Serialized Essay | Musings on #ijichiman: “What is a Regular Customer? A Shop Where You Can Build Your Own Relationship and Truly Connect”
Serialized Essay | Musings on #ijichiman
Vol. 57: “What is a Regular Customer? A Shop Where You Can Build Your Own Relationship and Truly Connect”
What exactly is a “regular customer”?
Is it someone who visits every week, or is once a month enough? Is it a customer whose name the shopkeeper knows, or one who can order without looking at the menu? Is it someone who keeps a bottle of liquor there, or one who contributes to the shop’s revenue?
It’s difficult to define definitively, as it depends on the type of establishment and its price range. However, generally speaking, it’s likely a customer who, by their presence, naturally helps shape the atmosphere of the shop. Not so close as to be intrusive, but not so distant as to be strangers. They don't feel the need to put on airs with their orders or behavior, and they don't disrupt the shop's rhythm. Their presence is simply a part of the usual scenery, not something special for the shop. I believe that’s what a regular customer is.
Photographs and Text by IJICHI Yasutake
People, and Shops
I don't like it when people say, “I’m a regular there.”
It feels less like they frequent the shop because they love it, and more like they want to flaunt it as if it were their own social capital or connections – “I know that place,” “I’m friendly with the owner there,” “There’s someone there who knows me.” They want to present themselves as someone who frequents this kind of establishment, encompassing their knowledge of good places, their familiarity with the owner, and their sense of belonging. I find that kind of vulgarity, which turns even relationships with shops into objects of consumption and display, and elevates them to personal status symbols, rather unappealing.
Conversely, when the shop calls me a “regular,” I feel an awkward sense of unease.
No matter how many years it’s been, I can drop by without hesitation or feeling obliged. When I open the door, I’m greeted warmly with, “It’s been a while.” I can just walk in with a simple, “Hello.” If I’m alone, sometimes we’ll have a little casual chat, and other times I’ll just spend time looking at my phone.
Thinking about it that way, perhaps the relationship between people and shops is similar to the relationship between people.
Thinking about it that way, perhaps the relationship between people and shops is similar to the relationship between people.
Even if I run into someone I haven’t seen in a while, our conversation picks up where it left off. Yet, we don’t just dwell on the past. We start talking naturally again, assuming that we’ve each lived our own lives in the interim, and there’s no awkwardness in being silent either.
Ultimately, being a regular isn't about frequency of visits, but about a responsive relationship with the place. It’s not something you declare, nor something the shop certifies. It’s not a label, nor the number of visits, nor the amount spent. Rather than quantitative measures, it’s about an unspoken rapport that develops over time spent at the shop. How much of such a relationship have you built? I believe the qualitative essence that lies between the shop and the customer, which is difficult to put into words, is what truly matters. It’s just like human relationships.
Jinba, Kyoto
The distance between the owner and customers, and among customers themselves, is just right. Long-time patrons help create the shop’s atmosphere, and I admire the people who frequent it. One of Kyoto’s three great standing bars.
Il Violino, Sangenjaya
A shop I frequent myself. I’m acquainted with the owner, and the line between going to eat the food and going to see the owner has blurred over time.
Hira-i, Asakusa
Regulars are familiar with the shop, and while there’s a sense of family, it’s not overly casual; there’s a proper relationship. A shop with that characteristic Asakusa-style sense of distance.
Moranbon, Mikawashima
They don't do anything particularly special. Yet, people gather here, and without being particularly close to any one customer, everyone spends their time naturally. I think it’s in shops like these that long-lasting relationships are formed.
Densho, Ginza
A shop I frequent myself. I know the owner, but we don’t have particularly deep conversations; I can drink without feeling any pressure. Having a few such places to go to after the age of forty is quite important.
Yasutake Ijichi
Born in Tokyo in 1982. While attending Keio University, he was involved in planning and producing receptions and parties for major brands at an event company. After transferring to a PR firm, he worked as a strategic planner, resigning at age 30. He joined his representative, a friend of 20 years since junior high school, in launching Japan’s first cold-pressed juice specialty store, “Sunshine Juice,” where he served as Vice President. He currently serves as Representative Director of Eel Inc., Director of PA Communication Inc., and Director of LAMP Inc. While supporting branding and marketing for clients across a wide range of industries, he continues to explore neighborhoods, connecting people through food as a starting point. His favorite foods are fugu (pufferfish) and suppon (soft-shelled turtle). His favorite sports are baseball and horse racing. His favorite places are old-fashioned coffee shops and local izakayas.
Instagram:ijichiman
Born in Tokyo in 1982. While attending Keio University, he was involved in planning and producing receptions and parties for major brands at an event company. After transferring to a PR firm, he worked as a strategic planner, resigning at age 30. He joined his representative, a friend of 20 years since junior high school, in launching Japan’s first cold-pressed juice specialty store, “Sunshine Juice,” where he served as Vice President. He currently serves as Representative Director of Eel Inc., Director of PA Communication Inc., and Director of LAMP Inc. While supporting branding and marketing for clients across a wide range of industries, he continues to explore neighborhoods, connecting people through food as a starting point. His favorite foods are fugu (pufferfish) and suppon (soft-shelled turtle). His favorite sports are baseball and horse racing. His favorite places are old-fashioned coffee shops and local izakayas.
Instagram:ijichiman