Isetan is one of Japan's ubiquitous department stores. With its flagship store in Shinjuku, Isetan has branches throughout Japan and also Asia (including China, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand) and former branches in London and Vienna.
The recording below was made at the Isetan Department Store in Kyoto. This department store is interesting, as it is not only connected to a major railway station (in this case JR West Kyoto Station), but is also partially operated by JR West (as the West Japan Railway Isetan Ltd., who also run an Isetan/Mitsukoshi Department Store in Osaka). [SOURCE]
In particular, this recording was made in the basement of the Kyoto Isetan. You can hear the various vendors working in the basement spruiking their wares throughout the recording. Similar recordings of storeowners seeking to sell their wares may be found here.
Recording by Richard Chenhall
Photo: Wikimedia, open source, credit to J o
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