How to Read “Return to the rice shop on the third time”
Komeya wa sando me ni kaeyo
Meaning of “Return to the rice shop on the third time”
“Return to the rice shop on the third time” means you can only understand a shop’s true quality by buying there three times.
One or two transactions aren’t enough to judge a shop’s quality or honesty. Only on the third visit do you start to see the consistent quality of products, the character of the owner, and the level of after-sales service.
This proverb contains a deep teaching about trust. Trust is built through continuity. Instead of seeking immediate results and constantly switching shops, staying with the same shop deepens mutual understanding and leads to better service.
Even today, new services and shops appear constantly. We tend to switch quickly. But this proverb reminds us of “the value of continuity.”
The trust and peace of mind that come from long relationships are different from temporary convenience. They hold a precious value of their own.
Origin and Etymology
The origin section could not be generated.
Usage Examples
- That hair salon finally understood my hair type on the third visit. “Return to the rice shop on the third time” is really true
- It’s better to deepen our relationship with the current company than to look for new business partners. “Return to the rice shop on the third time” – trust should be built from now on
Universal Wisdom
“Return to the rice shop on the third time” teaches us about the power of “time” in human relationships.
We often judge things based on just one or two experiences. But true value and trust don’t reveal themselves so easily.
Why is it hard for people to continue? Because we focus on immediate dissatisfaction or disappointment.
We demand perfection on the first transaction. If anything bothers us on the second, we immediately look for other options.
But people in the era when this proverb was born knew something. True quality doesn’t show on the surface.
The number three has psychological meaning. The first time brings tension. The second brings familiarity. Only on the third does a genuine relationship begin.
Both shop owner and customer start showing their true selves on the third visit.
This proverb has been passed down for so long because it captures the essence of human relationships. Trust isn’t born overnight.
It takes time, repeated meetings, and accumulating small promises. Only then does a real bond form.
This applies not just to business, but to friendship, love, and all human relationships. It’s a universal truth.
When AI Hears This
The number three actually hides deep mathematical meaning. In game theory’s repeated games, you need at least three transactions to determine if someone is cooperative or a betrayer.
If someone is honest in the first transaction, it might be coincidence. If they’re honest the second time too, trust increases statistically, but you still can’t be certain.
But if they remain honest through the third time, you can statistically judge that person as a “long-term strategy type who values reputation.”
This means they choose long-term benefits from trust over short-term gains from betrayal.
This is also the minimum number of rounds for the famous Tit-for-Tat strategy to function. That’s the strategy of “doing to others what they did to you.”
Computer simulations prove that cooperative relationships don’t stabilize with fewer than three rounds. Only with three or more rounds does reciprocal relationship become established.
Common people in the Edo period discovered this critical point through daily business experience alone. No experiments or calculations needed.
Because rice was a daily necessity, they didn’t switch shops carelessly. But they didn’t trust blindly either. They set exactly three times as the verification period.
This choice of number proves that human intuition reached a sophisticated mathematical optimal solution.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches modern people “the courage not to demand immediate results.”
Modern society overflows with choices. If you don’t like something, you can easily switch to something else. This convenience exists.
But in exchange for that convenience, we may be losing opportunities to build deep trust relationships.
Look around you. Shops you’ve visited for a long time. Friends you’ve known for years. Habits you’ve continued.
They must have qualities you couldn’t see after just once or twice. The shop owner remembers your preferences. Your friend notices your changes. Your habit supports your life.
Such value can only be gained through continuity.
New jobs, new relationships, new challenges. Things might not go well at first. But why not continue until the third time?
There’s a view that only becomes visible then. Trust is something you cultivate over time.
Don’t give up quickly. Keep going just a little longer. That attitude will bring depth and richness to your life.
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