Hasegawa Shoju-do was founded in 1919 and has been engaged in traditional industries such as colored paper, tanzaku, and Japanese paper crafts on Sanjo Dori since 1936. We interviewed Mr. Tadao Hasegawa, the president of the company, at Hasegawa Shoju-do, which used to be the site of the lottery for the Yamahoko floats procession during the Gion Festival’s atomatsuri.

Established in 1919. What is "Hasegawa Shoju-do" that protects the traditional industry?

(Exterior view of Hasegawa Shoju-do)

(Various colored papers and Japanese papers are lined up)

ーーFirst of all, please tell us what kind of store Hasegawa Shoju-do is.

We are a store dealing in colored paper, tanzaku, Japanese paper, and crafts since 1919. We mainly deliver our products to stationery stores, souvenir stores, folk craft stores, and other retailers throughout Japan.

Many of our customers are calligraphy-related and other customers who mainly require Japanese stationery. Recently, colorful dyed paper is more popular than simple tanzaku or colored paper, and we are exporting processed products using "yuzen-shi" to overseas markets. Yuzen-shi is a paper made by applying the yuzen dyeing technique created by MIYAZAKI Yuzenzai, a painter in the Edo period, and is popular as our original product.

ーーHave you been doing business on Sanjo Dori for generations?

When we started our business, we were located on Rokkaku Dori. However, we later moved to Sanjo Dori in 1936. The reason for moving to Sanjo Dori was that Sanjo Dori was the main street in Kyoto, and from the perspective of a merchant, having a store here was a status symbol.

The business continued from there, and the current building was renovated in 1995. The building at that time was designated as one of Kyoto's "landscape preservation" buildings, so the screening process for renovation was very strict. During the renovation, the storefront was set back from the street side of Sanjo Dori and eaves were added on the first floor to preserve the features. The balconies on the fourth floor and above, which are residential spaces, were turned into gardens and planted with plants so that the building is not visible from the street. The renovated building received the Mayor's Prize of the Kyoto City Urban Landscape Award and is now regarded as an example of landscape protection on Sanjo Dori.

History and role in community development

（Lottery in front of the store.）

ーーWhat kind of life have you led so far?

I was born on Sanjo Dori in 1950. I spent my school days in Kyoto, going to Hisho Elementary School, Hatsune Junior High School, Horikawa High School, and Doshisha University. After graduating from university, I worked for three years at Tambaya, a long-established wholesale store in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. Tambaya is located in Yokoyama-cho, a wholesale district, and handled not only our company's products but also crafts from overseas. I learned many things there, and later returned to Sanjo Dori to take over the family business. After my father passed away, I became the president of Hasegawa Shoju-do in 1996.

ーーHow about in terms of Sanjo and its role in Kyoto's urban development?

When the Sanjo Machizukuri Council was started, my father was the vice president. And now, I have been appointed as an auditor of the council. My main tasks are to check the financial statements and accounts of the Sanjo Machizukuri Council, and also to think together about how the council should be organized.

In addition, I am also the deputy secretary-general of the Yasaka Shrine Seisei Kosha, which supports the operation of the Gion Festival. My father was a board member as well, and the area in front of our house was the site of the lot opening (a ritual during the Yamahoko floats procession of the Gion Festival when the procession passed through Sanjo) to check whether the order of the floats in the procession matched the order determined at that time. I do not know why the area in front of our house was chosen as the place to check the lot, but now that the floats no longer parade along Sanjo Dori, I attend the lot opening in front of the Oike City Hall.

Reflecting on memories of the changing Sanjo Dori

（Yamahoko floats in the Gion Festival pass in front of the store）

ーーPlease tell us about your childhood memories of Sanjo.

What comes to mind when I think of memories of Sanjo is playing catch against the wall of the former Bank of Japan Kyoto branch, which is now the cultural museum. When I was little, that place was still in operation as a bank, and I would throw the ball against the wall, and sometimes the ball would end up inside the bank. When that happened, I would say, "Pops, let me in to get the ball." It is unusual now, but back then it was our playground.

I also have fond memories of inviting my school friends to watch the Gion Festival from the second floor of my house. Even now, at elementary school reunions, we talk about how we were allowed to watch the festival at home, and although it was a normal thing for me at the time, I think back on it and think how much fun it was.

ーーWhat are your memories of growing up and becoming involved in commerce and community development on Sanjo Dori?

After the Sanjo Machizukuri Council was formed, plans were made for the undergrounding of power lines and the elimination of power poles along Sanjo Dori. I was still young at the time, and my father was a board member. We had many discussions with everyone then. In the end, we could not secure a place to put the large transformer, and it was not realized at that time.

There were other plans to step up the sidewalk area and plant trees along the sidewalk as the number of people passing by on Sanjo Dori increased. The street itself was to be made slightly winding to make it more attractive to the eye. However, Sanjo Dori is a street where the mikoshi should go. If we raised the sidewalks or made the street winding, the mikoshi would not be able to pass through.

That is why my father strongly opposed the plan at the time. As a result, Sanjo Dori was used as a pedestrian-vehicle coexistence road, allowing the mikoshi to pass through during the Gion Festival. I think it was the right decision not to proceed with the plan as it was.

My ikigai: to preserve Japanese traditions through festivals and commerce

ーーFinally, Mr. Hasegawa, please tell us what you would like to preserve on this street called Sanjo Dori.

I would like to preserve the traditions that have been handed down from generation to generation. Our business is also a traditional industry, and we want to continue to preserve the traditions inherited.

As I mentioned, I am also a board member of the Yasaka Shrine Seisei Kosha, and festivals would not be possible without traditional industries, and at the same time, traditional industries would not be able to continue without festivals. Whether it is kimonos, tabi, metal fittings for mikoshi, or kumi-himo (braided cords), everything is made from traditional industries.

Festivals, or what we call “matsuri” in Japanese, are what Japanese culture is all about. When I was young, I sometimes thought, "What a busy time of year for a festival," but now I understand. Keeping festivals going is connected to preserving Japanese culture. Now it is really worth living for me to be able to protect the traditions and dignity of Japan and Sanjo Dori through festivals and business in this way.

ーーSanjo Dori is ever-changing, and some people may come in without knowing the traditions of the street. Is there anything you would like to tell them?

If you are going to do business, I would like you to value aesthetic. In aesthetic, you will need to have your own pride and sense of style. I want you to value “beauty” in that regard not only in your products, but also in the way you offer them.

Also, morality is important in terms of protecting the streets. It’s not allowed to litter garbage on the street, let alone vandalism. I would be happy if we could protect this beautiful and culturally fragrant Sanjo Dori with the awareness that we are building a beautiful town.