Happy Women's Map 島根県浜田市 主婦による主婦のための店の創業者 牛島 國枝 女史 / The founder of Japan's first supermarket for and by housewives, Ms. Kunie Ushijima
「私がします！」
" I'll do it! "
牛島國枝
Ms. Kunie Ushijima
1910 - 1999
島根県浜田市
Born in Hamada-city, Shimane-ken
牛島國枝女史は、日本初の名実ともに主婦による主婦のためのスーパーマーケットの創業者。女性株主のみで「佐賀主婦の店」をスタートさせ佐賀一番のチェーンストアに育て上げます。有害食品追放・過大表示商品を排除する食品マーク付け運動をはじめて実施して、佐賀から全国に大反響を巻き起こします。NHKテレビドラマ『おしん』のモデルの一人。
Ms. Ushijima Kunie is the founder of Japan's first supermarket for and by housewives, both in name and reality. She started the "Saga Housewives' Store" with only female shareholders and developed it into Saga's leading chain store. She initiated a food labeling movement to eliminate harmful foods and products with exaggerated claims, creating a nationwide impact starting from Saga. She is also one of the models for the NHK TV drama "Oshin."
「小説家の夢」
國枝は旧制中学校教師の父・喜太郎と資産家の娘である母・コウのもと4人きょうだいに生まれます。9歳の時に父が急逝、母の郷里の佐賀に移り住みます。小説家を目指して佐賀高等女学校時代に『婦人公論』に短編小説を応募、2回連続で入選します。さらに東京女子高等師範代に挑戦しますが挫折。18歳で母方のいとこ牛島栄四朗と結婚。嫁ぎ先は田畑・貸家をたくさん所有する資産家で、夫の兄弟は石油業、運送業を経営。國枝は義母と折り合い悪く披露宴を拒否、夫と共に酒屋に次いでタクシー会社の経営に専念します。戦後の婦人参政権実現とともに、國枝は37歳から市会議員ならびに県会議員に立候補、それぞれ3期連続で務めあげ、主婦連合会会長の奥むねお女史また市川房枝女史と親交を結びます。さらに経営者の妻たちを中心に15人の友人を集め読書グループ「菱の実会」を結成。女性の自律的人間形成・地域社会の進展・グループリーダー養成を目標に活動を続けます。
「有閑マダムのへそくり会社」
ある日、岐阜発「主婦の店」スーパーマーケットが繁盛している記事を見つけます。早速、國枝は友人2人で全国のスーパーマーケットを見て回ります。「これなら私たちにもできる！」。読書会のメンバーのうち8人で出資200万円、知り合いに頼み込んで佐賀市の西のはずれ西魚町にバラック小屋を建ててもらい賃借契約を結びます。店の建築が始まると、市政記者らを招いて記者会見を開きます。「主婦だけで経営する佐賀発のスーパーマーケット！安全で新鮮で良い品を安く提供して利益を社会に還元！」。ところが、翌朝の新聞では「有閑マダムのへそくり会社」と大々的に報じられます。佐賀県知事のもとに八百屋・魚屋・豆腐屋・牛乳屋はじめ生鮮食料品業者が数十人も押し寄せ、「生活に困らん女たちが商売の邪魔をするのはけしからん！」と猛反対。國枝は佐賀県下で青果はじめ魚・肉を取り扱う知人を訪ねてまわり、魚と肉と豆腐の協力店を見つけます。さらに國枝は橋を越えて久留米の青果市場に直談判、全国有数の野菜生産地である福岡県三瀬郡の新鮮で安い野菜・果物を入荷します。ようやくこぎつけた開店日には200人をこえるお客が列をつくります。
「食品マーク」
生鮮食品はじめ日用品・文具・菓子を並べ、市販より1割以上安く、目玉商品はさらに安く販売。さらに、有害食品と過大表示商品を排除するために食品マーク付け運動を実施。信号になぞらえて赤「おすすめしかねます」・青「おすすめします」・黄「普通」シールを全商品に張り付けます。１００種類以上の添加物を調べあげたり、チューブのワサビまた辛子を計量したり、お茶また昆布だしを飲み比べたり、主婦目線で選定すると消費者からは大好評を得るも、業者はじめマスコミから猛反発を受けます。全国的に論争を巻き起こしながら店の取り組みが話題となり、初日の売り上げ60万円から平均日売上35万円と、5年で軌道に乗ります。1割配当と商品の袋詰め、1年に1回のバス旅行、有害食品追放・省資源運動などに取り組みながら、気心の知れる女性知人を対象に株主を募って約100人で資本金1億6000万円に増資。住宅地を中心に30余りの小型店舗を拡充、市街地に深夜営業の大型店舗を建設、惣菜・もやし・カイワレ・漬物の自社工場を整備、消費者問題を扱った『主婦の店新聞』を刊行して売り上げを伸ばしながら、女性による女性のための店づくりに邁進します。
"Dream of a Novelist"
Kunie was born into a family with four siblings to her father, Kitaro, a teacher in an old-style middle school, and her mother, Ko, who came from a wealthy background. When she was 9 years old, her father passed away suddenly, leading the family to relocate to Saga, Ko's hometown. During her time at Saga High School for Girls, Kunie aspired to become a novelist. She submitted short stories to "Fujin Koron" magazine and succeeded in winning the competition for two consecutive times. Despite facing setbacks in attempting to enter Tokyo Women's Higher Normal School, at the age of 18, Kunie married her maternal cousin, Eishiro Ushijima. Her in-laws were wealthy, owning numerous fields and rental properties, with her husband's brothers managing businesses in the petroleum and transportation industries. Kunie had difficulties getting along with her mother-in-law and even refused to hold a wedding reception. Instead, she dedicated herself, along with her husband, to managing a taxi company following their liquor store venture. With the realization of women's suffrage after the war, Kunie, at the age of 37, ran for and served as a city council member and prefectural assembly member for three consecutive terms each. During this time, she developed friendships with Muneo Oku, the chairwoman of the Housewives' Union, and Fumie Ichikawa. Furthermore, Kunie formed a reading group called "Hishi no Mi Kai," consisting mainly of businesswomen, aiming to promote independent human development for women, advance local communities, and foster group leaders.
"The Secret Stash Company of Idle Madams"
One day, Kunie comes across an article highlighting the thriving success of a "Housewives' Store" supermarket originating from Gifu. Excited, Kunie and two friends immediately start visiting supermarkets nationwide, thinking, "We can do this too!" Eight members of their reading group collectively invest 2 million yen, and with the help of acquaintances, they construct a barracks-style building on the outskirts of Saga City in Nishiuocho, entering into a lease agreement. As the construction of the store begins, they hold a press conference, inviting local political reporters. "A supermarket originating from Saga, managed exclusively by housewives! Providing safe, fresh, and high-quality products at affordable prices, with profits returned to society!" However, the next morning's newspaper headlines read, "The Secret Stash Company of Idle Madams," with extensive coverage. Fresh food suppliers, including vegetable, fish, tofu, and milk vendors, flock to the Saga Prefectural Governor's office. Dozens of them express vehement opposition, stating, "It's unacceptable for women who aren't struggling in their lives to interfere with our businesses!" Undeterred, Kunie visits acquaintances in Saga and secures cooperation from fish, meat, and tofu shops. Additionally, she crosses bridges to negotiate directly at the Kurume produce market, bringing in fresh and affordable vegetables and fruits from Fukuoka's Sanse-gun, a leading vegetable production area in the country. Finally, on the long-awaited opening day, over 200 customers form a line outside the store.
https://happywomen.base.shop/items/78145234
"Food Marking"
They arrange fresh food, daily necessities, stationery, and sweets, pricing them more than 10% cheaper than retail, with key items sold even more affordably. To eliminate harmful foods and products with exaggerated claims, they implement a food labeling campaign. Using a traffic signal analogy, they affix red labels indicating "Cannot recommend," blue labels indicating "Recommend," and yellow labels indicating "Average" on all products. Conducting research on over 100 additives, measuring the content of wasabi and mustard in tubes, and conducting taste tests on tea and kelp broth, they receive widespread acclaim from consumers for their selections from a housewife's perspective. However, they face fierce opposition from businesses and the media. Despite sparking nationwide controversy, the store's efforts become a topic of discussion, and they manage to stabilize with an average daily sales of 350,000 yen, starting from the first-day sales of 600,000 yen and increasing over five years. Engaging in activities such as a 10% dividend, packaging products, an annual bus trip, and campaigns against harmful foods and resource conservation, they target familiar female acquaintances to recruit shareholders. They increase their capital to 160 million yen with around 100 shareholders. Expanding with over 30 small stores primarily in residential areas, constructing large stores for late-night operations in urban areas, and establishing in-house factories for prepared foods, bean sprouts, kaiware (radish sprouts), and pickles, they publish the "Housewives' Store Newspaper" addressing consumer issues. They strive to build stores for women by women, steadily increasing their sales.
Share Your Love and Happy Women's Story！
あなたを元気にする女性の逸話をお寄せください！
Share your story of a woman that inspires you!
この記事が気に入ったらサポートをしてみませんか？