and plastic models
Floor 8 is operated by Volks, the figure and doll company. Volks Doll Point Akihabara handles the Dollfie Dream and resin ball-jointed doll lines, with customization parts on display. Volks Hobby Square Akihabara covers plastic model kits, garage kits, and model-building supplies. This is the floor to visit if you build models or collect dolls.
7F — Dolls, military goods, and trading cards
Floor 7 mixes niches: Azone Label Shop Akihabara (dress-up dolls and doll accessories), Jungle Akihabara 2nd Store (used toys, figures, and military kits), Treca Park AKIBA Rajikan (trading cards), and DOLK (high-end 1/6 scale and 1/4 scale doll customization). DOLK is particularly known for its customized head and body work.
6F — Yellow Submarine: the hobby generalist
Floor 6 is a single large store: Yellow Submarine Akihabara Honten ★ Mint. It is the generalist hobby shop in the building, carrying figures, trading cards, board games, and plastic models. If you want to browse broadly before committing to a specialty floor, start here.
5F — Used goods, magazines, and Kaiyodo
Floor 5 is the densest used-goods floor: Lashinbang Akihabara Radio Kaikan (used doujinshi, figures, and character goods — one of the largest used doujinshi selections in Akihabara), magi Akihabara Radio Kaikan (used anime and idol goods), Akiba no X Rajikan (used women's doujinshi and character goods), Uchusen Akihabara Radio Kaikan (specialty hobby and sci-fi magazine back issues), Kaiyodo Hobby Lobby Tokyo (Kaiyodo's flagship — capsule toys, figures, and the company's display gallery), Dolly-teria Akihabara Radio Kaikan (used dolls), and Wakamatsu Tsusho (electronics components and connectors).
4F — AmiAmi: the figure megastore
Floor 4 is a single store: AmiAmi Akihabara Radio Kaikan. AmiAmi is one of Japan's largest online figure retailers, and this physical store is the pickup and browsing location for new scale figures, Nendoroids, figma, and plastic models. If a new figure is releasing, AmiAmi usually has it first. The store also runs lottery sales (web-kuji) for in-demand items.
3F — K-BOOKS: doujinshi and men's goods
Floor 3 is K-BOOKS Akihabara Honkan + Akihabara MEN'S-kan, a two-in-one store covering used doujinshi, character goods, and a dedicated men's-orientation section. K-BOOKS is one of the primary doujinshi buyers in Akihabara, so the selection rotates constantly. If you are hunting for out-of-print doujinshi from a specific series, this floor and Lashinbang on 5F are the two stops.
2F — Cards, toys, and rental showcases
Floor 2 holds Card Shop Baizoku-oh Radio Kaikan (trading cards), Tomoca Denki Pro Shop (audio and electronics components — a holdover from Radio Kaikan's electronics-market origins), Havikoro Toys Radio Kaikan (new toys and capsule goods), Hobby Station Akihabara Ekimae (figures and cards), and Rental Showcase Astop Radio Kaikan (glass display cases rented by individual sellers — a good source for rare and secondhand items not stocked by the main shops).
1F — Convenience, cards, and the gift shop
The ground floor holds the highest-traffic shops: Mach Radio Kaikan (trading cards), Fukufuku Treka Akihabara Radio Kaikan (trading cards), OWNDAYS (eyewear), Card Labo Akihabara Radio Kaikan Buying Center (card buyback counter), Gift Shop The AkiBa (Akihabara souvenirs and snacks — the best stop for edible omiyage), FamilyMart Akihabara Radio Kaikan, and Hobby Station Akihabara Radio Kaikan (figures and cards).
0F (basement) — Ginza Lion beer hall
The basement is Ginza Lion Akihabara Radio Kaikan, a large beer-hall-style restaurant operated by Suntory. It is the building's sit-down dining option, with German-style beer, sausages, and a relaxed atmosphere — a good place to rest and regroup after several hours of shopping. It also stays open later than the retail floors.
Access and opening hours
Radio Kaikan is at 1-15-16 Soto-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, a one-minute walk from JR Akihabara Station Electric Town exit. The building is open daily, with most shops operating 10:00–20:00. Specific shops may close for inventory or operate shorter hours; check the official Radio Kaikan shop list for current hours. The building closes entirely one to two days per year for legal equipment inspections — these are announced in advance on the official site.
If you are planning a single afternoon in Akihabara, the efficient route is: arrive at JR Electric Town exit, walk one minute to Radio Kaikan, work upward from 1F to 10F, exit, and then walk south along Chuo-dori to Yodobashi Akiba for the electronics and general shopping. This gives you the maximum range of Akihabara retail in the shortest walking distance.
