The maid cafe opened in February 2008, so it's impressive that it's been in business for 12 years. Located in an old building, the cafe has a retro feel with a unique elevator that takes you to the 4th floor. The cafe's focus on trains seems to be the key to its success, as it sets it apart from other maid cafes. The atmosphere is not shady at all, and families with children also visit. The menu features train-themed cocktails, with popular train body colors inspiring the drink names. The menu is full of train-related items, like Shinkansen-shaped onigiri. We ordered the Odakyu Line and Yamanote Line cocktails, which were made with Kahlua and milk, and were quite enjoyable. The cafe is filled with train enthusiasts, and the staff are knowledgeable and accommodating. The cafe also has a partnership with Tottori Prefecture for promoting tourism. Overall, the Little TGV cafe is a unique and enjoyable experience for train lovers.

This time, I would like to introduce an izakaya (Japanese pub) for railway enthusiasts. In the otaku (geek) haven of "AKIBA" (Akihabara), there are various themed establishments operating. Maid cafes and idol shops are examples, catering to different subcultures such as anime, special effects films, figures, sound systems, trading cards, cosplay, radio, and games. Why did Akihabara become a hub for these subcultures? The answer lies in the history of the area, which I will briefly explain. Akihabara developed as a hub for electronics wholesalers and retailers due to its central location and excellent transportation access. It originated from the post-war black market, with remnants of that era still visible in the stores under the train tracks. Even today, you can see stores with names related to radios and wireless technology. In 1962, the Radio Kaikan, the first high-rise building in the area, opened near Akihabara Station. Initially, it housed stores selling electronic devices and parts, but over time, it evolved. The first stores to move in sold TVs and refrigerators, leading to Akihabara's reputation as the "Electric Town." The area also became known as an audio enthusiast's haven, catering to those who sought high-quality sound equipment. The rise of personal computers further boosted Akihabara's popularity, with a concentration of showrooms and stores offering computer parts and accessories. As the area became known for PC-related products, shops catering to anime and game enthusiasts also started to appear. Notably, figure manufacturers like Kaiyodo, Volks, and Kotobukiya established a presence in Akihabara, turning it into a figure lover's paradise. Similarly, trading card shops, anime video retailers, and game stores also flourished. For those with hobbies classified under "otaku culture," Akihabara became the epicenter of subcultures. However, one hobby that was not explicitly mentioned in the explanation is the love for trains. Akihabara is also considered a second holy place for railway enthusiasts, stemming from the former presence of the Transportation Museum near Manseibashi (Kanda Sudacho). The museum displayed the front part of the Shinkansen Kodama and steam locomotives, attracting children who enjoyed trains. This history has contributed to Akihabara being a significant spot for railway enthusiasts.

Two of us, who are not train enthusiasts, were looking for a typical Akihabara izakaya and came across this place. It's about a 7-minute walk from the station, located on a side street. At the entrance, there were chairs like those on a train, and once inside, we were given tickets. The interior was surprisingly realistic, resembling the inside of a train. It was interesting to see many solo diners. The menu also had many train-themed items, such as cocktails inspired by train colors, and a wide variety of dishes. The staff made dashimaki tamago while chanting "Gattan Gotton" together, which was a fun and slightly embarrassing experience. We visited with a friend, just the two of us, and were allowed to take photos. There were even hanging straps, so we could enjoy a train play experience. I recommend this place for those who enjoy a unique and fun atmosphere. It's a great spot for families, dates, and anyone looking to have a different kind of dining experience. I'm not sure if I would go back, but for first-time visitors to Akihabara, I think this is a must-visit spot. The staff were kind and made a great impression.

A fun izakaya in Akihabara with a train theme. The entrance is designed like a train station, with tickets handed out upon arrival. There are booth seats resembling train compartments, but we opted for the open space. They offer train-themed cocktails and sours, like the Shinkansen Cocktail made with vodka, blue curacao, and lemon juice. The highlight was the rolled omelette served on a track, with each piece connected like train cars. The staff uses train terminology like "next stop" and "transfer" when taking orders. A unique and entertaining dining experience worth trying out!

Akihabara, the holy land for otaku. There are various cafes with a moe theme, but this one is quite unique. The actual train equipment is displayed inside the store. The tables are said to be old ones that were used in the past. You enter using a ticket. Order the kids' plate. It's fun in its own way. I also ordered the Kintetsu Limited Express (orange, cranberry, ginger ale non-alcoholic drinks) and thoroughly enjoyed the train enthusiast experience.

I remember receiving a non-alcoholic cocktail in a red color with a name like Meitetsu Panorama Nanchala~ or Odakyu Romance Car Nanchala~. The meal was like the train attendant wrapping rice balls in plastic wrap for us. It's been going on for over 10 years now. Amazing, isn't it? I might go again to check it out.

We used this restaurant for a company drinking party. You can enjoy the atmosphere of Akihabara! It might be interesting for train enthusiasts. The staff livened up the party and it was fun, and the menu was full of creative ideas.

The cost performance is very good, and you can enjoy the world of railways for about the same price as a regular izakaya. Even though I'm not very knowledgeable about trains, I was able to enjoy it.

I think it's fun. The taste is mostly instant. Charge of 500 yen per person plus an additional charge for extra toppings.

It's been about 2 years since I started reviewing restaurants. I recently asked myself if I had forgotten to truly enjoy a meal. So, I decided to organize a gathering with a group of close friends and booked a reservation at a place where we could let loose and have some fun (apologies to the restaurant!). I arrived at the venue with four friends on a weekday evening, each of us arriving separately. Some of my friends were already there, wondering why we had chosen this place. But hey, sometimes it's good to try something unexpected, right? I've always been curious about trains, not a train enthusiast per se, but something about them has always intrigued me. As the organizer, I had the authority to make the decision, so no complaints allowed! We were seated in old train seats facing each other, a bit worn out but adding to the charm. The standard dishes were already laid out, and I realized that food tastes good when you're hungry, no matter what it is. Looking at the drink menu, I noticed that the cocktails were named after different train lines. I decided to go for the "Sobu Line in One Car" cocktail, while two of my friends were already on their third drink, a Green Tea Highball. It seemed like only the brightly colored cocktails had train names attached to them. About 30 minutes later, the last person arrived and ordered a draft beer, which came with an additional fee. But hey, it's a fun night out, so let's not sweat the small stuff. The macaroni appetizer resembled train wheels, and we also had boiled edamame, a random salad, and grilled chicken skewers. The highlight was the potato fries served in a bag where you could add your favorite spices and shake it up. It was a bit awkward for some of us, but we had a good laugh. The crispy fried assortment (burdock root, sweet shrimp, chicken thigh) was devoured quickly, and we had fun customizing our ketchup art on the NAER omelette rice. The dessert, a three-color water dumpling-like treat, was left untouched by the heavy drinkers among us. Despite the rush towards the end due to the time limit, we all had a great time and felt that the price of 4500 yen per person was quite reasonable. We may have had some criticisms, but ultimately, we had a satisfying and enjoyable evening. We ended the night by heading to a bar in Asakusa.

This is completely a joke. A concept restaurant like this. I was torn between where to go, but ended up going on a whim (bitter smile). The interior of the restaurant is filled with railway goods, children wearing conductor caps, and families as customers, creating an atmosphere where even those who are not otaku can enjoy it in Akihabara. Personally, I like trains, but there are things I don't know. For example, the Keihan Electric Railway is considered "serious" by those involved. If someone were to bring up the subway in Sendai, I would show interest, but honestly, I don't know much about it (bitter smile). I ordered the NEAR Kids Plate for food and the Dream Super Express (non-alcoholic) for drinks. It's a 0 series Shinkansen! Personally, I rode the 0 series Shinkansen a lot when I was young, going to my grandparents' house, and I even rode on the last day of regular operation of the 0 series Kodama 639 on November 30, 2008. When I mentioned this upon receiving the order, the attendant (waitress) had a slight reaction like "I haven't ridden it before...". Well, she is a young person and from the region of JR Tokai & JR East Shinkansen, so it's fine. Don't expect the attendants to have a serious interest in trains. Enjoy the atmosphere. The Dream Super Express is full of syrup and cream. The attendant decorates it with chocolate and dried fruits. The color coordination is beautiful, but hmm, if you mix the syrup with carbonated water, it might make a delicious cream soda. I ordered a refill and poured in some oolong tea (laughs). The NEAR Kids Plate is a combination of fried foods, ketchup rice with a flag sticking out. As an izakaya, it's delicious at a normal level. The adults can also enjoy a valuable time returning to their childhood with this menu. The appetizer was also pasta in the shape of a wheel. After finishing the meal, the dishes were "returned" (laughs). A certain attendant mentioned that they are a fan of Tama Stationmaster and have actually been to Wakayama, but unfortunately, the Tama train was not in service when they visited. They rode the Strawberry Train and the Toy Train, though. By the way, my girlfriend and I took a commemorative cheki photo before leaving. In times like these, it's all about going with the flow (laughs). I think of this more as a girls' bar rather than a restaurant, and in that sense, the prices are reasonable. Thank you for the meal.

【Revisit】It's been about 6 years since my last visit. As a railway fan, I visited this place once when it was talked about in society as "a railway izakaya in Akihabara". On this day, I checked out the area near Akihabara Station. I parted ways with my colleagues around 6 p.m. Since I had come all the way to Akihabara, I thought there was no way I could just go straight home... So, I walked around the Akihabara Station area. However, I couldn't find a place that seemed easy to enter, so I was thinking, "What should I do?" and then I remembered this place. Relying on my vague memory, I walked and found it without hesitation. It's on the 4th floor of an old building. I took the old and slow elevator up to the 4th floor, opened the door, and entered the restaurant. In this restaurant, you need to buy an "admission ticket" at the entrance. When I said, "It's been 5-6 years," I received an explanation of the manners inside the restaurant and then it was time to "board". As usual, the interior of the restaurant is full of railway goods. There are seats made from old JNR passenger cars, destination boards, symbols of limited express trains, and lots of objects that railway fans would love. In the midst of all this, I was guided to a table right next to a hand-made diorama. In this restaurant, the women who serve as waitresses are called "crew members". Their upper bodies resemble railway conductors, but their lower bodies are in a maid-style miniskirt. It's a comfortable yet uncomfortable atmosphere for an unfamiliar old man like me... The menu is designed like a JR railway map of the Tokyo area. Cocktails are grouped under names like "Shinkansen Cocktail". I started with a "draft beer". In this restaurant, drinks are counted as "1 car/2 cars" instead of 1 glass/2 glasses. For snacks, I ordered sliced roast ham from the Sobu Line area and fried chicken cartilage from the Rinkai Line area. As the beer started to go down, a cute crew member asked, "Are you transferring? Are you changing trains?" I transferred once, but next I changed trains and ordered a chu-hi. When there is spare time, the crew members will talk to you about various things. However, an old man who is not used to talking to young women feels quite nervous. When the crew member leaves, I pass the time by looking at the railway diorama right next to me. This railway izakaya is a unique space, and I think the atmosphere may be divisive, but the food and snacks are very traditional. There are not many options, but everything is delicious. It's not uncommon to see single female customers or groups of women only. Even if you're not a railway fan, you can enjoy just a cafe without alcohol, so I think it's worth visiting at least once for a "conversation piece".

In June 2016, I stayed in Tokyo for one night. On the first day, after having ramen at Taimeiken Ramen Corner, I checked into my accommodation and then headed to a live event at Tokyo Dome City Hall. After the event, I went to Akihabara with a friend for a drink. We planned to visit a maid cafe that my friend wanted to go to, but it was closed. So, we decided to try Little TGV, a railway-themed izakaya recommended by my friend. We arrived at 9:30 PM. The place is located just 3 minutes from Suidobashi subway station, along a street filled with PC parts and junk shops. The entrance is on the second floor of a building with affiliated shops. Inside, the staff dressed like train attendants explained the system using railway terminology. We were given a 500 yen ticket, which served as cover charge and a voucher for the next visit. The interior was filled with railway displays, and the seats resembled train seats. The menu was designed like a railway map, with different food items grouped by train lines, where the further ones were more expensive. They also had cocktails with railway-inspired names. I tried the E1Max Toki cocktail, which was quite strong. The attendants also offered special menu items where they interacted with you, like assembling tamagoyaki. Most customers seemed to enjoy chatting with the attendants. After a couple of drinks, we left the place. The cost performance was not great, but it was a unique experience. After that, we went to have dinner since we didn't eat much at the izakaya. (To be continued at Tokyo Stamina Curry 365 Akihabara Dojo)

Located in Akihabara, Tokyo, the railway izakaya "Little TGV" was a disappointing experience. Despite the claim of being able to enjoy a train journey atmosphere with real train seats, only a few seats actually had them, and they were usually taken. The themed menu, attempting to connect everything to railways, felt forced and the food and drinks were average at best. The prices were not particularly reasonable either. The railway models and books in the restaurant were lackluster, and the overall atmosphere was underwhelming. It's a place you only need to visit once.

If you can handle that kind of atmosphere, please enjoy it. The charge for entry is 500 yen, 700 yen for a drink on the Yamagata Shinkansen E3 series Tsubasa, 600 yen for the sleeper limited express Hokutosei, 630 yen for Seibu Railway, 650 yen for tamagoyaki (4 cars) on the dining car, and 680 yen for Shinkansen rice balls. After enjoying for about 30 minutes, I left. Please note that this store does not distinguish between smoking and non-smoking areas. They do have smoking cars and non-smoking cars by table. The narrow seating may be a drawback. Well, it's more of a place to feel the atmosphere rather than to stay.

This is my second time at a railway izakaya♪ As expected, there are many railway-related items placed around the restaurant! It's a paradise for railway fans. When you enter, you are given a ticket with a charge of 500 yen! The ticket says "Shin-Akihabara" on it! The menu looks like a train route map, so just looking at it is enjoyable (^^) There are cocktails named after trains, which was nice. The taste of the food is average, but the staff are incredibly friendly and easy to talk to, which made me very happy! Thank you so much♪

I had been curious about the railway izakaya "Little TGV" in Akihabara for a while. It's a shop for railway enthusiasts. During lunchtime, it seems to turn into a café. I paid a charge of 500 yen and received a ticket-like entry pass. When I sat at the table, a mini-skirted train conductor-style waitress came to check my ticket. The interior of the shop has railway models and chairs that resemble train seats, it's quite elaborate. The menu is designed like a train route map. It's really well thought out. As someone who is not a railway enthusiast, I felt a bit out of place, so I just had an iced coffee and left.