Carrefour has a parking

Carrefour has a parking lot. A big parking lot. Full of cars.

Carrefour is an international chain of super-size discount department stores based in France. Think "Kmart" and you're on the right track. One recently opened in Makuhari, across from the convention center where MacWorld was held.

Big stores and malls in Japan are normally vertical and crammed next to other stores that rise vertically on crowded streets. But not Carrefour. It sprawls over an area that might fit a hundred houses.

And then there is the parking lot. It is probably no larger than the parking lot of any Amerian discount superstore, but I don't think I've ever seen so much wide open space dedicated to cars here in Japan.

The parking lot was full. I estimate that 85% of the people shopping at Carrefour drove there. I've always wondered where Japan's cars go when they aren't congesting the roads and highways. Apparently they go to Carrefour.