The Rotary Club of Tokyo Daikanyama (RCTD) is a group primarily comprised of creators working in the Daikanyama area.

Organized by Masamichi Toyama, CEO of Smiles Co., Ltd., which operates Soup Stock Tokyo, among others, the club hosts "Table Talks," a popular talk event that invites interesting guests and is open to non-RCTD members.

On November 30th, RCTD hosted "Yoshihiro Onishi, Table Talks and Dining," an event that featured a talk and a taste of rice, Japan's soul food, and dishes that go well with rice. MC Yoshiko Ikoma, a fashion journalist and RCTD member, hosted the "Table Talks" event, where guest Hirohiro Onishi, CEO of Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings, spoke about himself. ■President Onishi and Daikanyama

First, as is customary in table talks, he was asked about his memories of Daikanyama and his favorite places. Onishi replied, "Seven years after joining the company, I was assigned a project, and the woman I teamed up with had great taste and was very fashionable. She was very knowledgeable about Daikanyama and Jiyugaoka at the time. I couldn't let her get the better of me! I went to Daikanyama almost every day after work and browsed vintage clothing stores and select shops. At the time, there weren't many stores, so I walked from Shibuya and checked out all the ones that did pop up. I often walked down narrow streets." He began his talk with a memory from his younger days.

■Why did President Onishi take a job at Isetan?

When asked why he originally joined Isetan, Onishi laughed and said, "Actually, I wanted to be the manager of a family restaurant." His words surprised Ikoma and the other attendees. "At the time, some stores would refill your glass before it ran out, and some wouldn't. I'm the type who gets thirsty easily, so I was really impressed by the service of someone refilling my glass without saying a word. I seriously thought that I wanted to become a store manager and provide the same kind of service and customer service. However, around the same time, a friend told me, 'In the service industry, there are department stores, and Isetan has great working conditions!' So I decided to take the company entrance exam and was accepted by Isetan, and that's how I got to where I am today."

■What is the future vision of department stores?

By planning Isetan Men's, opening select shop-style stores at Haneda Airport and Roppongi Midtown, and undertaking a major remodel of the Mitsukoshi Ginza store and introducing duty-free shops in downtown Tokyo, Onishi has kept up with the changing times and proposed a new vision for department stores. Ikoma asked how department stores will change in the future. In response to this question, he stated emphatically, "The distribution market and trends are accelerating and becoming increasingly fragmented in conjunction with IT. Department stores will undergo major changes over the next five to ten years. The role and space of retailers handling everything will become unnecessary. That's why we need to focus on valuable products and services. Original items are one example of this. We plan our own products, find factories and creators, work together to create products and services, and sell them out ourselves. If we can't do that, we won't survive." He continued, "Japan's shrinking market due to its declining population is inevitable. That's why we want to continue expanding our store presence overseas, where there's great potential. It's also essential to improve our online site for overseas customers. In recent years, Ginza and Shinjuku have seen a significant increase in inbound demand. However, rather than relying too heavily on this, we want to capitalize on this demand and create new businesses."

■When asked about the strongest horse...

When he mentioned his new businesses, such as weddings and food and beverage, the creators in the audience expressed their desire to work with him. Every word that Onishi, a leader in the department store industry, said drew enthusiastic nods and laughter from the event attendees. Finally, RCTD member and product designer Yota Tsunoda asked a question about his hobby, horse racing, asking, "Which horse do you think is the strongest?" Onishi immediately answered, "Kaburayao, winner of the 1975 Japan Derby." "This horse isn't the type to win by riding the flow, but rather the type that creates its own winning flow. That's what a truly strong horse is like." With these words that echo his work to date, Onishi concluded his talk.

Continued in Part 2: "Enjoy the flavors of autumn with rice, Japan's soul food: "Onishi Taiyo, Table Talk and Dining" [Event Report -- Part 2]"