川越菓子屋横丁小論

概要

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In the north side of the fine old city of Kawagoe, situated in Saitama prefecture, there is a cheap cheap sweets makers alley. They say that the first one of sweets makers came there in the end of Edo era, and before the 2nd World War, about 60 of such sweets makers operated in the narrow alley as the largest suppliers of cheap sweets in the region. The author has written some reports on their life history in the last 10 years. And this report is a part of such sociological studies. In this report, his main point of issue is the followings: 1) this system of the makers were one of a typical house-hold industry. 2) Even if there would not have happened the second world war, the system would have been crashed by the large makers which became to have a new system of mass-production and mass-consumption. 3) The makers in the alley before the second world war has been clearly different from them after the second world war. Some of the latter ones are not real sweets makers, but only half retailers for the people who come to see the sight of the famous historial "Cheap Sweets Makers Alley in Kawagoe". 4) However, now that the alley remains even now, we must recognize the power of the makers cooperation which originate from their professional and blood relations. The author thinks that the factor # 2 and # 4 are the most important keys of the history of the alley.
1997-08-31