消費社会
９月下旬に軽井沢に小旅行した。軽井沢といっても、北軽井沢、軽井沢からバスで４５分のところ。東京からだと軽井沢までは新幹線で大変便利だが、ホテルのバスとの待ち合わせ時間が往きも帰りも２時間ずつもあった。軽井沢は昔からの街並みの北側と、嘗てのゴルフ場跡地に出来た大規模なショッピングセンターがある南側とに極端に分かれる。２時間ずつ、二回の待ち時間は、どちらで過ごしても良いわけだが、バスが着くのが南口なので、巨大な数か所のモールで過ごした。
モールは、高級・超高級の輸入衣類・ウエヤーを主にしたものだった。見たこと、聞いたことのある欧米ブランドの大規模な店舗が２時間では歩ききれない数だ。往きの時は日曜日だったせいか大変な賑わいだった。何を買っても数万円という商品が所狭しと並び、壮観と言うよりも、私は飽きれた。　それはそれとして、目新しかったのは、ペット志向の店舗が目についたことだ。犬を連れてもよい店舗の案内、犬の遊び場、躾・訓練施設もあった。それらに併設して、子供の遊び場もあった。世間では、新コロナの影響で苦しい人達が多いと言う一方、生き延びたグループ、あるいは、一息入れたい人々が沢山いると言うことなのか。

Consumers
I made a short trip to Karuizawa. Actually, it was not to Karuizawa but Kitakaruizawa, 45 minu. from JR Karuizawa by bus. From Tokyo to Karuizawa is simple and fast by the Shinkansen but I had to wait at Karuizawa for the bus to my hotel. The waiting time was 2 hours, i.e., to and return made 4 hours to spend.　 Karuizawa is formed by the northern side with old known town and by the southern side with a huge shopping center that was once a golf course. For 2 hours and again for 2 hours, I could spend any side but I spent in the southern mall since the bus terminal was at the southern gate.
In the mall there were selling mainly very exclusive imported clothes. There were so many large shops with well-known brands. So many that it might take longer than 2 hours to walk through and so many people in the Sunday lunch time. So many goods that cost more than 10.000 jpy each. It was spectacular. However, I got bored. By the way, it was fresh for me that there were shops orientated for the peds. Quite number of notices were telling the peds may enter the shop. There were play yards for dogs and training facilities. There were play yards for children. 　It seems, after new Corona, many people were in economical trouble but there were some who could survive and perhaps there are many who need rest.