• Fukuya
• Tenmaya
• Mitsukoshi
• Sogo
• Takushimaya
• Seiku

The Ginza

Center of fashion and popular tastes in Tokyo. Gin in Ginza is the Japanese word for "silver." In early October there is an annual Ginza Festival staged by merchants to boost business and to thank patrons for loyalty.

B. Services Available at Japanese department stores

• Bowing uniformed assistants greet customers at opening of store. This is a daily ritual at virtually all of the major department stores.
• Abundant sales help is available at every counter. Prospective customers are greeted with a smile and a welcome.
• The sales help is courteous and attentive. They constantly smile and are not rude or nasty. Some elevators have bowing elevator operators.
• All purchases, no matter how small, are beautifully wrapped and presented. Shopping bags are provided.
• Customers are encouraged to touch and to try on merchandise. Products are not alarmed or chained.
• On rainy days plastic bags are provided for umbrellas so customers and floors do not get wet. Plastic bags are recycled.
• Most Japanese department stores have a lower level devoted to the sale of a wide variety of foods such as:
  • sushi and sashimi
  • obento boxes (beautifully presented lunch or dinner combinations)
  • okonomiyaki (Japanese pizza)
  • miso, noodles (Udon or Soba), sukiyaki, yakitori
  • uncooked fish and meat
  • candy, cookies, breads (freshly baked, samples)
  • coffees
  • ice cream (Japanese, Baskin-Robbins, Italian gelati)
  • fast food for snacks
  • fruits and vegetables (fruits are usually individually wrapped and are, by American standards, very expensive. For example, a peach may cost the equivalent of $3 and a cantaloup can easily be marked $10-$15. The quality is uniformly high.)
• Most department stores sell luxury goods: jewelry and clothing from France, Italy, U.S., and Hong Kong. These items are expensive. Material is beautiful. Most Japanese women are stylishly dressed. Cosmetics sell very well as there is an emphasis on grooming. Japanese women are concerned with how they look and the quality of what they buy.
• Bridal floor has traditional wedding clothes for Shinto ceremony and Western wedding clothes.
• Most stores offer a variety of moderately priced restaurants on the top floors. In addition, there is generally an exhibition space for art galleries and special events such as an International Fair.
• Many other services are available: Money exchange centers; Sale of stocks (women are the target); Modeling demonstration by computer imaging

C. Discount stores challenge department stores

Ikebukuro Station - Northwest Tokyo

• Step Co. -- Discount store that offers bargain prices. There are no explanations, no service, no testing and many buyers. Sales increased 10% this year.
• Mr. Max Corporation -- Discounter of household goods and appliances in Kyushu had sales jump 18% in fiscal year that ended last March. A 15% increase predicted this year.
• New electronics retailers are prepared to sell anyone's equipment if it's cheap enough.
• Japan's imports of men's suits rose 58% last year due to policy of aggressive clothing discounter.
• Jonan Denki -- Discounter of surplus cosmetics from the US via Okinawa where he pays no duties. $12 million in yearly sales. Denki sells Chanel lipstick for $24 but department stores sell it for $40.