Japanese pop culture enthusiasts have a new place to call home. Akihabara Bazaar in Laurel Springs feels like a shop straight out of Tokyo, complete with snacks, drinks, collectibles, and more. After visiting Tokyo in 2023, inspiration struck for Owner Larry Hackett and his son.
“We were blown away by the Akihabara in Tokyo. It was our motivation to open this store in our hometown in South Jersey,” Larry explains. ‘Akihabara’ is a notable location in Tokyo, where all things “anime” thrive. Likewise, the term ‘Bazaar’ indicates the store carries various Japanese goods. Highlights include Gundam robots, handheld retro game consoles, T-shirts, hoodies, water bottles, trading and collectible cards, and many anime collectibles.
Listen to The Best of New Jersey Podcast!
How Bazaar
Larry knows there are similar shops in New York and Philadelphia. But he thinks Akihabara Bazaar stands out for having more Gashapon machines than anywhere else. Similar to vending machines, Gashapon are filled with plastic capsules that contain Japanese toys/collectibles. With 16 separate machines, they have many Gashapon capsule toys and collectibles to choose from. These authentic machines come straight from Japan. In fact, they had to be customized to accept tokens, because they previously only accepted Japanese yen.
Another enticing reason to visit Akihabara Bazaar is their imported Ichiban Kuji lotteries. “These are so much a part of the Japanese Akihabara, we had to have them here,” Larry says. These lotteries let patrons pay for a chance to win a valuable collectible from popular Japanese anime/games. While the prizes range from big to small, every ticket is a winner.
Akihabara Bazaar also has a real wooden Garapon wheel, which anyone can spin with a purchase of $50 or more. Gamers will find two retro arcade machines that are free to play, each loaded with thousands of classic games. Of course, patrons can press their luck and play a classic claw machine for $1 as well. Larry fills the machine with plushies.
TCG Events & More
Akihabara Bazaar is an official Bandai-recognized tournament card game store. They host regular tournaments as well as board game days, Dungeons & Dragons events, and tutorial events. They promote these events on their event calendar, social media, and website.
Much of their inventory includes collectibles that are out of production. “I tell everyone who visits that if you like something, grab it,” Larry explains. That’s because many items are no longer available from their distributors. “So, once they sell out, they’re gone.”
Larry owns the shop with his son, Connor. (They live close enough to the store that they can walk there.) Both are lifelong fans of anime and video games.
Visit Akihabara Bazaar at 1216B Chews Landing Rd in Laurel Springs. Look for them online to learn more.
Click Here to Find More New Jersey Services.
All Photos: © Connor Hackett | Akihabara Bazaar
