Yesterday afternoon, while up in another neck of the woods, I decided to try the supermarket I had discovered there, rather than returning home, and thence going out again to the supermarket I normally frequent, which is on the opposite side of my burrow.
It appeared to be an independent shop, unlike my regular supermarket, part of the Seiyu chain. The sign out the front was a bit rusted, but then again, so is half of Japan. Inside, however, the differences really became apparent.
Tables piled high with stuff, packets of fish flakes, fruit, slippers, more fish-like substances, each aisle crowded together like an IGA back home, shelves bursting at the seams. Perhaps they dont have a stockroom...
And the people! Little old ladies out in force, housewives by the dozens, clambouring over one and other, shouting, pulling, pushing, biting, (ok, not biting,) all so they could beat each other to the fish that was a few cents cheaper than the otherwise identical item right in front of them.
I could understand, if they were significantly cheaper, but they were not. Indeed the entire supermarket was priced, on average, higher than my local big chain. A couple of things on special were cheaper, true, but nothing not on special was cheaper. Milk was the same price as normal, but everything else was higher. I dont think I shall be returning - higher prices combined with a half-hour walk really dont make it that attractive an option for me.
Oh - and every aisle had its own CD player playing competing jingles and announcements..... bedlam indeed, and to go there regularly would surely induce headaches.
It appeared to be an independent shop, unlike my regular supermarket, part of the Seiyu chain. The sign out the front was a bit rusted, but then again, so is half of Japan. Inside, however, the differences really became apparent.
Tables piled high with stuff, packets of fish flakes, fruit, slippers, more fish-like substances, each aisle crowded together like an IGA back home, shelves bursting at the seams. Perhaps they dont have a stockroom...
And the people! Little old ladies out in force, housewives by the dozens, clambouring over one and other, shouting, pulling, pushing, biting, (ok, not biting,) all so they could beat each other to the fish that was a few cents cheaper than the otherwise identical item right in front of them.
I could understand, if they were significantly cheaper, but they were not. Indeed the entire supermarket was priced, on average, higher than my local big chain. A couple of things on special were cheaper, true, but nothing not on special was cheaper. Milk was the same price as normal, but everything else was higher. I dont think I shall be returning - higher prices combined with a half-hour walk really dont make it that attractive an option for me.
Oh - and every aisle had its own CD player playing competing jingles and announcements..... bedlam indeed, and to go there regularly would surely induce headaches.
