As in much of the industrialized world, a significant amount of shopping in Japan takes place in towering shopping malls and chain supermarkets. But cities and towns throughout the country are also home to a more traditional form of shopping thanks to their shotengai, or shopping streets. While these traditional shopping streets are facing numerous challenges, they're also being reevaluated for their friendly atmosphere and contribution to the social fabric of their neighborhoods. In this edition of Japanology Plus, we take a stroll down several of these shopping streets and find out why they're worth a visit.

Fewer people are using trains in outlying regions of Japan, and about one third of Japanese rail lines operate in the red. Because of this, regional rail companies have been shutting down money-losing lines or expanding into side businesses. This time on Japanology Plus, we look at the crisis regional railways are facing. Our guest, Hiroaki Oshima, works at a private-sector thinktank studying Japan's systems for moving goods and people. And in Plus One, hiking a famous old rail route in Gunma Prefecture.