Modern business ventures from long-established stores

Japan is home to a number of long-established stores that have been in business for around 100 years. But these stores do not rest on their laurels. They continue to innovate and adapt to the trends of the times. Here we introduce a shop producing sweets and cosmetics based on a sustainable relationship with nature; a supermarket and restaurant combination that connects the shopping experience and the food experience; and a juice bar that brings the joys of seasonal fruit to the people.

meet tree Ginza

Meet Tree is a sustainable lifestyle brand developed by a lumber company which was founded in 1916 in Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture.
Meet Tree Ginza, which opened in December 2023, specializes in sweets and cosmetics. The choice of location draws on the history of Ginza as an area where lumber craftsmen lived during the renovation of Edo Castle 400 years ago.
Nakatsugawa is a region famous for producing mountain chestnuts, and Meet Tree Ginza has a range of sweets made using chestnuts. It also sells sustainable cosmetics, which are additive-free and made using essential oils from Japanese cypress and other domestic woods.
The store itself features distinctive arched canopies made from Nakatsugawa cypress, and a green interior which evokes a Japanese forest, to create a relaxing shopping experience for the customer.

cask

Shinanoya is a food and drink specialty store that first opened in Setagaya in 1930, featuring products from Japan and around the world. In January 2024 they opened Cask as a new type of business on the first basement floor of Toranomon Hills Station Tower. The name is derived from the casks used to make wine, whisky, soy sauce, and miso.
Cask combines a restaurant with a boutique shop featuring groceries, a deli, wine and whiskey. The wine cellar stocks wines from all over Japan and the world, and Aoyama's popular wine restaurant “W” is attached to the store. Diners are allowed to bring in wines from the store and wine cellar to drink in the restaurant, while they enjoy fresh vegetables, seafood, and meat dishes.

Ichicabo

Aoki Shoten started out as a banana wholesaler in the Taisho era and will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2024. In October 2023 it opened Ichicabo, a shop specializing in fruits, fruit juices, and sweets. It’s located in Jiyugaoka De Aone, a new commercial facility a few minutes’ walk from Jiyugaoka Station.
Ichicabo’s menu changes with the season. They select one seasonal fruit - such as kiwi, mango, cherry, or watermelon - and offer three varieties from Japan and around the world that demonstrate the sweetness and flavor of naturally ripe fruit. The signs and lighting of the store change color depending on the seasonal fruit.
Customers can enjoy not just the seasonal fruit itself, but also the juices, smoothies and sweets that can be made from it. You can also order a drink comparison “flight”, which allows you to compare the tastes, colors and aromas of the three varieties of seasonal fruit.

meet tree Ginza

cask

Ichicabo

For up-to-date information on opening hours and further details please check the official websites.