Marking a three-year milestone and following the opening of the brand new Isetan The Japan Store, Cool Japan Fund Inc and Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings have launched a series of outreach programmes as they look to deliver Japanese lifestyles and aesthetics to customers at the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

The “Trans-Kyoto” opening promotions run until Nov 24 and includes a Tradition & Innovation segment that aims to showcase the best of Kyoto through creative installations, exhibitions and dining experiences. 

“There is global interest in Japanese culture — every year, 20 million tourists come to Japan and catering for their need of souvenirs and mementoes is a huge business. Our traditional craftsmanship and quality is famous and we are trusted for it,” says Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings president and chief executive officer  Hiroshi Onishi.

Featured collaborations include CHISO (a company which established the “Kyo-yuzen” dyeing technique), and architect Tsuyoshi Tane, Chef Takuji Takahashi from fine dining house Kinobu, and leading pop artist of post-war Japan Keiichi Tanaami and renowned graphic artist Keiji Ito. 

Customers are also able to redeem one cosmetic voucher with every RM100 spent in the cosmetic & fragrance department, as well as one exclusive gift set from Japanese Wagashi (red bean daifuku & dorayaki) and Fukujuen green tea when customers spend RM300 storewide. 

Isetan The Japan Store also has a collaboration with Visa Malaysia, where customers can participate in a “spend and win campaign” open to all visa cardholders in Malaysia who spend RM350 or more in a single day. The grand opening promotion runs until Jan 31, 2017, with customers standing a chance to win a Toyota Vios 1.5G, Japan travel vouchers for two and also other great prizes worth up to RM200,000.  

With more than 800 brands on offer and comprising six floors dedicated to separate departments, the new concept store is said to move away from conventional designs with a Japanese circuit-style garden.

“When it comes to young people, I feel that they shop differently from their parents. They have one product in mind to buy and department stores like Galeries Lafayette with all the options within can be overwhelming. That is why The Japan Store is designed to be easy to get around with defined sections for everything. This makes it easy to browse and enjoy,” says Onishi. 

The 11,000 sq m store space is a product of architect Paul Noritaka Tange of Tange Associates and renowned interior designer Yasumichi Morita — both of whom also worked on the refurbishment project flagship Isetan Mitsukoshi, the Isetan Shinjuku department store. 

Store business hours are from 11am-9pm and is located at Lot 10, 50, Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur.