The commercial district was once known for second-hand stores. Today, it is often compared to Tokyo’s famous Akihabara Electric Town. Some of the more popular, and idiosyncratic, stores include Super Potato, which specializes in retro video games, and Gee! Store, the place to find a wide variety of costumes and other clothing. Parallel to Sakaisuji Avenue, on the street locally known as Ota Road (short for “Otaku” or, geek) fans of Japanese pop culture can find such stores as Yellow Submarine and Animate, which have huge selections of game and anime/manga merchandise. Alongside endless entertainment shopping, Nipponbashi boasts a wide variety of cafes and restaurants.
Special Otaku-themed guided tours of Osaka typically visit Den Den Town. Taking one of these tours is a great way for non-Japanese-speaking visitors to get access to places that might otherwise feel off-limits.