Adventures in Japan

Our weight is about to double

Osaka has a lot of shopping arcades. It's also got a huge underground complex of shops & restaurants. And let's not forget all the huge department stores and multi-story electronic superstores. Well today, for the first time in about nine months (I can't believe that's how long we've been here!) we found ourselves in what I consider to be a proper, western-style shopping mall. Other than the fact that it was full of Japanese shoppers, I suppose.

The mall had kind of a French theme, probably because most of the second floor was occupied by a Carrefour, a big French chain. The Carrefour also had a very western feel, although I can't exactly say why. Maybe it was a combination of selection, layout, and lighting. Or perhaps it was the quaint Parisian music piped through the store. A refreshing change from the constantly looping marching band jingles we hear in all other big stores.

We poked around the mall for a while, occasionally forgetting we were in Japan, before we made our way next door to our intended destination: Costco.

Bulk food, how we've missed you! Vehicle to cart home all the bulk food that we bought, how we miss you now! Giant jar of pickles, why won't you fit our fridge?

Just like the French mall, the Costco felt like a little piece of home. Same big carts, same crowds descending on the free samples, same long lines at the checkout, same cookies in the bakery. Except the cookies are at least twice the price of the ones at home. I have no idea why. The clothes are surprisingly expensive, too. Surprising a) because it's Costco, and b) because clothes in Japan are, generally speaking, pretty cheap. Also, this Costco had a sushi section, and liquor next to the vegetables.

So we bought mostly junk today, no proper groceries per se, and managed to bring it all home with us on the bus/train. Next time we may spring for delivery, maybe one of those giant barbecues, or a trampoline...