Tanukikoji Shopping Arcade(狸小路商店街) is a roofed shopping street located between Odori and Susukino. We are used to call ‘Tanukikoji’. From the west side of the Sosei river to the west 7 chome,where the arcade is lying. There are about 200 shops in the arcade. This is one of the oldest shopping street in Hokkaido lasting more than 135 years. Tanuki means a raccoon dog in Japanese. Koji means a narrow street. Nobody knows why this shopping arcade is named as ‘Tanukikoji’. It is presumed that there were some racoon dogs here, so that its name came from those animal.

Another story, Tanukikoji is so close to Susukino where there had been some touting-men or prostitutes standing every night, that’s why people called them as ‘Tanuki’. According to an Japanese ancient tradition, Tanuki is an animal that takes the shape of a human or other figures such as a teakettle, the old folktale ‘Bunbuku Chagama’ is the story of Tanuki’s kidding people. So that Japanese call a strange person ‘Tanuki’. The original arcade of Tanukikoji had been still there in the Meiji era, 1873. So close to Susukino and Official area, it had been growing drastically. From 1958, the roofs were settled. In Tanukikoji 5 chome, there is a shrine called ‘Honjin Tanuki Daimyou Jinjya’. It is said that Tanuki has eight goodness, for example, you have rush of business touching a Daifukucho(account book) in his left hand, or you have an easy delivery for a baby touching his stomach. Why don’t you try?

When you walk in Tanukukoji street, you are going to see some street musician or performers, especially at the night time.

Access to Tanukikoji

• from Susukino: 5 min walk
• from Odori: 8 min walk

You can also access from Aurora town, an underground shopping area between Odori and Susukino.

Shopping

Foods

marine products, tea, rice, bread, sweets, fast foods, meat, fruits…

Fashion

ladies, mens, kids, sports, jewelry, watch, glass, bags, general goods, accessary

Interior

furniture, house ware, 100 yen shop,

Others

flower, souvenir, discount shop, re-used shop, supermarket, pet, tobacco, drugstore, cosme, bike, fuel, music, musical instruments, audio, PC, kimono, school uniform, barber/beauty goods, bookstore, travel agency, photo, Karaoke, rental shop, print, parking, cinema, cleaning, public bath, amusement…

Restaurants

Italian, French, Japanese, Chinese, Udon, Soba, Ramen, Yakitori, Izakaya, Bar/snack, foods to go, Asian, Other country…