Anime & Manga Tours in Tokyo: Choosing Between 9

1.Tokyo Studio Ghibli Museum and Ghibli Film Appreciation Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 421 reviews · from $193Our pick

Spend a full day tracing Studio Ghibli’s visual influences, from Hotel Gajoen Tokyo to old Tokyo buildings and the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka. A guide such as Mika, Michiko, or Yoko may lead the group, but museum time is independent. Lunch, entry fees, and round-trip coach transport are included.

“The trip was fine , lunch part was good , the hotel which offered the buffet was pretty , the we went to an open air museum which I wished we spent more time in it , one hour is not enough compared to studio gibili which i know is the main purpose of the trip but it was so small to what I imagine, so 2:30 is alot even if u r a gibili fan”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

2.Akihabara Anime & Game Adventure Walking Tour (Group or Private)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 404 reviews · from $90Top rated

Spend about three hours exploring Akihabara with a MagicalTrip guide such as Ai, Ryo, Seina, or Yuki. Visit Super Potato, anime shops, Gachapon Hall, an arcade, a Japanese photo booth, and a maid cafe with entry and one drink included. Groups are capped at seven, though the exact cafe may change.

“Had a wonderful time with Kenji. He shared the history of the area and took us to a Maid Cafe which was a really cool experience.”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

3.Ghibli Park 1-Day Bus Tour from Nagoya

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 277 reviews · from $179

Meet at the Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel at 8:40 am for a guided bus trip to Ghibli Park. Your pass covers Grand Warehouse, Valley of Witches, and Mononoke Village, with a 10:00 to 10:59 am entry window for the warehouse. A bento lunch, drink, transport, and a later museum visit are included.

“The Ghibli Warehouse was very interesting and fun to see, but travelers beware this is not a full day event. The park itself is pretty small and this excursion doesn’t include things like going into Howl’s Castle. It was a fun experience, but frustrating from the standpoint of being able to go into the park while being limited on what you can do there.”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

4.Gameboy Mod Workshop at Akihabara

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 253 reviews · 2 hours · from $360

In a four-person Akihabara workshop, you learn the story of Nintendo’s handheld consoles, choose a DMG-01 Game Boy shell, buttons, screen, and other parts, then take it apart and rebuild it with help from English and Japanese-speaking instructors such as Gabi, Franz, and Shio.

“It was such a fun and special activity, the best one we did in Japan! :) everyone was so kind and helpful, and we got to learn a lot. Thank you so much!!”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

5.Manga Drawing Workshop Guided by Pro Manga Artist

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 102 reviews · 2h 30m · from $129

In a small Shibuya studio, a professional manga artist such as Shige Mathumori or Rokkaku Sensei guides you through sketching, inking, screen tones, and speech bubbles. An English interpreter helps throughout. You can work from a sample or your own idea, with all materials supplied, and leave with your finished manga panel.

“It was a wonderful experience! Our teacher was a real Manga artist with 26 years experience, and was so kind and helpful. He helped us bring our ideas to life better than we could have imagined, even though they were very different from each other.. Our interpreter was also amazing. It was the best thing we did in Tokyo!”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

6.Tokyo Akihabara, Anime, Manga, Video Games & Maid Cafe Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 81 reviews · 2 - 3 hours · from $38

Spend 2 to 3 hours exploring Akihabara with an English or Japanese speaking guide such as Masa, Yuka, Rini, Ryoko, or iNok. Visit anime and figure shops, retro game stores, old electronics areas, and a maid cafe with guaranteed seating. The route can reflect your interests, from Pokémon cards to classic games.

“Our guide Inok was very good and took good care of us. We enjoyed our private tour with him. Will definitely recommend him as a tour guide!”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

7.Akihabara: Anime & Gaming Adventure Tour (Group or Private)

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 80 reviews · 3 hours · from $88

Spend three hours with a local English or Japanese-speaking guide exploring Akihabara’s retro game shops, anime stores, gachapon hall, and a family-friendly maid cafe. You’ll get maid cafe entry, one drink, purikura, and help finding the right shops. Guides such as Yuki, Minnie, Kenji, and Seina tailor stops to your interests when group size allows.

“Max was very friendly and open about answering any questions we might have about Akihabara etc. He told us about Akihabaras History and Development to the Electric Town and showed us a lot of different shops of what we werw interested in. Maid Cafe with the Pictures was also fun. If you don't know where to start in Akihabara this is a great help.”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

8.Real-Life Anime Pilgrimage Tour: “Shibuya Incident”

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 28 reviews · from $71

Join English-speaking guide Ellen at Shibuya’s Hachiko Statue for a Jujutsu Kaisen walking tour through 15 real-life locations from the Shibuya Incident Arc. You’ll reenact scenes with picture frames, visit Scramble Crossing and Shibuya 109, stop at anime shops, enjoy a fresh crepe, and receive photos or video along the way.

“Ellen is a great tour guide, she was very knowledgeable and friendly. My son and I had a great day walking around Shibuya. We had a nice ice-cream break halfway through. Ellen also took us to two different manga stores for some shopping. I can highly recommend this tour with Ellen if you’re a JJK fan!”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

9.Pachinko Gaming Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 14 reviews · 1 hour · from $19Best value

Meet your English-speaking guide, often identified as Ing, beside Shibuya’s Hachiko Statue. In one hour, you’ll learn pachinko’s background, buy and launch metal balls, and get clear help with the rules inside a traditional parlor. The group is limited to three people, though your gaming fee and drinks are extra.

“The guide was awesome! Explained the game clearly, and was super optimistic when I started winning!”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →