It has been quite some time since mobile phones went from what are now called "garakei" flip phones to smartphones, but Yahata Sushi still uses a base unit and handsets for its business telephone.

The handset is kept near the kitchen, and whoever is free answers incoming calls.

The other day, when a call came in, everyone happened to be busy, so we had one of our part-time staff answer it.

Picking it up is simple: just lift the handset from its cradle and the call connects. The problem came when it was time to hang up.

To our surprise, this part-time staff member had never used a conventional telephone in their life.

Kitajima, one of our younger staff members who saw it, was astonished too.

Who would have thought that people today would not know how to use a traditional telephone…?

I was surprised during the old 500-yen banknote incident some time ago, but this was even more surprising.

From now on, we will teach new part-time staff how to use the telephone as well.

Though really, it is not so much about the telephone’s functions as simply how to hang up.

And Kitajima and Yuya, whom I had thought of as young, are no longer so young either…