The Glowing Gates of Tokyo

10 Apr 2008 Category: Japan, Typography

The Glowing Gates of Tokyo

Glimmering street signs in Kabukicho decorating this beautiful arcade!

What a glowing sight - the Kabukicho First Street arcade is so made for the true game lover who is about to enter Shinjuku’s entertainment quarters! Since each of the hundreds and hundreds of Tokyo’s neighbourhoods has its own commercial area with long illuminating signs, animated LED screens, and hectically blinking ticker boards, they are not easy to miss; they glow! Still, each proudly adorns their entrances with a beautiful arch, announcing the merchant thoroughfare you are about to visit. Today PingMag takes a cheerful trip down Tokyo’s Chuo train line to spot of few of these unique gateways that give these villages their distinct atmo.

Written by Ryoko
Translated by Kevin Mcgue

Shinjuku

The first stop on our tour is Kabukicho, the famous entertainment district in Shinjuku known for its bars, restaurants, movie theatres and many more. The colourful sign that appears in the picture at the top is quite symbolic of Shinjuku’s lively atmosphere. However, during the bombing of Tokyo in World War II, the area was completely razed to the ground. After the war, there was a strong effort to rebuild, and plans were made to construct a kabuki theater in order to bring art and culture to the devastated area. Although the theater was never built, the name stuck, and the district is still known as Kabukicho, meaning “kabuki town.”

This arch at the entrance to Kabukicho Sakura Street was completed in December of 2005 at a cost of 10 million yen (around $100,000.) Note the security cameras on the underside of the arch…

Not far from Kabukicho’s centre is Shinjuku Golden Gai, an area known for its narrow alleys packed with old bars that have long been the haunts of literature, film and theatre people. Some of the long-running shops closed down after the bursting of the economic bubble in 90s, but a new generation of young bar owners came in and brought new life to the area.

Shinjuku’s Golden Gai.

Narrow alleys…

… and an old sign advertising a bar.

Next, we head to the other side of Shinjuku station to visit the fancifully named “Alley of Memories” and “Grilled Chicken Alley.” The colourful, bold signs at the entrances to these narrow alleys give you a good idea of the fun to be had once you enter. The area was partially gutted by a fire in 1999, but has been rebuilt and is known today as a place where office workers stop by for a drink on their way home.

The “Alley of Memories.” The red and orange sign below lets passers-by know what kind of food can be found inside.

At the other end of the alley, we found this colourful sign.

In the period just after the war, this area was known for temporary stalls quickly put together to sell black market items. Today, the thin walls that separate the shops hearken back to that era.

So many bars and tiny restaurants are crammed into this narrow alley.

Near the “Alley of Memories” is “Grilled Chicken Alley.”

Higashi-Nakano

Taking the Chuo Line west from Shinjuku, we get off at the second stop to explore Higashi Nakano, an area filled with office buildings and old shopping streets, with a good balance of public and private space. Actually, the main shopping street here is called “Ginza Avenue,” named after the elegant Ginza district on the other side of town, featuring clocks and street lamps similar to those found in Ginza.


A vintage sign above Ginza Street in Higashi-Nakano…

… and the shopping street below the sign.

Koenji

We head further out on the Chuo Line to visit the town around Koenji, long known for used bookstores, old cafes, and quaint shops. Immediately, we are drawn to the Jujo Shotengai, which translates as “Innocence Shopping Street.” This name was so romantic, that the author Shoichi Nejime chose it for the setting and title of his popular novel that was turned into a TV series! This unique name together with the somewhat nostalgic use of colours make the sign really stand out!

A historic sign for a shopping area that translates at “Innocence Street.”

A cool circular sign for Central Road.

Security cameras are often hidden in street signs…

Asagaya

Near Asagaya Station is Asagaya Pearl Centre, a shopping street that stretches a full 700 meters, and is full of over 240 restaurants, shops, game centres, and stores selling Japanese musical instruments. This part of town is also famous for their Tanabata Festival including a parade that runs through Pearl Centre.


The entrance to Pearl Centre in Asagaya.

Inside, its roof is an unexpected example of modern architecture.

Leaving Pearl Centre, there is a sudden change of scenery as we enter the refreshingly open and beautifully named “Minami Asagaya Lily of the Valley Street.” The sign at the entrance to the street and the street lamps running down both sides are modeled after the Lily of the Valley flower, creating a very elegant atmosphere.

This nice-looking sign is based on the Lily of the Valley flower.

The lamps line the street…

… and look so picturesque against the blue sky.

Ogikubo

On the last stop, we finally visit Ogikubo, an area known for its Chinese noodle restaurants. The first thing that catches our eye is the sign for “Church Street,” which has a sign with stained glass and a church bell at the entrance. We enter the street and realise that hymns are being played as background music. We explore a bit more and find that Ogikubo also has a shopping street named “Ginza Street” with some lovely flower-shaped street lamps along the street.


A sign at the entrance of Church Street in Ogikubo.

The street lamps include stained glass and a bell.

This vintage sign at the entrance of Green Road includes this interesting round lamps.

A street lamp in Ogikubo’s Ginza Street shaped like a flower.

We hope you liked today’s little expedition in the urban sign jungle. The next time you are out in Tokyo, take a look up at all these wonderful street arcades!

64 Comments

  1. A unique article. A a great reminder to LOOK UP!
    Love the Asagaya shopping street, which by the way has some of the best fruit and veg shopping on the Chuo Sen.

    Posted by: TOKYOMADE on April 10th, 2008 at 10:29 pm

  2. Thanks for the wonderful coverage like always. I will be in Tokyo next week. def. will check them out.

    Posted by: lunzeea on April 10th, 2008 at 11:55 pm

  3. That’s really cool! I wish it could be like this here in São Paulo, but they made that law that doesn’t allow advertising. It’s disgusting…

    Posted by: Akai on April 11th, 2008 at 5:38 am

  4. Koenji FTW

    Posted by: Joseph on April 11th, 2008 at 10:06 am

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  8. I can’t beleive Takeshita Street in Harajuku didn’t make it onto this list. The rest of the list is interesting.

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  9. [...] gateways Entrances to different Japanese stores. An art project. [...]

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  10. Don’t you have a KICHIJOJI??
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  11. [...] What a glowing sight - the Kabukicho First Street arcade is so made for the true game lover who is about to enter Shinjuku’s entertainment quarters! Since each of the hundreds and hundreds of Tokyo’s neighbourhoods has its own commercial area with long illuminating signs, animated LED screens, and hectically blinking ticker boards, they are not easy to miss; they glow! Still, each proudly adorns their entrances with a beautiful arch, announcing the merchant thoroughfare you are about to visit. Today PingMag takes a cheerful trip down Tokyo’s Chuo train line to spot of few of these unique gateways that give these villages their distinct atmo. Read the full story>>> [...]

    Posted by: Kevin Mcgue - Tokyo-Based Journalist & Filmmaker » The Glowing Gates of Tokyo on March 3rd, 2009 at 9:59 pm

  12. I visited Tokyo last year and took 8000 photos in ten days, i have the exact same photo of the “Grilled chicken Alley” however it is only today looking at that image that i know what i took my own photo of, other than a dazzling beautiful snapshot, i took it of “Grilled Chicken Alley” :D c.

    Posted by: Caitie White on March 25th, 2009 at 9:36 am

  13. [...] Read the English version at PingMag» [...]

    Posted by: Kevin Mcgue | “The Glowing Gates of Tokyo” Translation on April 17th, 2010 at 10:58 am

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