151 years old Daifukuchō -A Merchant’s Ledger of Good Fortune
Daifukuchō -A Merchant’s Ledger of Good Fortune from Meiji period (1874)
This document is a Daifukuchō,
a traditional merchant’s ledger used in Japan.
The word Daifuku literally means “great fortune,”
reflecting the belief that honest record-keeping
invited prosperity and continuity in business.
In the Edo and early Meiji periods, merchants recorded
sales, payments, debts, and relationships by hand,
using brush and ink on handmade paper.
A Daifukuchō was both a practical tool
and a symbol of trust.
Clear accounts were thought to bring clear outcomes.
To write carefully was to trade responsibly.
Order in the ledger meant order in life.
The folds, stains, and wear seen here
are traces of daily commerce —
proof that this book was used, handled, and relied upon
in a time when trust traveled through handwriting.
More than numbers,
a Daifukuchō carried the hopes of its owner:
for stability, good fortune, and enduring relationships.
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