How to Read “餅屋餅食わず”
Mochiya mochi kuwazu
Meaning of “餅屋餅食わず”
“Rice cake shop owner does not eat rice cakes” means that experts and craftsmen in their field cannot fully enjoy the benefits of their own area of expertise.
This does not deny the skills or abilities of experts at all. Rather, it expresses the special circumstances that arise precisely because they are experts. The reason rice cake shop owners don’t eat rice cakes is not because they lack the ability to make them, but because they are too busy to leisurely savor their own creations, or because they see them too much as merchandise to purely enjoy them.
This proverb is used in situations where doctors neglect their own health management, chefs settle for simple meals at home, hairdressers are careless about their own hairstyles, or teachers struggle with educating their own children.
In modern times, using this expression shows understanding that “experts are human too and not perfect,” or expresses empathy for situations where people are “too busy to enjoy what they should naturally enjoy.” It is often used with feelings of understanding and sympathy rather than criticism.
Origin and Etymology
The origin of “Rice cake shop owner does not eat rice cakes” is thought to have emerged from the actual conditions of merchant society during the Edo period. The profession of rice cake shop owner was an important business closely connected to common people’s lives from the Edo period through the Meiji era.
Rice cake shop owners of that time lived daily lives of pounding, shaping, and selling rice cakes from early morning until late at night. Especially before New Year and during festival seasons, orders would flood in, and they had to work continuously without rest. In such busyness, situations arose where the rice cake shop owners themselves had no time to leisurely savor the rice cakes they made.
The psychology of merchants is also presumed to have had an influence. Regarding products they handled daily, they inevitably developed a strong awareness of them as “merchandise,” and their feelings of purely enjoying them as “food” likely diminished. Furthermore, considering profit, the economic judgment that it was better to sell rather than eat them themselves probably also played a role.
This proverb is an expression based on very realistic observations born from the actual lives of such craftsmen and merchants. It is not mere irony, but has been passed down as life wisdom that accurately captures the real circumstances of working people.
Interesting Facts
The profession of rice cake shop owner was actually very physically demanding work. Because they pounded rice cakes from many mortars in a single day, rice cake shop craftsmen are said to have all had muscular, robust physiques. Therefore, “rice cake shop owner” was sometimes used as a synonym for someone who boasted of their strength.
Rice cake shops in the Edo period changed the products they handled according to the season. They made mirror rice cakes and rice cakes for soup in New Year, cherry blossom rice cakes in spring, water rice cakes in summer, moon-viewing dumplings in autumn, and various rice cake confections throughout the year. Therefore, they needed to continuously acquire new techniques, making it truly a job they took pride in as craftsmen.
Usage Examples
- I heard that famous chef only eats frozen food at home – it’s truly “Rice cake shop owner does not eat rice cakes”
- An IT company president who doesn’t really know how to use a smartphone – that’s “Rice cake shop owner does not eat rice cakes” at its finest
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, the phenomenon of “Rice cake shop owner does not eat rice cakes” has become more complex and serious. With the advancement of the information society, experts are required to have more advanced and specialized knowledge, and the time they spend immersed in their areas of expertise has increased. As a result, they are increasingly losing the opportunity to enjoy the benefits that should naturally come from their expertise.
The work-life balance problem is particularly notable. The more excellent doctors are, the more they sacrifice their own health to intense work; the more wonderful dishes chefs create, the more they lose time for meals with their families; the more passionately teachers devote themselves to children’s education, the less time they have to face their own children. These can be called modern versions of “Rice cake shop owner does not eat rice cakes.”
On the other hand, the spread of SNS and the internet has made this phenomenon more visible. The visualization of experts’ private lives also has the effect of providing a sense of familiarity and reassurance, like “even that person makes such mistakes.” For experts who tend to be expected to be perfect, it is sometimes accepted as an element that shows their humanity.
Also, in modern times, new business models that turn “Rice cake shop owner does not eat rice cakes” to their advantage have emerged. Examples include service industries for busy experts and communities where experts support each other in their respective areas of expertise.
When AI Hears This
The psychology behind a rice cake maker not eating their own rice cakes is surprisingly similar to the modern “information overload paradox.”
According to research by psychologist Barry Schwartz, jam displays with only 6 varieties had purchase rates 10 times higher than those with 24 varieties. In other words, when there are too many choices, people paradoxically become unable to decide.
In the rice cake maker’s case, because they make hundreds of rice cakes daily and know every subtle difference in quality, they end up seeking the “perfect rice cake.” They notice only flaws that ordinary people would never detect, thinking things like “today’s rice cakes have slightly too much moisture” or “they lack the elasticity of yesterday’s batch.” As a result, they endlessly search for the “ideal rice cake” and cannot eat the perfectly delicious ones right in front of them.
This is the same phenomenon as modern people spending hours on their smartphones searching for restaurants. They compare establishments rated 4.2 versus 4.3 stars on gourmet sites, devour reviews, and ultimately can’t decide, ending up with a convenience store lunch instead.
Specialized knowledge and abundant information sometimes create a “perfectionist trap.” What the rice cake maker teaches us is the unexpected drawback of knowing too much.
Lessons for Today
What “Rice cake shop owner does not eat rice cakes” teaches modern people is the importance of deepening understanding about the nobility of pursuing expertise and its costs. Please remember that when experts around you sometimes make obvious mistakes in their field or overlook basic things, it is never due to lack of ability.
Rather, it is evidence that they are sincerely engaging with their area of expertise and dedicating their efforts to others. Doctors neglect their own health management because they prioritize their patients. Chefs may make simple dishes at home because they have exhausted their energy providing the best cuisine to their customers.
At the same time, this proverb is also a warning to ourselves. While enhancing expertise is wonderful, are we not losing sight of what should truly be valued in the process? Sometimes it is necessary to stop and taste for ourselves the benefits that our area of expertise brings. This is not luxury at all, but necessary nourishment for continuing to work as an expert for a long time.
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