Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd., operator of MUJI, is pleased to announce that it will open MUJI Naoetsu on July 20, 2020, at the Naoetsu Shopping Center (Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture), operated by Kubiki Jidosha Co., Ltd.
■At the "Center of Local Life"
Opening this summer, MUJI Naoetsu is based on the theme of being "at the center of local life." The store will not only introduce the good things and ways to enjoy the Joetsu region and convey its appeal, but will also incorporate new content and services that will be useful in daily life. The Joetsu region of Niigata Prefecture, facing the Sea of Japan, is known as one of Japan's leading rice-producing regions. Behind this rice-growing culture was the presence of herring, which was transported as cargo on Kitamaebune ships heading south in the late Edo period. Herring were processed into dried food for consumption and herring meal for fish fertilizer in fishing grounds such as Hokkaido, and transported to Imamachiminato in Echigo Province, now Naoetsu, a port of call. The herring meal was used as fertilizer in rice fields, improving the fertility of the rice fields in Joetsu. Herring transported from far away mixed with the soil and water of the Joetsu region, and were useful for growing rice. MUJI Naoetsu hopes to become like herring, mixed together and cultivated, and eventually becoming useful to the town, just like the rice fields and herring, and this has been incorporated into the concept visuals of this store.
■ Aiming to be a store that contributes to customers' daily lives by conveying the charm of the region and the deliciousness and joy of food
The spacious store, measuring approximately 5,000 square meters, will offer a wide range of MUJI products, which are fundamental to daily life. It will also feature a variety of food-related content, including food-related stores run by partner companies that share MUJI's philosophy, and the Naoetsu Ryohin Market, which sells local agricultural and specialty products. Furthermore, the Naoetsu Ryohin Shokudo, based on the concept of "food tastes better when you see everyone's faces," will offer a lineup of dishes that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, including curry, ramen, set meals, and sweets.
■ New products and services at MUJI Naoetsu
We will be rolling out the following new products and services, aiming to create a place where people of all ages can gather and interact, rather than just enjoying shopping.
【BOOKS & CAFÈ】
The "BOOKS & CAFÈ" corner, where you can enjoy discovering a variety of books and relax, is made up of Starbucks, opening for the first time inside a MUJI store, and MUJI BOOKS. MUJI BOOKS will be compiled using 47 keywords that are based on the Japanese alphabet "Iroha Ni Ho He To," and offer ideas that provide hints for daily life. Particular emphasis will be placed on "food" and "picture books." In addition to stocking a wide range of food-related books, from recipes to essays, the store will offer one of MUJI BOOKS' largest selections of picture books, with recommendations for picture books by age group and a wide range of craft and pop-up books that will spark communication among families. The store will also be running a "Books That Would Become Waste" project, which takes used books that have been rejected solely on the basis of market value, regardless of the quality of their content, and passes them on to the next reader as they are, rather than disposing of them as waste paper. Inspired by the long-established port town of Naoetsu, the store will feature spiral-shaped fixtures with motifs of ocean whirlpools and conch shells, and visitors will be able to encounter a variety of lifestyle tips as they walk through the corridor of bookshelves.
[Initiatives with Food Partners]
Founded in 2013, Kuze Fuku Shoten is a select shop of delicious foods from around Japan based on the concept of a "The Japanese Gourmet Store." It sells products developed in collaboration with producers from all over the country. Kaldi Coffee Farm, based on the concept of a coffee and imported food wonder shop, offers 30 varieties of carefully selected original coffee beans, as well as rare ingredients from around the world that are a joy to browse, as well as sweets, wine, cheese, and spices. These two stores will open within MUJI stores. Along with Starbucks, which will be available in BOOKS & CAF&E, these two stores will convey the diversity and joy of food.
[Naoetsu Ryohin Market: Communicating the Charms of the Region]
In collaboration with the Shunsai Koryukan Arurun Batake farmer's market, we will open the Naoetsu Ryohin Market, which will offer local products, with the aim of expanding local agricultural production. The store will offer a wide selection of products, including seasonal Joetsu vegetables, traditional Joetsu vegetables, irregular and irregular produce at low prices for a reason, rice and alcohol representative of the rice-producing region of Joetsu, fermented foods, dried goods, and processed foods.
[Introduction of "MUJI INFILL+" and "MUJI House Sunshine House" Showroom]
In addition to storage consultations and interior coordination by specialized sales staff, "MUJI INFILL+" will be introduced, providing spaces that meet customers' lifestyle needs. In addition, MUJI will open the "MUJI House Sunshine House" showroom, the first of its kind in Japan, where customers can experience MUJI furniture and miscellaneous goods in an actual living space.
[MUJI CAMP TOOLS]
The "MUJI CAMP TOOLS" corner will be launched as a new initiative unique to the Joetsu region, which is full of outdoor fun, including the sea, forests, and winter sports in the mountains. In addition to MUJI's standard products such as silicone cooking spoons, hanging pouches, and sturdy boxes, the collection will feature products from domestic and international outdoor brands, such as a Sierra cup with a simple yet sturdy design that can be placed over an open flame, and a cooler box with outstanding durability and cooling power that is used to transport medical supplies. These products will be edited and sold from MUJI's perspective as everyday items that are functional both indoors and outdoors. In addition, in conjunction with MUJI CAMP TOOLS, we will also be proposing "everyday just-in-case scenarios*" that use familiar everyday items to prepare for emergencies.
*MUJI: My preparations. Everyday just-in-case scenarios. https://www.muji.com/jp/ja/stories/other/8506
■Open MUJI: A Community Space Where You Can Learn, Play, and Discover
Based on the "Agreement on Comprehensive Collaboration for Regional Revitalization" concluded in January 2020 between Joetsu City and Kubiki Motors, we will establish "Open MUJI," a community space within the store where you can learn, play, and discover, supported by Joetsu City. Anyone can feel free to use the space as a free rest and self-study space. Going forward, we also plan to hold events hosted by MUJI, as well as joint events with Joetsu City and Naoetsu Shopping Center, depending on the situation.
■Regional Revitalization Through Art
MUJI's vision of regional revitalization through art is to engage with the unique lifestyles, daily lives, nature, and culture of each region, and work with local residents to preserve, inherit, and develop these elements. With this new store opening, we hope to participate in urban development with the people of Naoetsu, with the idea of "envisioning the cityscape 100 years from now." By collaborating with artists from various fields and uncovering the potential value of the region from a new perspective, we will develop the cultural appeal of the Joetsu area and create opportunities for fun urban development activities through art. Future information will be announced through MUJI passport.
■ A new form of MUJI: "Mobile Sales Bus"
In collaboration with our comprehensive agreement partner, Kubiki Motors Co., Ltd., we will be running a mobile sales service using Kubiki Motors' buses starting this fall. COVID-19 has completely changed our lifestyles. Even as our lifestyles change, what can we do to remain "useful" in the community? In addition to welcoming customers as "a place to create and foster connections" in our stores, this new MUJI will also be going out to meet our customers. MUJI will visit people living in mountainous areas where it is difficult to get to a store, talk to them, and bring peace of mind and enjoyment to their daily lives.
■Store Overview
■Pre-Opening Event
A pre-opening event will be held prior to the grand opening to avoid congestion immediately after the grand opening as much as possible, allowing customers to enjoy shopping with peace of mind. From July 16th to 19th, MUJI passport members living in the neighborhood who follow the MUJI Naoetsu store will be entered into a lottery to enter. Details will be announced via MUJI passport as soon as they are decided.
After the grand opening on the 20th, we will prioritize preventing the spread of COVID-19, and will not only clean and disinfect the store and manage the health of our employees, but will also take other infection prevention measures such as limiting entry depending on the situation, and operate with consideration for the safety and health of our customers and employees.
■Access Map
[By train] Get off at Naoetsu Station on the Echigo Tokimeki Railway. Approximately a 10-minute walk.
[By bus] Get off in front of Naoetsu Shopping Center.
[By car] Approximately 2 minutes from Ishibashi Intersection on National Route 8, approximately 10 minutes from Joetsu Interchange on the Hokuriku Expressway.
Click here for company press release details.
■At the "Center of Local Life"
Opening this summer, MUJI Naoetsu is based on the theme of being "at the center of local life." The store will not only introduce the good things and ways to enjoy the Joetsu region and convey its appeal, but will also incorporate new content and services that will be useful in daily life. The Joetsu region of Niigata Prefecture, facing the Sea of Japan, is known as one of Japan's leading rice-producing regions. Behind this rice-growing culture was the presence of herring, which was transported as cargo on Kitamaebune ships heading south in the late Edo period. Herring were processed into dried food for consumption and herring meal for fish fertilizer in fishing grounds such as Hokkaido, and transported to Imamachiminato in Echigo Province, now Naoetsu, a port of call. The herring meal was used as fertilizer in rice fields, improving the fertility of the rice fields in Joetsu. Herring transported from far away mixed with the soil and water of the Joetsu region, and were useful for growing rice. MUJI Naoetsu hopes to become like herring, mixed together and cultivated, and eventually becoming useful to the town, just like the rice fields and herring, and this has been incorporated into the concept visuals of this store.
■ Aiming to be a store that contributes to customers' daily lives by conveying the charm of the region and the deliciousness and joy of food
The spacious store, measuring approximately 5,000 square meters, will offer a wide range of MUJI products, which are fundamental to daily life. It will also feature a variety of food-related content, including food-related stores run by partner companies that share MUJI's philosophy, and the Naoetsu Ryohin Market, which sells local agricultural and specialty products. Furthermore, the Naoetsu Ryohin Shokudo, based on the concept of "food tastes better when you see everyone's faces," will offer a lineup of dishes that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, including curry, ramen, set meals, and sweets.
■ New products and services at MUJI Naoetsu
We will be rolling out the following new products and services, aiming to create a place where people of all ages can gather and interact, rather than just enjoying shopping.
【BOOKS & CAFÈ】
The "BOOKS & CAFÈ" corner, where you can enjoy discovering a variety of books and relax, is made up of Starbucks, opening for the first time inside a MUJI store, and MUJI BOOKS. MUJI BOOKS will be compiled using 47 keywords that are based on the Japanese alphabet "Iroha Ni Ho He To," and offer ideas that provide hints for daily life. Particular emphasis will be placed on "food" and "picture books." In addition to stocking a wide range of food-related books, from recipes to essays, the store will offer one of MUJI BOOKS' largest selections of picture books, with recommendations for picture books by age group and a wide range of craft and pop-up books that will spark communication among families. The store will also be running a "Books That Would Become Waste" project, which takes used books that have been rejected solely on the basis of market value, regardless of the quality of their content, and passes them on to the next reader as they are, rather than disposing of them as waste paper. Inspired by the long-established port town of Naoetsu, the store will feature spiral-shaped fixtures with motifs of ocean whirlpools and conch shells, and visitors will be able to encounter a variety of lifestyle tips as they walk through the corridor of bookshelves.
[Initiatives with Food Partners]
Founded in 2013, Kuze Fuku Shoten is a select shop of delicious foods from around Japan based on the concept of a "The Japanese Gourmet Store." It sells products developed in collaboration with producers from all over the country. Kaldi Coffee Farm, based on the concept of a coffee and imported food wonder shop, offers 30 varieties of carefully selected original coffee beans, as well as rare ingredients from around the world that are a joy to browse, as well as sweets, wine, cheese, and spices. These two stores will open within MUJI stores. Along with Starbucks, which will be available in BOOKS & CAF&E, these two stores will convey the diversity and joy of food.
[Naoetsu Ryohin Market: Communicating the Charms of the Region]
In collaboration with the Shunsai Koryukan Arurun Batake farmer's market, we will open the Naoetsu Ryohin Market, which will offer local products, with the aim of expanding local agricultural production. The store will offer a wide selection of products, including seasonal Joetsu vegetables, traditional Joetsu vegetables, irregular and irregular produce at low prices for a reason, rice and alcohol representative of the rice-producing region of Joetsu, fermented foods, dried goods, and processed foods.
[Introduction of "MUJI INFILL+" and "MUJI House Sunshine House" Showroom]
In addition to storage consultations and interior coordination by specialized sales staff, "MUJI INFILL+" will be introduced, providing spaces that meet customers' lifestyle needs. In addition, MUJI will open the "MUJI House Sunshine House" showroom, the first of its kind in Japan, where customers can experience MUJI furniture and miscellaneous goods in an actual living space.
[MUJI CAMP TOOLS]
The "MUJI CAMP TOOLS" corner will be launched as a new initiative unique to the Joetsu region, which is full of outdoor fun, including the sea, forests, and winter sports in the mountains. In addition to MUJI's standard products such as silicone cooking spoons, hanging pouches, and sturdy boxes, the collection will feature products from domestic and international outdoor brands, such as a Sierra cup with a simple yet sturdy design that can be placed over an open flame, and a cooler box with outstanding durability and cooling power that is used to transport medical supplies. These products will be edited and sold from MUJI's perspective as everyday items that are functional both indoors and outdoors. In addition, in conjunction with MUJI CAMP TOOLS, we will also be proposing "everyday just-in-case scenarios*" that use familiar everyday items to prepare for emergencies.
*MUJI: My preparations. Everyday just-in-case scenarios. https://www.muji.com/jp/ja/stories/other/8506
■Open MUJI: A Community Space Where You Can Learn, Play, and Discover
Based on the "Agreement on Comprehensive Collaboration for Regional Revitalization" concluded in January 2020 between Joetsu City and Kubiki Motors, we will establish "Open MUJI," a community space within the store where you can learn, play, and discover, supported by Joetsu City. Anyone can feel free to use the space as a free rest and self-study space. Going forward, we also plan to hold events hosted by MUJI, as well as joint events with Joetsu City and Naoetsu Shopping Center, depending on the situation.
■Regional Revitalization Through Art
MUJI's vision of regional revitalization through art is to engage with the unique lifestyles, daily lives, nature, and culture of each region, and work with local residents to preserve, inherit, and develop these elements. With this new store opening, we hope to participate in urban development with the people of Naoetsu, with the idea of "envisioning the cityscape 100 years from now." By collaborating with artists from various fields and uncovering the potential value of the region from a new perspective, we will develop the cultural appeal of the Joetsu area and create opportunities for fun urban development activities through art. Future information will be announced through MUJI passport.
■ A new form of MUJI: "Mobile Sales Bus"
In collaboration with our comprehensive agreement partner, Kubiki Motors Co., Ltd., we will be running a mobile sales service using Kubiki Motors' buses starting this fall. COVID-19 has completely changed our lifestyles. Even as our lifestyles change, what can we do to remain "useful" in the community? In addition to welcoming customers as "a place to create and foster connections" in our stores, this new MUJI will also be going out to meet our customers. MUJI will visit people living in mountainous areas where it is difficult to get to a store, talk to them, and bring peace of mind and enjoyment to their daily lives.
■Store Overview
■Pre-Opening Event
A pre-opening event will be held prior to the grand opening to avoid congestion immediately after the grand opening as much as possible, allowing customers to enjoy shopping with peace of mind. From July 16th to 19th, MUJI passport members living in the neighborhood who follow the MUJI Naoetsu store will be entered into a lottery to enter. Details will be announced via MUJI passport as soon as they are decided.
After the grand opening on the 20th, we will prioritize preventing the spread of COVID-19, and will not only clean and disinfect the store and manage the health of our employees, but will also take other infection prevention measures such as limiting entry depending on the situation, and operate with consideration for the safety and health of our customers and employees.
■Access Map
[By train] Get off at Naoetsu Station on the Echigo Tokimeki Railway. Approximately a 10-minute walk.
[By bus] Get off in front of Naoetsu Shopping Center.
[By car] Approximately 2 minutes from Ishibashi Intersection on National Route 8, approximately 10 minutes from Joetsu Interchange on the Hokuriku Expressway.
Click here for company press release details.
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