Chinese, unable to travel abroad, are flocking to a mock Japanese street in Guangdong
- A street in Foshan city has been turned into a slice of Japan, much to the delight of young people unable to travel due to the pandemic
- Although not officially open, word has spread quickly via social media and Guangdong residents are flocking to the area
A Japanese-themed street in China’s Guangdong province has become a hit with young people unable to travel abroad due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The 100m-long road in Foshan city called Ichiban Street has been outfitted by a local property developer to resemble famous commercial streets in Japan, complete with a sakura tree, an icon of Japan.
Ichibangai is a term used to describe large shopping streets in Japan, with one of the most famous located at the entrance to Kabukicho in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district.
Japanese lanterns have been hung along the street in Foshan, while buildings have been fitted with an array of signboards written in Japanese. Even the traffic lights, street signs and road markings are modelled on those used in Japan.
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Tourists in China feed international travel bug at Japan-themed street in Guangdong province
Many of the neon signs refer to Japanese anime characters such as Astro Boy, Inuyasha and Sailor Moon, which are popular in China.