One thing to know about Japan: everything starts in April, from the school year to the official start of work for new employees at companies to the blooming of the beautiful sakura which represent the coming of spring. Because so many things change in April, the preceding months are when people prepare, buying furniture and other necessities to outfit a new apartment, ordering new suits to for entering the workforce, and so on. Companies are all too happy to help with this process, advertising special sales to pull customers into stores so they can buy everything at once. My son will be starting university in Tokyo, so last weekend we drove to a “home center” to start buying things he’ll need, including a bed, study desk, and kotatsu. While were were shopping we noticed quite a lot of other customers making purchases, too. The clerk explained that the store was extra busy because everyone was rushing to buy what they needed ahead of the consumption tax hike from 5% to 8%, which takes effect in, you guessed it, April.
The season for outfitting a new apartment.
