Janjan Yokocho

Experience retro Osaka through shogi (Japanese chess) clubs, bars, kushikatsu restaurants, and other eateries of Shinsekai. Stop in the shooting gallery to win a small prize or try your hand at Japanese archery. This narrow alley connects Dobutsuen-mae Station with the rest of Shinsekai and is a great place to walk and explore with friends. The street got its name "Jan Jan" from the onomatopoeia for the sound of taiko and shamisen that echoed in the alley in the pre-war era. Local mascot Jan Jan Kitaro, and animated version of Tsutenkaku, can be seen on signboards jamming out on his sanshin.