Ameyoko / Ameyayokocho

I've heard about this area from friends and students many times in the past. Even though I had the curiosity, I've never found a time to visit... until now!

Ameyoko is famous for having a one-stop shopping area, flea-market style. People say you can find lots of cheap products for sale here. And when there's a sale, there's me!!!

One of the many (I counted three) Ameyoko arches. No tourist visit is complete without a picture under this. :P

You will also find lots of street food here. Choco banana is a classic. You can also find these being sold in festivals, especially during summer, all over Japan.

Hmm... It seems that sukajan (souvenir jackets) are getting more popular now. Don't be fooled though! They are not cheap. The embroidery work done in these jackets will have you pulling more than one 10,000 yen bill off your pocket.

Remember what I said about Ameyoko being a one-stop shopping area? You can buy your dinner here as well. :P

If you are not repulsed by giant octopus tentacles like I am... there's no shortage of that either.

If you're after souvenirs, this might be a good place to visit for you as well. There are lots of plushies and toys and trinkets all over the place.

If you somehow missed visiting a temple during your trip, there's also one here! Obviously, the place where this man is standing isn't the temple (it's within the shopping streets).

Expect a crowd. This is not half of the people you will see in the main street.

What's Japan without gachapon???

I was told this is just a shop name... but it's pretty creative, isn't it?

This place also have a few second-hand shops. There's a few for "branded" items and there's some for less expensive stuff as well. I was able to snag three pieces of clothing and a couple of belts for a little over 1000 yen (approximately $10)!

I've personally always been a fan of flea markets. In every country I visit, I go to flea markets. While Ameyoko is a great place to visit for shopping and souvenir, I'll say that I've seen better. The Shilin Night Market in Taiwan, for one. But nothing will ever beat the Philippines' Divisoria. Haha.

See you all next time!

Xoxo,
Jona