Known to be one of the best places in Osaka to visit for electrical appliances retailers, shoppers can expect to find a seemingly endless slew of shops selling electrical devices, audio goods, carpentry tools, industrial tools, machinery, computers, computer parts, and other specialist items.

The area Den-Den Town currently occupies was originally a place that housed shops selling home-built radio parts and tools after World War II. Due in part to this technological beginning, it eventually developed into the electric town it's now known as.

Professionals and amateurs of various hobbies alike love visiting the shopping arcades of this town, with their abundance of electrical device specialist shops and enthusiast hobby items, and it's really not hard to see why!

In recent years, video games and anime-related shops have been on the rise as well, including more niche aspects like cosplay specialist stores and maid cafes. The town is slowly but surely evolving into one that welcomes fans of the otaku (enthusiasts of popular culture) subculture with open arms as well.

Den-Den Town is located near Ebisucho Station and Nipponbashi Station on the Osaka Metro. Nearby within walking distance are famous places such as the Glico Sign of Dotonbori Bridge and Kuromon Market, where purveyors of fresh food and produce offer cuisine that you can buy and eat as you walk along.

If you plan on dropping by one of these places of interest, then hitting Den-Den Town at the same time will be an efficient use of sightseeing time for sure!

Closest stations to Den-Den Town
・Exits North A or 1B of Ebisucho Station on the Osaka Metro Sakaisuji Line
・5-minutes walk from Exit 5 of Nipponbashi Station on the Osaka Metro Sakaisuji Line or Sennichimae Line
・5-minutes walk from Exit 4 of Namba Station on the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line
・North Exit of Namba Station on the Nankai Electric Railway

Main points of interest in Den-Den Town
・Kuromon Market: 5 to 10-minutes walk to the north
・Namba Parks: 5-minutes walk to the west
・Sennichimae Tools Shopping Street: 10-minutes walk to the northwest
・Dotonbori Bridge: 18-minutes walk to the northwest

There are five shops we think you simply cannot miss if you ever go to Den-Den Town. This includes shops that sell household appliances, toys, computer parts, anime and video game goods, and a maid cafe to top it all off. Let's take a closer look at them one by one!

Located at the dead center of Den-Den Town, this shop mainly deals with household appliances and computers and boasts the largest retail shop space in Nipponbashi.

With so much room to display their wares, you likely won't be surprised to learn that some of the products featured here include large items like refrigerators, TVs, and washing machines.

Of course, smaller but equally useful household appliances like rice cookers and hairdryers are available in staggering amounts as well, making this an ideal shopping space to visit to get anything you may need at home in one convenient spot.

The first floor is the mobile phone and LED lighting space. On the second floor, you'll find plenty of kitchen appliances. Head up to the third floor for the latest TVs or take a look at the secondhand TVs here. The fourth floor features audio products like headphones.

Computers and digital cameras rule the fifth floor, and a number of outlet brands make up the sixth floor of the building.

Each floor is an impressive sight with so many items on display that you can't help but wonder how they managed to cram that many household appliances and computers onto the shelves they're on!

For people who just want something good and aren't bothered about not getting the latest model available on the market, head to the outlet floor on the sixth floor. You'll have your pick of slightly older models of reliable brands at a 10% to 20% discount, and who knows, you may even find something far better at a real bargain!

Plastic models, mini-cars, remote-controlled models, and other such toys are readily available at Joshin's integrated entertainment shop, Super Kids Land HQ. This shop is located just opposite Joshin Nipponbashi Ichibankan, separated by a major vehicle road, making it a very quick walk away after you've done your electronics shopping!

The first floor of the building is a general goods store for toys and such. The second floor features plastic models. The third floor is a Tamiya specialty store. Yes, that's the famous Japanese plastic models maker! On the fourth floor, you'll find miniature models, radio-controlled models, and airgun-related goods as well as books related to model-making. Finally, the fifth floor contains railway models.

With such a dazzling array of toys to choose from, you would be forgiven for not knowing where to start! But have no fear, because whether you're a beginner or expert to the hobby, there's bound to be something for you here.

After all, the second to fourth floors are full of elaborate model parts, mini 4-wheel drive vehicles, remote-controlled vehicles, and plenty of other toys for you to indulge in. Just looking at the wide variety available will be quite a fun activity in itself!

The general goods section on the first floor also sells plushies of adorable mascot characters that will make great souvenirs for little children.

Looking for computers, PC parts, or PC accessories? Try Dospara Osaka Namba! This is an irresistible shop for those who love playing PC video games, and you'll soon find out why as you read on.

The shop itself is about 8 minutes away on foot from the two Joshin shops mentioned above. If you're heading there directly from Namba Station on the Nankai Line, it's about a 3-minutes walk from the south exit.

The Osaka Namba shop is the largest of its kind in all of west Japan. One would naturally expect to see anything vaguely PC-related being sold here, and that's exactly what you'll find - from desktop PCs to laptops, PC parts, computer mice, keyboards, other peripherals, and basically everything a computer enthusiast can dream of!

The shop also has an astounding amount of peripherals and headphones custom-built for gaming use, making it a great place to shop around for things that will fit your gaming style to a T.

Customers are free to try out the actual mouse and keyboard samples to see what suits them best. Sample pen tablets are also available for trying out digital drawing. Being able to actually test out what the device will feel like in your hands before buying will help you make better and more informed choices for sure. A win-win situation for all parties involved!

Are you a fan of a character from an anime or game? So much so that you would really like to buy some merchandise featuring your favorite character? Then hop over to Jungle Osaka Nipponbashi, an entertainment and hobby specialist store in Den-Den Town that will cater that wish of yours in spades!

To get to Jungle Osaka Nipponbashi from Dospara Osaka Namba, just cross the major road that cuts between both buildings and walk for about two to three minutes. Jungle Osaka Nipponbashi is located slightly diagonally opposite.

The shop mainly deals with figurines, although you'll also see plenty of game and anime-related goods strewn about. As you carefully examine the well-made figurines and goods, you may find that an hour or two has flown by just like that!

Other than TV hero goods, the shop also has other categories of merchandise, like military or pretty girls. Products sold also range from the classics of old to the latest and greatest on the market. Self-proclaimed otaku will have nothing to lose and everything to gain by visiting this interesting hobby shop.

Since you're in Den-Den Town, why not rest up a little in one of Japan's well-known maid cafes and let the hardworking maids there take care of your needs in between your shopping? Watching the adorably-dressed staff hard at work is an endearing sight that will cheer you up in no time at all.

The maid cafe we recommend visiting is Mel Cafe, an established old-timer in Den-Den Town that has been open for business since 2005. The shop is not just about the cute and fun factor, though. They offer an authentic drink menu that includes regular cafe fare like all sorts of teas and original blend coffees, amongst other items.

Mel Cafe is a 3-minutes walk north of Joshin Nipponbashi Ichibankan, or 6-minutes walk south of Jungle Osaka Nipponbashi.

Each guest to the cafe is required to order at least one item for their stay and there are no entry fees. Drinks start from 500 yen (tax included) and you're welcome to use the shop as any other normal cafe as well, if that's what you prefer!

One of the most popular dishes on the food menu is the "Daily Dish" that is personally cooked by the maids specially for you. Depending on the day, you may get a curry dish, a stew, rice bowls, or any other of the shop's tasty cuisine. If you order a plate of omelet rice, a maid will draw on it using ketchup as a bonus, which will surely make your visit even more memorable than it already is!

Guests are not allowed to take photos of the shop interior or the maids without permission here. Keep this rule in mind as you relax in the shop space and you're guaranteed to have a good time.

With the wide variety of goods available, from large-scale electronics retailers to figurines and collectibles, Den-Den Town has everything that will make a self-proclaimed hobby enthusiast giddy with excitement just walking through its streets.

And if you ever get tired of shopping, there's always an Osaka maid cafe just around the corner waiting to boost your spirits and energy for the next bout of bargain hunting! So feel free to shop till you drop and make sure you leave with no regrets!

English translation by: Huimin Pan.