【Continued】Local Gurgle [88]Yatsugatake's Surprise Box
It's sweltering out there. Times like these call for "Come to the Highlands," right? Oh, is that too old for you to know?? The Himawari Market is located on the outskirts of Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture, very close to the Yatsugatake Highlands Hut. This hut was also the setting for the classic drama starring Jiro Tamiya.
I once heard that among distributors, it was common knowledge that Yamanashi Prefecture was a "difficult place to do business." They said things like, "Only squid and tuna sell at the fish market," or "It's a region that prioritizes price over quality," and so on.
But Himawari Market turns that conventional wisdom on its head. Right when you walk in, you see vegetables from local farmers who use absolutely no pesticides or chemical fertilizers during cultivation. Or original wines developed in collaboration with Sadoya in Kofu, a leader in Japanese wine. While the prices might seem "not cheap" at first glance, once you taste them, their quality is guaranteed. It's no wonder customers even come from as far away as Kofu.
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 In 'How to Create a Concept', we also introduce several wonderful examples like Himawari Market. |
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So, what is the concept behind this supermarket that defied conventional wisdom?
President Hidekazu Nawa answers: "A supermarket with soul." The reason is that the staff deliver products made with soul by producers to customers with soul. For example, the fish displayed in the fresh fish section are shipped directly from Iwasehama, the innermost part of Toyama Bay. The promise there is simple: "Iwasehama sends fish made with their whole heart, at the right price and in the right quantity, with soul, to Himawari Market." "Himawari Market, out of respect for Iwasehama, sells every last piece of fish sent to them with all their might." That's it – just those two promises.
They also mentioned something called the "Yatsugatake Surprise Box." Indeed, looking around the store, you see plenty of surprises designed to delight customers. Take the deli counter's "Ultimate Minced Meat Cutlet." It uses 60% premium brand "Matsusaka beef," 40% Kagoshima-produced "Kurobuta pork," and nothing but domestic onions. Or the president's "Soulful Mic Performance." His passionate in-store announcements, brimming with the desire to convey the heartfelt story behind each product, resonate throughout the market.
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 This is President Nawa |
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From the standpoint that "the concept is expressed through metaphor, serving as a searchlight that intuitively shares the direction we should take," I feel "Yatsugatake's Surprise Box" better captures the charm of Himawari Market. While that is wonderful in its own right, after hearing the president speak, I personally interpreted Himawari Market's concept as "a supermarket for producers." The key feature here is that if a producer makes something with genuine, honest effort, they'll go out of their way to stock it. As a result, word spread among sincere producers nationwide that "they understand our vision." Consequently, even without a large-scale buyer network like major supermarkets, they've built a system where Japan's finest products naturally gather. Once it's established, it seems obvious—"Of course that works!"—but it's still a "Why didn't I think of that?" kind of approach.
Actually, President Nawa is my middle and high school classmate. Back when I was quietly active in the Folk Culture Research Club (nicknamed "Minken"), he was the energetic friend playing basketball in the club. Thirty years have passed since then. Seeing my friends thrive is nothing short of dazzling.
This trip to Yatsugatake was for a "tennis camp" with my wife's coworkers, and I joined as the chef. The table, adorned with local vegetables from Himawari Market, locally sourced meat, and locally brewed sake, was absolutely fantastic. My only regret is that I ended up drinking a bit too much.
If you happen to visit Yatsugatake during your summer vacation, please stop by.
Enjoy!
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Author
Sōo Yamada
Dentsu Inc.
Meiji Gakuin University Part-time Lecturer (Business Administration) Using "concept quality management" as its core technique, this approach addresses everything from advertising campaigns and TV program production to new product/business development and revitalizing existing businesses and organizations—all through a unique "indwelling" style that immerses itself in the client's environment. Founder of the consulting service "Indwelling Creators." Served as a juror at the 2009 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity (Media category), among other roles. Recipient of numerous awards. His books, "The Textbook of Ideas: Dentsu Inc.'s Circular Thinking" and "How to Create Concepts: Dentsu Inc.'s Ideation Methods Useful for Product Development" (both published by Asahi Shimbun Publications), have been translated and published overseas (in English, Thai, and the former also in Korean).
