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In Japan, convenience stores are coming to be exactly what their name implies: stores where a large variety of the financial transactions necessary in a modern society can be carried out.
One example is the monthly payment of bills for public utilities such as gas, electricity and telephone service. Paying these bills at a convenience store is not only cheaper; it is also quicker. The principal way to pay these bills without incurring charges is by direct debit, that is, by having the funds removed automatically from one's bank or post office account. However, the Chugoku Electric Co., for example, also has started to send out information on paying bills via convenience stores. The company is planning to stop the practice of collecting bills directly by house visits. Chuden actually began allowing the payment of bills through convenience stores in 1995, but the number of stores accepting such payments has increased since then. The time taken to process the payments is also being reduced from one or two days to just five minutes. Hiroshima Gas and NTT West Japan also allow payment of bills through convenience stores. NTT started the practice in 1991 and about 4,500 payments were made monthly in Hiroshima Prefecture. Payments by this method have increased sixfold since then.
Convenience stores also stock an item of growing importance to the nation's young men: paper for removing oil and grime from the face & body. Branches of the Poplar chain report that sales of the product have steadily increased in the past couple of years, especially in shops on routes used by junior and senior high school boys on their way to and from school.
Ten years ago, such students were noted for not being particularly careful about personal cleanliness and hygiene, but now many students regard grease-removing paper as one of their 'three sacred treasures', along with the PHS and accessories, especially when they go out to meet friends. High school students can often be seen checking their faces and hair and making sure everything is in order, while commuting to and from school. One cosmetics company stated that they had decided to market the paper, a famous Kyoto product used by the maiko (dancing girls), because high school boys were buying it when on school trips.
Not only paper but other products, such as hair spray, eyebrow pencils, body soap and shampoo, even eye shadow and foundation cream, are becoming essential grooming items for the young male: a situation which was unthinkable only a few years ago.
茶 茶 Cha-cha is the unusual name of a restaurant situated in Hondori, not far from the Tate-machi post office. The name has various meanings, ranging from hot water for tea, kept in readiness to welcome guests, to interrupting conversation, to Toyotomi Hideyoshi's concubine. The accent is on Kyoto-style cuisine. Popular items on the seasonal menu include eel. There is unagi-no-dashi-maki-tamago (with rolled egg, \720) and unagi-to-kyuri- no-sunomono (eel & cucumber in vinegar, \650). Tel. (082) 241-8555.
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convenience 便利 |
「便利な店」
日本では、コンビニエンスストアは現代社会に不可欠な、多様な金融取引も扱っており、その名のごとく便利な店になっている。
一つの例として、ガスや電気、電話など月々の公共料金の支払いが挙げられる。これらをコンビニで支払うのは、安いだけでなく速い。低コストで集金する方法として、銀行や郵便局の口座振替が主流になっている。しかし、例えば中国電力ではコンビニでの支払いの案内を始めている。同社は、各家庭を訪問して直接集金するのをやめる計画だ。中電は、１９９５年からコンビニでの支払いを取り入れているが、それ以降、支払いを取り扱う店の数は増えている。集金にかかる時間を１、２日から、わずか５分に短縮する試みも始まっている。広島ガスとＮＴＴ西日本もコンビニでの支払いを導入している。ＮＴＴが１９９１年に開始した時は、県内で１カ月の利用者は約４５００件だった。この方法での支払件数は、その後６倍に増えている。
「男性美容も後押し？」
またコンビニエンスストアは、若い男性のニーズが高まっている商品も扱っている。それは顔や体の皮脂、汚れを取るための紙だ。コンビニエンスストアチェーン「ポプラ」では、特に男子中高生の通学路となっている店舗で、その商品の売れ行きがこの２年間で着実に増えているという。
10年前、そのような男子学生は「体を清潔にすることや衛生面に気を配らない年頃」といわれたが、今、多くの学生にとって脂取り紙は、ＰＨＳとアクセサリーに並んで友達と出かける時の「三種の神器」になっている。高校生はしばしば、通学途中にも顔やヘアスタイルがきちんと整っているかを確かめている。ある化粧品会社は、男子高校生たちが修学旅行で、舞妓（まいこ）さんが使う京都名物の脂取り紙を買っていくのを見て、販売を決めたという。
脂取り紙のほかヘアスプレー、まゆ毛ペン、体用せっけん、シャンプー、アイシャドーやファンデーションまでもが、若い男性の身だしなみの必需品になっている。こんなことは数年前には想像もつかなかった。