February 3rd, 2006 | The lowdown by Peter Sidell

Shopping in Isezakicho Happy Japanese Style.

In Yokohama, there are lots of up-market places to go shopping. But, while Queen's Square, Landmark Plaza and Motomachi are nice, they're not really so different from the rest of the world. So, for a more down-to-earth, authentically Japanese shopping experience, go to Isezakicho.

A mile-long pedestrianised shopping street, Isezakicho is where Japanese people come to shop in Yokohama; the only non-Japanese you'll see are Russian hostesses and the odd English teacher. It has everything, from top-of-the-range to bargain basement, and you can easily find shopping and entertainment enough to spend a day on the one street alone. Clothes shops, for example, range from fancy department store Matsuzakaya through mid-range Uni Qlo to pile-high-sell-cheap 306 Casual House, with lots of smaller shops besides. In true Japanese egalitarian style, everything is thrown together: expensive jewelery and souvenir shops happily rub shoulders with Daiso and its four floors of hundred-yen wonders. For entertainment you have a choice of cinemas, games centres, internet cafes, even a 24-hour bowling alley, and of course a load of bars and izakayas. Eating is never a problem: there are counter bars selling noodles and rice-bowls, ramen-shops (my favourite is Hidaya), family restaurants, 'dining bars' and Asian restaurants. Or you can just get a cheap lunch from Shop QQ, a big basement corner shop where everything is 99 yen.

The side-streets off Isezakicho continue the same way, but here you also have to watch out for signs saying 'snack' or 'pub'. These are hostess bars where if you want (and if they let you in, as most are for Japanese men only), you can pay large amounts to buy Russian women drinks.

It's easy to find, close to JR Kannai station, and Yoshinocho, Isezakicho-jamachi and Kannai subway stations. Other places are fancier and more polished, but Isezakicho is cheap, cheerful and authentically Japanese. Enjoy.