Far East Movement

Intuitive president of Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Hiroshi Ohnishi shares with Lily Ong, his vision for the company’s six-storey luxury emporium in Lot 10 and plans to make the brand an icon of Japan

When news broke that Japan-based Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings will open its second Isetan The Japan Store here, after the one in Paris, it created a ripple of excitement— and for some, confusion. Why would an influential and fashion-forward department store from Japan choose Malaysia to park such a big investment, especially with the uncertain economic outlook? Naturally, this was the first question that I made a mental note to ask Hiroshi Ohnishi, the smiling and friendly president of Isetan Mitsukoshi during our interview a day after the launch of the swanky new store. Ensconced in a comfy nook at the Timeout Tokyo café in the second floor, Ohnishi-san— as he asked me to refer to him—and I were joined by several key Isetan employees and a translator. As we spoke, it was clear that he understood my questions, but sometimes turned to Japanese to express himself better. Ohnishi once worked in Malaysia, I learnt as we got acquainted. “I love Malaysian food! For breakfast we had bak kut teh and it brought back good memories! I’ve been away for so long and things have changed since I left in 1995, but each time I come back here, I feel at home,” he shared in fluent English. I brought up the question of KL being Isetan Mitsukoshi’s place of choice. “I’m not the only one with a history in Malaysia; Isetan has been around for 27 years, since 1990 when we opened this exact store in Lot 10. We considered Singapore and Bangkok too, but there’s more history here,” he explained. The spacious Lot 10 outlet was ideal for the store which incorporates concepts ranging from virtual galleries to fine dining. Working with Cool Japan Fund, a government-run organisation promoting Japan’s creative industries, the 11,000-square metre store was redesigned to showcase the

“I’m not the only one with a history in Malaysia; Isetan has been around for 27 years”

country’s craftsmanship. Professionals from Japan created a unique layout to reflect the Japanese spirit of harmony with nature— even the uniforms worn by the employees are products of Japanese fashion designers. The resulting six-storey emporium is the ultimate convergence of Japanese culture and lifestyle. At the basement, a sprawling food court offers Japanese cuisine to keep foodies coming back for more; think flownin seafood, high-quality beef, Japanese beer and fresh seasonal fruits. There is also an upmarket bookshop, cafe, beauty salons and ‘sleep room’ to try out mattresses. There are also classes conducted by experts from Japan on flower arrangements or tea ceremonies. A staggering estimate of 800 brands are sold at the store encompassing products ranging from household goods to designer items like Yohji Yamamoto and more. As e-commerce continues to change the retail scene, this investment is considered bold on Isetan’s part, but Ohnishi reiterates that it is necessary to meet the changing consumer needs and deliver a special retail experience. “There’s always input from customers and we must listen to them and transform their input into output to create a win-win situation,” he says. Ohnishi, who works in retail because he enjoys being in contact with people, shared that with the Tokyo Olympics 2020 looming, Isetan Mitsukoshi wants to introduce Japanese products, culture and lifestyle to the world. “With stores all over, we want our people and products to be ambassadors to show what we can do and offer,” he says.