Kōjyō – On television and radio, commercials are often used in which sounds, voices, and images that have no relation to the product create an image while drawing our attention. The precursor to such methods were the kōjyōuri and tankabai of the Edo era.
Merchants would skillfully advertise their wares, showing off their merchandise and increase their customer numbers. Such merchants were referred to as `Yashi`, as they originally sold goods related to medicine, dental hygiene, perfume, and scents. Those unaffiliated workers (or rōnin) struggling to make ends meet would display their skills in a boisterous manner and thus gather customers (香具師). He would be written up as a yashi (or rural samurai) (`yashi` or 弥四, 矢師).
A particularly famous iainuki practitioner was Matsui Gensaemon. He made his name using his swords, medicine from Toyama, otherwise known as `Hangontan` and toothpaste. He stood on top of the goods piled up in three tiers and performed his iainuki using a long ōdachi sword. His descendant, Matsui Gensui made his name as a famous composer, and (as is to be expected) did turn his hand to selling toothpaste, yet such was his skill that even the shōgun came to listen to his performances. Gradually his name came to be associated with art from Asakusa, hence each successive artist took the name `Gensui` and handed on the artform.
One area that differed from Kōjyō was the practice of `crying sales`. It was a way of selling products by inviting sympathy, with sakura petals scattered about the midst of customers which caught their attention and brought them in. Another method of selling was known as `viewing sales`, in which wares were just put out for customers to look at. Attaching value to old furniture, pictures, china etc was a sales technique often used when such goods were expected to produce profits.
Another method of selling that was popular was the `nineteen mon spectacle`. In the mid Edo era the use of 4 mon became widespread, hence the value of goods was calculated according to multiples of 4. Those goods which might cost 20 mon were reduced to 19, for to “take a mon off and then sell it” was a discount method that became more widespread, which in a way resembles the modern practice of supermarkets and discount stores to reduced items to 98 yen. The 19 mon spectacle sold everything for 19 mon, which is the same as the modern 100 yen shop idea. They would mix in more expensive items within those priced at 19 mon, as it was important to test whether their sales methods were working. As the 19 mon spectacle became so popular, soon merchants were able to create the cheaper 18 mon stores. (pp.48-50)
Merchants would skillfully advertise their wares, showing off their merchandise and increase their customer numbers. Such merchants were referred to as `Yashi`, as they originally sold goods related to medicine, dental hygiene, perfume, and scents. Those unaffiliated workers (or rōnin) struggling to make ends meet would display their skills in a boisterous manner and thus gather customers (香具師). He would be written up as a yashi (or rural samurai) (`yashi` or 弥四, 矢師).
A particularly famous iainuki practitioner was Matsui Gensaemon. He made his name using his swords, medicine from Toyama, otherwise known as `Hangontan` and toothpaste. He stood on top of the goods piled up in three tiers and performed his iainuki using a long ōdachi sword. His descendant, Matsui Gensui made his name as a famous composer, and (as is to be expected) did turn his hand to selling toothpaste, yet such was his skill that even the shōgun came to listen to his performances. Gradually his name came to be associated with art from Asakusa, hence each successive artist took the name `Gensui` and handed on the artform.
One area that differed from Kōjyō was the practice of `crying sales`. It was a way of selling products by inviting sympathy, with sakura petals scattered about the midst of customers which caught their attention and brought them in. Another method of selling was known as `viewing sales`, in which wares were just put out for customers to look at. Attaching value to old furniture, pictures, china etc was a sales technique often used when such goods were expected to produce profits.
Another method of selling that was popular was the `nineteen mon spectacle`. In the mid Edo era the use of 4 mon became widespread, hence the value of goods was calculated according to multiples of 4. Those goods which might cost 20 mon were reduced to 19, for to “take a mon off and then sell it” was a discount method that became more widespread, which in a way resembles the modern practice of supermarkets and discount stores to reduced items to 98 yen. The 19 mon spectacle sold everything for 19 mon, which is the same as the modern 100 yen shop idea. They would mix in more expensive items within those priced at 19 mon, as it was important to test whether their sales methods were working. As the 19 mon spectacle became so popular, soon merchants were able to create the cheaper 18 mon stores. (pp.48-50)
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