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With the state of emergency now lifted across Japan, more and more people are going out to enjoy the city again. If you’re keen to go out, but still feeling a little anxious around crowds, this new hybrid tour of Akihabara is the perfect blend of online and offline adventure.
The Akihabara Hybrid Experience Tour will take you on a ride through Akihabara on an electric assisted three-wheel Cyclopolitain bicycle for an hour, passing by the neighbourhood's top attractions which you’ll get to ‘visit’ later on. No need to get off the bike and wade through the crowds, though – all you need to do is put on one of the included VR headsets. You can then go on a virtual tour inside each venue while the bicycle stays stationary. And it’s all completely free.
There are two tour routes available. You can choose to go on the History and Culture Tour, which will take you to landmarks like the Radio Kaikan, filled with Japanese pop culture goods, electronic store Onoden, capsule machine haven Gachapon Kaikan and the Kanda Myojin shrine.
Or go for the Gourmet Tour, where you’ll start at local favourite izakaya Akatsuka, visit traditional Japanese curry house Bengal, see the decadent fruit parfaits at Fruits De Saison, and end with a tour of a maid café. Just remember, all the food and drink you’ll see is virtual, so don’t do the tour on an empty stomach. A licensed tour guide and interpreter will be with you the whole time to help you navigate the venues – albeit virtually.
Tours are offered three times a day until October 31 and reservations must be booked in advance on the official website. However, the reservations operate on a lottery system, so only two lucky people will be picked for each hybrid tour.
If you miss out, don’t worry – there’s also an online-only virtual tour, and you can still join in on that instead. You’ll still need to book for the online tour, but everyone who makes a booking can participate. The best part is that all the tours are free. Note that the offline tour is offered in both English and Japanese, while the online tour is English only.
Not in Japan? The virtual tours are open to anyone in the world and will be offered online until October 16. After that, a free video tour will be uploaded on YouTube from October 17.
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