Posted by Back to Japan again for today’s post. Japan is a country very much in flux. The old and the new both exist here, but they really don’t mix as well as some would like to have you believe. Mainly I think that has to do with that most people idealize the past too much without really understanding it and the culture and life style that drove it. The same is true with new trends also but in reverse. But that is peripheral to today’s post.
I went for a walk today looking for some presents to take back to the states when I visit and decided to take a walk down the local shopping street to let you see one of the few more traditional shopping streets that is still hanging in there.
Welcome to Uontana
It is a short walk away from Akashi Station, like maybe five minutes. You can find a little of everything down this street and off of the side streets around it, but the main specialty is fish and octopus are king here.
On weekends and in the early morning, it is packed with people, but I went on in the afternoon on a Friday when I took these picks, so things were a little slower and many of the shops had already closed for the day.
In addition to fish you can also find a lot of local produce that is fairly comparable or a little cheaper than at the grocery store.
And, if you have the money and time you can get a Kimono here also. That take a bit of time and money though. They also sell Yukata of various qualities and price. A Yukata is like a single layer kimono for summer. It is what a lot of people wear to festivals.
If you are looking for it, go out the opposite side of the station from Akashi Park and head down this road. You can’t miss it and if you are hungry, don’t worry. There are plenty of decently priced places with good food to eat around there. The Akashi-yaki are pretty good too.
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J.G. Johnson 