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Tokyo - the alpha world hub of retail
Few places on earth can boast the scale, dynamism or intensity of Tokyo. As Japan's capital and one of Asia's premiere shopping destinations, our resident retail guru Karl McKeever of Visual Thinking paid a visit to the spectacular city to find out exactly what's on offer.
Almost everything you might have seen or heard about Tokyo anecdotally is probably true. It's modern, fast, crowded and truly amazing - a place that stimulates all the senses at once, and mercilessly! It not only invades your mind, body and soul, but it also leaves you with an unforgettable experience and visual memories that are hard to beat.
There's a sense of extreme that shows up in everything, from the city's chaotic and bustling streets and the Zen-like calm of its gardens and temples, to the respectful politeness from the people you meet and even the humiliation of contestants on the elaborate TV game shows! Its embodiment of the Yin and Yang philosophy is certainly played out in real life.
For Tokyo's high-priced retail scene, the sense of contrasting opposites is really evident too. Like many major capitals, Tokyo has an exclusive designer district known as Ginza. Here, the geography resembles a strange mix of London's West End and the 'artsy' district of Soho in New York. Ginza's 2-chome district has two major road arteries which form a dominating axis of A-list brand flagships and luxe department stores, surrounded by designer boutiques in a densely packed street plan.
However, unlike London's West End (which retains its own character partly due to planning law and the influence of The Crown Estate - which protects the historic stone facades of Regent Street) Ginza's architecture takes on a uniquely branded appearance, which creates 'temples' of a very different, commercially driven kind.
Here the high rise office buildings, which line the streets and play host to the stores below, appear curiously and permanently wrapped in 'branded packaging'. Whilst impressive, this powerful corporate branding approach has a monolithic appearance and ominous scale, which somehow changes the relationship between the people and the brands that surround them on the street.
In this area, Armani, Prada, Chanel, Cartier, Dior and Apple make their biggest impact in the city. In many ways, to call these places shops is to insult them. Instead, they offer in reality what the marketers would have us know to be 'global brand experiences'. It's also the place where Abercrombie and Fitch will make its debut into the Asian market when it opens its first store on December 15th - expect crowds to line the streets for days!
Each store is a precisely crafted and microscopically-controlled execution of the brand in every sense, from the exterior architecture, retail interiors and VM delivery, right down to the customer services provided and the style in which it is offered. Absolutely nothing is left to chance and no expense is spared!
These brand flagship stores share street space with national department stores, such as Wako, Mitsukoshi, Matsuya and Seibu and each is well worth a look. Offering incredible brand and product choice, along with inspirational ideas, they challenge preconceptions about their often dreary and mediocre sector counterparts that all too often typify examples found in European cities.
It's hard to pick out any store as being the best, as most brands here offer a 'best in class' customer experience. The area seems to sell absolutely everything that anyone could possibly ever need or want. However, to really enjoy shopping in Ginza, I recommend you avoid the distraction of actually buying anything. Instead, simply soak up the atmosphere of the great stores and save yourself a bashing on your credit cards at the same time!...
One store which did catch my attention was a branch of the major Japanese store chain Muji, located in the sub-basement of the Matsuzakaya department store. Those familiar with the brand know it sells a varied range of clothing, homewares and stylish everyday items, distinctively adopting a 'no brand approach' (in another stark Japanese contrast). However, unlike Muji stores in other cities, here the brand has branched out into food including over 500 own-brand snacks, meals and beverages, sold in innovative and beautifully designed long life packaging.
For a Westerner, travelling around Tokyo can be challenging. Most taxi drivers don't speak English and if you insist on getting about by cab, a written version of your destination in Japanese is essential. Most find the easiest way to explore Tokyo is by using the Metro, as it's one of the few places that has English translations to help you find your way around.
A few Metro stops from Ginza, is a totally different shopping district - the youthful and spirited Shibuya area. This crowded and noisy place gets especially busy at the weekends, so a mid-week visit is best to avoid the crush. Here, young street fashion prevails and it's home to a wide range of trendy clothing and accessories shops (think of Camden Market combined with the now corporate brands of Carnaby Street).
Amongst the many regional clothing brand stores are some great examples of more familiar brands, such as Gap and H&M, both of which have impressive outlets. I would say that the Gap stores here are actually the best in the world, delivering exemplary VM and service standards which are consistently delivered in their various locations, including their store in Shibuya and the Flags Shopping Mall in Shinjuku.
Gap faces strong competition from the native Tokyo fashion brand Uniqlo with its many city stores. Often large and individually designed, one of Uniqlo's most innovative recent stores is located in the Shinjuku shopping district. This micro-footprint concept store sells a limited range of predominantly pre-packed clothing basics along with key fashion lines. The concept takes inspiration from the philosophy of major electronics brands to maximise space, design and performance through miniaturisation.
From my past travels to retail destinations across the globe, nothing quite compares to Tokyo's restless reinventing and colourful atmosphere and surroundings. It's spotlessly clean, yet there are no litter bins to be found. Consumers are warmly welcomed and courteously treated, with store staff even bowing to you from the other side of the street after you've left their store - remarkable.
Above all, Tokyo is a vibrant metropolis that has a real sense of innovation and style. The strive for excellence and tremendous customer service really makes a long-lasting and inspirational impression. So, if you have plenty of stamina, a wad of credit cards and are prepared for a serious spending splurge, then I thoroughly recommend you explore this city with gusto. And don't forget to try the local sushi - it's the best you will eat.