First shipment of the year - Hatsu

The first workday ceremony for merchants is held on the second day of the New Year. It also refers to the goods that are loaded at that time. Modeled on the first workdays in farming, mountain and fishing villages, and in individual households, wholesalers and retailers would load their goods onto carts, decorate them and deliver them to customers in a lively manner. A banner would be written with "first shipment" and placed on the package. Sometimes the goods were transported on a two-cart, horse-drawn carriage or on horseback. Today, with the changes in distribution systems, there are still examples of first shipments of Chinese cabbage piled up in front of greengrocers' stores, and first shipments flags being placed on trucks when making deliveries at the beginning of the year, but this custom has essentially disappeared.

[Shoji Inoguchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

正月2日、商家の仕事始めの儀礼。またそのとき積み出す商品。農・山・漁村や各家の仕事始めを見習ったもので、問屋や小売店が商品を荷車に載せて飾りたて、にぎやかにはやしながら得意先に届けるものであった。幟(のぼり)に「初荷」と書いて荷物に立てたりした。大八車、馬車、馬の背で運ぶこともあった。現在は流通機構の変化に伴い、八百屋(やおや)の店先に白菜を積み上げて初荷としたり、年初の配達のときトラックに初荷の旗を立てるなどの例はあるが、実質的には消滅した。

［井之口章次］

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