JAPAN MASTERY COLLECTION: Showcasing Japan’s regional luxury brands
AAJ Editorial Team
The Japan Mastery Collection has been opened at Haneda Airport Terminal 3 last year. The collection features garments, artworks, household items, and other products that represent the refined skills, and history of different regions across Japan. Visitors can purchase the most exclusive and luxurious crafts that Japan has to offer.
Various exhibition sales fairs are held in the space adjacent to the main shop. The photo is from “BASARA”, a fair presented in collaboration with KANSAI YAMAMOTO, Inc.
A new spot has opened in the international departure area of Haneda Airport for people who travel from here to different countries around the globe. Opened on December 22, 2023, the Japan Mastery Collection (JMC) is a Japanese luxury brand with a mission to revitalize local regions across the country by providing a platform through which their crafts’ materials, techniques, and aesthetics will continue to thrive for the next 100 years.
Located adjacent to Western luxury brand stores, the JMC store is divided into five themes, including "travel,” “luxury everyday items," and “pastimes.” It offers 400 types of items which are carefully selected from about 30 areas across Japan.
In the 188m² shop, you will discover a variety of items that harmoniously blend history and tradition with modernity. Some highlights include jackets and pants made using the brand's original denim "MUNI." JMC directly ordered this to a denim factory in Okayama Prefecture that is known for producing material for famous denim brand., meticulously woven using the finest organic cotton with an old power loom. Another is the "Preserved flower," a vibrant microcosm crafted by Norihiko Kamei, a master of the Sogetsu school of ikebana; this creation features small flowers, arranged one by one using tweezers, within a jet-black vessel. Additionally, the "Design Noh Masks" offer a contemporary twist on the Noh masks used in Iwami Kagura, a traditional performing art preserved for over 100 years in western Shimane Prefecture.
JMC's original denim "MUNI" is meticulously woven by artisans in Kojima City, Okayama Prefecture, renowned as Japan's denim production center. This denim is woven on an old power loom, one of the rarest in the world.
"Preserved flower" by Norihiko Kamei, a master of the Sogetsu school of ikebana, creates a breathtaking world by delicately arranging colorful small flowers within small vessels.
Exclusive JMC items, the design Noh mask “Sarutahiko no kami" is a contemporary reimagining of the Noh masks used in Iwami Kagura, a traditional performing art from western Shimane Prefecture, crafted by graphic artist Maki Kahori.
Exclusive JMC items, crafted in collaboration with Japanese designer Masaaki Honma's brand "MASTERMIND," which has a devoted international following. It features an array of Aritayaki porcelain tokkuri and tea bowls.
The store will offer service in Japanese, Chinese, and English, with staff trained to provide department store-quality customer service. Additionally, customers can use their smartphones to scan the two-dimensional code next to a product and access more information regarding the product's background and uniqueness in each language.
Hiroshi Onishi, the president of Haneda Future Research Institute Inc. overseeing the project, previously held the position of CEO at Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. He is known as "Mr. Department Store," having gained recognition for his instrumental role in launching the Isetan Shinjuku Men's Building.
A statement by Mr. Onishi:
"Japan's historical prowess on traditional manufacturing sectors like automobiles and home appliances has become a thing of the past. Moving forward, the emphasis should lie in leveraging the rich tapestry of lifestyle and cultural diversity found across the country and introducing it to the global market. Taking advantage of our extensive retail experience, we are poised to meticulously curate and promote outstanding materials and crafts from diverse Japanese regions with a unique perspective. We also aim to establish a system that ensures equitable returns to the producers, safeguarding these assets for the future.
"It is very significant that the JMC store is located at a hub airport where people and cultures intersect. I hope that this place serves as a catalyst for visitors to Japan to take an interest in regions other than Tokyo and Kyoto.”
It is hoped that the day may soon come when JMC will become a new gateway to Japanese culture.
The exterior of the JAPAN MASTERY COLLECTION store at Haneda Airport Terminal 3 departure area. The interior was designed by Yasumichi Morita.
＜information＞
Location: Haneda Airport Terminal 3 departure area
Hours: 07:00～23:00
https://byemotion-intl.com/pages/jmc_main
