THE Japanese seem to have a golden touch when it comes to design and manufacturing. If one looks at examples of Japanese design, the result is almost always intuitive, as if they have read the customer’s mind. The little touches they add, and a deep understanding of ergonomics solve problems people didn’t even know they had: for example, knife handles with certain angles that allow for cutting in any direction, or else rounded corners in simple objects like toasters so as not to seem obtrusive (or painful when one hits their hand against it). They have a skill in taking something foreign — like jeans or whiskey — and improving upon it, making it seem even better than the original.

@Tokyo, a new concept store that combines several Japanese brands under one roof, focuses on brands that have a certain expertise in design.

There are classic brands present in the mix — household names like Casio and Seiko — but then there’s cult favorite bag brand Anello (which can function both as a tote or as a backpack), a feminine version of which can be found in Legato Largo. Karuizawa Shirts makes shirts, obviously; and Accessories Blossom offers all sorts of costume jewelry at prices P300, P500, and P700.

Then there is a bag brand called Mis Zapatos (Spanish for “my shoes”), which features bags printed with a design of a person’s clothed legs, and their matching shoes. OWNDAYS, which made waves in the local optometry market when it entered the country a few years ago, is also under this store’s umbrella; and speaking of umbrellas, the store also carries Waterfront, a brand of Japanese umbrellas that come with all sorts of innovations (so many that the flagship store in Japan has four floors devoted to umbrellas that come with with flashlights, can fold flat, and etc).

So what is it in the Japanese psyche which drives them to create, and create excellently? We asked several people at the @Tokyo opening at The Podium at the Ortigas Center about Japanese ingenuity and the aforementioned skill for borrowing and then improving upon a product.

Takeshi Yoshida, president of Carrot Company Co., Ltd. which owns Anello — responded through an interpreter: “They want to see the customer happy. We are always looking for what they want, what they need. We also listen to what they need and want. We’re trying to match their needs — it’s not like we just want to do this or that. We’re trying to do everything they need.”

He said that Anello (the Italian word for the growth rings on trees) bags were created to fit every occasion, hence their versatility. People use them as daytime totes, gym bags, laptop bags, or even diaper bags, most of the variations sharing that tote-cum-backpack aesthetic.

Katsuyoshi Hirano, Executive Director for Estelle Holdings Co., Ltd., which owns Accessories Blossom, shared a thought meanwhile, that perhaps points to the Japanese closeness to nature. His interpreter said, “He calls this a green lawn or the green garden. He wants the customers, who are butterflies, to flock and enjoy.”

Masazumi Tsukada, International Marketing Dept. Manager for Flex Japan Inc., which owns Karuizawa Shirts, meanwhile, pointed to his jacket during the interview, even making a point of taking it off and folding it neatly thanks to their innovation of taking away the bulky lining, giving ease of movement and comfort. Karuizawa Shirts started in 1940 with white shirts, while the jacket Mr. Tsukada folded was created about 10 years ago. He claimed Karuizawa Shirts pioneered the jacket’s design (it has since been copied, as this reporter was wearing a cheaper, similarly unlined jacket during this interview).

The jacket is made from extra-light polyester. “Maybe you think polyester is cheap,” said Mr. Tsuakada, but he pointed out that their material is similar to that used in sports uniforms, thus allowing for more flexibility, quick sweat absorption and drying, and is wrinkle-free. It is sort of how Coco Chanel pioneered the use of jersey for her dresses and suits, when jersey was once used to make cheap underwear.

Speaking about how these innovations reflect on Japanese culture, he said, “The Japanese have a culture where they want to keep improving, and to triumph in what they are making.” While customers may already be satisfied, “The Japanese want to achieve even higher.”

“In Japanese craftsmanship, the customer might say, ‘this is okay,’ or ‘this is good’; but if the craftsmen aren’t satisfied, they won’t sell.”

LUXURY CONNECTION
The @Tokyo stores, located in Uptown Mall, One Bonifacio, Market! Market!, Estancia, and the Podium, share ownership with luxury watch distributor Lucerne. Vohne Yao, director in both companies, points to the things other than the luxury watches they bring to the country: there’s Steinway pianos, Baccarat crystal, and Leica Cameras.

“The idea is to be more of a diversified retailer. That’s what we are — our core is in retail.”

The brands in @Tokyo have items for as low as P300 to as high as P14,500. Speaking about how the brands they brought in fit within their luxury portfolio, Mr. Yao said, “We want to be more present in the mid-price segment now.” — Joseph L. Garcia