The birth of the ASICS Tiger concept store! What is the reason why it was built in Shinsaibashi, Osaka?

The birth of the ASICS Tiger concept store! What is the reason why it is located in Shinsaibashi, Osaka?

On September 21 (Wed.), ASICS Tiger opened the world's first concept store near Shinsaibashi Station in Osaka. The brand is positioned as a "lifestyle sneaker" that seems to be a cross between "ASICS" for function and "Onitsuka Tiger" for design. The store opened as a concept store, literally conveying the brand concept to customers. At the opening party, Tofubeats, who is also a personal fan of ASICS Tiger, played the DJ, and the place was packed with people. We introduce some photos of the party and talk with Ryoji Shoda, director of ASICS Japan, who led the opening of this concept store, about why he chose this location and what he is particular about the store.

  • Photo_Masahiro Arimoto
  • Edit_Shinri Kobayashi
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Ryoji Shoda

Director of ASICS Japan K.K. . . After working for a foreign fashion brand, he assumed his current position. . His responsibilities range from business aspects such as PR, management strategy, and store opening plans for the ASICS brand in Japan and abroad , to store concept creation and design direction.

The store has a guardrail in the middle of the street.

Asics Tiger is a lifestyle sneaker brand that has been featured frequently on Finamu. The "GEL-KAYANO" and "GEL-LYTE" series are masterpieces of sneakers that combine overwhelming comfort that you can feel when you put them on, with designs that are easy to incorporate into your style. On September 21 (Wed.), a long-awaited concept store will open with a full lineup of about 100 models of sneakers. Located on a back street one block from the main street, the store is a high quality space made of marble and concrete, with a guardrail placed in the center of the store, creating a street-conscious space. We asked him to talk about what this kind of space brings and his commitment to the location.

village headman:

First of all, what is the position of this store?

village headman. Rather than a retail store, it is a concept store that conveys the ASICS Tiger brand concept. For example, we believe that people will be able to get a sense of the difference between ASICS and ONITSUKA TIGER in this store.

Do you dare to speak about the difference in words? (Laughs)

village headmanASICS is "DO SPORTS". . It's a sports brand. ASICS Tiger has a sports mind, but it wraps that mind in design. ASICS Tiger is a brand with a hidden sports mind, so to speak. What makes Onitsuka Tiger unique is its craftsmanship. Post-processing, such as denim, is done by hand.

Could you tell us more about "ASICS Tiger"?

village headman. It is not that "ASICS Tiger" is a sneaker without the functions of "ASICS". ASICS shoes have too many functions for the city, so we remove unnecessary functions, and we make sneakers that are ideal for walking around town. By reducing functions, we have a wider range of choices in sneaker materials, such as soles. Asics is visible and ASICS Tiger is hidden.

I see.

village headman. and Asics Tiger has two lines: the Heritage line, which uses designs from the 80s and 90s . . and a line that is more of a modified version of that, with styles that use newer technology.

This is the first time you have an only store in Japan. Why did you choose Osaka instead of Tokyo?

village headman. This store is not a dealership, but a concept store. If you think of it as a retail store, it would be in Tokyo. . As ASICS was founded in the Kansai region (Kobe), we wanted to build a store in this birthplace first.

What kind of location were you looking for?

village headman.: I was looking for a place near the train station, but not on a front street. . We didn't want to build it on a main street and have people pass by. . If anything, we wanted people to be able to spend time in the store in a relaxed atmosphere and experience the concept firsthand.

. To that end, please tell us what kind of special attention is paid to the interior of the store.

village headman. We are particular about our fixtures. Asics Tiger" targets all ages, but in order to satisfy adults, it has to be authentic. That's why we use marble, LEDs are different from the usual ones, and there will be projection mapping at this party. . We are also particular about the sound, and we are using 10 speakers in about 50 square meters.

I'm sure DJ Tofubeats, who is also a fan of the brand, will be satisfied with the product (laughs).

village headman. We spared no effort when it comes to creating the space. As I mentioned earlier, this is not a store where people come to buy, but rather a store where they can see what kind of brand "ASICS Tiger" is. . To take it to the extreme, it would be fine if people could just sit on the guardrail, drink a glass of water, and relax. In other words, it could be a "sneaker park.

I heard that you have a new logo this time.

village headman. logo and brand colors are renewed, from blue to yellow. The yellow is also used as a color accent for the stripes so as not to be too assertive. However, the logo will not appear on the product. We wanted to keep the original, so we kept the "ASICS" logo as before. But with this change, the logo on the sneaker box and other aspects of the sneaker will also change drastically.

I hear that "Onitsuka Tiger" has many overseas fans, but what about "ASICS Tiger"?

village headmanFirst of all, many people have an image of the "ASICS" brand in general as being cool. Shoes are made with Japanese technology, and there is a respect for Japanese craftsmanship. ASICS Tiger is the same way, as it is a sneaker for walking, but I think the design is also supported. For example, you can find them in the Colette store in Paris, and at the Keith's collection in New York, they were wearing Asics Tiger sneakers before the show.

Do you have any plans for a concept store in Tokyo in the future?

village headman. there is a place . Since it is a concept store, it cannot be located anywhere . We hope to find the right place where our concept can be conveyed properly.

Here are some photos from the opening party. Tofubeats, who is also a private fan of "ASICS Tiger," was the DJ for the party, which was filled with people in a festive atmosphere of sound and light. The event was also very well attended, with projection mapping being performed especially for the occasion. And as if to embody what Mr. Shoda calls "a sneaker park," it should be added that visitors spent more time in the park than at the opening event in Tokyo.

village headman:

ASICS Tiger OSAKA SHINSAIBASHI
Address: Shinsaibashi OPA Kireikan 1F, 1-9-2 Nishi-Shinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka
Hours: 11:00 - 21:00 (according to Shinsaibashi OPA business hours)
Phone: 06-6282-8060
www.asicstiger.com/jp
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