From October 15th to 28th, the "Maternity & Newborn" area on the 6th floor of the Isetan Shinjuku Main Building will be showcasing a variety of baby items incorporating traditional Japanese techniques and culture.

If you're looking for a baby shower gift, we recommend the "Gift Set" (23,000 yen), a joint effort between Isetan and SION SION Gauze. The set includes a dress and bib embellished with an auspicious hemp leaf pattern sashiko, symbolizing "hopes for a baby's upright growth," as well as three beanbags.

One of the beanbags features a rabbit design, symbolizing hope for a great leap forward. The other two are decorated with auspicious plum blossoms. Each beanbag is stuffed with a rattle, encouraging the baby to play with balls for the first time.

In addition, the gift wrapping is also designed with a Japanese touch. Arrow feathers, crafted using the traditional origami technique "Origata," are placed on top of the noshi, creating a beautiful visual expression. The message also reads, "Protect yourself from impurities with the arrows' power to ward off evil spirits."

For children no longer in their newborn years, abacuses are also available. This product is a children's version of the "Banshu abacus," a traditional Japanese abacus from Ono City, Hyogo Prefecture, with a history dating back over 400 years. The "Children's Abacus" (2,800 yen), with its large beads, is designed for ease of grip. Touching the regularly-spaced beads not only fosters an interest in numbers, but also fosters logical thinking. The "100-Bead Color Abacus" (2,600 yen), also boasts beautiful, colorful designs, and can perform full-scale calculations, helping to hone children's mental arithmetic skills. "We live in an age where we use calculators and computers for calculations, but back in the day, abacus classes were everywhere. By becoming familiar with the traditional Banshu abacus from an early age, we hope that children will not only appreciate the value of tradition, but also experience the added benefits of strengthening their concentration," commented an Isetan buyer. Also at the venue, the baby products brand "sun&beach," born in Shonan, Kanagawa Prefecture, will be releasing a baby carrier model exclusive to the Isetan Shinjuku store. The side of the baby carrier features a unique "kogin embroidery" (a type of sashiko technique passed down in the Tsugaru region of Aomori Prefecture) scale design by fabric artist hiki. Numerous other items useful for nurturing children's rich minds will also be on display at the venue during the event.