ABSTRACT
Shopping is a key visitor activity available in Japan and could also be understood as Japan's cultural heritage. Japan's places for shopping are diverse. Some places are comprehended as ‘cathedrals of consumption’, which comprises various service suppliers. Shoten-gai is Japan's most traditional shopping area full of independent local stores. However, shoten-gai started declining in the 1980s when supermarkets began to attract consumers from a wide commercial zone. Hyakkaten is a department store with high status and sell plush products but has begun to lose its popularity recently. In the 1990s, Japan saw the rise of shopping and outlet malls. Both hyakkaten and these malls are Japan's cathedrals of consumption. Tokyo and Osaka are Japan's two capitals of consumption where various shopping districts exist and they always keep changing along with (re)developments and spatial transformation, reflecting ever-changing needs of the demand and supply sides of services. Tokyo has seven main shopping areas and each has unique characteristics. New places for consumption may also arise as a result of Tokyo 2020. Osaka has two major shopping areas. Kita has been changing a lot as a result of an extensive redevelopment project, whilst Minami's characteristics have been altered due to inbound tourism boom.
