Terry Ito's Column Vol. 84: Musashi-Koyama Shopping Street is Absolutely Fun

Musashi-Koyama Shopping Street is truly enjoyable. Personally, I find it more exciting than walking around the bustling areas of Ginza, Shibuya, or Aoyama. Even when window shopping in Ginza, if I find something I like—clothes, shoes, accessories, etc.—the price is often an order of magnitude higher. At my age, I'm no longer interested in expensive things. That's where my beloved Musashi-Koyama Shopping Street comes in.

Last Christmas season, the entire shopping street was decorated for Christmas, but it looked more like a year-end sale. It was a stark contrast to the illuminations at Roppongi Hills, which are popular with young people. However, in February, the arcade, which once boasted the longest length in East Asia, suddenly becomes incredibly appealing. You can enjoy shopping comfortably even on rainy days, cold days, and after sunset. And above all, the Showa-era retro atmosphere is wonderful.

The area is lined with famous shops. First, we decided to fill our stomachs with a sukiyaki udon and mixed rice set for 1300 yen at the Japanese soba restaurant "Sarashina Kyoya". The mixed rice is so good you'll want seconds. After filling our stomachs, we went shopping. "Surf Camp", a boutique that is irresistible to Mickey Mouse fans, is run by a young woman, Ms. Shimizu, who personally goes to Thailand to purchase the goods. The quality is excellent. Brightly colored sweaters and sweatshirts featuring Mickey and Snoopy are around 6000 yen. I've already bought three. For breakfast and snacks, we couldn't resist buying raisin bread, uguisu anpan (sweet bean paste bun), and apple pie from "Komine Bakery". All the bread can be bought for less than half the price of what you would find around Aoyama. Isn't that just wonderful? We also visited the limited-time regional specialty shops. This month it's a Hokkaido product fair. We immediately bought smoked squid and dried sardines and snacked on them as we headed to the next shop. My target is a little puppy at "P's-first," a pet shop I've always been curious about. They used to have a Jack Crack Terrier, the breed featured prominently in my favorite Spanish television drama, "Max the Dog," and I considered buying one as a family member. However, I questioned my age and whether I could handle the daily care, and ultimately decided against it. With a lingering regret, I peek into the shop every time, but Max is nowhere to be found. For some reason, a mix of sadness and relief washes over me.

I stopped at the Kaldi general store for a sample of coffee before heading home. I spent two and a half hours in the shopping district. Parking is free if you shop at a partner store. It's incredibly fun, warm, friendly, and cheap. When you go to Tokyo, the famous areas are great, but why not visit Musashi-Koyama Shopping Street, full of old-town charm? I'm always pressing my face against the pet shop window, watching the dogs. I'm waiting!

Terry Ito (director)

Born in Tsukiji, Tokyo in 1949. After attending Waseda Jitsugyo Junior and Senior High School, he graduated from Nihon University's School of Economics.
In March 2023, he completed the Master's program at the Graduate School of Media and Governance at Keio University.
He joined the television production company IVS Television, where he worked on variety shows such as "Tensai Takeshi's Genki ga Deru TV" and "Neruton Benikujidan."
He then went independent and worked on planning and directing a number of television programs, including TV Tokyo's "Asakusabashi Young Clothing Store."
His book "Comedy North Korea" became a bestseller, and he subsequently made numerous media appearances under the name Terry Ito.
In addition to his work as a director, he is also active in a variety of fields as a producer, entertainer, and commentator.
YouTube channelTerry Ito's Comedy Backdrop'
Currently writing a column in LALALA USA
https://lalalausa.com/archives/category/column/terry