What department stores are for rich housewives, shoutengai (shopping streets) are for communities. Bustling hubs of activity, there are over 2,400 in Tokyo alone. Tokyo Weekends has visited many and picked our favorite retro shopping arcades and streets. Every shoutengai on our list has over 100 shops, making it worth a trip.
They all hark back to the good old days, when the Japanese economy was booming enough to put large, well-built signs and funky streetlights every couple of meters. Take Musashi Koyama Shopping Street Palm, for example: not only does it have a completely retractable roof, but it’s also twinned with an incredibly popular shopping arcade in Milan.

Nakano Sun Mall | Photo by Lisa Knight
Nakano Sun Mall: A Subculture Haven
The town of Nakano is a lively spot close to Shinjuku, thronging with people both during the day and at night. Known as a champion of subculture,