Shōtengai

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A shōtengai is a local Japanese market street that is closed to car traffic. It serves nearby residents with many small specialty shops and only a few large stores.

In older neighborhoods, these streets often form along routes to big shrines or temples, such as Nakamise-dōri to Sensō-ji in Asakusa. Modern shōtengai usually connect to a nearby train or subway station, a park, or another public gathering place.

Most towns and suburbs have shōtengai of different sizes. Larger ones may be covered arcades you walk or bike through. A neighborhood shōtengai might have one or two large retailers, but most shops are small and specialize in things like fruits, vegetables, meat, books, clothing, drugs, furniture, housewares, or stationery, and services such as barber, printing, tailoring, or cleaners.

Food options often include izakaya, kissaten (coffee shops), wagashi, sushi, udon, ramen, or tempura. Public services like a post office or a neighborhood police box are often nearby.

In bigger cities, shōtengai can have more chain stores, hotels, convenience stores, or pachinko parlors. Beyond business, shōtengai are important social spaces that help neighborhoods stay connected through shop owner associations and local events.

Many shōtengai are built so shop owners often own their buildings, which lets them focus on serving the community, not just making money.

There are also Showa retro shōtengai, a nostalgic style.