Kitahama Alley

Kitahama Alley (北浜alley / 北浜アリー) is a mixed-use commercial complex in Kitahama-cho, Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan, created by renovating old waterfront warehouses. It opened in 2000 and is described as a trend spot on the Takamatsu Port waterfront. The facility houses galleries, boutiques, cafe-restaurants, a hair salon, and general-goods shops, and its plaza hosts flea markets and concerts. The warehouses were originally built in the early Showa period as temporary storage for cargo passing through Takamatsu Port. After the opening of the Honshu-Shikoku bridges ended that role, the site was redeveloped under three basic principles: preserve the warehouses' original appearance, regenerate them as a commercial facility, and make a cultural contribution. The project was developed by first-class architect Masako Inoue together with the landowner, the agricultural cooperative JA Kagawa. Four warehouses stood at right angles to the road opposite the Ukou National Route Ferry terminal; one inner warehouse was removed leaving only its framework to create a brick-paved plaza, while the other three were renovated with unchanged exteriors and interiors kept as close to the original as possible. Today Kitahama Alley is a place where many young people gather on weekends. Because tenant rents are kept to roughly one-fifth of the level in central Takamatsu, there are many applicants, and plans have emerged to renovate three nearby warehouses to meet demand. The official site lists tenants including the cafe umie, the salon h(y)to, KITAHAMA CHAPEL for weddings, the shop RAG-STYLE, the restaurant Setouchi French Aura, the bakery and cafe iam with bread, the shop Element, the cafe 206 TSUMAMU, the hotel Setouchi Stay, the shop depot., Kitahama blue stories, Peeka-Booyah, and the 206 Share Gallery. The complex is about a 10-minute walk from JR Takamatsu Station and an 8-minute walk from Kotoden Takamatsu-Chikko Station, with a Kotoden bus stop, Kitahama Alley, right by the site.

Kitahama Alley began with the warehouses of Kitahama, Takamatsu. The warehouses were built in the early Showa period as temporary storage for cargo passing through Takamatsu Port. When the Honshu-Shikoku bridges opened, the warehouses lost that function. The redevelopment was conceived by people involved in commercial facility design, who had long dreamed of such a project. The trigger was a remark by a young woman (a student) at a meeting: "If only Takamatsu also had a wide shop where you can do various kinds of play." The warehouse district of Kitahama seemed the place to express such young people's feelings. The plan was brought to JA Kagawa, the landowner, and talks proceeded smoothly. There were difficulties coordinating with building laws, and some older people worried whether business could succeed in such a deserted place, but the gap-filled warehouse exteriors and the stylish character of each tenant created a special atmosphere, and the site quickly became a commercial and sightseeing destination in Takamatsu. The facility opened in 2000. It was developed by first-class architect Masako Inoue and JA Kagawa under the basic principles of preserving the warehouses' original appearance, regenerating them as a commercial facility, and making a cultural contribution. Four warehouses stood at right angles to the road opposite the Ukou National Route Ferry terminal. One inner warehouse was removed leaving only its framework to create a brick-paved plaza, while the other three were renovated with unchanged exteriors and interiors kept as close to the original as possible. The total floor area is 1,099.56 m2 and the brick plaza area is 187.74 m2. The owner is JA Kagawa; design and operation are by Masako Inoue. The address is 4-14 Kitahama-cho, Takamatsu, Kagawa. In the years since, Kitahama Alley has become a place where many young people gather on weekends. Tenant rents are kept to roughly one-fifth of the level in central Takamatsu, so there are many applicants, and a plan has emerged to renovate three nearby warehouses to meet demand. The official website presents the complex as "Since 2001" and describes its origin in walking the Kitahama warehouse district and sensing the potential of a waterfront commercial district, comparing it to places such as Fisherman's Wharf in Los Angeles, Pier 17 in New York, and Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston. It positions Kitahama as a human-scale waterfront that tells the history of the port town, in contrast to the newer waterfront of Sunport Takamatsu. The site also emphasizes symbols, tradition, and the appeal of warehouses for young people, and notes that cultural information transmission adds value to commercial facilities.

• 2025

  New hair salon h(y)to opens on December 9, 2025.

• 2001

  Official site presents the complex as 'Since 2001'.

• 2000

  Kitahama Alley opens as a warehouse-reuse commercial complex in Takamatsu.

A human-scale, nostalgic waterfront commercial and cultural destination that preserves the original warehouse appearance while regenerating it as a trend spot for young people.

• umie

  Cafe at Kitahama Alley.

• h(y)to

  Hair salon opened December 9, 2025.

• KITAHAMA CHAPEL

  Wedding venue.

• RAG-STYLE

  Shop at Kitahama Alley.

• Setouchi French Aura

  French restaurant.

• iam with bread

  Bakery and cafe.

• Element

  Shop at Kitahama Alley.

• 206 TSUMAMU

  Cafe known for quiche.

• Setouchi Stay

  Hotel at Kitahama Alley.

• depot.

  Shop at Kitahama Alley.

• Kitahama blue stories

  Shop at Kitahama Alley.

• Peeka-Booyah

  Shop at Kitahama Alley.

• 206 Share Gallery

  Gallery on the second floor of 206 TSUMAMU.

1. 1北浜alley【公式】kitahama-alley.com
2. 2北浜alleyのヒストリーkitahama-alley.com
3. 3北浜alley - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org
4. 4Kitahama Alley - Wikidatawikidata.org
5. 5北浜alleyja.wikipedia.org