The Motomachi Charming Sale bustling with many shoppers, at Yokohama Motomachi Shopping Street

The annual autumn event “Motomachi Charming Sale” began on the 20th at Yokohama Motomachi Shopping Street (Naka Ward, Yokohama). Despite the unfortunate rainy weather, visitors enjoyed shopping while holding umbrellas. The event is organized by the cooperative association “Motomachi SS Kai” and continues until the 28th.

This year’s catchphrase is “The main characters are ‘us'”. Approximately 200 participating stores are offering discounted prices and limited edition products. At Motomachi Itsukushima Shrine, special goshuin stamps commemorating the sale are also being issued. A female office worker in her 40s smiled and said, “I came because I’m interested in Motomachi fashion. I’m enjoying looking at autumn clothing.”

Limited edition goshuin stamps are being issued for the sale, at Motomachi Itsukushima Shrine

The association’s chairman stated, “The appeal of the sale is that usual products become more affordable. We hope people come to buy seasonal items.”

Motomachi Charming Sale

The Motomachi Charming Sale is a popular annual street market held in the Motomachi shopping district of Yokohama, Japan. It began in 1981 as a community event to revitalize the area and is now a major tradition featuring numerous stalls selling antiques, crafts, and food. The event celebrates the district’s history as a fashionable international port city since the late 19th century.

Yokohama Motomachi Shopping Street

Yokohama Motomachi Shopping Street is a historic shopping district that developed in the late 19th century as a foreign settlement area following the opening of Yokohama’s port. Today, it retains its cosmopolitan charm with a blend of Western-style buildings and upscale boutiques, reflecting its international heritage as one of Japan’s first modern shopping streets.

Motomachi SS Kai

Motomachi SS Kai is a modern shopping and dining complex located in the historic Motomachi district of Kobe, Japan. It was developed as part of the city’s reconstruction efforts following the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995. The complex is known for its sophisticated, European-inspired architecture and houses a collection of upscale boutiques, cafes, and restaurants.

Motomachi Itsukushima Shrine

The Motomachi Itsukushima Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Hakodate, Japan, established in the mid-19th century to protect the local fishing community. It is dedicated to the three Munakata goddesses and is a smaller-scale replica of the famous Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima, complete with its own “floating” torii gate over a pond.