Toraya is a long-established Japanese confectionery shop that dates back to the late Muromachi period and has been in business for about 500 years. Mitsuhiro Kurokawa, the 17th president of the company, has inherited the noren.
History is supported by honest work and a sense of responsibility.
``It was founded in Kyoto, and according to the records that remain, it is known that it served the government during the reign of Emperor Goyozei (1586-1611).Actually, we do not know exactly when it was founded. It is thought that the company was founded around 2, when the capital was moved to Tokyo in 3, as it would not be recognized unless it had been in use for at least two or three generations and had earned social trust. As a result, we expanded to Tokyo, leaving the Kyoto store intact."
Sample books of sweets drawn over 300 years ago remain, and many of the beautiful sweets that are still displayed in stores each season were invented hundreds of years ago.
New Year 14 storefront view
With such a history that far exceeds imagination, what is the secret behind the company's dedication to protecting its brand and remaining a top Japanese sweets brand?
``Honestly, we don't know whether it is a top brand or not.However, the only thing we can say is that since our founding, we have continued our work as a Japanese confectionery shop that has been used by the Imperial Palace. I work with that pride on my shoulders and the responsibility of providing delicious sweets to our customers.I believe that this accumulation has led us to where we are today.''
What fuels our pride and responsibility is the various words we receive from our customers. He frequently visits stores in Japan and overseas, and also reads letters from customers.
``What I was reading earlier was a letter from your mother saying that she enjoyed eating Toraya's yokan until just before she died. By knowing how your work is actually connected to the world, you will be able to feel that the work you are involved in is not wrong and that the work is meaningful and precious.This will lead to a sense of responsibility and pride in your work. I believe it will go.”
One-in-a-generation rule and foresight toward overseas markets
Paris store exterior image (at the time of store opening)
What is unique about Toraya's management is that there is an unwritten rule that only one member of the Kurokawa family, the founding family, can be in each generation. It seems that it has been passed down from generation to generation.
``Currently, only my son and I are in the Kurokawa family.If we had brothers and relatives in the company, we might be able to rely on them, but when we think about the survival of the company, having one generation per generation may be a good idea.'' Among long-established stores, many of which are family-run, Toraya's management, which eliminates unnecessary friction and indulgence, may be contributing to Toraya's development.
Furthermore, Toraya expanded overseas from an early stage. We opened our Paris store in 1980, and have been disseminating not only Japanese sweets but also Japanese culture for nearly 40 years.
``When we first opened, there were various problems due to differences in food culture, such as people mistaking yokan for black soap, but now most of our customers are from overseas, including locals.This year marks our 38th anniversary.Japanese sweets, And I feel that TORAYA is becoming more widespread."
In other countries, there is not much of a culture of boiling beans sweetly, so ``An'', which is the lifeblood of Japanese sweets, was initially viewed as strange.
“I think there are differences in food culture, just like how we think about rice pudding: Should we make the rice sweeter?However, what is important is that the confectionery itself has to be delicious. Even if you're not familiar with it, you'll think it's delicious when you try it.I was sure that people would appreciate it someday."
Nowadays, there are local customers who frequent Toraya's Japanese sweets and say, ``If you go to Dorayaki on any day of the week and at any time, you can eat freshly baked dorayaki.My favorite is the one baked by that artisan.'' is firmly rooted in Paris.
There are many challenges to do now for our customers.
Toraya Kobo
Since taking over as the 1991th president in 17, he has opened ``TORAYA CAFÉ'' (2003), which offers free and new confectionery that values the compatibility of Japanese and Western ingredients, and a dorayaki restaurant in the green grounds of Gotemba. The opening of ``Toraya Kobo'' (2007), where you can casually enjoy simple sweets such as Daifuku, and the start of ``Japanese Sweets Haute Couture'' (2003), in which customers' ideas are made from scratch by craftsmen, as well as the ability to chew and swallow. Mr. Kurokawa continues to take on challenges that go beyond Toraya's previous image, such as the development of ``Yururuka'' (2017), a yokan with a hardness that is easy to eat even for elderly people who have weakened their strength. However, Kurokawa says, ``I didn't take on these challenges because I wanted to try something new.''
Soft yokan ``Yururuka''
“We have done what we need to do by thinking about what we need to do now and what our customers are looking for.Also, we want to make sure that what we think of as old-fashioned seems fresh to young people. Not only new things are good.The result of thorough consideration of what is needed in this day and age is TORAYA CAFÉ, which transcends the boundaries of Japanese and Western cuisine, and new confectionery.
One example is the development of red bean paste. ``My father said that the main purpose of a confectionery store was not to sell the raw material ``an'' itself, rather than the finished product. So, when he decided to make red bean paste, he was very worried. Are you going to stick to the old way of thinking, or are you going to propose a new way to eat red bean paste? I decided to sell because my role is to grasp the current times and decide on the direction.”
Toraya Cafe "An Paste"
He also started ``Japanese Sweets Haute Couture'' because he felt that we should not forget the origins of Japanese sweets shops.
"Originally, confectionery shops were small businesses, and if a customer would order ``I want 20 of these steamed buns with a red pattern on the top,'' the store owner would show the customer what he had made and ask ``More colors.'' I think that's the origin of the conversation with customers, such as, ``Please make it darker.'' Therefore, it is not unusual or new to create products in response to customer requests. However, due to various constraints such as efficiency and time, we have not been able to accept requests.However, I thought that this is something that we as a confectionery shop should do in response to requests. Although some of the mistakes are difficult, the craftsmen themselves seem to find it rewarding.
Toraya Cafe An Stand Kita Aoyama Branch
Further leap forward connects Toraya's history and future
We are also considering expanding overseas in the future. Mr. Kurokawa believes that it is important for both Japanese sweets and long-established stores to have a global perspective.
“Several decades ago, when I saw craftsmen from various countries working in the workshops of long-established luxury brands in Paris, I realized that this was normal.Let's expand our stores and sales channels overseas. If you think that, there is a limit to supplying human resources and materials from Japan.The idea is not to train local craftsmen or use raw materials from other countries. If you want to do something towards this goal, you'll need to have that kind of open thinking.It's nonsense to say that just because it's a long-established store or because it's Japanese sweets, it has to be made by Japanese people, but it won't happen overnight. I think we need to think from a more global perspective.”
While we sincerely and single-mindedly make traditional sweets that have been around for hundreds of years, we look to the present and open up new paths that our customers desire. We look forward to seeing what kind of surprises the 17th generation of Toraya, which has both history and the future, will take on its next challenge.
*The contents and information contained in this article are as of the time of publication.
Mitsuhiro Kurokawa
Born in Tokyo in 1943. After graduating from Gakushuin University Faculty of Law, he joined Fuji Bank (currently Mizuho Bank). He joined Toraya in 1969 and became president and representative director in 1991. He serves as honorary chairman of the National Japanese Sweets Association and advisor to the Japan Specialty Stores Association. His books include ``XNUMX Years with Toraya Japanese Sweets'' (Shincho Shinsho) and ``The Way of a Long-established Store - Toraya and Hermesou'' (co-author/Shinchosha).
https://www.toraya-group.co.jp/
Interview Editor-in-Chief Mio Shimamura Text Yukiko Ushimaru
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