Yellow, Red, And Neon Assault

The wide-eyed world of Japan’s Tamade supermarket chain is filled with wonder and joy. One small step inside and you’ll be sold on the bright lights and animated faces of a parade of colorful characters. Up and down the aisles are a host of interesting items up for grabs and you could get lost in here for hours if you had the time. It hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows for the Osaka chain, however. One urban legend will have you believe it belongs to the Yakuza, an organized crime gang in Japan. In 2018, the brand’s owner, Takuji Maeda, was arrested on suspicion of receiving prostitution revenue via one of the shops located in the brothel quarter of Nishinari Ward. You can imagine the stand-off between him and the authorities resembling that of Wind God and Thunder God in the famous yellow painting by Rinpa artist Ogata Kōrin. But Tamades are mostly seen as a fun tourist attraction for those visiting the city and people regularly take photos and video footage of the unique and colorful storefronts. It’s more fitting to compare the onslaught of yellow and red in the company’s branding to Sion Sono’s 2017 Antiporno movie for its palette. If Tamade had a mascot it would be Pokémon’s Pikachu not only for its overpowering colors but for the fun and energy it oozes and represents. Tamade is the ultimate home of amusement; the next time you’re in town you really gotta catch ‘em all!