One of Japan¡¯s oldest and most visited shopping streets in the heart of Tokyo¡¯s touristy Asakusa district is bracing for a massive rent hike.
The 89 stores lining the narrow 250-meter-long Nakamise dori shopping strip leading up to Sensoji Temple sell anything from senbei (rice crackers) to affordable kimono and mock samurai swords. It is one of the nation¡¯s hottest tourist draws and is especially popular with overseas travelers looking to stock up on Japanesque souvenirs before heading home.
Until now, tenants operated under a unique arrangement: While the land belonged to Sensoji, the shops were owned by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, to whom the shopkeepers paid rent.
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