Tomoyuki Arai, the founder of Ohguchi Suisan Co., Ltd. was born in November 1908 in a farmhouse in Yuyagahara-machi, Kanazawa City (then Yuyagahara, Asakawa Village, Kawakita County) at the foot of Iouzen.
The second son of five siblings, he went to work for a fishmonger in Kanazawa at the age of 14.
After training in Osaka, he set up his own store in 1940, renting a corner of a salt and dried fish wholesaler in the "Ohmicho-ichiba".
At the time, the economy was heavily regulated due to the war, and the distribution channels for fresh fish were divided into those for the general public, those for business use, and those for large orders.
He became the managing director of Kanazawa Fisheries Products Ohguchi Distribution Co.
This company is the root of today's Ohguchi Suisan.
After the war, the price of goods skyrocketed due to a shortage of supplies. Against this backdrop, the founder, Arai, began selling "dish plates" with regular coupons. This was a business method that was based on the customer's point of view, rather than the seller's price.
Instead of focusing on high-end fish, he stocked up on popular fish such as mackerel, sardines, squid, and flounder, and then reduced the price to a level that customers could afford. He continued to provide fish at low prices to the public by making no profit.
"Business is built on the blessings of nature, logistics, employees, customers, and all of the above. That is the starting point of business."
We will continue to move forward with the philosophy of Arai, a man of business spirit.
After 1955, with the change to a car-oriented society, the construction of a parking lot became an urgent necessity for the entire "Ohmicho-ichiba", and Arai worked hard to construct a parking lot in Ohmicho.
Also, the evolution of commercial appliances was remarkable, and large refrigerators were introduced, making it possible to serve fresh fish in the freshest condition.
Around the time of the establishment of the central wholesale market in 1966, the creation of a new structure as a company also began. In 1983, the Central Collection and Delivery Center was established outside the central market. With this center as a base, we began to develop customers in Kanazawa and its suburbs, as well as outside the prefecture, by making full use of a computerized ordering system and a rational transportation system.
With the passage of time in the Heisei and 2022 eras, the technology of the world has greatly evolved.
Delivery routes have become more efficient, cooling methods have become more sophisticated, and it is now possible to transport fresh fish throughout Japan and overseas.
In addition, the development of information transmission technology has made it possible to exchange information quickly, enabling us to purchase large quantities of delicious fish at low prices and provide them to our customers.
It is important to change things as times change and technology evolves. Even under such circumstances, the spirit of Ohguchi Suisan's business spirit of "putting the customer first and providing large quantities of delicious fresh fish at low prices" remains unchanged.
We will continue to strive to be a company that is familiar to and needed by our customers.
Around this time, there was talk of building an arcade in "Ohmicho-ichiba" to provide shade from the sun and to protect against snow. Although permission to install an arcade was not readily granted, Tomoyuki Arai, together with the Arcade Reinforcement Construction Committee, worked hard for the installation of an arcade. As a result, the arcade street, which is now the symbol of Ohmicho, was gradually constructed.
Ohguchi Suisan Noodles Department, which operated the udon shop "Hyakumangoku Udon" that started out of a desire to "give market workers a cheap and filling meal," became an independent company as Ohguchi Shoji Co.
The company is engaged in management of restaurants, production and sales of noodles, etc.
BSO Corporation spun off its wholesale and processing divisions.
The company has fully automated seafood processing equipment, including a scale remover, three-piece wholesaler, and sashimi slicer, and processes and delivers the products in a condition that is easy for client companies to use.
Furthermore, equipped with the state-of-the-art "Hybrid Ice" ice machine, we can deliver seafood in a state of preservation that meets the needs of our customers, from ready-to-cook conditions to frozen conditions that can be stored for extended periods.
In recent years, the company has begun opening stores in shopping centers. Ohguchi Suisan's strength is its fresh fish. We strive to provide quality fresh fish at prices that are affordable for our customers.
In addition, with the changing times, we are also focusing on creating products that customers want, such as offering packaged and whole fish, and developing sushi cups. We will continue to strive to be a fishmonger that is well-liked by local residents.
