The Five Secret Secrets of Long-established BusinessesNihonbashi (bridge)brushpaint brush
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Japan is one of the few countries in the world where there are more than 33,000 long-established shops that have been in business for a hundred years. In this series of articles, we ask the owner of a long-established business about the “five secrets” that make it a long-established business.
Brushing your teeth in the morning and evening, brushing your hair, varnishing to prevent stains, and shining your desk ……. We are surrounded by numerous brushes and bristles.
1718 (Kyowa 3). The store specializing in brushes and brushes, which was founded just at the beginning of this year, known for the “Kyoho Reforms” by Tokugawa Yoshimune, the 8th Tokugawa Shogun, is still in business in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. The name of the shop is “Edoya.
We asked the owner directly about the company’s motto, which is important for the company to continue to be loved by people as a long-established business, and how the company got the name “Edoya” (Edoya).
Pride of a long-established company that “never says it can’t be done” to its customers
Our main motto is to listen to our customers’ needs and make brushes accordingly.
The pride of the long-established “Edoya” is to “never say we can’t do it. The main store is a conspicuous white building with a hint of Art Deco on Odenma Honmachi Dori, the old Nikko Kaido street in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. The person who greets us at the entrance is the 12th generation head of the company, Hamada Shigetoshi, who also serves as its president.
This long-established shop has been dealing in brushes since the middle of the Edo period. The store is crammed full of brushes and brushes on display. How many brushes and brushes are there in total?
Five profound secrets of a long-established company No. 1: Creation of 3,000 different types of brushes and bristle brushes for different roles
There are a variety of brushes with different roles, such as “suji-brush,” “dye brush,” “suntube brush,” “dosa brush,” ……, and “Edo brush,” which is used not only for varnishing and waxing, but also for traditional handicrafts. Just looking at the showcase in the store, one can see the wide variety of brushes: “lacquer brushes” for lacquerware, “doll brushes” for applying gofun, an ancient Japanese pigment made from shells, to the heads of dolls, “woodblock brushes” for applying paint to woodblocks essential for printmaking, “white powder brushes” for applying face powder, and many more. The variety of products is obvious at a glance. All of these brushes have been used since the Edo period and have been passed down from generation to generation.
Toothbrushes, hair brushes, and clothes brushes, which we use every day, are also a type of brushes. Of course, they are also handled at Edoya.
Five secrets of long-established stores No. 2: Products with the highest attention to quality have many repeat customers.
The products of “Edoya” are guaranteed to be easy to use and durable, with quality specialized for each application. Usually, toothbrushes are made of chemical products such as nylon, but those handled at “Edoya” are made of horse or pig bristles. The tips of cheap toothbrushes quickly open up due to pressure after use, but horse and pig bristle bristles can be used for two to three months without such problems.
Because they are so easy to use, people usually become repeat customers after using them once,” says Hamada.
Horsehair, which is mainly used for manes, is softer and less irritating, while pig hair is slightly harder than horsehair and gives a stronger firmness.
Five secrets of a long-established business, No. 3: Continued production as a brushmaker for the Shogun’s family
Rihei, the first head of Edoya, was a “brush maker” for the Tokugawa shoguns under Ietsugu Tokugawa, the 7th shogun who ruled Japan at the time. His skill in brush making was recognized, and he was introduced to the shogun’s merchant, who supplied the Tokugawa family with brushes used for folding screens, fusuma (sliding screens), and cosmetics. He was given the current trade name “Edoya” (Edoya).
Hamada says, “This is the reason we have been able to keep the Edoya business going for so long. Because brushes and brushes are not very popular products, the company’s commitment to making good products with sincerity has been valued for generations.
Five secrets of long-established shops No. 4: Brushes made by hand-planting with artisanal techniques
Hamada-san has a selection of shoe brushes in front of him. He says that the brushes used on suede shoes are made with a master’s technique that makes it easy to care for them because of the tendency for dust and dirt to get inside.
The diameter of a single strand is 0.07 mm, and the wire is manually planted by craftsmen. Although slightly more expensive than machine-planted hairs, they have the advantage that the hairs do not fall out easily and are expected to last longer. The number of hairs is determined by fingertip sensation, which is unique to hand-planting.
The craftsman himself expressed his delight, saying, “I’m glad to hear the joy of customers who are using the products.
Five Principles of Long-established Businesses No. 5: Never refuse a customer’s request for the sake of progress.
Hamada-san believes that if he refuses to meet customers’ requests, technological progress will be lost. While respecting tradition, he always looks to the future and keeps up with the changes of the times. It is this cumulative effort that has made Edoya a long-established business that has continued for 300 years.
The spirit of responding to requests adds color to daily life.
The fine bristles of brushes and brushes spread varnish and paint evenly, color our buildings and household goods, and strain the spaces between our hair and teeth, which is how our daily convenience, beauty, and health are made possible. Why not experience the spirit of “Edoya,” which has the spirit of responding 100% to requests, through its products?
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The video of “The Five Secret Secrets: Edoya Edition” can be viewed athere (place close to the speaker or where the speaker is)from (e.g. time, place, numerical quantity)
