Akihabara Electric Town—affectionately known as Akiba—is worldly famous for its densely packed buildings crammed full of anime, manga, and game paraphernalia. It's a must-go spot for visitors to Japan who want to bask in geeky otaku culture. Located in the heart of Tokyo, Akihabara Station is easily accessible via the JR Yamanote Line. In the 1930s, this climate turned Akihabara into a future-oriented market region specializing in household electronics, such as washing machines, refrigerators, televisions, and stereos, earning Akihabara the nickname "Electric Town". As household electronics began to lose their futuristic appeal in the 1980s, the shops of Akihabara shifted their focus to home computers at a time when they were only used by specialists and hobbyists. This new specialization brought in a new type of consumer, computer nerds or otaku. The market in Akihabara naturally latched onto their new customer base that was focused on anime, manga, and video games. The connection between Akihabara and otaku has survived and grown to the point that the region is now known worldwide as a center for otaku culture, and some otaku even consider Akihabara to be a sacred place.