「商道」 と 「三方よし」(Shoudou and Sanpou-yoshi), the spirit of Osakan merchant.

「商道」(Shoudou) is a "dou (Tao)" of business. It is said this "dou" was established in Oumi province(Shiga prefecture) in Edo era. 「三方よし」, which is a word of Shoudou, means ,,,,hmm,,,,"three-side-benefit". That is, this word enlighten us to aim for benefit of seller, of purchaser and of public.



Please Visualize global warming. Suppose Toyota sells Prius(hybrid car). Toyota(seller) get benefit. Purchasers are comfortable. Public get be comfortable? Toyota causes global warming. Whereat, Toyota plants trees from place to place. Public can use high-efficiency cars and trees absorb carbon dioxide. This is "三方よし"(Three-side-benefit). I think maybe Toyota must plant more trees though, there are other ways too.



Many big companies in Japan donates to my Volunteer association directly or through Economic Organizations. They donate some of their benefit, man power, labor force and their product. During the Great Hanshin Earthquake, they sent several tens thousand batteries, several thousand kerosene heaters, tens mobile phones, tens motor cycles, tens bikes, tens thousand cup-noodles, and etc. As to SANYO they sent round several tens business people to help our volunteer work. Finally, they accepted responsibility for good part of the cost of our volunteer work. We thank them very much! That is, they change some of their benefit to social action program. This is "三方よし" (Three-side-benefit).



Shoudou is the spirit of Osakan merchant. When we explain about volunteer to companies, we cite Yodoya's case. If you visit Osaka, you will see a name of place, Yodoya-bashi. Yodoya is a name of merchant. "bashi" means bridge. Yodoyabashi means a bridge Yodoya established. Yodoya established the bridge by himself but Yodoya didn't occupy the bridge. If Yodoya occupied the bridge, Yodoya can earn much more. But Yodoya established it for other merchants and people too. Merchants needed to ship rices to go to opposite shore. It was an inefficient system. Thanks to Yodoya, economy and traffic in Osaka went off like clockwork. This is "三方よし"(Three-side-benefit).



Unfortunately, there has been being some immoral merchants too. And news medias mostly play up them and non-Osakan Japanese misunderstand about not only Shoudou but also other good spirits of Osakan. It is too bad. I need to bomb TV stations in Tokyo. LOL



Osaka merchant consist of Sakai-merchants, Kyoto-merchants, Oumi-merchants and Nagoya merchants. Oumi-merchants established Shoudou though, it is said some of Oumi merchants came up with immoral business and those business were regarded as representative business of Osaka. Hmm, too bad.



These days I looking for books about Shoudou, but I can't find it on internet. If I find it, I will mention about Shoudou again.



It is a photo of resent Yodoya-bashi. The building is not a big public toilet, but Osaka-city-hall, which is a sink of iniquity.



Have a wonderful day.



今日は英語にしました。