Small Businesses in Japan
It may surprise you to know that there are still a number of small (under an acre) farms where locals grow fruit and vegetables. They often have a table set up where you can buy a few of the pickings before they go to market.
There is a tofu shop, where beans are pressure cooked and made into fresh tofu and aburage daily. Three generations can be seen working there. Even on Sunday I often see the shop master cleaning, adjusting his equipment, or just hanging out. Clearly it’s a labor of love.
There is also a delicious bakery run by a young couple. They are friendly, and promote organic and other healthy products. On holidays they always bake up seasonal goodies: German ‘stolen’ for Christmas, chocolate fudge for Valentine’s Day.
I recently found tucked away on a backstreet, a knife sharpening shop. Now I know where to get a professional edge on my perennially dull kitchen knives.
I needed some planks to build a shelf in my apartment, and visited the local wood purveyor. With lumber in all shapes and sizes, he helped me to pick out what I needed, then proceeded to plane it, cut it, and finish it to smooth perfection. This was truly ‘Old World’ service.
My next door neighbor works out of his home. He has a small laboratory where he makes custom molded-to-order false teeth for dentists. I was amazed.
Take a stereotypical snapshot of Japan, and call it a day: pachinko parlors, stylists, and convenience stores slick and ubiquitous would seem to dominate the city’s horizon. But the next time meander the Japanese backstreets, maybe your own, take a closer look at the vibrancy and the variety of the small businesses at your fingertips. You’ll be surprised.
| 
| 
