Depachika - Don’t Call Them Food Courts -
The only way to experience the whole spectrum of Japanese food culture in one hour is to visit a Depachika. It’s a mash-up of two Japanese words, “Depa” from “department store” and “Chika” meaning basement. In Japan, all the best department stores have spectacular food emporiums in their basements, usually containing over 200 stalls selling every kind of food imaginable: lunch boxes, bread, cakes and exotic specialties from every region of Japan, as well as from every corner of the world. In a Depachika you can shop for Fauchon’s premier teas and for the best pickled squid from Hokkaido all at the same time.
Although they still lure lots of food savvy customers as well as a solid stream of housewives, the Depachika is now entering the modern age, many of them remodeling to keep up with the changing lifestyles of modern Japan. Isetan, home of the most popular Depachika, altered their floors this past June, deliberately abandoning the way they divided the space and re-constructing under a new philosophy that approaches food from three angles: Cook, Eat, and Enjoy. The result is a Depachika with four specialized areas: the Ingredient Market, Western Foods, Japanese Foods and Enjoyable Foods.
Mitsukoshi, another renowned department store, has just re-conceptualized their Depachika as a part of their extensive renewal of the food floors in their Nihonbashi Main Store at the end of August. Sumie Komatsu, manager of the Chef’s & Speciality Dining section, says, “We are proposing a new lifestyle to our customers by introducing them to new foods.” They tore down the old, traditional stalls and replaced them with small, stylish eateries each run by one of Japan’s most famous restaurants. Lunches cost between $10.00 and 15.00 and takeout starts at around $6.00. This renovated Depachika immediately became a favorite lunchtime destination for enormous crowds of young women working in nearby offices.
“We consider communication with our customers to be very important,” says Miyako Otsuka, manager of Isetan Public Relations/IR. And so they’ve designated 20 sales staff to act as food specialists including a Vegetable Sommelier, Rice Appraiser, Tea Instructor and Cheese Monger. Additionally, 4 other advisers are on the floor to guide customers to exactly the right food they may want for any occasion.
Offering new ways of eating and drinking are not the only purpose of the recent renovations. It’s also a part of a marketing strategy to change customer flow. “We intend to attract the fashion savvy customers who usually shop only on the upper floors,” explains Ms. Otsuka of Isetan. “And, since we remodeled three months ago, we’ve been successful.” Ms. Komatsu of Mitsukoshi also admits, “Our Depachika is the key to bringing in customers.” They also expect many of their Depachika customers to drop by the other floors.
The innovative remodeling includes more meticulously planned displays, a barrier-free environment and close collaborations with top chefs, to name a few. Thanks to the newborn, modern Depachika, you can now enjoy a wide array of foods, get inspired by professional advice, and experience museum quality presentation all in one stop.
(Hideo Nakamura)
Isetan changes its themed displays every two weeks.
This season, apples dominate the windows.
A tiny variation creates huge effects.
In Isetan they changed the height of their window displays.
Now you see the items from above whereas traditional cases
only allowed you to appreciate them from the side.
