[Omi Merchants]
The Omi merchants, one of Japan's three great merchant groups alongside the Osaka and Ise merchants. Wearing raincoats, straw hats, and carrying balance poles over their shoulders, they are said to have traveled approximately 1,000 ri (about 4,000 km) on foot each year peddling goods throughout Japan. What kind of people were they?
Omi merchants refer to those who, from the mid-Edo period through the Meiji era, established their main residences and headquarters in Omi Province (present-day Shiga Prefecture) while conducting business in other regions. Depending on their place of origin, they were known as Takashima merchants, Hino merchants, Hachiman merchants, or Koto merchants, differing in their active periods and the goods they handled. Their market spanned the entire nation, from Hokkaido to Kyushu, and some even expanded overseas, reaching places like Vietnam.
The foundation of Omi merchants' business was traveling throughout the country as peddlers. As the phrase “Omi's thousand-ryo balance” suggests, they began by carrying goods on shoulder poles, traveling on foot to various regions. They expanded their sales routes by gathering information on local products, needed goods, and regional price differences, eventually succeeding as wealthy merchants who opened stores in Kyoto, Osaka, and Edo. They primarily engaged in a business practice called “circulating regional products” (Nokogiri commerce), transporting goods like linen cloth, daily necessities, cosmetics, and kimono fabrics—products of local industries in Omi and the Kansai region—to the Kanto and Tohoku regions. They then procured raw materials for these goods, such as raw silk and safflower, from Tohoku and distributed them to Edo and the Kansai region. This method contributed to the development of local industries across regions and also helped spread the cultures of Edo and the Kansai region to the provinces. It is often called the “prototype of the modern trading company.”
Omi merchants had family precepts passed down within each merchant house to their descendants and employees, outlining their approach to business and accumulated experience. Among these, the most famous is surely the “Three-Way Satisfaction” principle. The “three-way” refers to the seller, the buyer, and society. In essence, it means, “Business should be conducted in a way that allows both the seller and the buyer to earn fair profits, and ultimately, it must contribute to society.” This philosophy connects directly to the modern concept of “CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility),” which signifies that companies must fulfill responsibilities not only to pursue profits but also to all stakeholders and society through their business activities. Indeed, Omi merchants were known for significant community contributions, such as road improvements and donations to temples, shrines, and educational institutions.
Numerous companies with roots in the Omi merchant tradition still exist today, spanning diverse fields: Itochu Corporation, Marubeni Corporation, Wacoal Corporation, Toray Industries, Takashimaya Company, Seibu Group, Nippon Life Insurance Company, and others. Visiting these companies' websites reveals their pride in their Omi merchant heritage and their commitment to preserving and honoring that spirit. Even in today's rapidly changing society, the spiritual values and business philosophy left by the Omi merchants remain profoundly important, demonstrating universal value that transcends time. Incidentally, Tsukaki Co., Ltd., the owner of the former Fudo Chokin Bank Kyoto Branch Building that houses our Sanjo Showroom, also traces its roots to the Gokasho merchants—one branch of the Koto merchants within the Omi merchant tradition—and is a company that practices the “Three-Party Benefit” philosophy. While cherishing the teachings of the Omi merchants, they actively engage in activities to preserve historically and culturally valuable old buildings and traditional culture.
In Omihachiman City, Shiga Prefecture, the merchant townscape built by the Omi merchants still remains today and can be visited. Seeing materials about the Omi merchants and witnessing their way of life firsthand provided a chance to reflect on various things, such as how to relate to society and what should be cherished in daily life. When I visited the museum and store within Nishikawa Jingo-ro Honten, the bedding manufacturer Nishikawa's premises, I spoke with a Taiwanese family who happened to be there. They were purchasing items, saying, “We love using your products; the quality is excellent. That's why we can buy any of them with confidence.” Providing high-quality goods, earning buyers' complete trust, and ensuring purchases are made with full satisfaction. Furthermore, this approach transcends eras and borders. The scene I witnessed felt like the culmination of the business ideals and spirit pursued by the Omi merchants.
Showroom Information
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/
References
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%BF%91%E6%B1%9F%E5%95%86%E4%BA%BA
https://www.city.omihachiman.lg.jp/soshiki/kanko_seisaku/3/1/849.html
https://www.omi8.com/stories/goroku
https://e-omi-muse.com/omishounin/about6.html
https://www.tsukaki.com/about/philosophy.html
https://www.itochu.co.jp/ja/about/history/oumi.html
https://higashiomishi-shokokai.jp/wp-content/themes/shoukokai/images/joseibu_panf.pdf
https://omi-syonin.com/rinen/
https://sanpo-yoshi.net/about_3/refers
