Each year a little bit of the UK comes to a department store in Osaka in western Japan. Incredibly, the Hankyu Department Store has been holding a one-week British Fair for 40 years! This year’s event in October featured the Cotswolds and drew a staggering 100,000 people, attracting consumers not only from the region but from across the country.
The Fair is not just about selling UK products but is also firmly aimed at communicating both the modern and traditional culture of the UK to Japanese consumers. Therefore, the Fair also offers talk shows and other forms of events. Every year, about 20 British business people are invited from the UK to participate in the event, with some demonstrating how they make sweets, crafts etc.
A “pop-up” version of an actual tearoom in the UK is usually one of the highlights every year. This year, Hankyu invited Huffkins from Stow on the Wold. Family-owned, they were voted purveyors of the “Best Afternoon Tea in Britain” by readers of My Weekly magazine in 2008. Visitors enjoyed tucking into their cream teas.
The Fair is testament to the strong interest in and excitement around British brands in Japan, even in a difficult economic climate. UKTI Japan Team has been supporting this Fair over the years in various ways including introducing British products.
Although I have been to this Fair for many years, there is still something that strikes me every year - the crowd of people literally rushing out of the lifts into the Fair right after the store opens at 10:00am. Seeing it with my own eyes is always just astonishing. One of the food importers participating in the Fair this year for his first time said to me later that he was overwhelmed at the crowd and found himself escaping to take a breath after a while!
My personal disappointment at this year’s Fair was that the puddings from Three Ways House were sold out when I visited on the last day…
So, what is coming up next year? The timing will be the same – the autumn. The main theme? Although it is yet to be finalised, London might possibly be one of the highlights.
Kaoru Ohsumi
kaoru.ohsumi@fco.gov.uk
UKTI Japan
2 comments
Comment by John Bateman posted on
Good morning. i have read your article with interest. we are a producer of traditional english biscuits who export to 2 customers in Japan but are looking to expand this in the future.Are there any other opportunities like this?
regards
John Bateman.
Comment by John Bateman posted on
Good morning. i have read your article with interest. we are a producer of traditional english biscuits who export to 2 customers in Japan but are looking to expand this in the future.Are there any other opportunities like this?
regards
John Bateman.