Yanaka Ginza Yūyake Dandan 夕やけだんだん

Holdout Showa era shopping street

The steps leading to Yanaka Ginza, the retro shopping street, provide visitors with a good view. But it also shows that, despite the vitality of the neighbourhood and residents, time and development are taking their toll. It's a remarkable place for the efforts to keep this Showa era shopping street. You won't see any chain stores. Despite the real estate market pressure, tiny shop houses and wooden nagaya houses remain. But only a few hundred of the older housing stock remain. You can't get mad. They're a liability when it comes to disaster preparation. So, I'd say go see this part of Shitamachi while it lasts.