The Showa era was officially over when the Showa Emperor passed away in 1989. Current Showa era nostalgia is post-war baby boom Showa running from the early late Fifties to early Eighties. Real Showa era shops are disappearing at an increasingly rapid rate as mom and pop retire and shutter the family store.
One last Showa store still graces the Asagaya Pearl Center Shopping Arcade: Saito Convenience Store. Most days the Saito store is shuttered but when Mr. Saito is in the mood, he opens the store and rolls out an eccentric display of senbei rice crackers and vinyl umbrellas (on rainy days).
The last photo shows Saito Convenience Store in fading Showa glory: stylish multi-color hiragana signage, lonely looking senbei bags on a display cart, vinyl umbrellas and a Honda Super Cub delivery bike parked in front. You can’t get more ‘last Showa standing’ than this. In an era of chain stores sweeping away the last vestiges of mom and pop, I hope Mr. Saito will be around for years to come.
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