To round off the day I went to Akihabara and finally to Asakusa for dinner.
Akihabara: Hunt for scale model kits
I had already passed through Akihabara on an earlier day, ostensibly browsing electronics at Yodobashi Akiba before discovering a surprisingly large model-building section there. Today I wanted to see whether the other shops in the area had more to offer on that front. Two stops on the list:
Akiba Radio Kaikan: a former radio building, now eight floors of otaku merchandise in every conceivable category.
Volks Hobby: yes, that is really what it’s called. A German speaker in Akihabara finding a shop called Volks Hobby is the kind of thing that happens in Japan.
Neither delivered what I was looking for. Both had substantial model-building sections, including classic Plamo kits, but the selection leaned heavily toward airplanes, tanks, and — inevitably — mecha. None of which is my area. The browsing was fun regardless. Both shops were packed with merchandise and cosplay items of a quality and variety that simply doesn’t exist at the same scale in Germany — the local scene is a charming footnote by comparison. Out on the street, cosplayers were a perfectly normal sight. I also ducked briefly into BIC Camera and Donki, mostly just going with the flow at that point.
From Akihabara to dinner in Asakusa
The day was winding down and hunger was setting in. With a 6 a.m. start the next morning to catch the Shinkansen to Sendai, a late night was off the table. I could have eaten something in Akihabara, but Asakusa made more sense — closer to home, and the kind of place where you can have a drink without mentally calculating the last train.
As usual, finding somewhere without a reservation took a while. I eventually landed at a branch of Isomaru Suisan, which I only later discovered is a large chain. It didn’t feel like one — still doesn’t, in retrospect. The staff were warm and friendly, and I was shown to a seat at the bar. Ordering via a website with a full English interface was a genuine relief at that point in the day; I had no appetite for deciphering kanji by that hour, figuratively or literally.
My first choice had been eel — unagi (鰻) — which Amber had recommended as an Asakusa specialty. Sold out, as my luck would have it. I settled for a sushi menu instead: solid, though not quite in the same league as the Takashi. At roughly a tenth of the price, however, that comparison is hardly fair. A generous pour of shōchū with tea and a good glass of sake rounded things off nicely. A very satisfying end to a very full day.