Isetan Mitsukoshi opened its concept store, "The Japan Store ISETAN MITSUKOSHI Paris," in Paris, France, on October 1st, aiming to promote authentic Japan to the world. Based on the concept of "ART DE VIVRE AU JAPON (Japanese artistic lifestyle)," the store will communicate the essence of Japanese culture to the world through products and their stories, created with Japanese aesthetics, craftsmanship, and attention to detail. The permanent store will occupy a 90-square-meter space on the ground floor of the Japan Cultural Institute in Paris, located near the foot of the Eiffel Tower. Plans call for a hospitality experience in the tea room on the fifth floor, as well as workshops and various events in the reception hall. A preview event for press and related parties, held the day before the opening, was well attended, with approximately 1,000 attendees, including local journalists and government officials. The design for the permanent ground floor store was created by Paris-based architect Tsuyoshi Tane. The design, based on the concept of "Horizontality" (horizontality) inspired by the Japanese concepts of horizon, harmony, and the unknown, exudes a simple, delicate, and chic yet elegant atmosphere, exuding a sense of wabi-sabi, a unique Japanese aesthetic.

The permanent store offers a variety of Japanese culture, from traditional crafts, Japanese sweets, clothing, and miscellaneous goods made using Japan's proud traditional techniques, to inventions born from pop culture.

The corner near the entrance is home to a wide selection of Japanese tea and matcha, popular among health-conscious French people. Matcha, in particular, is all the rage in Paris, with many people saying they prefer matcha to coffee, and many French people looked on with fascination.
The sweets from Mameya Kanazawa Bankyu, made with rare Ishikawa beans such as Noto Dainagon adzuki beans, black beans, and organic soybeans, are attractive for the unique expression of each of the bean boxes hand-painted by Kutani no Sato. You can also enjoy innovative sweets that combine Japanese and Western influences, such as chocolates made with Ippodo Tea Shop's matcha, created in collaboration with Jean-Paul Hevin, a world-renowned chocolatier. Among these, the jams made by Christine Ferber, known as the "Jam Fairy" and highly regarded among Paris's famous chefs, are particularly intriguing. She has fused French fruits and teas in innovative combinations, such as apple and roasted green tea, or blackcurrant and bancha tea, to create a new "Japanese-French jam." The opening event, "CHABAKO" exhibition (October 1st - 29th), will feature an exhibition and sale of one-of-a-kind, original tea boxes. The Takano Bamboo Craftsmen of Kyoto have given new life to old wood from the extensive restoration of Myoki-an Tai-an, the only National Treasure tea room said to have been created by Sen no Rikyu, located in Oyamazaki, Kyoto. Inside the tea box are exquisite pieces, each crafted with tools inspired by Rikyu by approximately 10 Japanese creators active both in Japan and abroad. The box contains not only tea ceremony utensils but also sake and black tea utensils, embodying the Japanese spirit of seeking aesthetic values in everyday tools. Other items ideal for souvenirs and gifts include notebooks and letter sets crafted using high-quality washi paper using traditional methods, and luxurious memo pads dyed with indigo for a unique texture. In the apparel section, the items made with Fundamental (FDMTL) denim caught our eye. These jeans are produced in Okayama, the world's denim capital, and sewn and processed by skilled artisans. These are truly made in Japan, and the more you wear them, the more you'll grow to love them.

The smart shoes "Orphe," developed by no new folk studio, are a first-of-its-kind Japanese invention, representing Japanese pop culture through the use of high technology, in contrast to traditional crafts. They emit color and light in response to the wearer's foot movements, and when controlled with a dedicated app, they can also be used as an intuitive musical instrument. Dancers can create light bands with their foot movements and play sound effects in sync with their steps; these futuristic shoes greatly expand the possibilities of performance.

The pop-up space, which will host various events with regularly changing themes, will offer a special hospitality experience themed around "tea," featuring Japanese and French food specialists. The preview event was impressive, with people enjoying cross-cultural exchange until late into the night. Enjoying matcha and Japanese-French sweets while gazing at the Eiffel Tower from the terrace was a refreshing experience.

The store is a valuable place to experience the wonderful culture and traditions of Japan, which we as Japanese people are surprisingly unaware of, and to feel moved and proud to be Japanese.

It will bring Japanese lifestyles, culture, and style to the people of Paris, a city with a long history as a city of art, and add a new color to their daily lives. We can't take our eyes off the Japanese culture that will be disseminated from "The Japan Store ISETAN MITSUKOSHI Paris," as well as the new culture that will be born here in the future.