What arcade places to visit in Japan?

[Blanka]

We are going to dip into Japanese (gaming) culture, so who can tell me what are the phattest Arcades in Tokyo, Osaka or anywhere else in Japan to visit?
Hints on good games stores, Japan pop shops or outdoor Katamari partys are welcome too.

[MonMotha]

The only "underground" spot I'm aware of is in Yokohama.  Muthos is something of a Bemani (Konami's music game series) mecca, or at least it was.  I"m sure many other "scenes" have similar havens.

As for places I liked, check out Club Sega Akihabara.  It's like 5 floors of games.  Not a ton of Bemani, though.  There was also a HUGE place near Hiroshima station on the top floor of some mall building.  Basically, just walk around.  Video arcades tend to be on the upper floor of pachinko parlors.  Almost everything runs on cash, so you won't have to worry about having tokens laying around you can't use.   Have plenty of 100yen and 50yen coins.  Most places have change machines, of course.

I was mostly watching out for the Bemani games, but most places you'll find have huge rows of candies with all sorts of stuff.  When I visited (2005-ish), there were some collectable card based video games that were very popular.

While you're in Akihabara (and I assume you'll visit the area), you should check out G Front.  They sell all kinds of arcade game parts.  Take the Ginza line (orange, IIRC) to the Suehirocho stop.  Come up out of the stop and look around the street corner.  The signs were very obvious when I was there.  I don't remember which corner it was on.  This assumes it's still there, of course.

[Blanka]

Thanks for the hints.
Arcade game parts store 

[morksouth]

Check out this article on Kotaku answering your question:

http://www.kotaku.com.au/2009/03/ten_plus_spots_gamers_should_visit_in_japan-2/

I'll be over there in January visiting these places too!!

[Blanka]

Koikan Arcade Monaco near Shibuya station, as recommended in the book "Arcade Mania" was great! Nice overseen smoky 50ct/game place with real good players. Also a very good read that book. Get it, and the "Otaku Encyclopaedia" and the Kabukicho audio tour before heading for Tokyo, the 3 items are priceless experience enhancers!

Forget about Akihabara. This area is crap. More tourists than geeks and nice electronic deals together. The average European/US webshop is easier to shop and has way better deals. Even a new Nikon is expensive in Japan. Just go for the marvellous tasting cheap food anywhere in Japan. Better time spend eating then hoping on that cheap electronics deal. Actually I found my best presents in Osaka, way easier shopping there and tons of vintage shops. Even a very nice deal on a 1981 Firefox fluorescent tube game!
Shinjuku is geekier at night (businessmen playing DS on the street after having some excellent standing sushi) and less spoiled. Go there.

[MonMotha]

There are certainly plenty of tourists in Akihabara, but if you get off the "main strip", there are also plenty of niche shops.  I found one guy who sold nothing but circuit breakers!  Don't walk around looking for awesome deals or anything, just walk around and be amazed at the variety and sheer breadth of what you can buy.  You'll find places that sell stuff you just can't buy at retail in most places in the USA, and I didn't find the prices any higher than what you'd find at any other conventional Japanese store for mainstream consumer electronics.

The arcades in the area are so-so, but you should probably check out the various places that sell parts/hardware.