一見(いちげん)

Etymology

一(いち) (one/first) + 見(げん) (seeing/meeting)

Literally "first meeting/seeing" - refers to the first time a customer visits.

Key phrase

「一見(いちげん)さんお断(ことわ)り」 is a famous expression meaning "first-time customers not accepted." Common at:

• Traditional 料亭(りょうてい) (high-end Japanese restaurants)
• Exclusive お茶屋(ちゃや) (teahouses in Kyoto)
• Member-only establishments
• High-end バー (bars)

Cultural note

This practice exists to:

• Maintain quality of service
• Ensure customers understand etiquette
• Protect privacy of regular customers
• Preserve exclusive atmosphere

Typically, a referral from a regular customer (常連(じょうれん)) is needed for first-time entry.

Common collocations

• 一見(いちげん)さん - first-time customer (polite)
• 一見(いちげん)の客(きゃく) - first-time customer
• 一見(いちげん)お断(ことわ)り - no first-timers

Contrasted with

• 常連(じょうれん) - regular customer
• お得意(とくい)さん - valued regular customer
• 馴染(なじ)み - familiar customer

Note on reading

Different from 一見(いっけん) (at first glance) which has different kanji reading and meaning.