Funabashiya is proudly displaying it’s store
sign with the calligraphy of the company name written on wood by Eiji Yoshikawa
a famous Japanese historical novelist. Store sign dates back to after the war
when the store was completely burned down and had to be rebuild from rubbles.
Funabashiya current logo has 4 hidden meanings: Japanese hiragana alphabet letter
KU for their product ‘Kuzumochi’, Japanese katakana alphabet letter FU for
their name ‘Funabashiya’; those two sigs together form a DNA symbol, which is
placed in the rectangular shape resembling tortoise shell and representing
Kameido district.
Funabashiya is famous for their traditional
sweets called „kuzumochi” made from a plain wheat flour fermented for 450 days.
After the fermentation process is over flour is cooked and shaped into simple
cubes with unique quality of firmness, which are then served with sweet sugar
syrup and roasted soy flour. The main point is that after 450 days of preparation,
this products has to be sold within 2 days! Funabashiya is very serious about
maintaining this unique feature as it relates to natural traditional from Edo
period as well as the elusiveness of human experience and of life itself.
Funabashiya is a great example of ‘continuity
trough change’ and also that it is never too late to succeed in business. They
have very interesting family wisdoms such as “Reputation of the store is more
important than blood” meaning that successors should be selected based on
ability and not traditionally Japanese oldest son system. Another family motto
is “make it than you sell” meaning both that good quality products will sell
itself, as well as that selling bad quality products is unethical and
short-sighted. Interestingly enough today’s CEO re-interprets “making” not only
as manufacturing good quality product but as providing a unique customer
experience, developing employees and relationships with local community. As a
result 200-year old family wisdom remains intact and continues to guide the
company in the 21st century. Also what is interesting company director general Ms. Sato’s hobby is research in the company culture
and she has some impressive results. She might be one of the most talented
self-taught business archivists and historians I have ever met!
Despite limitations to their scale of
operations resulting from the production technology, Funabashiya is
currently experiencing a boom for their products resulting from increase in health
awareness and gluten free nature of their product. They currently have 23
stores around Tokyo and are expanding into pharmaceutical supplement business
and plan overseas expansion. Despite 200 years they seem to still have their
best years ahead of them! Just listen how their CEO and 8th generation owner Mr Watanbe talks about his business (in
Japanese).
