I Just Love It; He Doesn't!

I'm talking about SHOPPING!  So can you guess who does what in our two-person household?  I always enjoyed shopping when we were back home, and it certainly hasn't changed any here in Japan.  In fact, it's probably worse as I'm always on the look-out for that "perfect gift" for our grandchildren
or for that perfect souvenir to bring back from Japan.

I think I'll start out small; that is, showing some of the small shops here in Japan.  Although Tokyo is the largest city in the world and has many large malls and department stores, it still has many--probably more--small boutiques and "mom & pop" grocery stands.

This first one is a hardware store.  Although they pull everything out front during the day, they still have to gather it all in and pull down the metal door for the night.

These two shots show the type of one-stall fruit and vegetable stands.  Usually, the owners can be found living in rooms behind the one-room store.  We get most of our weekly produce from shops such as this.

(Of course, don't forget that we are blessed to be able to shop monthly or so at an American AF Base, where we buy most of our staples.)

This small shop is a Health & Beauty store, and they are all as jam-packed as this one!

Cute children's clothes!  But most of the tops were about $70 and the jackets were $100!

This one-room shop sells nothing but pottery and chopsticks!

This clothing shop, too, is just one room only.  Many are much smaller than this!

I think this gives a better idea of how narrow the shops often are.  

There is just one row of clothing on each side of the room.

 This street give you an idea of how the shops are small and closely lined up one right after the other.

I just HAD to make the futon (pronounced "f'tone") shop extra large so you can appreciate what you see!  The heavy ones serve as mattresses (placed right on the floor), and the lighter ones are the quilts.  Since futons cannot be washed, they are hung over the railing to air out and be sanitized by the sun.  This is done very frequently by the Japanese.  Not so frequently by the missionaries, sorry to say.

Keep in mind, these shops are no wider than a single-car garage.

In addition to these little shops, there are also plenty of convenience stores (7-11 included) and super markets.  The latter are just not found as frequently as in America.  There are also seven Costcos in the greater Tokyo area.  And a real fave of all the American wives over here are the 100 Yen stores.  They are truly a great adventure on a shoestring! Daiso is the most popular of these stores, some being one floor and others as many as six floors.  Next door to this Daiso is another favorite of mine, Broadway Center.

Broadway Center and other "ginzas" throughout Tokyo are a line of shops with an arched roof overhead, somewhat like a mall, but just a straight shot with scores of tiny shops on either side,
and the whole thing goes on for blocks.

YEAH!!!

At each block intersection there is a cross street.  Here, too, are lots of shops, but they are not covered.

One particular place in Tokyo where all tourists migrate is Asakusa.  The trip there is two-fold:  you get to see an awesome, historic temple and its impressive gate as well as shop at the hundreds of shops leading up to the temple and along numerous cross streets which intersect in about four different places.  Mostly, one buys souvenirs like dolls, fans, chopsticks, swords, purses. children's kimonos, etc.  Nor should I forget all the vendors selling the many varieties of food! (fried octopus, anyone?)

This is the gate preceding the temple.

We, along with the Harrisons, Johnsens, Powells, and Bridges all did some shopping there last summer.

 These two guys stand guard at each side of the gate, protecting the temple beyond.

 The detailed ornamentation on these gates, temples, and pagodas is amazing!

 We got a kick out of this ten-foot "sandal" ornamentation!

 Note the size of the crowd!  It is "never NOT crowded" at Asakusa!

This is a view inside the temple where the priest performs services.  (See bottom left.)

Every temple always has a pair of dogs out front, one open-mouthed and the other closed-mouthed

The famous new communications tower, Sky Tree, tallest in Japan, can be seen from Asakusa.

 Darling shoppers!

Traditional shoppers!

 

 Clever carry-it-yourself street vendor

Beautiful five-story pagoda

 Rickshaw, anyone?

Crazy ornamentation on top of the Kirin Beer factory across the way!

Another place Elder G doesn't mind doing some "window shopping" is Ikebukuro.  It is totally different from Asakusa with its hundreds of tourist trinkets.  Instead, it is a very modern part of Tokyo, and all the shops (and malls) are very, very upscale.  It is just a few blocks from the second busiest train station in Japan.  We couldn't believe the crowds of people as we exited the station and walked to our destination, a mall named Sunshine City.  President and Sister Albrecht took us there our first time as I was looking for something particular, and supposedly Toys R Us in the mall there was the place to go.  Although it was a rainy evening, it didn't dampen anyone's efforts to get to where they were going.

  I LOVE THE LIGHTS AND THE RAIN!

It's so crowded on some of the streets leading away from the train station that no cars are allowed!

 Ikebukuro rules!  Honestly, it's so full of life, and people, that you just feel the excitement as you exit the train!  There are also American restaurants there, so we've patronized TGIF once
and another great Italian restaurant as well. 

 Stores may have been fancy there, but they were still in need of the Grammar Police!

 

I've been told there will be a beautiful four-story Christmas tree in this part of the mall any day now!

Mosaic of Mt. Fuji on one wall in Sunshine City.  It is really impressive.

 No, Toys R Us didn't have what I was looking for, but it was worth the trip.  Even the train/subway station at Ikebukuro has so many underground shops that there is almost no need to surface to do any shopping during your commute.  There are two large department stores, many stories high, and then hundreds of shops and restaurants!  It is just amazing to us to see so much life and commerce going on below the ground!

And if you're wondering about the crowds of people on the streets, 

here's a look at how they all get home after a long, hard day at work or shopping:

So, looking at this crowd, is it any wonder why Elder G doesn't like shopping?