It has been a long time since one has heard the term “shuttered shopping district. It is a fact that when you walk the streets, many of the stores are closed. According to the “Report on the Actual Conditions of Shopping Streets” issued by the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency in 2021, the business conditions of shopping streets are “declining” or “in danger of declining. The combined figure for “declining” and “in danger of declining” is close to 70%. Certainly, there is no doubt that many grocery stores are being pushed out by large supermarkets.
But consider this. Whether they are butchers, grocers, or fishmongers, they have been exposed to the products since childhood, forced to help out, and after taking over from their parents, they go to the market and sell the products they have purchased with their own discernment and sense of taste. The vegetables and fish selected by these professionals are undoubtedly fresh and delicious. You will not find such reliable stores in large supermarkets or shopping malls.
Similarly, the flavors of side dish shops are unique “original products” that have been created through repeated trial and error and nurtured under the watchful eye of local housewives. This is precisely where the appeal of individual stores lies, and it must be said that the potential of the old-fashioned shopping streets, which are an aggregation of such stores, is high.
The Togoshiginza shopping street is said to be
the longest in the Kanto region.Approximately
400 stores line up in a 1.3-kilometer stretch.
Large supermarkets have the advantage of offering everything in one location. However, shopping streets are only longer, and the walking distance is probably not that different. If this is the case, shopping streets are not inferior in terms of convenience. There are general stores, shoe stores, clothing stores, restaurants, and coffee shops. If they are covered by arcades, shoppers can shop comfortably without getting wet in the rain.
In the past, shopping streets were bustling with people and goods. Although the number of shopping malls has decreased, there are still some vibrant shopping malls such as Jujo Ginza Shopping Arcade (Kita Ward, Tokyo), Sunamachi Ginza Shopping Arcade (Koto Ward, Tokyo), and Sugamo Jizo Dori Shopping Arcade (Toshima Ward, Tokyo).
Hopefully, people will take a second look at these shopping streets, even if it takes a little longer to get there. The joy of shopping is not just putting what you need in the basket and paying for it. Eating and walking around is also a good idea. The interaction between people there will make you feel the warmth of the people. You will feel a deep sense of satisfaction from shopping in a shopping arcade, rather than in a big-box store or a shopping mall.
Text: Hiroyuki Imamura Photo: SHIN