Nakano Broadway was constructed in 1966, and named after its New York counterpart. With its location right next to Nakano Station, it was the perfect location to open a complex of luxury apartments and high-end shopping in the post-war building boom. However, by the time the 1980s rolled around, the area had lost out in popularity to newly-built shopping districts like Shinjuku and Ikebukuro.

Today, Nakano Broadway is enjoying a second lease on life as a prime destination for anime and manga fans. When second-hand bookseller Mandarake opened in the area in 1980, it brought a trickle of manga fans to the district. That trickle turned into a flood, and a host of shops offering manga, anime and gaming figurines opened in a 10-story building a short walk from the station to cater to the growing interest. Mandarake alone boasts multiple outlets in the Nakano Broadway shopping complex, and even offers services in multiple foreign languages. In recent years, Nakano Broadway has come to rival Akihabara as a destination for subculture fanatics from across Japan and abroad.