The Manner of Ambiguity and Sense of Boundary among Street Vendors: The World of Unwritten Rules (Late Showa Period)

The Manner of Ambiguity and Sense of Boundary among Street Vendors: The World of Unwritten Rules (Late Showa Period)
In the street vendor culture of the late Showa period (late 1926-1989), there was an emphasis not only on explicit rules, but also on the daring to remain ambiguous. The world of street vendors and tekiya was based on both the government permission system and long-standing local customs, and a middle way of life that did not lean too strongly toward either was required. The description "too much clarity can drive you out of the place. It is better to leave it ambiguous." The phrase "it is better to leave it ambiguous" is a straightforward illustration of this sense of boundary.

Because street vendors were both front-line businesses and informal coordinators of festivals and markets, there was a danger of damaging the relationship with the community if all of their actions were regulated. For example, the allocation of locations, the order of purchasing, and the order in which people should show their faces to each other were not clearly stated, but were often determined by the atmosphere of the moment. This ambiguity was also a soft wisdom for living while successfully avoiding underworld pressure and government regulations.

In families where the family ran the tekiya business, this ambiguity was part of everyday life, and children learned the unexplained rules firsthand. Although it was a front business, even the slightest misstep could lead to friction with the police or government authorities, while disrespecting the internal rules of etiquette could result in being ostracized by the community. Therefore, it was safe to keep the lines vague.

This culture shows that the world of the street vendor was not chaotic, but rather was based on an unspoken order. Because the street culture of the Showa period was at the boundary between law and custom, between front and back, soft judgment and reading the atmosphere were essential to the art of survival. The unstated code was the very unique sense of balance that allowed tekiya to continue to do business despite the changing times.