also: マッカ
Muslims aim to make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime.
mecca; center for a field or activity
Only with reading メッカ
Metaphorical use: a place that attracts many people devoted to a particular interest or activity. Restricted to the reading メッカ.
Akihabara is known as a mecca for otaku culture.
Akihabara is a mecca for anime fans.
Standard katakana spelling for both the city and the metaphorical sense.
Alternate transliteration closer to Arabic Makkah; less common in Japanese.
From Arabic مَكَّة (Makkah), via English Mecca.