"Learning How to Say Goodbye": The Resonating Legacy of a 75-Year-Old Shop

[Anchor]

A video of a small shop in a Tokyo alleyway closing its doors has gone viral on social media, moving many to tears. It was a form of closing ceremony, reflecting a unique Japanese sentiment that values the end of something just as much as its beginning.

Yeo Hyeon-gyo reports for Video Mug.

[Reporter]

On June 30, "Super Kimuraya," a shop in Kagurazaka, Tokyo, closed its doors after 75 years in business.

Since opening in 1951, it had been a long-standing establishment that provided meals for local residents.

On the final day, regular customers flocked to the store, and staff members stood in front of the shop, bowing to each customer individually.

Finally, the shutters were slowly lowered.

This scene, filmed and uploaded by another business in the same commercial district, has been viewed over 5.5 million times on social media, drawing reactions calling it a "beautiful farewell."

This kind of departure was not unique to Kimuraya.

Consider the 71-year history of the Meitetsu Department Store in Nagoya.

Known for the "Nana-chan" statue in front of the building, which was beloved by travelers, the store closed in February of this year.

On the final day, the president and management handed out flowers to the first 2,000 customers who arrived.

Among them was an employee who had worked at the department store for 50 years.

At 7:00 PM, when business concluded, the president and the staff bowed deeply together.

Applause erupted from the onlookers, followed by words of gratitude like "Thank you for your hard work" and "Thank you for everything."

Even an elderly couple closing their 120-year-old restaurant followed suit.

All of them offered polite farewells to their customers in their final moments.

In Japan, there are cases where shops do not simply end with a "business closed" sign.

They hold small events to share final goodbyes with customers, known as "closing ceremonies."

Especially for shops that have been loved for a long time, they set aside time on the last day to exchange words of gratitude with their patrons.

The most symbolic scene is the moment the shop's shutters are slowly lowered.

It embodies a unique Japanese sentiment that treasures the conclusion of an endeavor as much as its inception.

At the root of this sentiment is the Japanese culture of "omio-kuri," or seeing someone off.

It is a style of hospitality where one bows to express gratitude until the customer is completely out of sight.

A classic example is the scene at traditional inns or department stores where all staff members come out to see off their guests.

It is often cited as one of the moments that leaves the deepest impression on foreigners visiting Japan.

This year, such scenes of farewells from Japanese shops have increased significantly.

This also means that the number of shops closing down has risen.

The Seibu Department Store, a landmark in the Shibuya district, will also close its doors this September after 59 years of operation.

For reference, sales at Japanese department stores peaked at 9.7 trillion yen in 1991 and have since shrunk to 5.7 trillion yen last year.

In this situation, local department stores and old shops are finding it harder to survive, leading to a "closing rush" as they shut their shutters one after another.

Behind these beautiful farewells lies the bitter backdrop of low birth rates, an aging population, and the decline of commercial districts.

In South Korea, the number of business closures remains near 1 million due to a prolonged slump in domestic demand.

In our reality, shops that were as precious as one's own children, and shops that held on until the very end with only their customers in mind, often just disappear quietly one day.

Perhaps that is why these scenes from Japan—this culture of cherishing the final moments—draw so much attention.

The final greetings from shops that taught us how to say goodbye well.

They continue to resonate in the hearts of many today.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.