How to Read “Every shop has its own way”
Akinai wa kadokado
Meaning of “Every shop has its own way”
“Every shop has its own way” means that every business has its own unique methods and special features.
Even shops in the same industry do things differently. They have different suppliers, choose different products, set different prices, and treat customers in their own way.
This proverb teaches us that simply copying another successful shop won’t work. Each shop needs to find what works best for them.
It also encourages shop owners to value what makes their business special. There’s no single right answer in business.
The best method depends on each shop’s situation, strengths, and the owner’s personality.
Today, people use this saying to celebrate business diversity. It reminds us that following a manual isn’t enough for success.
Each business owner must create their own solutions that fit their unique situation.
Origin and Etymology
There are no clear written records about where this proverb came from. But we can learn a lot from looking at the words themselves.
“Kadokado” (門門) is an old Japanese word. It means “each house” or “house by house.”
During the Edo period, merchant culture grew strong in Japan. On busy shopping streets, different businesses lined up next to each other.
Each shop had its own gate or entrance. Behind each gate was a different kind of business – fabric shops, medicine shops, rice shops, and oil shops.
Each shop hung its own sign and followed its own special business methods.
This saying reflects how Japanese business worked differently from Western markets. In Japan, the idea of “family business” was very strong.
Business skills and knowledge passed down from parents to children like secret recipes. Even shops selling the same products did things their own way.
They had different suppliers, different quality standards, different customer service styles, and different relationships with regular customers.
The repeated word “kadokado” emphasizes this diversity. It shows that each business is unique and special.
When you walk through each gate, you enter a different world of business. This proverb expresses the pride of merchants and the deep complexity of doing business.
Usage Examples
- His shop is doing well, but if I copy him, it might not work for my shop because every shop has its own way
- Every shop has its own way, so we should stick to our own methods – our customers will trust us more
Universal Wisdom
This proverb teaches us a universal truth: diversity is a sign of a healthy society.
If every business operated the same way, that wouldn’t be richness. It would be boring sameness and poverty.
Just like people have different personalities, businesses should be different too. Our ancestors understood this simple but important truth.
Humans naturally want to copy successful people. If that shop is doing well, we think we’ll succeed by doing the same thing.
This thinking is natural. But reality isn’t that simple.
Every location is different. Every shop owner has a different personality. Everyone has different strengths and different relationships with people.
Copying only the surface can actually make you lose your own strengths.
This proverb has lasted so long because it captures an important human struggle. We compare ourselves to others, but we also want to be ourselves.
The proverb helps us recognize others’ success while realizing we have our own path. This wisdom applies not just to business, but to all of life.
Being unique is both difficult and valuable. Diversity brings richness to the world.
Our ancestors expressed this universal truth beautifully with the word “kadokado” (gate by gate).
When AI Hears This
Ecologist Hutchinson explained why multiple species can live together through “niche differentiation.”
Birds that seem to compete for the same food actually use different strategies. They feed at different heights in trees, on different branch sizes, and at different times of day.
No two species can have exactly the same survival strategy. Each finds its own unique “gap” to survive, which allows them to coexist.
This proverb’s expression “kadokado” describes this same ecological separation in the business world.
Interestingly, the more intense the competition, the more specialized the niches become. In Tokyo’s restaurant districts, even ramen shops divide into extreme specialties: “back-fat style,” “seafood style,” and “Jiro style.”
This is the same mechanism that creates maximum biodiversity in rainforests. As species numbers increase, each species has fewer individuals, but the whole system becomes more stable.
The “competitive exclusion principle” is also relevant here. Two species occupying exactly the same niche cannot coexist – one will always be eliminated.
But in business, creating small differences allows nearly infinite “gates” to exist. Even two rice shops can occupy different niches through delivery service, business hours, or product selection.
In nature, genetic variation takes generations. But humans can intentionally change strategies – that’s the crucial difference.
Lessons for Today
“Every shop has its own way” teaches us to free ourselves from the trap of comparison.
Every time we see someone’s success on social media, we feel anxious. We think we must become like them or use their methods.
But this proverb gently reminds us: you have your own path.
Modern society overflows with templates for success. But is living by a template really success?
What are your strengths? What values matter to you? Start by thinking about these questions.
In work, learning, and relationships, have courage to find your own way instead of copying others.
This doesn’t mean isolating yourself. Actually, by being yourself, you create unique value that can help others.
Learning from others’ success is important. But don’t just copy it directly.
Have the wisdom to adjust it to fit your own situation. Your gate has your own unique business.
Hold that confidence and take your first step forward.
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