Oyama Station - Happy Road Shopping Street

Activity > Tokyo > Sightseeing > Ikebukuro

I had a little extra time today so I took a little stroll around "Happy Road Shopping Street" in Oyama, Tokyo. In Japanese "Just walking around looking at things and exploring" is called "Bura Bura", simple right! Anyway, Oyama Station is about a 10 min. ride from Ikebukuro. There is a semi-famous shopping street/arcade there called "Happy Road Shopping Street".  I didn't see too many happy people but I did see many interesting things and just casually took some pictures.

This is a traditional Tokyo shopping street you can find all over Tokyo.  Most stations have a "Shopping Street" we call a "Shoutengai".  In the Shoutengai there all all kinds of little shops from grocery stores, to Taco Yaki shops and Pachinko Parlors.  Usually bikes line the edges of the street because moms have to ride from their apartment building a few minutes away.

Side alley's usually contain "Ayashii" establishments ("Ayashii" means, "Don't know exactly what the heck they do in there but it probably has something to do with either money, drinking or sex"). During the day these places are closed and the owners are outside cleaning up the trash and washing off the street. It looks so different at night!

I stopped at one little shop and got a box of Tako Yaki (little balls of deep fried batter with a piece of octopus in the middle). Tako Yaki is traditionally an Osaka food but of course Tokyo people like it too... if it's done right.  This Tako Yaki wasn't bad, pretty normal but I was hungry and it tasted good.  On my way back to the station I saw a black cat laying in the middle of the road.  All the moms on bikes were swerving out of the way as the cat just lay there not moving. Maybe that black cat had some magical powers!