Wako (officially Wako Co., Ltd., also known as Ginza Wako) is considered by some to be the most exclusive department store in Japan, located at the heart of the Ginza shopping district in Tokyo. This store is famous for its watches, jewellery, porcelain, dishware, and handbags, as well as foreign luxury goods. There is also an art gallery, called Wako Hall, on the sixth floor. Wako was founded in 1881 by Kintarō Hattori as a watch and jewelry shop called K. Hattori (now Seiko Holdings Corporation) in Ginza. In 1947, the retail division split off as Wako Co., Ltd.
From 1894 to 1923, the Hattori Clock Tower stood on the site where the Wako Department Store occupies today. The Hattori Clock Tower was destroyed by the Great Kanto Earthquake on September 1, 1923 and was rebuilt as the Wako Department Store nine years later. In homage to its predecessor, the Wako Department Store was also fitted with a clock.
Its 1932 Neo-Renaissance style building, designed by Jin Watanabe, with its curved granite façade, is the central landmark for the district and one of the few buildings in the area left standing after World War II. The building functioned as the Tokyo PX store during the American Occupation of Japan, from 1945 to 1952. The clock tower plays the famous Westminster Chimes.
The department store operates branches in Hiroo, Minato; Haneda Airport; Osaka; and some luxury hotels in Japan.
The first "Western-style" department store in Japan was Mitsukoshi, founded in 1904, which has its root as a kimono store called Echigoya from 1673. When the roots are considered, however, Matsuzakaya has an even longer history, dated from 1611. The kimono store changed to a department store in 1910. In 1924, Matsuzakaya store in Ginza allowed street shoes to be worn indoors, something innovative at the time. These former kimono shop department stores dominated the market in its earlier history. They sold, or rather displayed, luxurious products, which contributed for their sophisticated atmospheres. Another origin of Japanese department store is that from railway company. There have been many private railway operators in the nation, and from 1920s, they started to build department stores directly linked to their lines' termini. Seibu and Hankyu are the typical examples of this type.
From the 1980s and onwards, Japanese department stores are facing the fierce competition from supermarkets and convenience stores, gradually losing their presences. Still, depāto are bastions of several aspects of cultural conservatism in the country. Gift certificates for prestigious department stores are frequently given as formal presents in Japan.
Department stores in Japan generally offer a wide range of services and can include foreign exchange, travel reservations, ticket sales for local concerts and other events,Due to their roots, many Japanese department stores have sections devoted to kimono and Japanese traditional crafts, including pottery and lacquerware. The basement level usually has a grocery and food court. |
