The Candy Shop（駄菓子屋）in My Neighborhood
2026-09-23
The Candy Shop（...

The Candy Shop（駄菓子屋）in My Neighborhood

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, there was a small candy shop called Midoriya in Midorigaoka-cho, Ashiya, where I grew up.
 
I would go there with a ten-yen coin in my hand. Ten yen was enough to buy a treat, and choosing what to get was part of the fun.
 
One day, I rode my bicycle much too fast through the neighborhood. The woman who ran Midoriya saw me and called my parents. By the time I got home, they knew all about it, and I got a good scolding. At the time, I probably wondered why she had to tell them.
 
Looking back, I think she was worried I might get hurt. She knew who I was and where I lived, just as the other adults in the neighborhood knew the children around them. If they saw us doing something dangerous, they spoke up.
 
I can no longer remember which sweets I bought with those ten-yen coins. But I still remember Midoriya, the woman who ran it, and that phone call home.
 
What a peaceful time that was.
 
 
Disclaimer: I use AI as a tool to help create images and proofread my writing. However, the ideas, opinions, experiences, and messages in my posts are my own. AI does not generate my posts for me. It simply helps me present my own words and ideas more clearly.






Kenichi Uchikura
Founder & CEO

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. (PSPINC)
Uchikura & Co., LLC.

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ABOUT THIS BLOG

I was born and raised in Japan and have spent most of my adult life in the United States. Through this blog, I share Japanese culture, language, expressions, and wisdom. My goal is not to say one culture is better, but to explore different perspectives and what we can learn from them.

Your comments are always welcome.

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