On November 20th, a new commercial facility, "Trad Mejiro" (2-39-1 Mejiro, Toshima Ward), will open in front of JR Mejiro Station on the Yamanote Line. A preview was held on the 17th. The building will have four floors above ground and two below, housing 16 stores. Design and supervision are handled by NTT Urban Development and others. The target number of visitors is 2 million. "Trad" is an abbreviation of "traditional," meaning "traditional, unchanging quality." The name was chosen with the hope that the facility will become a new staple in local life, thereby spreading the city's culture to more people. The logo, based on the kanji character for "Mejiro," also incorporates the accumulated history, culture, and lifestyle of the city. At the same time, it has been designed to resemble a gift box wrapped in ribbon, with the hope that the facility will "add color to everyday life and be used for anniversaries." To ensure the building would be used as intended, we paid particular attention to the layout of the stores and traffic flow. Each floor acts as an extension of the street, connecting the residential area on the north side of the site with the station, with a basement entrance directly connected to the underground passage, dedicated entrances to the third and fourth floors, and an escalator directly to the second floor from Mejiro-dori. This allows for easy access for users. Furthermore, to blend in with the quiet residential neighborhood of Mejiro, the building incorporates abundant greenery in the exterior walls, exterior walls, and public areas. We aimed for the building to become a new landmark for Mejiro, beloved by local residents. The floor layout is as follows: a ballet school on the second basement floor; Queen's Isetan on the first basement floor; a cafe/restaurant, flower shop, and convenience store on the first floor; a cafe/restaurant, services, retail, and community space on the second floor; and a wedding venue on the third and fourth floors. The "cafe/restaurant" area will house a variety of Japanese, Western, and Chinese stores. A noteworthy Chinese restaurant is Nankoku Shuka. While its other locations are already popular for serving "delicious Japanese Chinese cuisine," the Mejiro location offers reasonably priced small portions and an intriguing tasting of two major brands of Shaoxing wine.
If you prefer Western food, we recommend Shunkotei, a renowned Western restaurant that gained popularity in Akasaka, Tokyo, before expanding to Shizuoka. Enjoy the best of Western staples, including Japan's best beef stew and aged steaks.
For Italian lovers, we recommend Pizzeria 37, where you can enjoy 37 varieties of Neapolitan pizza baked in a wood-fired oven. Pizzas made with carefully selected ingredients, including organic vegetables, are available as part of a value lunch set.
On the opening day, November 20th, Beaujolais Nouveau will be served twice, at 2:30 PM and 6:30 PM. Each session is limited to the first 250 people. Admission is free. At 3:30 pm and 7:30 pm, a free concert called "1966 Quartet LIVE" will be held in the community space on the second floor. Various events are also planned to be held continuously in the same space after November 21st.
