In Japan, it’s easy to find covered arcade-style shopping streets with ceilings. Even when visiting Osaka, various shopping streets around Dotonbori showcase this feature, allowing shoppers to continue their activities regardless of the weather. Kobe also has such a shopping street, known as “Motomachi Shopping Street.” “Kobe, the Origin of Japanese Arcade Shopping Streets – Motomachi Shopping Street” At first ...
America-mura in Osaka is a place that combines the atmosphere of Seoul’s Hongdae and Itaewon in South Korea. Among the establishments, there is a shopping mall called “Big Step,” which is also a landmark in America-mura. At Big Step, you can find an arcade, but it’s not like typical arcades with various gaming machines. Instead, there is an arcade exclusively ...
While arcades have become scarce in South Korea, Japan still boasts numerous large arcades featuring games like crane machines. In Tokyo, buildings adorned with the sign “SEGA” can be easily found, housing arcades filled with crane machines, video games, and more – akin to the prevalence of PC bangs in South Korea. “Large SEGA Arcade in Shinjuku Kabukicho”: Even in ...
In South Korea, it’s not easy to find arcade culture. While arcades existed in the past, they have mostly disappeared, giving way to PC rooms. However, even as PC rooms gradually fade into the background, in Japan, arcades can still be found in various places, often operating on a large scale. Odaiba was no exception, and within the “DiverCity” building, ...
Bugis, located northeast in the heart of Singapore, has undergone significant transformation over the years. Once known as a gathering place for trans women from the 1950s to the 1980s, Bugis underwent a complete makeover in the mid-1980s. The Singapore government introduced shopping malls, restaurants, and even the Bugis MRT subway station during this redevelopment phase. As a result, present-day ...