JanJan Yokocho

Janjan Yokocho is a shopping street running north–south through the eastern part of Ebisu-higashi 3-chome, Naniwa Ward, Osaka City. It is about 180 meters long and only about 2.5 meters wide, yet it is packed with retro eateries. Many famous shops line the arcade, including Daiko Sushi, where you can enjoy sushi at low prices such as three pieces for 150 yen; Sennariya Coffee, known as the birthplace of mixed fruit juice; and the renowned kushikatsu chain Ganso Kushikatsu Daruma (Shinsekai main store), which has more than 10 locations in Japan and even branches overseas. Midway along the arcade are retro game centers and shogi clubs, giving the street a warm, nostalgic atmosphere. Opened in 1921, the street was named “Janjan Yokocho” because in the early Showa period the sound of shamisen music—“janjan”—was said to echo through the area. In 2004, “Janjan Kitaro” was created as the street’s mascot. The character is depicted as Tsutenkaku holding and playing a shamisen.