If you have a soft spot for all things Japanese, then you’ve probably check out the new The Japan Store, located at Bukit Bintang’s Lot 10.
This is no ordinary Isetan departmental store, mind you, as it’s the first of its kind following its smaller counterpart store in Paris, France. Covering a space of 11,000 sqm, Isetan The Japan Store has a total of 6 floors that features Japanese fashion, lifestyle, and technological products with over 200 exclusive brands making its debut outside of Japan for the first time.
The concept for Isetan The Japan Store is based on the 4 pillars of the Japanese philosophy of aesthetics: iki (cool), miyabi (elegance), sen (sophistication), and so (pure). For now, only 5 floors are open to public, and each of them uniquely carries a theme of its own.
The 6 floors are:
- 4F: The Table – premium dining outlets which will open in 2017
- 3F: The Cube – bookstore, photo lounge, motion graphics, etc
- 2F: The Room – Japanese beauty and lifestyle products
- 1F: The Studio – experience Japan’s fashion live
- GF: The Museum – A mix of Japan’s rich fashion, art, and culture
- LGF: The Market – experience the seasonal flavours of Isetan’s famed food market
In a joint partnership between Isetan Mitsukoshi Group and the Cool Japan Fund Inc., Isetan The Japan Store introduces dining, daily living, relaxation, recreation, and learning to the public. Seeing as how there are so many exciting things to explore, one could literally spend hours on end in this remarkable shopping environment.
Let’s check ’em out:
1. Japanese desserts, eatery + bakery (LGF)
Head down to The Market first if you’re visiting on an empty stomach. Besides dining in on authentic Japanese food and seasonal ingredients (seafood, sashimi, fresh fish fillets, tempura, udon, and yakitori), visitors can also try some of their award-winning pastries from Henri Chapentier, Western confectioneries, snacks, and other sweet treats.
2. Chill out at the cafes
Walking for hours on end can be tiring! Thankfully, there are 4 different cozy cafes in Isetan The Japan Store where you can hang out with a cuppa coffee (or tea) and rest before you continue exploring the building. The 4 cool cafes are: (x) Coffee (3F), ukafe (2F), Time Out Tokyo Café (1F), and Enchan-the Japon Salon De The (GF).
3. Try out Japan’s cutting edge fashion
Japan’s fashion fix isn’t just limited to “Harajuku Girls”, gothic-lolita, and kawaii cosplay costumes. The Museum and The Studio also feature a good mix of high street brands and casual streetwear. Some of the Japanese fashion brands include Yohji Yamamoto, Porter, Mastermind, Y3, Onitsuka Tiger, Comme des Garçons, and Jun Takahashi’s UNDERCOVER.
4. Enhance your beauty at uka x 76Style (2F)
Craving for a chic new hairdo? Take some time off to get primp and proper at the store’s beauty, hair, and nail salon. The collaborative uka x 76Style has the best aesthetician, beautician, and stylists to bring out the best of you. In case you didn’t know, uka means emergence in Japanese – picture the moment when a caterpillar morphs into a beautiful butterfly.
5. The Little Japanese Garden (2F)
There is a small section on the 2nd floor called the Little Japanese Garden. It’s a very picturesque and zen space where patrons can find living installation plants that are based on the theme engawa. You can also find botanical plants and other garden design creations inside the gorgeous bird nest-like garden.
6. Browse through their home and lifestyle products
For home and lifestyle products, Isetan The Japan Store also has high quality living goods, kitchen, dining, bedding, and bathroom goods from famous brands such as the award-winning Japanese mattress brand AiR, eco-friendly towel line Uchino, furniture brand Maruni Wood Industry, NUNO, mina perhonen, and more.
7. Bring your ideas to life at Fab SPACE (3F)
Fab SPACE stands for fabrication space. You could say it’s a super fun playground where creators, inventors, and makers are able to bring their thoughts and ideas to life. There are 3D printers, laser cutter, CNC milling machine, UV printer, latex printer, sewing machine, and embroidery machine available for you to use for a small fee. Impressive, isn’t it?
8. Step into the Dooblicator and be wowed
Situated at the Photo Lounge is the Dooblicator. It’s a 3D, 360-degree scanner that uses the DOOB technology to scan an individual in 0.4 seconds and then prints out a replica figurine of the person. Would you like to have your very own mini me doll? If the answer is yes, then be prepared to fork out RM600 for a 15cm replica statue, RM1000 for 20cm, and RM1400 for 25cm.
Yeah, you might want to think twice.
9. Book browsing at the coolest bookstore (3F)
Even if you’re not a bookworm, The Cube’s well-curated bookstore is a must-visit largely due to its unique interior design. There are some 10,000 book titles selected by Bach director Yoshitaka Haba, in collaboration with Kikokuniya. You can find many books on culture, art, design, Japanese avant-garde as well as cookbooks and magazines.
10. Enroll yourself in workshops on Japanese etiquette (3F)
If you have always wanted to know more about Japanese aesthetics, culture, and taste, Isetan The Japan Store’s classroom is a good place to delve into Japanese etiquette. The types of classes available here include calligraphy, ikebana (Japanese flower arranging), and tea ceremony.
The details for Isetan The Japan Store are as follows:
- Address: Lot 10 Shopping Centre, 50 Jalan Bukit Bintang, KL
- Tel: 03-2382 7777/03-2141-7777
- Operating hours: Daily, 11am – 9pm
For more information, visit Isetan The Japan Store’s official website or check out their Facebook page.
Sources: Places & Food, Kampung Boy City Gal, Time Out (1)(2), Malaysian Flavours, Vkeong.
