Shinise (, ) are Japanese businesses that have been in operation for at least a hundred years, some more than a thousand years. Japan has significantly more very old businesses than any other country, and Shinise products enjoy a particular prestige in Japan.
Characteristics Long-established companies are particularly common in Japan, which is home to over half of the world's companies that are older than 200 years. As of 2020, the country had more than 33,000 shinise, of which 3,100 were older than 200 years, 140 older than 500 years and at least 19 who say that they have been operating for over 1,000 years. Shinise are a source of national and regional pride, and are the subject of governmental promotion, business management books and travel guides.
Frequently, shinise are relatively small family businesses guided by a particular set of principles (kakun). These principles tend to emphasize continuity, tradition, longstanding business relationships, sticking to the core business, accumulating cash reserves and avoiding debt and other risk. This limits growth but helps the companies weather even severe crises. Some shinise, however, have grown to be leading players in their fields, such as the video game maker Nintendo or the general contractor Takenaka.
The prevalence of shinise in Japan is attributed to the particularities of Japanese culture, such as reverence for traditions and one's ancestors, and Japanese history, such as the country's relatively long global isolation prior to the 19th century. To ensure familial continuity, shinise owners without children of their own sometimes adopt one of their male employees. One effect of the high prestige that shinise enjoy in Japan is that startups are less respected or appreciated than elsewhere.
Shinise products Buying something from a shinise imparts particular prestige in Japan, connoting the "pinnacle of taste". This Japanese preference for shinise is distinguished from the appreciation most societies have for luxury goods in that it does not only include expensive, long-lasting items such as cars and watches, but also everyday objects and food.
This consumer preference may have roots in Japanese society's predilection for conformity, which makes it so that somebody who owns a shinise item is certain not to be ridiculed for it, and frequently respected. As a result, brand loyalty to shinise is often intense, which in turn helps these companies survive for a long time.
List of shinise
This list aims to include all shinise founded before 1600, and selected notable younger shinise.
CompanyLocationBusinessDate of establishmentRef.Kongō GumiOsaka, OsakaConstruction578Nisiyama Onsen KeiunkanHayakawa, YamanashiHot spring hotel705KomanToyooka, HyōgoHotel717Hōshi RyokanIshikawa PrefectureHotel718Genda ShigyōKyoto, KyotoCeremonial paper goods771Tanaka Iga ButsuguKyoto, KyotoBuddhist religious goods885Nakamura ShajiIchinomiya, AichiConstruction970Ichimonjiya WasukeKyoto, KyotoConfectionery1000Shumiya-ShinbutsugutenReligious goods1024Takahan RyokanYuzawa, NiigataHotel1075Geto OnsenKitakami, IwateHotel1134Sudo HonkeKasama, IbarakiSake1141Tsuen TeaUji, KyotoTeahouse1160Gorobee AmeConfectionery1177–1180Confectionery1184KikuokaNara, NaraHerbs1184Sakan RyokanSendai, MiyagiHotel1184Ito TekkoMetalworking1189Shirasagiyu TawarayaKaga, IshikawaHotel1190Kotabe FoundrySakuragawa, IbarakiFoundry1190–1199Tosen GoshoboKobe, HyōgoHotel1191Arima Onsen OkunoboHotel1191Yoshinoya IrokuenKaga, IshikawaHotel1192NotoyaKomatsu, IshikawaHotel1311HigashiyaYonezawa, YamagataHotel1312SankoganGose, NaraPharmacy1319Korenya ShingetsuanConfectionery1327KanbukuroConfectionery1329Kuroda SennendoConfectioneryBef. 1333Maruya Hatco MisoOkazaki, AichiMiso1337TakataTextiles1346Confectionery1349Pharmacy1368MatsumaeyaSeaweed1392NamariichiChemicals1395家入博信 社寺曼陀羅: 社寺修復塗師覚え書きKameya MutsuConfectionery1421SakuSaku, NaganoHotel1428Yunushi IchijohHotel1428Confectionery1461SenkiyaTea1462OwariyaKyoto, KyotoRestaurant1465InoueTea1467Mizuta GyokuundoConfectionery1477HiraizumiSake1487FukkodoBrushes1501TsutayaConfectionery1502Chigira JinsenteiIkaho, GunmaHotel1502Confectionery1503Ishiga HontenReligious goods1504–1520KenbishiSakeBef. 1505TorayaTokyo, TokyoConfectioneryAbt. 1520YamajiSake1532Honke KojimaConfectionery1532MatsuokayaSauce1534Sake1534Izumiya RyokanHotel1536Shusen KuranoSake1540FubokakuHotel1546Kunitomo KyutaroGunpowder1547YoshinogawaSake1548Sake1550SasaiyaConfectionery1550IzekiClothing1550Itamuro Onsen DaikokuyaNasushiobara, TochigiFood1551Meien Co., Ltd.Nagoya, AichiSalt1554ChisoKyoto, KyotoClothing1555Clothing1555KaikodoLacquerwareBef. 1558Tea1558UedaSake1558AritsuguKyoto, KyotoKnives (originally swords)1560Nabeya Bi-tech KaishaSeki, GifuMachine parts (originally kettles, pots, and bells)1560OkamotoIron1560HasemokuReal estate1560IchijohHotel1560ToyahachiPottery retail1560YamagatakanHotel1561Otaya HanuemonConfectionery1562Shima TamuraHotel1563藤田聡 四万温泉 オールアバウトKojiyaFood1563Confectionery1565Beds1566KichijiyaOil1568SuishodoPharmacy1570Isekusuri HonpoPharmacy1570KikuhimeSake1570–1600Yoshida GennojoReligious goods1572Hosoji InbantenStamps1573NakanoFish1573Sauce1573Retailing1573ShintsuBuilding material1573–1592SonodayaConfectionery1573–1592KanbayashiTea1573–1592Mitsuboshien Kanbayashi SannyuTea1573–1592美味しい日本茶入門 エイ出版社(EI-Publishing) (March 2015)IshikawaStone1573–1592Nikenjayamochi KadoyaBrewery1575Meboso HachirobeeFishing flies1575Yanagiya HozenConfectionery1575Nippon KodoIncense1575Heihachi JayaRestaurant1576KishigonHotel1576GyokueidoConfectionery1576KobaienInk1577MineyoFish1577Lamp no YadoHotel1578TomihiroClothing1578KigurayaClothing1579NakayaHerbal medicine1579HigashimaruSauceAbt.1580Hatano PaintPaint1582IndenyaLeather1582KojuIncense1582OnomichizousuOnomichi, HiroshimaVinegar1582TamaruyaUdon noodles1582MinowaLacquerware1582Godayu KikuyaConfectionery1584Yamato IntecMetalworking1584KikuyaConfectionery1585MercrosRetailer1585TenshoenTea1585MatsuiConstruction1586Oyama ShajiConstruction1586ChogoromochiConfectionery1587JosuianConfectionery1587OkekaFurnaces1588IbasenFans1590KogureHotel1591YamashinaUtensil1591Osugiya SobeeConfectionery1592Meimon SakaiSake1592KikyoyaConfectionery1592NezameyaRestaurant1592KoyaSake1593YamamotoyaSeed1593KungyokudoIncense1594FujinoyaFertilizer1594ChojiyaRestaurant1596ToshimayaSake1596TakimoFood1596Oteramochi KawaidoConfectionery1596TazenMetal1596GyokurinboHotel1596Nagata BunshodoPublisher1596–1615HeirakujiPublisher1596–1615HayashikanClothing1596–1615KojimaSake1597KuwanayaConfectionery1597Uzu KyumeiganPharmacy1597RyujinSake1597ChinjukanPottery1598Wakanoura ImotoPharmacy1598WatahanConstruction1598Nakazato MoemonPottery1598Minatoya Yurei-kosodate-ameConfectioneryBef. 1599Umai ChemicalChemicals (originally salt)1599BounHotel1599KyorinClothing1599Shichiyama HospitalHospital1599TakenakaOsaka, OsakaConstruction1610GekkeikanKyoto, KyotoSake and plum wine1637NintendoKyoto, KyotoVideo games (originally playing cards)1889Takamatsu Construction GroupYodogawa-ku, OsakaConstruction1917KikkomanNoda, ChibaSoy sauce and other food1917
See also List of oldest companies
References