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This is so fascinating. I had no idea and I’m sure many others are surprised to read this history. The name of Yodobashi Camera isn’t just a name but has deep connections to Shinjuku as well. Thank you again for all your research!

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Indeed, there is a lot of history behind the name “Yodobashi”.

I am glad you brought up Yodobashi Camera in this way. I thought about mentioning the origins of the company name in the article but for the sake of focus and brevity decided not to in the end.

When the name “Nishi-Shinjuku” was adopted in the 1970s all the old names—Yodobashi, Jūnisō, Tsunohazu—disappeared. Only half a century later most people don’t even know they once existed…

This is actually mentioned in next week’s installment.

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Incidentally, when I started my research for this essay it took me a little while to realize that I needed to search for Yodobashi, Jūnisō, Tsunohazu, Yotsuya, etc. Instead of Shinjuku. Shinjuku used to be a very small part of what we now know as Shinjuku.

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