The shopping centers and malls offer them opportunities to get their minds off daily pressures. They can browse through stores, stop in a coffeeshop, listen to CDs at a CD shop, play games at a game center, banter with shop clerks, or gather information about new goods and services. Commercial establishments frequently feature special cultural events. Many department stores devote space for art exhibitions of the paintings of famous artists and to up and coming artists. Major shopping malls schedule concerts on weekends.
Shoppers can pause from their shopping and listen while sipping coffee.
They can also find free entertainment near shopping areas. Musicians aspiring to become recognized give 'concerts' outside major train stations and sometimes inside them. The musicians come from around Japan and from around the world. The audience consists of commuters and shoppers. Some stop and listen for a while.