ABSTRACT
This chapter has two shopping districts with contrasting geographical locations and historical backgrounds in Tokyo. The two local shopping streets are Azabu-Juban and Shimokitazawa. Both shopping streets survives to keep creating local authenticity those shoppers' desires. Authenticity has become their commercial "niche". For shopping streets in Tokyo is to be rich in traditional aesthetics but flexible in the products and services they offer. They are historic and trendy, Asian and Western, and paradoxical mix of globalized authenticity. Migrants continue to provide the goods and services that nurture Azabu-Juban's cosmopolitan character, becoming the cultural ecosystem of the street. These shows like Azabu-Juban, Shimokitazawa are able to create a strong sense of local authenticity in global culture and global economy. But Azabu-Juban and Shimokitazawa share an impressive tolerance towards different cultures and tastes. This tolerance creates an authentic public space in the shopping street, which contrasts with the privatization that has become common around the world cultural narrative.
