Tokyo's Best Video Game Arcades in Akihabara: Where to Go, What to Do

As we stumble out of our third Japanese arcade and onto the glowing sidewalks of Tokyo's Akihabara ward, I catch eyes with my partner and laugh. In this perfect moment together, we're equally content but exhausted from a day of vigorous gaming. Holding hands as we squat outside on a slender metal railing and chug melon sodas from a nearby vending machine, I promise the next game center will be our last stop in today's marathon. Popular in Japan since the 1970s, video game arcades took a major hit during the coronavirus pandemic. Strict limitations on public gatherings led to businesses shutting down.