Four Seasons in Department Stores -Afternoon on the Islands of Langerhans-　Haruki Murakami

   It seems that most women enjoy going to department stores, and to be honest, I also love department stores. Apart from zoos, there are few places where you can have such an enjoyable time and, as a bonus, without an admission fee. In the town where I currently live, there are a surprising five department stores. Of course, they may not have the scale and variety of offerings found in city centers, as it is a suburban city. However, it's quite delightful to have five department stores within a ten-minute walk from home. Whenever I have free time (which is usually every day), I head to the station and take a stroll inside the department stores.

The best time to explore the department stores is undoubtedly weekday mornings. They are less crowded, the atmosphere is pleasant, and everything is neatly organized and untouched. If you go right after opening, the employees even greet you politely. Sparsely populated department stores somehow resemble botanical gardens. While leisurely browsing through the merchandise, you can experience subtle seasonal changes, such as noticing that "Ah, hydrangeas have started to bud," or "The magnolia flowers have completely fallen." As summer approaches, the interior decorations in the stores also become refreshing, and you'll start to notice summer dresses, swimsuits, surfboards, and even bras without straps (although it's not advisable to pay too much attention to those). It gives you a sense that summer has arrived, and a feeling of excitement starts to bubble up. Often, the first experience of the cool breeze from the air conditioning is inside a department store at the beginning of the season.

Department stores that take on the colors of autumn leaves have a distinct charm with the scent of sweaters. As for the exhilaration before Christmas, it goes without saying. Moreover, the rooftop of the department store is quite enjoyable. On sunny days, sitting on a bench, eating hot dogs or takoyaki with children, playing video games like "Xevious," or taking a stroll with an umbrella on rainy days are all pleasant activities. I don't do these things as often nowadays due to a lack of opportunities, but in the past, when it rained, I often went up to the department store rooftop with a girl. Outdoor tables and a merry-go-round would be wet from the rain, and the surrounding scenery would appear hazy. Naturally, there would hardly be any people around, and the tropical fish in the pet section would simply swim around in their aquariums. I feel that there is still untapped potential to explore when it comes to department stores.