Exploring Japan’s Covered Shopping Arcades
n Japan, there are shopping streets known as “arcade shopping streets” (zenryou-style arcades) that have been around for a long time. These arcade shopping streets are designed to allow people to shop regardless of rain, snow, or strong sunlight. You can shop at various stores along the street, enjoy meals at different eateries, and explore a wide range of products.
Arcade shopping street stores offer a variety of goods, and you can enjoy meals or buy local specialties at the eateries. You may come across local specialties or unique products that reflect the charm of the area.
Additionally, arcade shopping streets provide a glimpse into the daily lives of the people who live in the area. You can stroll through these arcades and experience what it’s like to be a local, unaffected by the weather.
Enjoying Arcade Shopping Streets
Visiting these places gives you a chance to encounter the daily life and local specialties of the area. You might discover traditional foods and souvenirs unique to the region.
Sapporo: Tanukikoji Shopping Street (Hokkaido)
Tanukikoji Shopping Street was established in 1873 and has been beloved by locals for many years. With a total length of 900 meters and around 200 shops, it features a long arcade that allows for shopping without concern for weather conditions like rain, snow, or sunlight.
Tanukikoji Shopping Street
Tanukikoji Shopping Street
| Highlight | The oldest shopping street in Hokkaido with 145 years of history |
| Address |
South 2nd and 3rd Streets, West 1st to 7th Blocks, Chuo Ward, Sapporo City Phone: 011-241-5125 (Sapporo Tanukikoji Shopping Street Promotion Association) |
| Access | New Chitose Airport → JR Chitose Airport Station → JR Sapporo Station → Subway Odori Station |
| Official Website | https://www.vill.shirakawa.lg.jp/en/ |
| Nearby Sightseeing Spots | Sapporo Clock Tower, Former Hokkaido Government Office Building (Red Brick Office) |
| Internet Environment | WiFi（Availability varies by store） |
| Convenience Store | Available |
| ATM | Available |
| Accommodation | Available（Sapporo City） |
Sendai Hapina Nagakecho Shopping Street (Miyagi Prefecture)
Sendai’s Tanabata Festival, which has been celebrated since the time of Lord Date Masamune, is a traditional event in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. Every year, from August 6th to August 8th, the “Sendai Tanabata Matsuri” is held, and the Happina Nagakakecho Shopping Street also displays splendid decorations. Additionally, during the New Year, there is a “First Sale Event” featuring taiko drum performances that attract shoppers for the new year.
Miyagi, Sendai – Hapina Nakakecho Shopping Arcade, 2022 Tanabata Event
Miyagi-ken Sendai – Hapina Nakakecho Shopping Arcade – 2020 New Year’s Sales Event
| Highlights | Shopping district with a long history |
| Adress | |
| Access | JR Sendai Station |
| Official Website | https://nakakecho.jp/ |
| Nearby Sightseeing Spots | Sendai Anpanman Museum, Zuihouden (Hall of Zuihouden), Lord Date Masamune, founder of the Sendai domain |
| Internet Environment | WiFi (Availability varies by store) |
| Convenience Store | Available |
| ATM | Available |
| Accommodation | Available（Within Sendai City） |
*We will introduce arcade shopping streets in Kyoto, Osaka, and Takamatsu in the future.
