Check out Takumi’s NEW English youtube channel🎵
↓↓↓
https://www.youtube.com/@takuway
I’m honestly so moved.
Lately, I’ve been completely captivated by Mr. Tokujii Munetsugu, the founder of CoCo Ichibanya. I’d really love to go hear him speak sometime.
Would anyone like to come with me?
He says:
If you work hard,
and you work with sincerity,
the customers will follow.
Supporters will show up.
And you know what?
That’s exactly the message I’ve been receiving over and over again lately.
Even Mr. Iriye, from Samurai Partners,
reminded me of the power of “just doing what anyone could do, but consistently.”
What stuck with me most was: “Social media is dialogue.”
And this hit straight to the heart:
“All the answers are in the comments. If you really want to go viral, read what people are saying—even on your competitors’ posts. Take it seriously, and improve accordingly.”
I heard the same message in a spiritual session where my guardian spirit was guided through:
“Don’t run.” “Don’t rush.” “Do what needs to be done, properly.”
It was like being told,
“You can’t expect to reach the goal with only one stamp on your card.”
And then there’s Micchan, a female entrepreneur—
she says, “I’ve done everything I could.”
But she’s actually one of the rare people who really have done it all.
And the final inspiration:
Mr. Tokujii Munetsugu of CoCo Ichibanya.
Whether it’s my work with Amway (I’m doing it properly!),
Coaching (Ready to expand!),
The beauty club (Looking forward to the school trip!),
Life Map (Gathering people who are truly serious),
The film project (Nearly done adapting the screenplay into a picture book),
Being an author (of 3 upcoming books!),
UP & UP (thank you for the YouTube love!),
The AI school (starting soon),
the ESP project, Minami-Yamazaki project,
SNS outreach, the vending machine venture...
So many projects are running in parallel—I can’t even list them all.
But there’s one thing I mustn’t forget:
Time to revive myself.
Time to breathe life back into me.
🧭Overview: The 5 Themes of Munetsugu Tokuji's Life and Legacy
① Turning Points: Entrepreneurship and Life Shifts
Opening a coffee shop at age 25 became a major turning point in his life.
He transitioned from the real estate business and launched the venture side by side with his wife—whom he met around that time.
They endured tough times, even surviving on just bread crusts day after day.
② Business Philosophy and Daily Practice
He took a counterintuitive approach: refusing to offer morning specials, and instead focused on delivering unique value.
By doubling down on hospitality and customer service, he set his shop apart and gradually expanded to more locations.
His secret to success? “Give it your all. And keep going without getting bored.”
③ The Rise of CoCo Ichibanya: From cafe to curry chain
The café gradually evolved into a diner, and eventually into a curry specialty restaurant.
The popularity of curry delivery sparked a major shift.
He and his wife co-developed the curry recipes, with all staff joining taste tests to finalize the flavors.
④ Embracing Complaints: Customer Feedback as Fuel
In 1987, he began collecting customer feedback through handwritten postcards.
Receiving around 1,000 per day and 30,000 per month, he personally reads every single one.
He believes:“Complaints are more valuable than praise,”and uses them to constantly improve the business.
⑤ Post-Retirement: Social Contribution and Life Philosophy
A transformative moment came from his early encounter with classical music—a deeply moving experience with Mendelssohn.
This led him to establish a concert hall and support young musicians, aiming to host 400 performances per year.
He sweeps the road daily, as an expression of gratitude and contribution to the community.
His personal credo:“If I decide something is mine to do, I’ll keep doing it for life.”
🔚Definition of Success and Final Message
The key to success: “Never let your guard down. Keep updating your goals.”
While entrepreneurship can be lonely, the joy of achieving your goals makes it all worthwhile.
His way of giving back to society: “Earn properly. Pay taxes properly.”
Even now, rooted in the city of Nagoya, he continues forward with sincerity and humility.
and we had a private talk at a café.
was another amazing one!
Thank you so much!
Once every two months,
I take time to dive deeper
into what’s been on my mind.
ONE MONTH LATER
This time,
I also talked about CoCo Ichibanya!
Hope you’ll give it a listen!
CoCo Ichibanya,
Hiroyuki Irie-san,
Micchan,
and my guardian spirit—
Truly,
all of you are amazing!
22 year old CEO (She's 23 now)
Yesterday, we had a planning meeting—
for a seminar starting in Los Angeles!
It’ll unfold over six months!
In the first month,
we’ll kick things off in LA.
In the second month,
we’re doing a casual in-person session in Tokyo—
would you like to join?!
You can participate just once,
or join us for the full six months!
If you’re interested,
↓↓↓
please contact Staff Van!
Just write “6-Month Course LA” in your message!
Ooyama-san’s talk yesterday was so good!
How to release negative energy?
Introduce one senpai to another.
Let your middle school and high school friends meet.
Connect someone you respect (X) with someone else you respect (Y).
And so on.
✨ Connecting people creates the future. ✨
🔸 Stage 1: The Spark and the Turning Point
He was so nervous, all he could say was “Yoroshiku onegaishimasu” (Nice to meet you).
That moment led to his role on stage.
It was an unexpected twist—one that changed the course of his life.
🔸 Stage 2: Human Connection Born from the Stage
A friend came to see the show he was in.
That moment symbolized the deep importance of connections in life.
🔸 Stage 3: What Martial Arts Taught Him
At the core was the message: paint a picture of joy.
Rather than focusing on how to overcome trauma or negativity,
it’s about how to hold on to an image of joy.
🔸 Stage 4: What is True Courage?
Not just about overcoming fear—
but taking a step toward joy.
That’s where martial arts training and stage experience come together.
💡 The big takeaway:
"Nervousness and mistakes can open new doors in life.
To move beyond fear, you must visualize joy.”
Link to Takumi Yamazaki’s
ENGLISH Book “SHIFT”
