The Motomachi shopping street is one of Kobe’s main retail arteries, a long covered arcade running west from the centre and lined with a huge variety of shops. From long-established local stores and boutiques to fashion, sweets, cafes and specialities, it offers a more traditional and characterful shopping experience than the modern malls. Sheltered from the weather and always busy, it is a pleasant place to browse, pick up gifts and snacks and soak up the everyday commercial life of the city on foot.