Judo champion Tani stumps as DPJ candidate for upper house poll

Judo champion Tani stumps as DPJ candidate for upper house poll

TOKYO, Japan - Two-time Olympic judo champion Ryoko Tani works the popular Azabu Juban shopping area in central Tokyo on June 24, 2010 as she makes her debut as a candidate for the House of Councillors. Official campaigning for the poll on July 11 got under way the same day.

Timeless shops line Tokyo's nostalgic Azabu Juban area

Timeless shops line Tokyo's nostalgic Azabu Juban area

From traditional hand-roasted Japanese rice crackers to deep-fried bean snacks, age-old shops line the nostalgic shopping street of Azabu Juban, which boasts over 300 years of history, in Tokyo on March 16, 2013. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Pasta crackers of Kineya in Tokyo

Pasta crackers of Kineya in Tokyo

Photo taken March 13, 2015, shows fried pasta crackers that go well with wine at Kineya in Tokyo's Azabu Juban shopping district. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Colorfully packaged rice crackers at Agemochi-ya

Colorfully packaged rice crackers at Agemochi-ya

Colorfully packaged rice crackers are on display at the Agemochi-ya rice cracker store in Tokyo's Azabu Juban shopping district on March 13, 2015. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Confectioner makes, sells salt rice cracker on Tokyo shopping street

Confectioner makes, sells salt rice cracker on Tokyo shopping street

A confectioner makes and sells flavored "shio-okaki" salt rice crackers in a corner of Mamegen, a shop established in 1865, on a shopping street in Tokyo's time-honored Azabu Juban district on March 16, 2015. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

People frequent 'taiyaki' pancake shop on time-honored Tokyo street

People frequent 'taiyaki' pancake shop on time-honored Tokyo street

There is an endless stream of people visiting Naniwaya Sohonten, one of Japan's oldest shops selling "taiyaki" fish-shaped pancakes with a filling of sweet bean paste, on a shopping street in Tokyo's Azabu Juban district on March 13, 2015. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Shoppers at Agemochi-ya rice cracker store in Tokyo

Shoppers at Agemochi-ya rice cracker store in Tokyo

Shoppers visit the Agemochi-ya rice cracker store in Tokyo's Azabu Juban shopping district on March 13, 2015. Crackers with a salt-lemon flavor are the most popular with customers. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Judo champion Tani stumps as DPJ candidate for upper house poll

Judo champion Tani stumps as DPJ candidate for upper house poll

TOKYO, Japan - Two-time Olympic judo champion Ryoko Tani works the popular Azabu Juban shopping area in central Tokyo on June 24, 2010 as she makes her debut as a candidate for the House of Councillors. Official campaigning for the poll on July 11 got under way the same day. (Kyodo)