The number of foreign tourists visiting Japan exceeded 13 million at the end of last year, and inbound demand is also expanding. Isetan Shinjuku is introducing "Japanese souvenirs" that are popular with foreign tourists.
First, the store is responding to this demand with "ready-to-eat foods." The basement food floor is lined with products from Nishikiya, a ready-to-eat specialty store, that contain no artificial seasonings. In particular, "Japanese curry" seems to be firmly established overseas, with tomato beef curry (180g/392 yen), yuzu keema curry, ginger pork curry (180g/356 yen), and children's curry (120g/250 yen) said to be popular.
Other products on offer include ready-to-eat Korean food such as Gomtang Bap (180g/437 yen), made with beef shank and daikon radish simmered in a rich beef bone broth, and Yukgaejang Gukbap (180g/437 yen), which contains beef and five kinds of vegetables. They also offer ready-to-eat chilled potage made with the fruity sweetness of Fukaura snow carrots from Aomori Prefecture and the rich flavor of corn from Hokkaido, made without added sugar to bring out the natural flavor of the ingredients.
The confectionery shop Enfant is also selling Japanese Icing Cookies (1 sushi for 2,000 yen, Tempura Soba Chopstick Set of 2 for 2,000 yen), which feature icing cookies with motifs of Japanese cuisine well known overseas, such as sushi and tempura soba. SAISON FACTORY has introduced matcha, a uniquely Japanese flavor used in Japanese and Western confectioneries, in a jam (155g/1,500 yen) that's easy for Westerners to enjoy. It can be enjoyed with bread, ice cream, shiratama (rice flour dumplings), or bean paste, or even dissolved in milk for a drink. Finally, we have shichimi, a Japanese mixed spice that's becoming increasingly well-known overseas. Yawataya Isogoro's shichimi (344 yen) is a blend of seven ingredients, including chili peppers for a spicy kick, Japanese pepper and ginger for their spicy yet fragrant flavor, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, dried tangerine peel, and shiso leaves, all of which are rich in flavor and aroma, and is catering to overseas demand. The free booklet "ISETAN for FOODIE" (May issue), published on the store's basement food floor, not only introduces the "easy Japanese souvenirs" mentioned above, but also introduces the "appeal of Japanese regional cuisine and matcha" from an overseas perspective.
