otaku オタク
The word オタク otaku literally means “your house” or “your residence,” and was originally a formal way of saying “you.” In the 1980s, it became slang for people who were so absorbed in their hobbies that they rarely left home. The term gained widespread negative connotations in the 1990s after a serial killer with anime interests was dubbed “The Otaku Murderer” by Japanese media.
Outside Japan, otaku is often misunderstood as simply “anime fan.” In reality, it’s a much broader term describing someone with an obsessive interest in any particular hobby or subject—and it comes with some complicated cultural baggage.
Beyond anime: The otaku spectrum
In Japan, there are many types of otaku, each with their own subculture:
- 鉄道オタク tetsudō otaku: Train enthusiasts who memorize timetables, photograph rare trains, and can identify rolling stock by the sound of their engines
- 軍事オタク gunji otaku: Military otaku obsessed with weapons, uniforms, and tactical knowledge
- アイドルオタク aidoru otaku: Idol fans who follow their favorite performers religiously, buying multiple copies of the same CD for handshake event tickets
- カメラオタク kamera otaku: Camera enthusiasts with extensive knowledge of photography equipment
- パソコンオタク pasokon otaku: Computer geeks who build their own PCs and talk in programming languages
- And yes, アニメオタク anime otaku and 漫画オタク manga otaku too
Otaku tourism
For visitors interested in exploring otaku culture:
- Akihabara (Tokyo): The spiritual home of electronics, anime, and manga otaku
- Nakano Broadway (Tokyo): A shopping mall filled with stores catering to collectors
- Osaka’s Nipponbashi (Den Den Town): Kansai’s answer to Akihabara
- Kyoto Railway Museum: Paradise for train otaku
Cultural note: If you’re visiting Japan as a self-proclaimed “otaku,” be aware that Japanese people might be confused or even slightly uncomfortable with a foreigner enthusiastically adopting this label. Consider using more neutral terms like “fan” (ファン fan) or “enthusiast” (愛好家 aikōka) instead.