The National Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry is collaborating with Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store to hold the "Nippon MONO Expo Connecting the Community," a sales event including online sales for small and medium-sized businesses, at the event venue on the 7th floor of the main building until February 17th. Online sales will continue until March 4th.
The event is being held with the aim of supporting market development for small and medium-sized businesses, improving their product development and sales capabilities, and revitalizing the local economy. Thirty companies from all over the country are participating, selling furniture, household goods, accessories, stationery, and more (excluding food). "Across the country, there are many 'great things' that are still unknown to the world, despite the passionate efforts of talented craftsmen. We planned this event with the hope of expanding sales opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses by introducing the materials and techniques refined in each region. In order to rediscover the charm of Japan, we have selected modern products that complement modern lifestyles while still utilizing the beauty of tradition. In addition to holding a brick-and-mortar event, we also proposed the implementation of online sales to expand sales opportunities," explained Yasushi Ajimoto, manager of the Merchandise Strategy Department of the Sales Division of Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings.
The online sales began in December of last year, prior to the event. Popular items include a persimmon tannin-dyed tote bag from Jin Art Shop & Space in Kyoto Prefecture and jet-black nipper-style nail clippers from SUWADA in Niigata Prefecture.
Hirota Minoru, head of the Market Development Support Division, Business Support Department, National Federation of Societies of Commerce and Industry, said, "This is the first time we've held an event linking e-commerce and brick-and-mortar shops. While the scale of sales is still small, we expect this to expand our sales channels. Also, while we hold many events to introduce food, there are very few events like this one that specialize in crafts and miscellaneous goods. In rural areas, the market is shrinking every year due to an aging and declining population, and we expect the situation to become even more severe, but it is our mission to pass on traditional crafts to the next generation. We would like to use the strong brand power and knowledge of Mitsukoshi to help small and medium-sized businesses improve their product development and sales capabilities."
