Saturday, January 24, 2009

Aakeido. Japanese shopping arcades.

An Afternoon in Kyoto4639
Kyoto City

Covered shopping arcades can be found in most Japanese towns. In the big cities, where most japanese now live, the arcades tend to be glitzy and are likely to have global brands such as McDonalds. In many ways they look like duty-free shopping areas in airports, and consumption as identity is prevalent.

fuk433
Hakata, Fukuokoa City

In the smaller towns, that continue to depopulate, the arcades can often be like a ghost town, with few people and many shops closed permanently. They tend to be funkier and have stores that sell local products and household goods etc.

kobe8133
Motomachi, Kobe


sh262
Kochi City


kok632
Kokura, Kitakyushu.


sh9905
Ohnomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture.

3 comments:

  1. Ironically timed post. Just yesterday, walked through an arcade brimming with life, a well trod path between Tenri Station and the head temple of the Tenri sect which gives the town its name..

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  2. What an architecture man! It is stunning I have no words to complement. Japan is great and everything about Japan is awesome that is all I can say...

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