Janjan Yokochō (Naniwa, Osaka, Japan)

What makes this place special?

At a Glance

Janjan Yokochō is a covered shopping street in Naniwa Ward, Osaka, at the southeastern edge of the Shinsekai district. The arcade is about 180 meters long and only around 2.5 meters wide, a narrowness that adds to its lively feel. Its official name is Nan'yō-dōri Shopping Street.

The lane opened in 1921 as a route linking Shinsekai with the Tobita quarter, and its name is said to come from the sound of shamisen played in the bars along it. The spelling 'Yokochō' first appeared in Hayashi Fumiko's novel Meshi, and the street has since become a retro sightseeing spot. A few shogi parlors and go clubs remain, where passers-by watch games through the windows. The mascot Janjan Kitarō shows Tsūtenkaku tower playing a shamisen, and Spa World stands next door on the east.