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Tag: tokyo

  • Cole Haan opens new concept store in Tokyo

    Cole Haan opens new concept store in Tokyo

    American luxury fashion brand Cole Haan has launched its concept store in Tokyo at Grandshop – Cat Street, Harajuku. The flagship houses a selection of footwear and lifestyle products, including the exclusive GrandPro Rally Court Sneakers range in collaboration with Indian-American comedian Hasan Minhaj.

    “Japan holds a special place for the Cole Haan brand as we’ve been there for more than a quarter-century,” said  David Maddocks, brand president at Cole Haan. “It only made sense to bring our most innovative retail concept to one of the most iconic shopping destinations in the world — Harajuku district’s Cat Street.”

    The store facade includes a window integrated with a transparent LED screen showcasing Cole Haan’s product. Digital touchpoints such as QR codes and a selfie station are implemented inside the store.

    The Cole Haan Harajuku is also the brand’s third Grandshop. Founded in 1928, Cole Hann is now sold in more than 60 countries.

  • Tokyo pop-up mask store lures shoppers with festive face coverings

    Tokyo pop-up mask store lures shoppers with festive face coverings

    As a new wave of coronavirus infections sweeps Tokyo, a pop-up store near Japan’s capital is luring Christmas shoppers with 250 types of face mask, including festive versions with decorative lights.

    Tokyo Mask Land, which opened Tuesday for a month in an office building in Yokohama, also has a mask bar and is offering mask-making workshops to draw visitors.

    People often wore face mask in Japan before the pandemic, particularly during the winter flu season and in Spring when cedar and cypress pollen triggers hay fever.

    Although no law mandates wearing them, it is currently unusual to see someone without a mask in Tokyo, even outside.

    The store also plans an exhibit on the history of face coverings and a photo booth featuring Christmas trees and a mannequin dressed up as Santa Claus.

    “I don’t think you would come up with an idea like this if there had been no coronavirus outbreak,” 23-year-old Ryota Nabetani, who was shopping for masks with his mother, said of the photo spot.

    Although it has had far fewer cases than in the United States and Europe, a recent surge in coronavirus infections prompted authorities in Tokyo last week to request bars and restaurants to shorten opening hours.

    Japan’s capital on Tuesday reported 372 new cases, the seventh straight day above 300, according to public broadcaster NHK.

    A spokesman for the store said it had implemented measures to ensure that visitors didn’t catch the coronavirus while shopping for masks.

  • Japan’s first gourmet restaurant delivery app lifts off

    Japan’s first gourmet restaurant delivery app lifts off

    Starting today, Tokyo foodies will no longer have to compromise when they order food for delivery. Japan’s first gourmet restaurant delivery app, Food-e, launches today in central Tokyo. With a curated collection of Tokyo’s best restaurants, exclusively available on Food-e, such as Nobu Tokyo, Elio Locanda, Oak Door, Shunbou and Chinaroom, consumers and companies can order great food, professionally delivered to their homes, offices or other locations of their choice.

    Users can access the app at www.food-e.jp from a browser on their smartphones, tablets or PCs and make their selections from menus of mouth-watering professional photos. The food will be delivered in high-quality packaging, with hot and cold items separated to control temperature. Food-e’s drivers are uniformed and insured, full-time professionals, expert in Tokyo’s roads, who will delicately handle the food to your door. Food-e is also the first delivery app offering bilingual customer service to both restaurants and users.

    For restaurants owners, Food-e has changed the traditional business model of delivery apps by charging users a fair fee for delivery and significantly lowering the commissions paid by restaurants. This allows restaurants to make a fair profit on delivery orders while gaining new customers for in-store dining.

    For users, Food-e offers a choice of great restaurants, most of which have never been available for delivery before, at prices generally the same as in-store dining. All of Food-e’s restaurants are not available on any other delivery app.

    Initially, Food-e’s delivery area is a 5km radius from Nishi Azabu, which includes parts of Minato, Chuo, Chiyoda, Shibuya, Meguro and Shinjuku wards. In the near future, Food-e will expand to other parts of Tokyo and eventually to other major cities in Japan.

    Following the official launch today, Food-e will regularly add new restaurants, offering users high quality and an increasing variety of cuisines.

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  • Trading in Tokyo Resumes Following Glitch

    Trading in Tokyo Resumes Following Glitch

    The Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) has resumed regular operations on Friday after a technical outage that lasted all day Thursday.

    TSE is currently planning to replace the hardware and taking steps, including other maintenance, to ensure normal trading from tomorrow onwards, bourse operator Japan Exchange (JPX) said on Thursday evening.

    There was no indication that the exchange’s biggest glitch in a decade was caused by hacking or other cybersecurity breaches.

    JPX explained that Thursday’s outage was the result of a hardware failure. «The switchover from the failed device to the backup device did not work properly, and as a result, market information could not be distributed, JPX said.

    JPX has been on the receiving end of criticism over its crisis management and poor communication to investors regarding the outage.

    The matter has also raised questions over Japan’s digital systems and infrastructure, particularly as the country seeks to boost its status as an international financial hub.

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  • Tokyo Motorcycle Show Cancelled

    Tokyo Motorcycle Show Cancelled

    The 48th edition of the Tokyo Motorcycle Show has been canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, the Tokyo Motorcycle Show Association has announced. The Tokyo Motorcycle Show was scheduled to be held in the spring of 2021, but considering the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the organizers have decided to cancel the event. The organizers hope to hold the next show in 2022. According to the Japanese publication, Young Machine, the original theme of the 2021 event was meant to be “seeing, touching, and experiencing.”

    The Tokyo Motorcycle Show is one of the biggest motorcycle events around the world, and the Japanese big four manufacturers usually save some of their biggest new models, as well as the most exciting innovations, and the most important launches for the event. The decision to cancel the show will be a disappointment for motorcycle manufacturers, with several other international shows for the year already canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The most popular European show, the EICMA show in Milan, has been canceled, as well as the Intermot show in Cologne, Germany. The UK’s Motorcycle Live show has also been canceled for this year.

    Instead of a physical event where OEMs usually showcase new models and technologies, manufacturers and organizers are expected to host a series of online reveals and ‘shows’ of their own. The change from a physical show has its advantages, of reaching to a wider audience around the world. But there’s nothing like an actual show, where the latest designs and models are on display to be seen up close and make a more personal connection with upcoming motorcycles.

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  • Alexander McQueen opens Tokyo flagship store

    Alexander McQueen opens Tokyo flagship store

    British fashion label Alexander McQueen has opened a flagship store at Omotesando, Tokyo.

    Located in the shopping complex Oak Omotesando, the store occupies a 253sqm space and spans two stories. The first floor houses women’s clothes and accessories while the second floor features apparel and accessories for men.

    The Alexander McQueen Omotesando concept is a result of the collaboration between creative director Sarah Burton and architect Smiljan Radic. The store exterior features glass floor-to-ceiling doors and windows with grey metal frames, allowing customers to see into the store from the outside. The interior uses woods such as oak or walnut as the main material, creating a warm ambiance.

    The storehouses four fitting rooms designed in a glass cylinder shape with butterfly-patterned curtains. The patterns were previously featured in the brand’s Fall/Winter 2018 and 2019 Collection.

  • Ikea opens first compact store in Tokyo, Japan

    Ikea opens first compact store in Tokyo, Japan

    Ikea Japan has opened its first concept downtown store in Tokyo.

    Ikea Harajuku, modeled on smaller compact inner-city Ikea stores popping up in Paris and New York, targets urban apartment dwellers with a smaller range of about 9500 goods selected from its big-box destination shops.

    The new Ikea Japan store is located adjacent to the Uniqlo Harajuku which opened about a week ago, occupying a two-story, 2500sqm space.

    “One of the store’s keys focuses will be sustainability and circular living, with a buyback service and sustainably sourced food”, the company said in a statement.

    Besides featuring homewares products for small-living areas, the Ikea Harajuku houses a Swedish Cafe, where customers can find a Swedish flatbread menu, and Swedish Combini which offers a wide range of snacks and beverages including cups of plant-based instant noodles.

    Plans to open the Ikea Harajuku store were revealed two years ago. The store was scheduled to open on April 25 this year, however that was postponed until June 8 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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  • Hublot opens its largest flagship in Tokyo

    Hublot opens its largest flagship in Tokyo

    LVMH-owned watchmaker Hublot has opened its largest flagship store yet in Tokyo’s Ginza shopping district in Japan.

    Called “Hublot Tower”, the new flagship features a 56-meter-high artistic facade with glass panels scattered with mirrored tiles.

    Located on Chuo-dori Street, Hublot’s Ginza store occupies a 300sqm space, spanning three floors. The store’s design was inspired by the cosmopolitan city, using different materials such as mirrors, glass, marble and metal to create a contemporary style.

    “In only 40 years, Hublot has seen many firsts and many successes, and today is again another milestone for our Maison,” said Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO at Hublot.

    “We have long had a presence on the most prestigious streets in the world’s metropolises and from today in Japan too, our number one market. Hublot Tower is a symbol of the fusion of modernity and tradition that we ardently pursue and uphold in all our actions.”

    All of Hublot’s collections, including the brand’s latest limited-edition Big Bang GMT All Black Yohji Yamamoto watch, can be founded on the store’s first floor. The second-floor houses a VIP experience room, and the third-floor exhibition space.

  • Tag Heuer pop up opens in Shibuya, Tokyo

    Tag Heuer pop up opens in Shibuya, Tokyo

    Swiss luxury timepiece maker Tag Heuer has launched a pop-up at Shibuya Parco, Japan.

    The “Tag Heuer Connected” store delivers a futuristic ambiance in luxurious and stylistic tones featuring the colors of the brand against black. The store showcases Tag Heuer’s key technologies and celebrates the firm’s 160th anniversary.

    To mark the opening, the pop-up is conducting a promotional campaign called the Digital Tag Heuer Touch Rally, whereby visitors who scan a QR code from a Tag Heuer poster in the store and register as an official Line friend will receive an original branded Tag Heuer gift, while stocks last.

    Additionally, the story is holding a lottery for those who purchase the new Tag Heuer Connected watch.

    The pop-up will run through to April 12.

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  • Starbucks opening signing store in Tokyo

    Starbucks opening signing store in Tokyo

    Starbucks Japan is to open its first signing store in early Summer 2020 in Kunitachi City, Tokyo.

    Launched for the convenience of the deaf and hard of hearing, the new Starbucks outlet will provide service to customers in Japanese Sign Language. Signing stores have previously opened in Malaysia, Washington DC, and China. The store will be the first of its kind in Japan and the fifth globally.

    Deaf and hard-of-hearing staff will work alongside hearing partners to provide service to customers. The store is located close to a school for the deaf.

    A statement from the firm read “Starbucks aspires to become a people positive company where we uplift each other, our customers, and the communities we serve. Since 2018, Starbucks Japan has taken a ‘no filter’ approach to diversity and inclusion to create a place of belonging where partners can bring their best selves to work, without prejudice, assumption or bias toward race, age, gender, position, employment status, disability, personal values, or any other basis.”

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  • Tokyo builds its case to become the next key global city for fashion

    Tokyo builds its case to become the next key global city for fashion

    Tokyo is to host Japan’s largest fashion and art event next month – Tokyo Creative Salon – part of a plan to boost its case to become one of the world’s key fashion hubs.

    Supported by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo Creative Salon will be held from March 15 – 31. It will feature a variety of fashion and art initiatives across Tokyo’s five key districts: Nihonbashi, Marunouchi, Shibuya, Ginza, and Daikanyama.

    Each district will present a line-up of exhibitions and activations such as street runways, art installations, dance performances, and talk sessions. Tokyo Creative Salon will be attended by Japanese girl group Nogizaka46 together with Japanese solo artist Kavka Shishido.

    Tokyo Creative Salon Nihonbashi will feature the “Off to meet” theme, which advises visitors to turn off their mobile devices to fully experience the event. Some 10,000 Sacoche bags, which block smartphone reception, will be given out as gifts. The Nihonbashi venue will feature Sakura Menu Walk and Nihonbashi Art Gate where artists create works with the “Nihonbashi (that is) unrecognizable by the smartphone” theme.

    Tokyo Creative Salon Marunouchi will transform Marunouchi Nakadori into a red runway with full-scale fashion shows. The event also features an exhibition “Fun in the Life” by Hobonichi, allowing people to experience “Fun in the life” through valuable shops and specially prepared products and food.

    A Ginza Rooftop Project will be held on the rooftops of several landmarks including Matsuya Ginza, Ginza Mitsukoshi, Wako and Tokyo Plaza Ginza. The district will also present other fashion shows and art installations.

    Tokyo Creative Salon Shibuya will run a Shibuya Runway for a one-day-only show where up-and-coming designers present their latest styles.

    During the Tokyo Creative Salon at Daikanyama, visitors will get to try on vintage kimonos. The winning works of Fashion Koshien will also be exhibited here.

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  • Swedish retailer Sneakersnstuff making debut in Tokyo

    Swedish retailer Sneakersnstuff making debut in Tokyo

    Stockholm-based retailer Sneakersnstuff is about to open a flagship store in Tokyo, its first Asia location.

    The retailer, known for its sneakers, said the Tokyo store will open on December 14 on Log Road in Daikanyama, which is home to high-end boutiques and restaurants.

    Designed by Stockholm-based design studio Bofink, the store will combine the best of both Scandinavian and Japanese design. And more than just a retail space, it will be a multifunctional lifestyle store with an inclusion of a cafe.

    “It features handcrafted and handmade furniture by Swedish and European artists and furniture makers, beautiful and unique colorways, traditional Japanese heritage materials, 3D-printed pieces and more,” Sneakersnstuff said in a statement.

    Tokyo will be Sneakersnstuff’s seventh location worldwide, joining Stockholm, London, Berlin, New York, Los Angeles and Paris.

    The retailer first announced a plan to expand into Asia in October last year.

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  • Dior takes Maison concept to Isetan in Tokyo

    Dior takes Maison concept to Isetan in Tokyo

    Luxury fashion brand Dior has launched a pop-up at Isetan in Tokyo.

    The pop-up is the second location in the territory to feature the brand’s Maison concept. The collection, which includes accessories, candles, perfumes and furniture, is also available in Dior’s flagship location in Ginza.

    The LVMH-owned brand’s pop-up at Isetan in Tokyo offers the entire Maison collection as well as its recently launched personalisation service, ABCDior. The service offers three embroidered letters on the reverse of a Dior book tote and is only available at the pop-up store.

    Christian Dior now has 166 points of sale in Japan, including 80 in Tokyo.

  • AirAsia X Launch Flights Between Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo Narita

    AirAsia X Launch Flights Between Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo Narita

    AirAsia is set to capitalize on the growing demand for flights to Japan, with the country experiencing a tourism boom. In a response to increasing numbers of visitors to Tokyo, the Malaysian airline’s low-cost sister company, AirAsiaX is to start flying between Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo Narita airport from November 2019. This route is commencing for the second time around, after a four year absence. Read on to find out what led to this decision, as well as the details regarding the resumed flight route.

    The commencement of the route between Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo Narita comes four years after AirAsia X suspended its flights to this airport. Originally opened in 2014, the Malaysian low-cost airline operated flights between KUL airport and Narita airport for less than a year, before calling a halt in August of 2015.

    The airline endured a tough year in 2015, with significant losses reported as competition in the area increased. This competition came especially from Malaysian Airlines (MAS), and AirAsia X was forced to make some changes to its structures. Its ambitious capacity increases in 2014 could not be sustained and it necessitated the suspension of its flights to Narita airport, in a bid to counter increasing quarterly losses.

    The carrier has, for almost a decade, operated flights to Tokyo Haneda airport. In a statement supplied to Simple Flying, AirAsia X said,

    The trigger for AirAsia X’s resumption of its KUL-NRT route was the increase in demand for flights to Tokyo – stemming from a tourism boom in Japan. Between 2012 and 2017, the country saw a growth of over 200% in tourist arrivals, and the trend is set to continue.

    Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has set the goal for tourist arrivals in 2020 at 40 million. This comes in conjunction with two major international sporting events for 2019 (the rugby world cup) and 2020 (the summer Olympics), as well as the depreciation of the yen.

    Overall, these factors have made Japan a major tourist destination. Demand amongst Malaysians for the route has increased as well, with more than 450,000 Malaysian travelers visiting Japan in 2018.

    From the 20th of November, 2019, AirAsia X will resume its route between Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo Narita airport. The airline’s fleet of Airbus 330s will be in use four times a week, flying direct on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays between the two cities. This will be in addition to its seven weekly flights between the Malaysian capital and Tokyo’s Haneda airport.

    Flight frequency for this route may well be increased in the future. Airbus has confirmed that AirAsia X has ordered 12 Airbus A330neos to boost its medium-range capabilities and to operate alongside its A330 fleet of 24 aircraft. This may free up some of its A330’s for increased flights to Japan, positioning the airline well for Japan’s goal of reaching 60 million tourist visitors by 2030.

    With direct return flights from under USD350, and under MYR1500, it is an attractive and affordable option for those flying from Malaysia.

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  • Tokyo restaurant Kikanbo opens first Hong Kong Outlet

    Tokyo restaurant Kikanbo opens first Hong Kong Outlet

    Tokyo restaurant brand Kikanbo is to open its first Hong Kong restaurant in Causeway Bay, its third international market.

    From today, Hong Kong customers can enjoy a taste of the restaurant known as Tokyo’s “perennial long queue store”, and which sells 27,000 bowls of ramen each month

    Kikanbo, described as a karabishi miso ramen restaurant, features a dark ornamented restaurant design with red lighting and a counter seat from which guests can witness the entire ramen-making process closely.

    Multiple tables for two or four diners are available inside, with 29 seats overall.

    The brand’s president Masakazu Miura trained at a ramen restaurant for more than 10 years before establishing the first Kikanbo in Tokyo’s Kanda district. The brand is known for its five levels of spiciness and numbness for its miso soup with 25 soup base varieties.

    Kikanbo has opened at 530 Jaffe Road, its eye-catching shop front guarded by a painting of Aka Oni (red demon) and Ao Oni (blue demon) on either side of the entrance along with the gigantic Kanabo (oni stick).

    Established in Kanda in 2009, Kikanbo has three domestic branches in Tokyo, Kanda and Ikebukuro in Japan and two international branches in Taiwan.