A ‘SHOTENGAI’ is a Japanese-style local shopping arcade where small shops are gathered. It usually indicates an old-time local commercial district with a group of small local non-brand shops, restaurants, cafes, arcades along a certain street, and many could be a family owned business. “SHOUTENGAI” used to be the busiest area enlivening the communities, having numerous visitors and shoppers everyday. But now, compared to 30 years ago SHOTENGAI have decreased by 40 percent. The reason is very clear. Ageing of the shopkeepers and expansion of major chain supermarkets and megastores. Because of its characteristics, SHOTENGAI has not been able to compete with chain stores on pricing and convenience. Small business in SHOTENGAI simply cannot survive. Closing down more and more SHOTENGAI has been a critical issue everywhere in Japan, which is what is called symbolically ‘Shattered shopping street’ in Japanese. We came up with this project for one of SHOTENGAI, ‘SHINSEKAI ICHIBA’ in Osaka, our hometown, hoping it could help to promote its renovation.

Many events were held in the arcade and some of them were successful, but it was always in the one-day event. It got back ruined arcade again after these events were over. We thought that “we should do something not temporary.”

We decided to make posters because they could keep them indefinitely. 39 volunteer creatives made with 120 posters for 18 shops. The SHOTENGAI was covered up with posters.

39 volunteer creatives made with 120 posters for 18 shops. The SHOTENGAI was covered up with posters. Also posters were displayed in the gallery, which was renovated vacant shop for this event.

・Doubled the number of visitors and shoppers.

・It was reported by more than 12media outlets. (2 TVs, 1 newspaper,1 radio,4 magazines and 4 internet news etc…). The media exposure values totaled 400,000 US dollars.

・The project inspired Kagoshima graphic desiners to begin their own.

・Led to create new projects for other SHOTENGAI in Osaka and Yamagata. They are currently in process.

SHINSEKAI Ichiba decided to keep our advertising posters there indefinitely, as lucky charms and also making it their characteristics. They became a unique shopping arcade fully covered with posters, and still drawing attention since then.