Tokyo’s Chiyoda City has a fascinating blend of historical significance and modern-day innovation — and all the retro charm found in between. Beyond its iconic landmarks like the Imperial Palace, the city breathes under the glow of old-school culture, from specialty shops in Kanda to hidden record stores in Ochanomizu and the electric buzz of Akihabara.
For anyone craving a nostalgic trip down memory lane or curious about the tech that shaped the analog age, Chiyoda City is a haven for all things retro. Vintage video games, classic cameras, vinyl records and other pre-digital treasures wait quietly to be rediscovered. Wandering these shops feels like stepping into the tactile, slightly clunky but endlessly charming past.
Where To Buy Retro Games in Tokyo
Chiyoda City’s Akihabara and Kanda neighborhoods are a delight for gamers, especially anyone who grew up blowing on cartridges and hoping for the best. Often hailed as the number one retro game inventory in Japan, Super Potato Akihabara is not just a gaming super center. It’s a living museum overflowing with merchandise that charts the evolution of gaming from pixel beginnings to cult classics.
Browse through an unmatched collection of classic video games, consoles, controllers, accessories and merchandise, spread across multiple floors. Start at the third floor of the Kitabayashi building, where you’ll find products for Famicom (NES), Nintendo 64, Game Cube, Game Boy, Wii and more. The fourth floor is dedicated to Playstation, PSP, Nintendo DS, Xbox and PC games, along with game music and collectibles. Don’t forget to visit the arcade on the fifth floor, which features retro game machines starting at just ¥100 per play that you can enjoy alongside old-school dagashi (Japanese penny candy) for a run through the childhood wave.
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Retro Game Camp, also in Akihabara, is a compact but jam-packed retro game store with a diverse stock of games, controllers and parts at some of the most affordable prices in the area — making it a favorite spot for collectors and bargain hunters. Every vintage item is checked for functionality, and staff change out decades-old batteries for fresh ones so that players can seamlessly relive their favorite memories. The shop even offers a five-year battery warranty, ensuring satisfaction.
As the name promises, Kanda’s Rare Item Studio has all sorts of rare treasures, including game consoles and cartridges, toys, trading cards and software. The shop specializes in retro products from the 80s and 90s, making it a goldmine for fans of that era’s distinct flavor. Alongside the tech, you’ll spot vintage magazines, vinyl records, DVDs, posters and other hard-to-source pre-digital artifacts.
Where To Buy Vintage Cameras in Tokyo
Smartphone and digital cameras certainly have their own strengths, but vintage cameras have a distinct charm and character — the kind you can’t quite capture with a touchscreen. Whether you’re a pro, collector or just into the ritual of analog photography, Chiyoda City has you covered.
Seekbase feels like a hidden grotto tucked beneath the train tracks between Akihabara and Okachimachi. Here is where you’ll find a village of specialty shops, including 2nd Base (stylized as 2ndBASE by sanpou camera). This is a vintage camera shop housing an aesthetic collection of different models — from cute toy cameras to beautifully-crafted vintage film cameras. The shop offers gently-used secondhand cameras but also stocks brand new products including film rolls, accessories and various lenses from familiar brands like Fujifilm, Canon and Leica.
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Lemon-sha Akihabara is another photography specialty shop with an impressive collection that’s sure to make any film enthusiasts’ hearts beat a little faster. Their imported models include legends such as Hasselblad, Rollei and Linhof. The shop’s lineup stands as an exhibit of photography history. Lemon-sha also has instant cameras, antiques, videography equipment and more, for both entry-level artists and seasoned veterans. The shop even has its own photo studio where a professional photographer can take shots for ID photos, auditions and commemorative family portraits.
Photo: PR Times
Where To Find Vinyl Records in Tokyo
For the music lovers, time disappears as you dig through crate after crate of albums in Chiyoda City, where used music stores stash forgotten favorites. The aforementioned Rare Item Studio has walls filled not just with games, but also music from the Japanese city pop era, anime soundtracks and other global hits.
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Disk Union has several shops surrounding Ochanomizu station that cater to different music genres, including classical, soul, hard rock and heavy metal. The Disk Union Ochanomizu Ekimae Store location has a broader selection inclusive of multiple styles, catering to music enthusiasts of all kinds. Their huge inventory of over 70,000 items includes CDs, cassette tapes, records, books, collectibles and even music-branded liquor for those who like their music with a shot of nostalgia.
Returning to the space beneath the tracks, Recofan Akihabara Seekbase has a massive library of vinyl records, CDs and cassettes from both Japanese and international artists. With over 20,000 records, 50,000 CDs and new items added daily, it’s easy to get lost in the music as you rediscover past favorites and stumble upon something new. RecoFan neatly organizes its stock with clear labels for each category for easy exploration. The shop also has a full bazaar of ¥100 discs — an irresistible deal for any crate digger.
AloJapan.com