松屋淺草屋頂遊樂場

Recently Mainichi News reported the following:

東京都台東区の百貨店「松屋浅草」の屋上にある遊園地「プレイランド」が、３１日の営業を最後に閉鎖される。日本最古の屋上遊園地とされ、東京名所として知られた。３０日は曇り空となったが、大勢の親子連れらが訪れ、名残を惜しんだ。

　同店が開業した１９３１（昭和６）年にオープン。７階建て店舗の屋上（約２６５０平方メートル）の一角にあり、全国の百貨店が屋上遊園地を作るさきがけになった。今回、営業戦略の見直しで閉鎖が決まった。 現在は昭和の香りが漂うメリーゴーラウンドやゴーカートがあり、隅田川の対岸で建設中の東京スカイツリーも望める。この日もツリーを背に来場者が写真撮影を楽しんでいた。

The amusement park "Play Land" located at the rooftop of the department store "Matsuya Asakusa" of Taito Ward, Tokyo would be closed at the end of the business hours on the 31st. As the oldest rooftop amusement park in Japan, it was known as a showplace in Tokyo. Although it was a cloudy sky on the 30th, many parents and children were visiting, trying to treasure its remaining fame.

The shop opened business in 1931(6th year of Showa). It was in the corner of the rooftop (about 2650 square meters) of a seven-story store, and it took the lead to become the sample of the future department store in the whole country in building the rooftop amusement park. This time, its closure had been decided after reviewing the business strategy. Now, with the smell of the Showa era drifting in the air, there were the merry-go-round and the go-cart, and the Tokyo Sky Tree under construction in the opposite bank in Sumidagawa was being expected. On this day, those who had come were enjoying taking pictures against the backdrop of the Tree.

This rooftop amusement park must have been the dream place of many old Tokyo residents when they were young. In 1931 the national strength of Japan was on the rise, to many Japanese of the older generation, this park could reflect how modern and prosperous Japan was in the 1930s.