“Shōtengai, sometimes referred to as arcades in English, are focal points of community life in Japan. They come covered and open air. Some may be formally pedestrianized either all or part of the day, while the remainder usually become de facto pedestrian, as the narrow lane and heavy volume of foot and bicycle traffic preclude all but the most determined drivers. After the large umbrella … Continue reading Link: Pedestrian Arcades (Shotengai)

Excellent collection of Motomachi photos on TripAdvisor.com: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g298562-d2558881-Reviews-Kobe_Motomachi_Shopping_Street-Kobe_Hyogo_Prefecture_Kinki.html . A video tour starting from outside the east end entrance: . A walk through Motomachi, Sannomiya Center Street, and Sannomiya Station underground arcades (Santika/さんちか), ending at Mint Kobe: . Japanese Language Readings: An edited video with better audio quality, starting from Motomachi 5-Chome (most of the video is inside of Pizza Bar Napoli): . A list … Continue reading Additional Readings: Motomachi Shopping Arcade