2 Best Sights in Nakano, Tokyo

When Nakano Broadway opened in 1966, it was as a luxury complex, akin to the Tokyo Midtown or Ginza Six of its day. Since then, it has morphed into a center for all things otaku, its 13 floors home to roughly 300 stores largely focused on manga, anime, gaming, and related collectibles and goods that run from figurines to cosplay outfits. Japan’s largest manga- and anime-related retailer alone has close to 30 stores in Nakano Broadway, all divided by specialty. Down in the basement are plenty of places for lunch or a quick snack, including the stomach-busting Daily Chico, which does an eight-scoop soft-serve ice cream. It’s like a trip to Akihabara, but with everything under one roof.

If walking around 13 floors of geeky goods at Nakano Broadway tires you out, stop by Kotobuki (just to the north) for a muscle-soothing bath. Tokyo’s neighborhood baths have been in steady decline in recent decades as only the oldest of homes now comes without a bath or shower. Some, however, like Kotobuki, are clinging on as places to socialize and unwind, and though it’s a modest facility, a soak here is a very immersive (pardon the pun) local experience. Just note that it opens late: from 4 pm 'til 12:30 am, so it's definitely something to do after your shopping spree.

Once you’ve located Kotobuki Yu’s orange building and have found your way to the gender-separated baths, the key thing with any public bath is to follow the basic etiquette. First, you need to be completely naked in the baths and make sure your wash towel doesn’t go in the communal bathtub. You also need to wash and rinse well in the seated shower area, before getting into the baths. After that, just enjoy a piping-hot soak and then try the on-site sauna.