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Jan 26 2011 7 Comments

Shopping in Tokyo’s shotengai

With its opulent department stores and mass of shopping malls, Tokyo is undoubtedly a shoppers’ paradise, and the visiting of such sites is a very popular pastime indeed.

But despite the predominance of these modern emporiums, some parts of the capital still retain their old, character-filled and often covered shotengai.

Tokyo shotengai

Small enclaves that may not boast the brands of their bigger and brasher cousins, but at the same time still offer enough choice to keep a variety of regular customers coming back.

Tokyo shotengai

People of all walks of life.

Tokyo shotengai

And of all ages.

Tokyo shotengai

But mostly, especially in this neighbourhood, the elderly.

Tokyo shotengai

Categorized: Culture, Photography

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Simon says

    1/26/2011 at 4:52 pm

    I love window shopping in the glitzy areas of Tokyo, but I love browsing and observing life in these arcades.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      1/26/2011 at 6:37 pm

      I’m not a shopping person at all, but like you, I enjoy watching those that do. Especially so in places like this.

      Reply
  2. Lairny says

    1/27/2011 at 10:54 am

    Cool. Nicely done. I like how the mom also appears in fourth picture. My favorite has to be the old lady, even if it does make me sad.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      1/27/2011 at 5:10 pm

      Thanks Lairny. If I’d thought things through properly, it would have been a great idea to have had most (or at least more) of them in all the pictures. Might not have been possible, but it could have made for a more interesting set of photos.

      The old lady on the other hand I photographed at the opposite end of the shotengai. I’d actually come across her in one of the side streets, furiously ringing her bicycle bell at anyone who may have even considered getting in her way. And then lo and behold, when I came out on to the main street again, there she was.

      Reply
  3. JUSTME says

    1/27/2011 at 12:01 pm

    Well, I prefer Daiei or 109. Tokyu Hands is also a keeper.

    Reply
  4. MrSatyre says

    1/29/2011 at 2:49 am

    I strolled through a shotengai in Kyoto some years back. A very relaxing, homey atmosphere.

    Reply
  5. Tori says

    1/31/2011 at 12:57 am

    Woah… I don’t live in Japan, but America. There stores here aren’t as fabulous-seeming here. The thing that really catches my eye is the pretty banners and lights in the pictures! ^_^ I really hope I could visit Japan one day and shop there… Looks better than our malls! 😀

    Reply

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