If you are a student at Kanagawa University or living near the area, the place has restaurants, shops, pachinko…probably within that area is where you’ll see a lot of foot traffic.
One of the things that people will find the shopping area in “Rokkakubashi Shopping Street” is that it’s quite retro in feel.
Back in the 1400’s, samurai would go through Rokkakubashi to Kozukue Castle. By 1871, Kanagawa Prefecture would be created and the current shopping area would be known as Musashi Kunitachibana Tatsukigun Rokkakubashi village.
With the formation of Yokohama in 1889, Rokkakubashi Village was merged with eight other villages and would be known as “Tachibana Tatsuki Ultramarine Gomura Oaza Rokkakubashi”.
By 1926, the nearby Hakuraku Station was created and a year later, as Kanagawa would bring many visitors to the area, Yokohama City was known in April 1, 1927 – “Yokohama Rokkakubashi Town”.
But with the ward system implemented, later in October, it would be known as “Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi Rokkakubashi town”.
In 1930, Yokohama College was relocated near the area and would later become known as Kanagawa University.
A parade at Rokkakubashi in 1934 (source: Rokakkubashi website)
Seeing a lot of modern shops in other areas of Kanagawa, walking into this shopping area, it’s like walking back in time a few decades into the past. It’s definitely retro!
While many can see it just an average shopping street with shops that tend to change quite often over the years it seems. Because it’s by Kanagawa University, the students make it a hip place to visit.
The arch that you see in this photo is no more. The location now sports a stained glass entrance. The place now sports Big Japan Pro Wrestling, live performances and a free market ala Dokkiriyami Market.
It has been a long time since I have been at this shopping area, as most shopping has focused near Minatomirai, Lalaport Yokohama or even Yokohama World Porters. While the Marina is the place to be, for the locals and college students that need to do something after school or on the weekends, Rokkakubashi Shopping Street was a happening place as I remember it and I look forward to revisiting the place later this year.
