Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Much less crowds are seen for the last-minute shopping before the new year rings in, due to the pandemic in the famous “Ameyoko” market on Dec. 31 in Tokyo.

It is the area in Ueno district where people come to shop for groceries such as fresh fish, dried food and spices at the last day of the year which is the busiest time for that market. 

 “Ameyoko” is a market street in Tokyo and the name is a short form for “Ameya l Yokocho”  or (candy store alley), as candies which translates to “Ame” in Japanese were traditionally sold. The word “Ame” also stands for “America”, because many American products including army goods were sold in this market right after the World War Two ended.

Shoji Nozawa, a restaurant owner, in “Ameyoko” told Arab News Japan that, “the sales have dropped since February this year and we had to close the restaurant for 10 days during the lockdown in the beginning of May.” Nozawa said that while his 70-year old restaurant has been seeing less people eating in, the online sales of their dumplings have been helping to make up for their declining sales.

Also on the market street, “Kiminoen”, which specializes in exclusive blend of green tea, has also been suffering the decline in sales for over 50% but their specialty in the business has helped them survive. “Since 1947, we have been catering our exclusive taste of our own green tea. Our clients can buy them online, so fewer people in the store does not necessarily mean a serious damage for us,” said the owner, Shintaro Kimino.

Even lesser crowds areexpected on the new year day as the new cases for the novel coronavirus in Tokyo has been increasing rapidly hitting more business and traditions in the Japanese capital.