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Issue #2
Dead in America / Alive and Well in Japan
Words by Cory Ohlendorf | Photography courtesy and Bandana
The story has become something of a legend in menswear circles: As denim manufacturing dried up in the United States, it was no longer cost-effective to create selvedge denim the old-fashioned way. With those shuttle looms just gathering dust in closed factories, Japanese jeans brands swept in. They purchased the looms and shipped them back to Japan (sometimes piece-by-piece) to make classic selvedge jeans from locally-grown cotton. Now, they’re known to produce American-style jeans better than we do in America.
This is what came to mind when I came across the Barneys New York store in Tokyo’s Ginza shopping district. It was as if I saw a ghost. A towering, building-sized ghost, with gleaming windows topped with those signature black awnings. Western visitors to Tokyo (and other such cities as Osaka and Kobe) may be similarly surprised to discover a handful of brands they’d written off as dead, are alive and well here. Is it another case of Japan doing Americana better than we Americans can? Or is it something else? Why do brands and shops that went belly up in the U.S. survive—even thrive—here in Japan? |
The simplest explanation is that they’re not really the same company. Most of the chains that bear the name of an American brand are independent corporations that have paid to use the brand’s identity. The look and branding may appear to be the same, but they can be run independently and make savvier decisions that help it succeed in an Asian market.
Take Toys ‘R’ Us, for example. The brand filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. in 2017, having incurred billions of dollars in debt and ultimately triggered a collapse of the country’s last national toy store. They served as an icon of the American “retail apocalypse”. After liquidating and restructuring, they attempted a relaunch in select cities, but never truly recovered. Meanwhile, the brand remains strong in Japan, having entered the country’s retail market in 1991 and quickly dominating the Japanese toy landscape. After severing ties with the American parent company in 2018, it focused on a more localized business strategy—with an emphasis on classic toys and games— and continues to open new stores, both in Japan and China. |
Or consider Dean & Deluca. The East Coast gourmet grocer was once revered for its high-end take on deli foods, wine and baked goods. However, the glossy food emporium closed all its American doors after four decades due to a range of bad business decisions. It simply couldn’t support itself in the market. But in Japan? There are more than 50 locations and they’re all going strong—offering up New York-style snacks and freshly-brewed coffee, lovingly poured by polite and skilled baristas. What’s more, that warm cookie and latte are served to you on a real plate and in a proper coffee cup. It’s like what you imagine Dean & Deluca used to be like, in the “good old days” of New York, where people might’ve slowed down, if only for a moment, to enjoy the pleasure of a proper coffee break. |
Then there’s Tower Records. Remember those? One of the coolest record store chains around, they operated in the U.S. from 1960 until 2006, when the brand ceremoniously closed its doors. But in Japan, the music never stopped. Tower Records is thriving with more than 80 stores throughout the country. The Shibuya flagship is one of the biggest music retail outlets in the world, occupying nine floors and hosting a range of events and album signings. How? While the Japanese listen to Spotify and stream Apple Music like the rest of us, many still have a collectors’ mindset. If they can score a signed copy or limited-edition version of their favorite album, or pick up a throwback tape or CD, many Japanese say it allows them to forge a deeper bond with the artist and their music. Plus, the shop offers a place for fans to hang out, thanks to the popular cafe located on the second floor. |
This isn’t a new phenomenon, either. One of Japan’s most famous and ubiquitous konbinis (convenience stores) began in America. Lawson got its start as a dairy shop in Ohio back in the late 1930s (hence, the old-timey sign featuring a white milk jug). The store grew into a regional market and was bought by Consolidated Foods—now the Sara Lee Corporation—in 1959. As the brand expanded, it led to an agreement with Osaka-based Daiei, Inc. to bring locations to Japan in 1974. |
At the time, the brand was expanding into a mid-sized regional chain, with more than 700 stores across the northeastern United States. Consolidated Foods eventually sold the brand to Dairy Mart, but when that company went bankrupt in 2001, Lawson passed into the hands of another multinational conglomerate and any remaining stores were converted to the Circle K brand and that was the end of Lawson.
Only it wasn’t. Because the brand continued to thrive in Japan. The growth was slow at first—the concept of the convenience store was still new to Japan in the mid-1970s. But the opportunity and need was clearly there. More densely stocked than mom-and-pop stores, but more easily accessed than full supermarkets, Daiei was able to prove that these konbinis made life easier. Just three months after opening its first store in Toyonaka City in 1975, Lawson began expanding across the country. A few years later, they were operating 24 hours a day and became a vital part of everyday life.
In short, Lawson was able to grow and flourish because they did what these other American imports did—localize just enough to appeal to a dense population that’s happy to shop in person. In the U.S., the bigger a brand gets, the less special it feels. But for these brands that live on in Japan, they were able to retain much of what made the original concept so special without ever sacrificing quality. That’s a winning formula.
Suicoke is a cult Japanese brand founded in 2006 in Tokyo that’s now known the world over for its comfortable performance footwear and forward-thinking designs. The brand’s sandals are renowned for their comfort and use of high-quality materials, including hiking-friendly innovative Vibram footbeds. The Zavo mule is a signature silhouette now, but for summer, Suicoke has introduced a fresh, off-white colorway dubbed “chalk”. Constructed with a nylon upper and adjustable strap fastening, the slides provide functionality in all the right places.
Get It | $240 by Suicoke |
(ILLUSTRATION: Yuki Uebo)
Rajio taisō (ラジオ体操) is a term for the short set of simple calisthenics moves, done in the morning to stretch and wake up the body. First broadcast over the radio in 1928, they’re now broadcast on TV and done by people of all ages. It’s not uncommon to see rajio taisō being practiced in workplaces or schools, since it’s found to foster morale and instills a sense of group unity.
ClassicThis chain has a solid reputation for high-quality, classic tonkatsu at affordable prices. The highlight of the set is the rice, cooked and served in a traditional donabe, a Japanese clay pot. |
Tonkatsu Sakura |
LuxuriousSet in a beautiful traditional Japanese house, Butagami offers more than 20 varieties of largely Japanese premium pork and takes the breaded deep-fried cutlet to new heights. Overwhelmed? The Ryuka-ton from Okinawa is a delicious (and reasonably-priced) place to start. Butagami |
KatsudonA bowl of rice is topped with a just-fried pork cutlet and scrambled egg, then drizzled with sweet soy sauce. This is known as katsudon. Nihombashi Kakigara Chou Sakuri offers a popular, modern version with the egg cooked in a rich dashi that makes it more like a creamy sauce. |
Nihombashi Kakigara Chou Sakuri |
SandoThe simplest (and some might argue) most satisfying way to enjoy a tonkatsu cutlet is sandwiched between two soft pieces of Japanese white bread. Maiden is famous for their sandos, dressed with a house sauce that provides a fruity tanginess and rich umami finish. |
Maiden |
CurryCurry, or more specifically kare-raisu (curry rice) has a long tradition in Japan, but it becomes an even fuller meal when you top it with a crispy deep-fried tonkatsu. Make sure to enjoy the rich curry with the provided pickles known as fukujinzuke. Kicchin Nankai Jinbocho Ten |
That’s all
for this week.
We’ll see you back here next Thursday.
Know someone that would like Bandana? |