Is there a manga café in Akihabara?
YESKaikatsu Club has two branches near Akihabara Station: Ekimae at 1-13-3 Sotokanda and Ekimae No. 2 at 3-15-1 Sotokanda.
Part of: Akihabara Manga Stores: New, Used, Doujin
Browse more: Visiting Akihabara: Planning Your Day
A manga café, or manga kissa, is a members-only café where you pay by time to read manga, use the internet, and rest in a booth. In Akihabara, the Kaikatsu Club chain has two branches near the station, both with lockable private rooms and free showers, and Kaikatsu lists them as open 24 hours.
The catch for visitors is ID: under a Tokyo ordinance, Tokyo branches must see one document showing your name, date of birth and current address, so check whether your passport shows your address. I run private anime tours here most weeks, and this is what I tell guests who ask.
This guide uses Kaikatsu Club's official pages; check the ID rule before you plan a night around any manga café.
Where are the manga cafés in Akihabara?
Kaikatsu Club Akihabara Ekimae is at 1-13-3 Sotokanda, on the 3rd to 6th floors above the AOKI store, reception on 4F, three minutes from the Electric Town exit. Kaikatsu Club Akihabara Ekimae No. 2 is at 3-15-1 Sotokanda, Akiba Place Building 7F. Both have lockable private rooms, free showers and self-checkout.
| Branch (official) | Where | Facilities listed |
|---|---|---|
| Kaikatsu Club Akihabara Ekimae | 1-13-3 Sotokanda, 3F–6F above AOKI (reception 4F); 3 min from Electric Town exit | Lockable private rooms (bookable online), free shower, self-checkout, coin laundry, reclining and full-flat seats, darts |
| Kaikatsu Club Akihabara Ekimae No. 2 | Akiba Place Bldg 7F, 3-15-1 Sotokanda | Lockable private rooms (bookable online), free shower, self-checkout, soft-serve ice cream |
The two branches on the map. Tap one for directions.
Kaikatsu says its branches carry up to 50,000 comics and more than 100 magazines, with Wi-Fi and power. For buying manga rather than reading it, see Akihabara manga stores; for the day around it, my Akihabara anime tour.
What ID do you need for a manga café in Tokyo?
One original document that shows your name, date of birth and current address. Kaikatsu explains this is required at Tokyo branches by the Tokyo Metropolitan ordinance regulating internet-terminal businesses, and without it you cannot enter. It accepts documents including a passport or residence card, but in Tokyo the single document must show all three details.
| Rule (Kaikatsu official FAQ) | Detail |
|---|---|
| Membership | Members only; no joining or annual fee |
| Tokyo branches | One document showing name, date of birth and current address |
| Accepted types | Include driver's licence, passport, residence card, My Number card |
| Japanese passports from Feb 2020 | Need a second document showing address |
| Photos of ID | Not accepted; originals only |
| Under 18 | Some branches refuse under-18s by local ordinance |
This is the honest section. If your passport does not show your current address, it alone may not satisfy the Tokyo rule. If you are relying on a manga café for a night, ask at reception first and have a hotel as a fallback.
Can you stay overnight in an Akihabara manga café?
Kaikatsu lists its Akihabara branches as open around the clock, with lockable private rooms, full-flat seats and free showers. It is a rest stop, not a hotel: you are in a booth, not a bedroom, and the ID rule still applies.
If you need somewhere to leave bags while you explore, Akihabara luggage storage covers lockers and services. For a full night's sleep, a hotel is the better choice.
How do you use a manga café for the first time?
At Kaikatsu: register as a provisional member on its app (or at a staffed counter), complete membership at the sign-up machine with your ID, check in at the self-checkout by scanning your card and choosing a seat type, then pay when you leave. Branches without self-checkout do this at a staffed counter.
- 1Register as a provisional member on the app
- 2Complete membership at the sign-up machine with your ID
- 3Scan your card and choose a seat type
- 4Pay when you leave
Seat types and services vary by branch, so check the branch page. If you are paying by card or app, check the branch page for payment options; cash or card in Japan covers the general picture.
Frequently asked questions
Can tourists use a manga café in Tokyo?
Only with an original ID that shows your name, date of birth and current address, under a Tokyo ordinance. Check whether your passport shows your address.
Are Akihabara manga cafés open 24 hours?
Kaikatsu lists its Akihabara branches as open around the clock, all year.
Do Akihabara manga cafés have showers?
Both Kaikatsu branches list free showers.
Do I need to pay a membership fee?
Kaikatsu says there is no joining or annual fee.
Reading in a booth, shopping on the street
If you would like Akihabara's manga and anime shops chosen around the series you love, Adventure in Akihabara with Anime is my private half-day walk, three to four hours, never shared with other guests. The price is on the tour page.
About the author. I am Yuuki, a Japanese teacher and Akihabara anime tour guide based in Tokyo. I run private anime tours here most weeks, rated 4.96★ on Airbnb across 171 reviews. I have watched over 1,500 anime series, which is either a qualification or a warning depending on your point of view.
See the Akihabara anime tour →
Sources · checked 4 October 2026
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A private half-day in Akihabara with a local otaku guide. Three to four hours in English, never mixed with other travelers, rated 4.96 by 171 Airbnb guests. Booking here goes straight into my calendar.
See the private Akihabara tour See Yuuki's Japan Kit