8 famous shopping streets (shoutengai) in Tokyo

8 famous shopping streets (shoutengai) in Tokyo

“Shopping” is definitely an indispensable part of the travel enthusiasts when visiting Tokyo, Japan. In addition to the bustling and expensive shopping centers such as Ginza, Shibuya…, Tokyo also has unique shoutengai (shopping districts), where you can find authentic Japanese items at the most affordable prices!

Shoutengai (商店街) is a traditional Japanese shopping district. These districts are usually located near train stations in cities and consist of a series of shops close together, running along a certain road. A shoutengai will usually have a variety of shops, such as supermarkets, clothing stores, convenience stores, grocery stores, traditional cafes, izakaya (traditional drinking establishments), etc. Some larger shoutengai even have roofs above them to make shopping more convenient.

There are about 2,400 shoutengai in Tokyo, spread across 23 wards. Here are the 8 most prominent ones that you should definitely visit when coming to Tokyo:

1. Togoshi Ginza (Quan Shinagawa)

Address: 3 Chome-1-18 Togoshi, Shinagawa Metropolis, Tokyo

Togoshi Ginza is one of the longest shoutengai in Tokyo, with a length of approximately 1.3km. Togoshi Ginza has about 400 shops spread across 3 main streets, including mainly eateries, Michelin restaurants, outdoor bars, etc. In addition, there are also local markets, general stores, and supermarkets.

Known as the “mecca of street food”, Togoshi Ginza has countless shops selling traditional Japanese dishes. Among them, menchi katsu (deep-fried minced meat) and korokke (potato pancakes) are the two most prominent dishes. In particular, in Togoshi Ginza, you can find about 20 different types of korokke such as oden korokke (korokke with oden filling) or gyoza korokke (korokke with gyoza filling). You can visit Goto Kamaboko to try these special korokke flavors.

2. Ameya Yokocho (Quen Taito)

Address: 6-10-7 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo

Ameya Yokocho, or Ameyoko for short, is a shoutengai located under the railway tracks between Ueno Station and Okachimachi Station, about 500m long and with more than 400 shops, mainly restaurants, clothing stores, and sports stores. This is considered the most famous shopping district in Tokyo for tourists. Originally an “American market” after World War II, Ameyoko still has many shops opened by foreigners, creating a culturally diverse space for tourists from all over.

So don’t miss the chance to try some of the exotic food here, like Chinese or Turkish, such as the fried long bao. You can also find unique exotic ingredients at the Ameyoko Middle Construction Shopping Center. This shopping center has 4 floors and a basement filled with ingredients from Southeast Asia, Korea, China, and Türkiye.

Besides, Ameyoko also has traditional Japanese snacks at super cheap prices. For only 200 yen (about 40,000 VND), you can buy a set of 4 takoyaki (octopus balls). Seafood is also very famous in Ameyoko, so don’t forget to try the kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) here.

In addition, those who love traditional Japanese sweets cannot miss the Niki no Kashi store. And if you want to buy clothes or souvenirs, go to Ueno Central Mall! Not to mention, Ameyoko is also near two other entertainment spots, Asakusa and Shin-Okubo (Korean town), so visitors can combine visiting both of these places.

3. Ginza (Quận Taito)

Address: 3-13-1 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo

If you want to experience a shoutengai with a more retro, nostalgic style, Yanaka Ginza is definitely a great choice. Built in the 1950s, the 170m long shopping street includes about 60 shops with many small eateries, cafes, and old buildings built during the Meiji and Taisho periods. Most of the shops here are family-owned, so the atmosphere is simpler and more cozy than other shoutengai. Visitors can easily find pottery or traditional handicraft shops here.

Yanaka Ginza is also known as “cat town” because there are many cats walking around here. Cat owners who come here can freely watch and take pictures with these “royals”. Many shops here also change their decoration to match the name “cat town”, such as painting pictures of cats on their signs, displaying some cat-shaped decorations in the shop. Of course, Yanaka Ginza also has no shortage of shops selling cat food, toys or cat-shaped souvenirs.

In particular, in this neighborhood, there is a special donut shop called Yanaka Shippoya, which specializes in selling donuts shaped like cat tails. Shippoya also names its donuts after familiar Japanese cat names such as Shiro, Kiki, Buchi, Tora, etc. In addition to Shippoya, Yanaka Ginza also has a specialty of menchi katsu (deep-fried minced meat) made from wagyu beef that everyone should try.

After exploring the shops of Yanaka Ginza, try to stay until sunset to enjoy the stunning view of Yuyake Dandan, one of the most famous staircases in Tokyo. The staircase is located near the entrance to Nippori Station and overlooks Gotenzaka. As dusk falls, the street is bathed in sunlight, reminiscent of old Tokyo.

Yanaka Cemetery, the burial place of Japan’s last shogun, is also a must-visit if you want to learn more about history. Many people think of “cemeteries” as scary or gloomy, but Yanaka Cemetery is a favorite destination for locals thanks to its peaceful and serene atmosphere. In particular, the central walkway here is known as “Cherry Blossom Avenue” because it is covered in cherry blossoms every April in early spring.

4. Sugamo Jizo-dori (Toshima District)

Address: 4-22-8 Sugamo, Toshima-ku, Tokyo

Sugamo Jizo-dori is another old shoutengai in Tokyo, built during the Edo period as the first stop on the Nakasendo Road that connected Edo (the old name of Tokyo) to Kyoto. Sugamo Jizo-dori is also known as “Obaachan no Harajuku” (Harajuku for Grandmothers) because 70% of the shops here sell goods to the elderly. The most prominent of these is the Maruji store, which specializes in selling red underwear.

However, that doesn’t mean Sugamo Jizo-dori isn’t suitable for young people. With a length of about 800m and about 200 shops, this shopping street is full of food stalls for you to enjoy. Among them, traditional sweets such as dango, daifuku, daigaku imo (candied sweet potatoes), or sugamo pudding are all very popular. In particular, this place is also famous for shio daifuku (salted daifuku) that you can’t find anywhere else. The traditional sweets shop Ganso Shio Daifuku Mizuno is the place that created this daifuku, so take the time to visit!

Photo credit: loveruna0813 @instagram

Another impressive destination on Sugamo Jizo-dori is Koganji Temple, which is dedicated to the Buddhist Togenuki Jizo. According to legend, a maid of the Mōri family swallowed a needle in 1715. She drank an Omikage (a clay statue of Jizō Bosatsu) and the needle was vomited out. Since then, it has been believed that Tōge-nuki Jizō can help cure illnesses and eliminate bad luck.

* Omikage of Koganji Temple

Photo source: Koganji Temple

Within the temple grounds, the Arai Kannon Buddha statue, which is said to be able to cure illnesses when sprinkled with water, is also widely worshipped, despite being the sub-deity of the main shrine Tōge-nuki Jizō.

And right at the south entrance of Sugamo Jizo-dori, you’ll find a small shrine displaying the tail of Sugamon, the area’s mascot. It’s also said that if you touch the duck’s tail once, you’ll get married soon. If you touch it twice, you’ll live a long and healthy life. Not just at the entrance, the adorable Sugamon duck can be found everywhere throughout the shoutengai, sometimes as a stuffed animal, sometimes as a mailbox, or as an ema (shrine prayer card) or souvenir.

5. Kagurazaka (Shinjuku, Tokyo)

Along with the ancient architecture are the paved streets and about 60 European-French style shops such as restaurants, bars, cafes, or bakeries located near French-style schools. These factors have helped Kagurazaka enter the top 100 most beautiful historical places in Japan. Not to mention, this neighborhood also holds many annual events such as the Kagurazaka Matsuri festival in the summer, the Awa Odori festival in late July, or the Bakeneko cat costume festival in mid-October.

Besides, don’t forget to visit the temples in Kagurazaka. The most prominent name among them is Bishamonten Zenkoku-ji Temple. Bishamonten Zenkoku-ji Temple has always been a symbol of Kagurazaka since it was built in 1595 with its eye-catching bright red color. Coming here, you can pray to Bishamonten, one of the 7 lucky gods in Japan.

Step away from the old-world charm and head to one of Tokyo’s most fashionable shopping streets: Kagurazaka! Located near Iidabashi Station, Kagurazaka is Tokyo’s “Little Paris” thanks to its unique blend of Japanese and French cultures. Originally a geisha district during the Edo period, it is now a popular area for fashion and dining. However, today, when you visit Kagurazaka, you can still admire the old houses from long ago, along with traditional ryotei (high-class restaurants), shops that rent or sell second-hand kimonos, and Japanese teahouses.

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6. Nakamise (Taito Ward)

Photo source: Sensoji Temple

Address: 1-21 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo 111-0032

Dating back to the 17th century, Nakamise is one of Tokyo’s oldest shoutengai, connecting Sensoji Temple and Kaminarimon Gate. Today, Nakamise remains a popular destination for visitors to Sensoji Temple, whether tourists or locals.

At around 250m long, Nakamise consists of 89 shops (54 on the east side and 35 on the west side) selling a wide variety of items, such as countless traditional souvenirs: bell charms, wind chimes, miniature lanterns, fortune cats, chopsticks, etc. Visitors can also take the opportunity to sample traditional snacks or sweets, such as age-manju (deep-fried dumplings), dorayaki, kibidango (dango covered in kinako bean powder), or ningyoyaki (goldfish cakes). Nakamise also has many fast food stores and restaurants with a wide range of dining options.

Photo source: Sensoji Temple

Another great feature of Nakamise is the kimono and geta (wooden clogs) rental shops. Some also offer hair and makeup services, so you can look as “Japanese” as possible. The stalls on Nakamise are often decorated according to the season, such as plum blossoms and kites for New Year, cherry blossoms in spring, or red leaves in autumn. If you visit after 7pm, you can also admire the paintings on the shutters depicting the history of Sensoji Temple after the shops have closed.

Besides, don’t forget to visit Asakusa ROX shopping mall. The shopping mall has a variety of shops such as fashion stores (clothes, hats, shoes, perfumes, etc.), 100 yen shops, CD-DVD stores, bookstores, karaoke bars, cafes, relaxation spas, etc.

Photo source: Sensoji Temple

The Shin-Nakamise shopping district right next door is another impressive shoutengai that you can visit. Shin-Nakamise is perpendicular to Nakamise and is just as old as Nakamise. Locals often prefer Shin-Nakamise because it is not too crowded, so if you prefer shoutengai that are not too crowded, don’t miss this shopping area.

7. Asagaya Pearl Middle (Quận Suginami)

Address: 1-36-7 Asagaya Minami, Suginami-ku, Tokyo

Asagaya Pearl Middle is a 700m long shoutengai that connects Asagaya Station to Tokyo Metro Minami Asagaya Station. With nearly 240 shops, including restaurants, cafes, street food stalls, clothing stores, supermarkets and sweet shops, Asagaya Pearl Middle is worthy of being one of the largest shoutengai in Japan. That is why many important festivals such as Tanabata and Halloween are often held here. In addition, Asagaya Pearl Middle has a glass roof, allowing visitors to shop comfortably without worrying about the weather.

When you come to Asagaya Pearl Middle, you definitely cannot miss the special taiyaki (fish cake) called “taiyaki no hiraki” at Tomoe -an . Unlike traditional taiyaki, taiyaki no hiraki is dried and rolled out so it is usually thinner and flatter. Taiyaki no hiraki is usually filled with traditional sweet red bean paste or mirin (seasoned wine). Another famous shop at Asagaya Pearl Middle is Kamajuu Kamaboko, which specializes in oden and fish cakes.

8. Sun Road (Quan Musashino)

Address: 1-15-1 Kichijoji Honmachi, Musashino Metropolis, Tokyo 180-0004

Kichijoji Sunroad is a covered shopping street located between Kichijoji Station and Itsukaichi Street, about 300 meters long. Kichijoji Sunroad has about 200 shops selling a wide variety of food and fashion items. For food, Kichijoji Sunroad is famous for its menchi katsu (deep-fried minced meat) and German breads. As for fashion, besides clothes, there are also many trendy hat shops for you to choose from.

 On holidays, Kichijoji Sunroad is also filled with street artists with unique performances.

 

When you come here, don’t forget to visit the Kichijoji Art Museum. This museum opened in 2002 with about 2,000 works on display such as Nihonga (traditional Japanese paintings), oil paintings, calligraphy, photographs, etc. Another interesting destination is Diamond Street. This street is named so because when it gets dark, the whole street will be lit up and sparkle like a diamond.

In addition, Kichijoji also has Inokashira Park, which is over a hundred years old. The most prominent feature of this park is definitely Inokashira Pond with more than 500 cherry trees around it, creating a beautiful scene. Not only in spring, Inokashira Pond is also very popular with visitors in the remaining seasons. In addition, Inokashira Park also has a small shrine in the southwest to worship Benzaiten, the god of water, beauty and language.

Many people come to Inokashira Park because of the Ghibli Museum in the south. In this museum, you can admire characters from animated films such as Tonari no Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro) or Tenkuu no Shiro Laputa (Laputa: Castle in the Sky). This museum is often quite crowded, so be sure to book your tickets in advance!

Conclude

The traditional shoutengai districts suggested above are not only great places to shop but also help you understand more about Japanese culture. Coming to a shoutengai, you can also enjoy traditional dishes and visit local scenic spots. So which is your favorite shoutengai? Pack your bags and go explore!

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