I don't blame you, I wanted to check it out for myself and enjoy the coloured neon lights, great food establishments and inviting bars. However, there are so many do's and don'ts for tourists, especially non-Japanese speakers. It is well known that Kabukicho has many bars ran by the Japanese mafia. One search and you will come across crazy stories on how tourists were drugged, had their credit cards maxed out, and worse.
It's tempting to want to go and visit a parlour, or a bar which promises fun with hostesses, but the reality is, if you don't speak good Japanese to be able to at least understand what's going on around you, my advice is to stay away. However, don't be disheartened by this, there are tons of options to experience some fun aspects of Asian adult life before visiting Japan.
One of the best advice I can give you is whilst in Kabukicho, you better watch but not touch. Same applies for food and bars. Food is not very good, and usually, one glance at reviews and you can see that most restaurants leave tourists disappointed. The prices are high, quality is poor and there are few authentic places around. There are lots of bars in the area, though. If one drink is what you are after, make sure you do your research before going in.
Ideally, you will not bar hop in Kabukicho, unless you have a Japanese speaking guide. Kabukicho is a fantastic place to look and wander around, but nothing else, unless you are well versed in what's going on. You know you are intrigued and want to read more about it. Is Akihabara a dark spot on the Tokyo map or just a harmless electronic district? Hard to say really.
The moment you get out of the Akihabara station, you see massive ads full of little anime girls in provocative poses too young for the length of their skirts. But Akihabara takes time to get to know properly. One glance is not enough. You need to insert yourself into the investigation, go from shop to shop, learn, observe, see what others like and what others seek. And it ain't pretty. Objectified little girls are the main attraction in Akihabara, hidden behind a multi-billion dollar industry for the anime-hungry nation.
