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'Den Den' comes from the word ‘denki' which means electricity. Den-Den Town in Osaka is a 1km. stretch running north to south which is famous for its hundreds of electronics and electrical appliance shops. Features of Den Den Town in Osaka • Den Den Town is to Osaka what Akihabara is to Tokyo. • Den Den Town or Nipponbashi is a shopping district in the Nipponbashi district of Naniwa ward in Osaka. • The area extends south from the JR Shin-Imamiya Station on Sennichimae Street and is also within easy walking distance of the Namba entertainment-shopping district. • Famous for its wide variety of consumer electronics stores, it offers plenty of specialty items for gadget-lovers. • Everything from household appliances, AV and lighting equipment to personal computers and games is available on the biggest scale of its kind in western Japan. • You will get all the latest electronic wonders like video games, calculators, computers, cameras, CD players at discount prices. • From the latest DVDs and CDs, cameras, computer hardware, software and security systems to second-hand goods and ripped-off software, Den Den Town has something for every techno-freak. • Besides the usual large electronics retailers such as Joshin and Sofmap, Den Den Town is also host to numerous retailers of anime, manga, and other otaku-related items such as Mandarake, Tora no Ana, and Osaka Gundams. • You will find here store employees with a knowledge that will impress you. • They are ever ready to offer advice. • Bargaining is a usual thing here. The more you bargain, the fairer the deal is. There are also several shops offering a wide variety of clothing, furniture, used items and machine tools. • Den Den Town went through its worst phase when Yodabashi Camera opened in the Umeda area. • But has recent influx in anime and otaku-related shopping has brought back some of its lost glory. • Several retailers are also tax and duty free. The area often has reductions for foreign buyers if they bring their passport. • There are a number of simple maid-themed coffee shops and restaurants to cater to the growing number of shoppers. • There are also maid-staffed massage and beautician services and sit-down style cabarets with full service. • Some big stores have English-speaking staff for the convenience of the foreign tourists. • Super Potato is the best one-stop shop for vintage gaming. You name it and Super Potato has it. The core area of Den Den Town is currently undergoing a transformation so that the Osakan culture can reach other countries and other cultures. Visiting Den Den Town surely is going to be a one-of-a-kind experience as over the years, it has emerged as a prime tourist destination in the city of Osaka.
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