Anime News

Nihonbashi Becomes Otaku's Sacred Ground In Osaka
Date: 11/2/2005
We previously reported that Osaka's Nihonbashi district was rapidly becoming the Suginami of the region with many CG animation companies setting up shop there. Now Asahi Shimbun reports it has rapidly become the Akihabara of Osaka as well. According to their report, Otaku hobby shops, maid coffee shops, specialty merchandise stores etc. have all sprung up in the area. In all it's currently estimated that there are about 50 otaku related shops in Nihonbashi, accounting for about 10 percent of all shops there. An Information paper called "Otamapp" is published every other month listing many spots of interest. First was published in July, 5,000 copies were said to have disappeared in one week. The area got it's big start as an "electric town" in the 1940's where many shops sold radio parts. Computers were sold there in the 1980's. The specialty store of the Otaku hobby increased rapidly from the end of the 90's.
Source: Anime News Service