Isetan Salone Men's, a pursuit of Japanese spirit and Western learning, continues since its opening in Marunouchi

Isetan Salone Men's, which opened in Marunouchi, Tokyo on December 12th, has the same spatial design theme of "Japanese style" as the Isetan Salone at Tokyo Midtown in Roppongi, which opened in April.

While the sales floor area is the same at approximately 900 square meters, the Roppongi location, which focuses on women's clothing, is two stories tall. The Marunouchi location now concentrates MD on one floor. The Marunouchi store is significant both in terms of branding as a "specialty store" that is part of the small- to medium-sized store business undertaken by the Isetan Mitsukoshi Group, and as a contact point for new customers. We spoke with Hisanobu Tsujimura, the designer behind the store's interior, Taiyo Onishi, president and CEO of Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings, and Shinichi Kojima, manager of Isetan Salone Men's. Regarding the opening, President Onishi said, "When we remodeled the Isetan Shinjuku Men's store 12 years ago, we had planned to open a 3,000-5,000-square-meter store under the Isetan Men's name within three to five years. Given that, the Marunouchi store opening feels like it's too late. While we could have opened a 3,000-5,000-square-meter store in this area, which is currently under development, if we had waited two or three years, we decided that opening in this corner space now was the best decision for the site. Marunouchi and Otemachi were areas we had considered from the beginning, and this business district location allows us to demonstrate our unique style. This store will be important in determining the process through which Isetan Men's will grow." The store's concept is based on the tea ceremony term "omoai" (meaning mutual consideration), with merchandising defined as "iki" (cool), sales service defined as "ichigo ichie" (once-in-a-lifetime encounter), and design defined as "embodying high-quality hospitality." The interior design, in particular, incorporates a variety of playful and detailed elements, aligning with the company's corporate concept of "this is japan." (President Onishi) stated his outlook for the future, saying, "What's clear is that this store is a product-oriented, not market-oriented, store. We must clearly articulate its character as a specialty store, different from the men's floor of the Mitsukoshi Ginza store, which underwent renovations in October, and from other stores. We are by no means targeting only the luxury segment; like the Shinjuku Men's Store, our product lineup is primarily aimed at the middle class. The challenge is to demonstrate our uniqueness within that segment. We plan to expand to five to ten medium-sized stores over the next three years, and will use these as a pillar of our growth business, fostering Isetan Salone." Shinichi Kojima, who has been appointed store manager from the Haneda store, said, "A 1,000-square-meter store in Marunouchi, the world's business center, was truly a dream come true. For Isetan Men's, expanding customer contact points and improving customer satisfaction are key priorities. Twelve years have passed since the Shinjuku store remodel, and as we move on to the next step, it is important for us to gain many hints from this store." The sales floor is zoned around three pillars: "Strength = Business," "Gentleness = Casual," and "Fun = Miscellaneous Goods," all of which are based on the teachings of the tea ceremony. The space is designed based on the five senses and unique concept of time that underlie Japanese aesthetics, and the affinity between Edo and Kyoto is expressed through the store design. "(Mitsukoshi Isetan) asked us about the 'Department Store of the Future' about six months ago. "The idea for this store began when Tsujimura was interviewed about this. The entire store is modeled after a Japanese house, but we designed it with an open ceiling at the entrance and a low ceiling in the house section to create a design that is not only visible, but also invisible aspects of hospitality, such as fixtures that make the sales staff's movements look beautiful and considerations that ensure customers do not feel self-conscious about other customers' gazes," says Tsujimura.

While the products are mainly imported, in the British-style space that is modeled after a study and sells cigars, whiskey, writing implements and other items, the proud techniques of Made in Japan are used in the details, such as the silk cloth paper used for the wall fixtures, which is made from 100% domestic silk thread and backed with Echizen washi paper. "Unlike women's clothing, there are many more items in men's clothing, and I understood from past experience that how well you can display them in the store is important. This time, it was a race against time from when I was approached until the opening, and although I wasn't particularly strict, I ended up using almost all of the techniques and materials of artisans in Kyoto, my home turf. All of the solid wood fixtures are from Kitayama. The business clothing counter is made of cedar, the gift and shoe fixtures are made of fir, and the fixtures in the casual zone are made of cypress. The wrought iron facade was laser-cut in Kameoka, the floor wash-out was made of Momoyama sand, and the rugs can now only be made in Karatsu and Tango, so this time I asked a craftsman from Tango to do it. I believe that design is not just about creating shapes and objects, but also about connecting people, so I first considered creating a space where Isetan Salone staff and customers could connect. It is the staff who work here who put their heart into the finished space," says Tsujimura.

Text: Noda Tatsuya