Cryptic Words and Camaraderie: The Culture of Street Vendor Signs Lived in Postwar Society

Cryptic Words and Camaraderie: The Culture of Street Vendor Signs Lived in Postwar Society
In the society of tekiya, there existed a unique set of cloak words, such as "shopa" (place) and "zukisaka" (cup). These words were used on a daily basis and could be understood by their peers but not by outsiders, so they naturally served to strengthen internal bonds and keep outsiders at bay. The code words and cryptograms called "codes" were not mere ciphers, but traditions handed down from generation to generation that strengthened the identity of the professional group of tekiya.

During the chaotic postwar period, when many street vendors were active on the black market and at fairs, a sense of internal solidarity was the key to survival amid immature legal and security mechanisms. In order to protect the place by cooperating with each other while dodging police and government crackdowns, a means of communication that could not be leaked to the outside world was necessary. The cloak of secrecy had this practical function, and at the same time, it became a common cultural asset as a proof of "being one of us".

During the period of rapid economic growth and urbanization, street vendors faced regulations and competition, but the culture of cryptic language was rather emphasized to enhance camaraderie. The code also became a "rite of passage" for newcomers to integrate into the inner circle, and learning the language was a step toward demonstrating loyalty to the organization. Just as the corporate world united its employees with company precepts and norms, the tekiya society united its fellow workers with the language culture of cryptography.

Today, with the introduction of gang exclusion ordinances and the strengthening of social surveillance, this culture of cryptic language has disappeared from public view, but vestiges of it can still be seen at festivals and local fairs. These cloak words are not merely secret words, but were the wisdom that tekiya created to protect their community and demonstrate their cultural uniqueness in the unstable society of the postwar period and the period of rapid economic growth.