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SHOPPING in Japan is an eye-opening experience. Except for the large stores in the large cities, like Tokyo, Osaka, and Yokohama, all the shops are small and very, very crowded with merchandise. They are so crowded that the shopper barely has room to maneuver. And much of the merchandise, on stands, spills out into the sidewalk - when there is a sidewalk.

There is something of a carnival atmosphere about the shops. There are rows and rows of them. They are colorful and inviting. Everything is on display for the shopper 
to see at a glance.

When they go shopping, the Japanese do not end up carrying bags and boxes. Instead they are equipped with a large, square cut of cloth, usually of a brilliant color. Its four ends are tied into a knot for a handle, and inside the cloth are placed the purchased items.

The typical mama-san on a typical shopping spree presents a very colorful picture as she makes the rounds of the bright little shops, outfitted in her bright kimono, and carrying her bright little shopping bundle.

And the serviceman who stays in Nippon too long soon acquires a neat little bundle of his own. (Shopping bundle, that is).

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