Cosplay is performance art inspired by anime and game culture, in which participants wear costumes to portray their favorite character. The term “cosplay” was coined in Japan in 1984. and consists of two words “costume” and “play”.
It is not a surprise that As an anime town, Akihabara has most cosplays shops in Japan. Out of them, ACOS Akihabara has the biggest selection and is most foreigner-friendly with detailed size charts.
ACOS
ACOS Akihabara is only three minutes walk from JR Akihabara Electric Exit. Once you exit the station, turn right and soon you should see AKBA CULTURES ZONE. ACOS is located on the 5th floor.
Here you can find costumes, wigs, make-up, magazines, and many other products related to cosplay.
Around the store, popular costumes are displayed on Torso mannequins. There are so many of them that it feels like you entered the anime world where all fan-favorites gather.
If you are an avid anime fan, you will probably recognize more than a few of them.
Costumes come in different sizes available to try-on in the fitting rooms. Just inform the staff before you go in and they will readily help you find your size.
One of the problems when buying costumes, whether online or in a store, is that different makers have different size descriptions and even the sizes themselves often differ.
Especially for foreigners coming to Japan, it can be difficult to decode Japanese sizes. ASOS offers a service of helping the customers measure and find their size before trying the clothes on.
To complete a costume, the store provides color contact lenses. Even though, it seems like a tiny detail, it is impressive how the impression can change just by changing the color of the eyes.
There are numerous stores in Jpan carrying color contacts, but they often offer more natural colors more suited for everyday use.
However, ASOS has a big selection, offering various shades of each color.
Aside from, costumes and color contact lenses, there is a variety of wigs and shoes which you can also try on in the store.
It is just like a regular clothing store for anime and game fans.
The staff is professional and ready to help. Even if you just want to try cosplay for the first time, you can ask them any questions you may have without being pressured into buying things you don’t need.
Detailed questions about the character you want to portray are more than welcome, such as “Which wig would be the best for this character?” or “What contact lenses would be most similar to this character’s eye color?
All magazines have an opened sample where you can find some new ideas. Many are in Japanese but have pictures of well-crafted costumes and make-up hacks.
If you are lucky, you may visit them on Cosplay Day when the staff wears costumes at work.
ACOS Akihabara is a fun store for serious cosplays, cosplay fans or everybody else interested in Japanese anime, manga, and game culture.
Business hours:
11:00~21:30
ADDRESS
ACOS Akihabara
5F, 1-7-6 AKIBA Cultures ZONE, Sotokanda, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo, 101-0021, Japan