Old Shops in Hometown

Old Shops in Hometown 

TANAKA Akio  

 

My hometown belongs Metropolis Tokyo, located at the west suburb, some 40 km afar. I was born and  grew up here, so many tiny shops were very intimate and to them I have dear feelings.

There are some old shops still now, where in the boy's days I bought the daily use things for being ordered by mother sometimes from father. The remained styles of them are now all off-painted wall, unreadable signboards and rough roofs. 

Nowadays people including with my family always go to the big supermarket or shopping mall having very wide parking lots. Old main roads and shops decline day by day. It is surely modern social phenomenon. But we that know the ever busy conditions of the shops, feel very sad and lonesome.