Two weeks after the remodeled grand opening, the seventh floor living area at Ginza Mitsukoshi is performing well. In particular, the "Japan Edition" floor, featuring a curated selection of art, pottery, and living goods under the theme of "Japanese beauty," has seen sales increase by over 70% compared to last year, with average customer spending doubling. "The Japan Edition floor opened on October 7th, one week before the grand opening, and customers have commented that the floor is now easier to navigate and more enjoyable," said Hiroshi Yatsu, manager of the floor. "The 70% increase compared to last year is due to the merger of some tableware brands, so we estimate the actual increase to be around 40%. Our newly introduced "artistic interior accessories" have been particularly popular, with a 50% increase in customers spending over ¥50,000, and high-end items over ¥500,000 moving well." The store's new "Artistic Interior Accessories" lineup features one-of-a-kind pieces, such as figurines and objects selected by craft buyers. These pieces have traditionally been displayed in displays at gallery events or solo exhibitions. The remodeling, which saw them being offered alongside tableware and tea ceremony utensils, has fostered new demand, with craft sales nearly triple the target. "We've seen a notable increase in customers from regional areas and male customers. Sales to foreign visitors to Japan have grown by over 230% compared to last year, accounting for nearly 40% of total sales," says Manager Yatsu. Western visitors are particularly fond of figurines by metalwork artist Haruho Mitsuda and textiles by dyeing artist Samiro Yunoki, while Chinese visitors are particularly fond of silverware and paintings. Meanwhile, Salon de Kimono, which relocated from the second floor of the M store to its new location adjacent to Japan Edition, has seen a surge in sales of Japanese accessories. The number of new customers has increased, and sales are up 40% compared to the previous year.
The bonsai displayed on the event stage in front of the escalator to coincide with the grand opening was also well received, and the cypress aroma diffuser and sound design newly introduced in the same space are also said to be having an environmentally friendly psychological effect.
Text: Noda Tatsuya
