The country of Japan is home to about 127 million people. Those millions live in a country that is smaller than the state of California. Knowing this, I am astounded by the stores. Not because there are so many of them, though there are a lot, but because of what they hold.
Of course you can find typical grocery stores, flower shops and clothing stores. But a sock store? A whole store dedicated to nothing but cloth coverings for your feet and legs? Yup, Heather and I went there today. If you want socks, slippers, leggings, nylons, tights - there's a great place on Blue Street I could recommend.
How about umbrellas? Yup, we've got those too. Just head down the street and up the stairs. You'll find a place blooming umbrellas. Pink, green, polka dots, stripes, plain black. If it keeps you dry when the sky falls down, they have it. And that's all they have.
Even fake hair. I've seen whole shops devoted to the sale of fine hair. Not just wigs, but scrunchies and combs and clips, all with fake hair attached. The best part - they only come in black and shades of brown. Do I really need fourteen different types of hair extensions to choose from? No, but there they are.
People complain about American consumerism. "All Americans think about it money," they say. "It's just buy, buy, buy." Well I've got news for you folks. The Japanese have us beat black and blue and crying over our broken piggy banks.
Anything you want to buy is here, in fifteen colors, eight styles and twelve sizes. So shop away America, but know that you are just a poor, redheaded stepchild next to the consumer capital of the world - Japan.
I leave you today with a quote from actor John Barrymore. "America is the country where you buy a lifetime supply of aspirin for one dollar and use it up in two weeks." Japan is the country where the lifetime supply of aspirin comes in an assortment of Pokemon shaped bottles with cheerful phrases on the labels.
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