Ep15 - Why do department stores in Singapore stay open so late?

Department stores in Singapore stay open until around 10 p.m. That might sound normal to you, but for Japanese people, it’s actually quite surprising.

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==Japanese and English scripts==

シンガポールのデパートは、どうしてこんなに遅くまで開いているんでしょう？

Why do department stores in Singapore stay open so late?

今日は、シンガポールのデパートの話をしたいと思います。Today I’d like to talk about department stores in Singapore.

シンガポールでは、

In Singapore,

夜遅くまで開いている店が多いです。many shops stay open late at night.

だいたい夜9時半や10時くらいまで開いています。Many of them stay open until around 9:30 or 10.

私は最初それを見て、少し驚きました。When I first saw this, I was a little surprised.

日本ではデパートはもう少し早く閉まります。In Japan, department stores close earlier.

例えば、大丸やパルコ、阪急などです。For example, places like Daimaru, Parco, or Hankyu.

多くの場合、夜8時くらいに閉まります。Most of them close around eight in the evening.

だから、シンガポールに来たとき、So when I came to Singapore,

「夜遅くまでやっているなあ」と感じました。I felt, “Wow, shops stay open quite late here.”

夜でも店が開いているので、人もたくさん外にいます。Because the shops are open at night, many people are outside.

平日でも人が多いです。Even on weekdays there are many people.

休日ももちろん人がいます。Of course, there are also many people on weekends.

夜遅くまで、みんな元気に外を歩いています。People are walking outside energetically even late at night.

それを見ると、「みんな、明日の仕事は大丈夫かな」と思います。When I see that, I sometimes wonder if everyone will be okay for work tomorrow.

でも、よく考えると、

But when I think about it,

日本でも夜遅くまで人が外にいます。people in Japan are also outside late at night.

東京や大阪でも、夜に人が歩いています。In Tokyo or Osaka, people are also walking around at night.

でも、日本人が夜遅くに外にいる理由は、

But when Japanese people are out late at night,

カラオケや居酒屋に行っているからです。it is often because they go to karaoke or izakaya.

デパートへ行っているからではありません。It is usually not because they go to department stores.

シンガポールでも、居酒屋は夜遅くまで開いています。In Singapore, izakaya are also open late.

でも、デパートが夜遅くまで開いているのは、日本と少し違うところだと思います。But department stores staying open late feels a little different from Japan.

なぜみんな、夜遅くまでデパートにいるのでしょうか。Why are people still at department stores so late at night?

こういう小さな違いも、海外生活の面白いところだと思います。I think small differences like this are one of the interesting parts of living abroad.