Kanda, a district in Tokyo, is famous for its large numbers of sporting goods shops. With its vast selection of high-quality sports stores, Kanda drew the attention of skiing and snowboarding fans. But how did the place become the center of sporting goods stores?

According to a 60-year-old owner of one of the sports shops in the area, Mikio Kadoya, plenty of secondhand shops had the local’s students as their customers. Kadoya also mentioned that sporting goods stores started to emerge after ice skating became a huge hit. The sport became even more in demand because of the Sapporo Winter Olympics in 1972.

Over time, the secondhand shops that used to buy old items from students turned into ski equipment shops. Kanda’s popularity reached its peak in the 1990s when around 80 shops were crowded. This resulted in the district’s development as the center of sporting goods.

Nowadays, ski resorts are becoming more diverse and family-oriented by adding more areas for sledding and skiing. Choosing the right equipment determines the kind of happiness people will experience in skiing, and Kanda is there to help anyone to definitely enjoy winter sports.