{"id":1555,"date":"2012-10-01T10:00:54","date_gmt":"2012-10-01T01:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ginzaofficial.sakura.ne.jp\/?p=1555"},"modified":"2015-06-27T16:58:07","modified_gmt":"2015-06-27T07:58:07","slug":"%e6%b4%a5%e7%94%b0-%e5%bd%b0%e5%bd%a6x%e9%ab%98%e5%b6%8b-%e3%81%a1%e3%81%95%e5%ad%90","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ginza.jp\/en\/connective\/1555","title":{"rendered":"Akihiko Tsuda\u00d7Chisako Takashima"},"content":{"rendered":"

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I want to offer quality products at reasonable prices to make customers happy.<\/h4>\n
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Takashima<\/dt>\n
Could you tell us the history of Tsudaya?<\/dd>\n
Tsuda<\/dt>\n
It was founded in 1914. My grandfather opened a shop in Yamabukicho in Ushigome ward, Shinjuku.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
When was it moved to Ginza?<\/dd>\n
Tsuda<\/dt>\n
During the war, in 1943.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
It must have been quite a challenge during the war (laughs).<\/dd>\n
Tsuda<\/dt>\n
Yes it was. My grandfather had always dreamed of moving it to Ginza, and there was a property available. The land was very expensive then too, but he spent his entire fortune to buy it.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
You\u2019ve been in business in Ginza almost 100 years.<\/dd>\n
Tsuda<\/dt>\n
There are tons of establishments in Ginza that have been running for 100 years, so our place is still only moderately long-standing.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Has the shop always dealt with kimono accessories, since your grandfather was running it?<\/dd>\n
Tsuda<\/dt>\n
It originally sold mostly cosmetics, combs and ornamental hairpins, but the times changed, and it came to sell mainly kimono accessories from about 1953.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
I understand you also sell makeup for the stage.<\/dd>\n
Tsuda<\/dt>\n
Yes, we do. We sell it to kabuki and theater actors as well as national acting training schools. We are the only place in Ginza that sells it.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
As the third owner of Tsudaya, what kind of things are you doing to increase business?<\/dd>\n
Tsuda<\/dt>\n
Unlike the past, you can get anything these days. Instead of just selling products, we teach our customer how to wear and use the products to suit the time, place and occasion and offer quality products at reasonable prices to make our customers happy.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
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Inside Tsudaya, Ginza<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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makeup<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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New trees to become a symbol of Ginza<\/h4>\n
\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
I understand you are the head of the sales promotion committee in the Ginza Street Association. What specifically is the committee doing?<\/dd>\n
Tsuda<\/dt>\n
We set up Christmas displays and hold window display contests, and we are talking about planting trees along the main street of Ginza.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Around Christmastime, the entire Ginza area becomes brilliantly illuminated. I guess this is also the job of the people of Ginza. The Mikimoto Christmas tree is especially beautiful.<\/dd>\n
Tsuda<\/dt>\n
The Mikimoto Christmas tree is famous and each year there are many people looking forward to it.
In the past, the displays were set up independently by each street society, but now the Ginza Street Association makes them get together and decides on a theme to give the district a unified feel. This year we plan to set up an electric illumination under the theme of \u201cHikarimichi\u201d (=path of light), together with the Ginza International Luxury Committee.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
What is the window display contest?<\/dd>\n
Tsuda<\/dt>\n
This is also for the Christmas season. A number of people walk along the main streets and back streets from 1-Chome to 8-Chome looking at the show windows of each shop and taking pictures of displays they like. Later, some experts (from the Japan Design Space Association) evaluate them and the shops with the best displays win an award.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
What types of shops won awards last year?<\/dd>\n
Tsuda<\/dt>\n
The winners were 8 shops that received a Japan Design Space Association Award, 6 shops that received an Association Category Award for Excellence and 10 shops that received an Association Special Incentive Award. The smaller shops worked very hard to compete with the bigger establishments.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Are the photos of the winning shop displays exhibited somewhere?<\/dd>\n
Tsuda<\/dt>\n
After the awards ceremony at the Association\u2019s New Years\u2019 Reception, they are on display at Ginza Street Guide, Ginza\u2019s General Information Center, on 8-Chome until about mid-February. Please stop by and take a look next time you are in Ginza.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Is there something you hope to work on from now?<\/dd>\n
Tsuda<\/dt>\n
Currently we are in the middle of preparations for installing street side trees. In the past, we avoided planting tall trees along the streets in Ginza so that you could see what shops were on the other side of the road. But, the heat from the summer sun these few years is making it difficult to walk comfortably unless we plant tall trees to create some shade. Until now, when you think of Ginza, you thought of willow trees. Now, I hope we can plant trees that will become a new symbol of Ginza \u2014 one that can also protect us from the sun and provide a place for illumination displays in winter.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/p>\n

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When I was a kid, department stores were our playground.<\/h4>\n
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Takashima<\/dt>\n
Were you born and raised in Ginza?<\/dd>\n
Tsuda<\/dt>\n
I lived in Ginza until my first year of high school. That was before this building (that the current shop is in) was built\u2026<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
No kidding!! What was it like to live in Ginza at the time?<\/dd>\n
Tsuda<\/dt>\n
Department stores were our playground. We went up to the roof and to the toy department. Also, the Matsuya parking lot was just behind our house, so at night when there were fewer people around, we would play catch there.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
That\u2019s interesting. It\u2019s hard to imagine today.<\/dd>\n
Tsuda<\/dt>\n
We can\u2019t live there now because the rent is too high (laughs).<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
Were you a little sad to move away from Ginza?<\/dd>\n
Tsuda<\/dt>\n
Yes, well I had been living there since very little, so I was very attached to it. But I think that if you live in the big city, you long for other places.
For example, whenever I had to write my address, I would write \u201cGinza, Chuo Ward\u201d and everyone around me would jump in surprise (laughs).<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
I see. I\u2019m sure many people wish they had that problem.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
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Its attraction is that you can buy quality products that can only be found in Ginza.<\/h4>\n
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Takashima<\/dt>\n
How do you want Ginza, your hometown, to be in the future?<\/dd>\n
Tsuda<\/dt>\n
I hope that each shop will increase their attraction even more, and that Ginza as a whole will come together and carry out many productions for its customers.<\/dd>\n
Takashima<\/dt>\n
That sounds great. By the way, the other day I went to the Uniqlo in Ginza. The Ginza shop offers limited edition Ginza products. I was looking at some kids clothes and thought they were really nice, and then I saw the price\u2026 It was definitely not a Uniqlo price (laughs). I thought, Ginza sure is true to its reputation.<\/dd>\n
Tsuda<\/dt>\n
Is that so (laughs). I think that Ginza does not always necessarily mean high class. I think it\u2019s great that you can buy quality products that can only be found in Ginza and not in any other area. I think this links to its attraction.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
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The next guest will be\u2026<\/h4>\n
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Takashima<\/dt>\n
Could you tell us about the next guest?<\/dd>\n
Tsuda<\/dt>\n
It\u2019s Rie Horikawa, director of Optician Iwasaki. It\u2019s a glasses shop with a long history that has been around since the Meiji era, so she can answer all your questions about eyes and glasses.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n
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Chisako Takashima<\/h4>\n

Violinist. Started playing the violin at age 6. After playing abroad, she moved her home base to Japan, and gives concerts all over the country. Although her current focus is on performing music, she also appears on TV and radio programs. Thanks to her much-loved personality, she is appearing in more and more venues.<\/p>\n

Chisako Takashima\u2019s official website<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

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Akihiko Tsuda<\/h4>\n

President of Ginza Tsuyada.
\nAside from his main business, he also acts as head of the sales promotion committee of the Ginza Street Association and strives daily for the development of Ginza.<\/p>\n

Website for Ginza Tsudaya<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

Writer: Mikiko Okai \u3000\u3000Interview cooperation: Cafe de Ginza Miyuki-kan Ginza 4-Chome branch\u3000Website of Ginza Miyuki-kan<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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