Go to any “tourist-y” location in Tokyo these days and, depending on the day and time, you’re bound to find yourself stuck in pedestrian traffic jams and long cafe lines. That’s not true, however, of a relatively new tourist trap located near the Toyosu fish market. Even on a weekend, this location seems to be full of Japanese visitors and very few foreign tourists. Why are foreign tourists just not into Sankyaku Banrai?
Another artificial tourist experience in Tokyo
Senkyaku Banrai (千客万来; “roaring business”) is a new Edo town-style attraction opened by MANYO CLUB Inc. in February 2024. Located near the Toyosu Fish Market across the street from Shijō-mae Station, the location contains a two-level pedestrian walkway featuring shops offering small food bites, drinks, desserts, specialty packaged food from traditional Japanese retailers, and souvenirs. There’s an outside area, the Menuki Odori, as well as an inside area, the Mekiki Yokocho.
The building also sports an onsen for those looking for a relaxing day getaway, an overnight, or a quick soak in a foot bath. (No, there’s no natural source of hot spring water here – they truck it in daily from Hakone and Yugawara.) Signs in front of Senkyaku Banrai also advertise what appears to be a new “samurai experience.”
A samurai experience! What foreigner visiting Japan doesn’t love a samurai experience?!
Apparently, plenty. My interest was piqued by this article from Tanigashira Kazuki, who claimed that Senkyakyu Banrai didn’t see a lot of foreign tourists. Instead, it appeared to be populated mainly by Tokyo citizens and domestic tourists looking for that rare place not over-crowded by foreigners.
Indeed, a preliminary search online doesn’t show this to be a hoppin’ attraction for foreign tourists. On Wikipedia, the site’s page is translated into Korean (Japan’s largest group of tourists) but not English, Mandarin, or Cantonese.
A relaxing stroll and bites
However, the website itself is available in all of these languages. The destination was obviously built to attract travelers from around the world. So why aren’t they showing up?
Intrigued, I decided to check it out for myself. For me, that required riding the Rinkai Line to Kokusai Tenji-jo Station and then walking over to grab the Yurikamome to Shijō-mae.
The station provides easy access to top tourist attractions, including top-ranking tourist draw teamLab Planets and the Toyosu Fish Market. And, right across the street as you exit the station stands Senkyaku, one of seven different restaurant and wholesale shopping districts in the area.
Senkyaku is very much like similar artificial “yokocho” projects springing up around Tokyo to cater to tourism. Its fastidiousness makes me think less of the yokocho that sprung up organically over decades in Tokyo and more of monstrosities like Kabukicho Tower, which attempt to create a faux traditional Japanese oasis amidst a sea of modernity.
You can definitely get your tourist on in Senkyaku. There are plenty of small bites where you can sample kushiyaki, takoyaki, karaage, daifuku mochi, sushi, ramen, tamagoyaki, and other delectable treats. There are plenty of standing tables so you can avoid committing the cardinal Japanese sin of eating while walking in public (though that’s not actually frowned upon in Senkyaku). Outside the official souvenir shop, you’ll find plenty of locations selling items such as dried goods, fruits, cheeses, and even ukiyo-e prints.
I was surprised to see that Tanigashira didn’t appear to be kidding. It’s not that Senkyaku Banrai had no foreign tourists. I saw several groups that were White Like Me, and heard conversations in Korean and Mandarin. Most signs were at least in both Japanese and English, with Korean and Chinese also common.
For the most part, however, Senkyaku Banrai abounded in conversations in Japanese. I saw several sizable Japanese groups use the front of Menuki Odori as a meetup spot for a fun day together. It is, indeed, one of the few tourist traps in Tokyo that appears to bring in more domestic travelers than inbound tourists.
Why no foreigner love?
So why doesn’t Senkyaku draw in the foreign tourists, despite obviously being created for that purpose?
An obvious answer is Senkyaku’s artificial-ness and the existence of other, more organic locations. If you want a true Japanese market experience, you can – and should! – check out Tsukiji Outer Market, the previous site of the wholesale fish market and a bustling sprawl of outdoor food stands. (We almost always include Tsukiji as part of our Tokyo tours.)
If you want an actual Yokocho, there’s Golden Gai in Shinjuku, Nonbei in Shibuya, Tatsumi Shindo in Koto City, and numerous others. These locations feel more natural – and are much larger – than Senkyaku.
Truth is, there’s nothing at the small Senkyaku that isn’t available elsewhere. The onsen strikes me as especially silly. Why go to a hot springs that trucks water in from Hakone when you can easily visit Hakone in a day trip from Tokyo?
In his article, Tanigashira also points out that teamLab Planets and the Toyosu Fish Market likely grab most tourists’ attention. For tourists who want a commercialized, faux-Japan shopping experience, Odaiba provides that in more scenic surroundings and with much more to do.
By contrast, says Tanigashira, Senkyaku seems tailor-made to appeal to Japanese customers. The variety of food and experiences make it a draw for families. Plus, new free buses to Senkyaku from Shimbashi and Monzennakacho make it an easy trip.
The problem for Senkyaku Banrai, Tanigashira says, is getting people – even Japanese people – to come back. Most people he informally polled who’d been there seem to think a single trip is enough.
Personally, I agree. Senkyaku Banrai made for a fine afternoon. If you want to get away from the crowds for a bit and are nearby, it may be worth a look-see. But I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit a second time – not with so much else to do and see across Tokyo. (Go grab some great eats and a nice coffee from neighborhoods like Kagurazaka, Jimbocho, or Shimokitazawa instead. If you want an old-style Japanese market with an actual history, check out Taishakuten-Sando in Shimabata.)
Senkyaku Banrai’s lack of any flagship store or experience, plus its general absence of character, means you can safely leave this stop to the domestic crowd.
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