Janjan-Yokocho (Nanyo-dori Shopping Street)

The entrance to Janjan-Yokocho is marked by a distinctive low, covered arcade lined with narrow, weathered shopfronts that seem to hold their breath against the bustle of modern Osaka. This narrow alleyway was once the primary path for workers heading to the nearby Shinsekai district during the early twentieth century. It earned its name from the sound of shamisen music drifting from the tiny taverns that fed the laborers. Today, a few specialized kushi-katsu stalls and old-fashioned game centers remain wedged inside.