Skip to main content
Currently being edited in London

Daily inbox intelligence from Monocle

japanese retail

Latest

Retail

Wearing in

Tokyo's first North Face running store: specialized gear, services, workshops, rooftop near Yoyogi Park.

  • Issue #158
  • 5 min read
Three people sitting on wooden bench outside The North Face store window display
Retail

Flip the stitch

Amid relaxing workplace formality standards, Japanese suit sales have fallen sharply. But one Tokyo label is going against the grain. We meet the menswear mavericks behind The Gentleman in the Parlour.

  • Issue #149
  • 10 min read
Open book with green cover titled 'The Cutter's Practical Guide to Overcoats' showing gold lettering on fabric
Business

Straight to the point

Japan's fashion retailer United Arrows faces its biggest challenge yet as new president Yoshinori Matsuzaki navigates pandemic losses while balancing digital growth with cherished bricks-and-mortar traditions.

  • Issue #146
  • 9 min read
Wooden display wall shelving unit featuring organized retail merchandise including hanging clothing in earth tones on the left, stacked outdoor gear and camping equipment, firewood bundles, bottled products, coolers, thermos containers, and packaged goods in blue and orange boxes on lower shelves.
Design

The opener

Japanese discount chain Don Don Donki expands across Hong Kong, filling prime retail spaces with maximalist chaos that locals embrace despite—or perhaps because of—the city's economic downturn.

  • Issue #137
  • 6 min read
The opener
Travel and restaurants

Holiday snaps

We focus on a selection of the planet’s finest new hotels and drop in on the shop that sells everything you’ll need to capture the moment once you get to them.

  • Issue #136
  • 1 min read
Holiday snaps
Fashion

Fine lines

Our review of the latest in all things luxe takes in Japan’s one-site-fits-all emporium, some Lebanese couture in London and a truly fashion-conscious accessory.

  • Issue #132
  • 12 min read
Fine lines
Culture

The opener

We report from an idiosyncratic nation that has won us over with its quirky kerbside totems, drinks-filled vending machines, mascots and of course, shower toilets.

  • Issue #129
  • 7 min read
Two traditional Japanese tanuki (raccoon dog) ceramic figurines wearing straw hats displayed outside a building.
Books

Novel approach

A Japanese book distributor is espousing an unusual business model that sells not just books, but the bookshop experience itself, to bibliophiles and casual shoppers alike.

  • Issue #122
  • 7 min read
Novel approach
Design

Hidden talents

Tokyo furniture shop Bullpen is one of the few outlets focusing on handmade pieces by lesser-known design talent.

  • Issue #118
  • 5 min read
Hidden talents
Retail

Always a surprise in store

Hibiya Central Market is the soul of the shopping mall, where you can wander and linger among kiosks, perfectly edited fashion stores and unpretentious restaurants with a touch of old-school Tokyo.

  • Issue #117
  • 5 min read
Always a surprise in store

Monocle Cart

You currently have no items in your cart.
  • Subtotal:
  • Discount:
  • Shipping:
  • Total:
Checkout

Shipping will be calculated at checkout.

Please note: Orders to the United States may experience delays beyond the estimated-delivery window due to customs processing. Please refer to our FAQs for information on import duties and regulations.

All orders placed outside of the EU that exceed €1,000 in value require customs documentation. Please allow up to two additional business days for these orders to be dispatched.

Not ready to checkout? Continue Shopping