We have mentioned before the importance of rice in Japanese culture (and not just the culinary one). What we probably haven't mentioned is that, especially until the Edo period, rice was important from the standpoint of economy as well -think the role oil or precious metals play in our societies. Rice merchants were practically the first stock brokers and bankers in Japan; 200 years ago this small shop still specializing in rice would have been at least five times bigger and its owner would have been a millionaire.
(For a bigger version of this picture both in color and black and white, check my "Japan Arekore" set on Flickr)
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