Could you tell us about the background leading up to the creation of "Tokyo's Tokyo"?

YamadaWhen the idea arose that "there could be more potential in airport souvenir shops," architect Hiroshi Nakamura (NAP Architects, who handled the interior design of Tokyo's Tokyo) approached book director Motoyuki Suzuki (BACH) and myself.

It seems Mr. Nakamura had previously seen the museum shop "SOUVENIR FROM TOKYO" at The National Art Center, Tokyo, for which Mr. Suzuki and I handled the book and merchandise selection, respectively.
We conveyed our desire to create a shop at Haneda Airport that was unprecedented for a "souvenir shop originating from Tokyo, departing from Haneda." That was in October 2008.





—The store features a three-dimensional curation, with sections segmented by region (displaying books and goods from various parts of Japan) and thematic island displays. What were the challenges in creating this?

We did consider the relationship with "SOUVENIR FROM TOKYO," which I worked on previously. The store size, souvenirs, Tokyo... the keywords were the same for both. "SOUVENIR FROM TOKYO" was about turning fashion, art, and everything else into souvenirs. It was all-encompassing.

Perhaps the difficulty lay in moving beyond that broad interpretation. For example, at a museum, where visitors seek intellectual stimulation, they tend to be more receptive to curated presentations. However, at an airport, people of all ages, genders, and nationalities visit. And airport shops are merely a transit point where people shop on the go. Therefore, we opted for regional and purpose-based segmentation to be eye-catching.



The original staff uniforms and original merchandise at "Tokyo's Tokyo" are also quite striking.

The staff uniforms are by "THEATRE PRODUCTS." The original merchandise was designed by art director Ryosuke Uehara (DRAFT/D-BROS).

Currently, we only have pens and T-shirts, but we plan to create bags, watches, and more, and we want to pay attention to every detail. The fact that the store maintains an elegant impression despite the abundance of products, including the original merchandise, is a testament to Mr. Nakamura's skill in interior design.



Many of the items in the store evoke a sense of nostalgia.

Each item has its own background, and by bringing them together here, we can also facilitate crossover between generations. What you find here are items that allow you to imagine all sorts of travel scenarios: things needed for various travel purposes, for your accommodation, or things that inspired you in Tokyo...

Just as travel is diversifying, so too are individual preferences becoming more varied than ever before. It would be interesting if each product, imbued with the rich emotions of the individual, could become more of a "souvenir."