The history of GINZA TANAKA, a long-established boutique selling precious metal accessories and jewlery<\/h4>\n\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I have been told that GINZA TANAKA was established in the Meiji era. Have you always been in the precious metals business?<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- Yes, we have. The history of our company dates back to 1892 when we started as a wholesale dealer of precious metals called Shimizu Shoten (later, Yamazaki Shoten) in Asakusa, Tokyo. Our founder, Kamekichi Yamazaki, was the first person in Japan to propose the adoption of the Karat system, under which the quality of gold is indicated as 18K (18 karat gold) or 24K (24 karat gold), etc. He is widely known to have had much influence on the precious metals industry. A pioneer in the business, he was also among the first to sell diamonds, and in times when watches were mainly imported, he manufactured watch parts and assembled them in Japan. Yamazaki established an affiliate company called Shokosha, which specialized in manufacturing watches and is currently known as Citizen.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Really? So, you originally started out as the same company!<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- Yes, we manufactured the first pocket watch in Japan with Shokosha. The watch was purchased by Emperor Hirohito of the Showa era.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- That is fascinating. <\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- Later in 1930, Tanaka Shoten K.K. (currently Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo ) took over the business, but in order to retain Yamazaki\u2019s name, the company name was changed to Yamazaki Co., Ltd. in 1969. We ran our business under this name until the beginning of the Heisei era, so our older customers would probably be more familiar with the name Yamazaki. In 2002, when we celebrated 110th years of business, we changed our brand name to \u201cGINZA TANAKA\u201d and started afresh with the renewal of our main boutique in Ginza. <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n
![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_44_01.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_44_02.jpg\")
<\/p>\nGINZA TANAKA<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_44_03.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nRetailer of highly valuable bullion and crafted gold ornaments<\/h4>\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I have heard that you are also a retailer of bullion Could you describe what bullion is?<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- When we say bullion, we are referring to gold and platinum bullion bars that are purchased as assets. This is what they look like. Please feel free to take one in your hands. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I have seen them on TV before, but it is my first time to see the actual thing! How exciting! It looks like a chocolate bar (laughs). (Holding a 1kg gold bullion bar,) It does not appear to be large. and yet it is so heavy! I could never succeed in running away with one (laughs). How much would this be worth?<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- The market price constantly changes, but gold is worth around 4,700 yen per gram as of April 2015). Prices have risen substantially during the past twenty years.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- How expensive! How much was gold worth 20 years ago?<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- In the mid-1990s, it was around 1,200 yen per gram. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- That is a reasonable price! I should have bought some back then\u2026 It is my understanding that some people invest in gold as an asset.<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- Yes, although gold prices are volatile, unlike stock and bonds, gold will never become worthless. Central banks and public institutions all over the world possess gold as a part of their reserve assets. Gold has universal value.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I should buy some too (laughs). By the way, it is my understanding that you also sell crafted gold ornaments. Do you also have ornaments in the shape of oval gold coins, like those which used to circulate in Japan?<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- Yes, we manufacture and sell gold ornaments, which are very popular among the Japanese people. According to some of our customers, the sight of gold makes them grin. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I would love to have one in my possession too. It would be even more exciting to have the family crest engraved. <\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- What a wonderful idea! I would love to offer that as a complimentary service for our customers. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I recall that gold calendars used to be popular. I would receive them very often during the economic bubble (laughs).<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- They are still very popular as gifts around the New Year\u2019s holidays.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Would you purchase them for a price too?<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- If you bring them in, we will purchase them at the market price.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Really?! Then, I must secretly bring in all the unused gold items that we have packed away in our house. <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_44_04.jpg\")
<\/p>\nTanaka Kikinzoku Jewelry K.K.\u2019s gold bullion bar with 99.99% purity. (A Good Delivery Bar has engravings that prove that it has been accredited by the London gold market.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_44_05.jpg\")
<\/p>\nLarge oval coins with engravings of the Chinese character for \u201csheep\u201d can be bought via the online shop.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
\nCompetitiveness underpinned by reliability and technology fostered in a corporate history of 120 years<\/h4>\n\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Many foreign jewelry brands have also opened boutiques in Ginza. Could you tell me your strengths, or anything that you are particularly committed to that make you special?<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- Originally a wholesale dealer of precious metals, we are confident in the reliability of our precious metals. We have a wide selection of platinum and gold jewelry and I am proud to say that our passion for developing new products and the technology that we put into it is outstanding. This is why we have many customers that have shopped with us for three generations. For example, the son would by his engagement ring here and then when a grandson is born, our customer would by him a gold or silver kabuto (samurai warrior helmet displayed in Japanese homes to celebrate Children\u2019s Day). <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Gold and silver kabuto! How inspiring. It would have been nice to have one in our home (laughs). The diamond sparkles beautifully, too!<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- This is the Astellion cut, which is exclusive to GINZA TANAKA. It is a high-precision diamond cutting technology only possible by highly skilled artisans. The Astellion is a unprecedentedly finely faceted diamond, which has a special brilliance.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Now I see why people would go to Yamazaki for the best diamonds. As I recall, you published \u201cDiamonds and Ginza: GINZA TANAKA\u2019s 120 years of History\u201d from Shogakukan in 2012.<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- Yes, the book is a compilation of interviews with people who are familiar with our corporate history \u2013 especially episodes of our founder, Kamekichi Yamazaki \u2013 and reference to diamonds that are found in literature by Yukio Mishima and Koyo Ozaki, as well as writings in \u201cDiamonds.\u201d which is known to be Japan\u2019s first specialized book on diamonds. Portraying a wealth of photographs and diagrams, it is an intriguing book unraveling the history of Japan\u2019s diamond industry.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n
![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_44_06.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\u201dAstellion\u201d, a proprietary diamond cut exclusive to GINZA TANAKA<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe charm of Ginz lies in its mixture of old and new.<\/h4>\n\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Before we close, may I ask you to talk about your feelings for Ginza.<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- I believe Ginza is a place where we can see a good balance of the old and new. We are very comfortable with the assurance that some things will never change here, and yet we are enchanted by discoveries of something new every time we visit. Ginza has history but it is not conservative. One of Ginza\u2019s charms is its flexibility towards welcoming new ideas. <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n
![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_44_07.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_44_08.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\nChisako Takashima<\/h4>\n
Violinist. Takashima started taking violin lessons from the age of 6. After a successful career abroad, she moved her home base to Japan, where she currently performs in concerts across the country. Highly noted for her character in TV and radio appearances, she has currently opened up her career to more diverse fields with an unchanged focus on her profession.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I have been told that GINZA TANAKA was established in the Meiji era. Have you always been in the precious metals business?<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- Yes, we have. The history of our company dates back to 1892 when we started as a wholesale dealer of precious metals called Shimizu Shoten (later, Yamazaki Shoten) in Asakusa, Tokyo. Our founder, Kamekichi Yamazaki, was the first person in Japan to propose the adoption of the Karat system, under which the quality of gold is indicated as 18K (18 karat gold) or 24K (24 karat gold), etc. He is widely known to have had much influence on the precious metals industry. A pioneer in the business, he was also among the first to sell diamonds, and in times when watches were mainly imported, he manufactured watch parts and assembled them in Japan. Yamazaki established an affiliate company called Shokosha, which specialized in manufacturing watches and is currently known as Citizen.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Really? So, you originally started out as the same company!<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- Yes, we manufactured the first pocket watch in Japan with Shokosha. The watch was purchased by Emperor Hirohito of the Showa era.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- That is fascinating. <\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- Later in 1930, Tanaka Shoten K.K. (currently Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo ) took over the business, but in order to retain Yamazaki\u2019s name, the company name was changed to Yamazaki Co., Ltd. in 1969. We ran our business under this name until the beginning of the Heisei era, so our older customers would probably be more familiar with the name Yamazaki. In 2002, when we celebrated 110th years of business, we changed our brand name to \u201cGINZA TANAKA\u201d and started afresh with the renewal of our main boutique in Ginza. <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/p>\n
GINZA TANAKA<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nRetailer of highly valuable bullion and crafted gold ornaments<\/h4>\n
- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I have heard that you are also a retailer of bullion Could you describe what bullion is?<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- When we say bullion, we are referring to gold and platinum bullion bars that are purchased as assets. This is what they look like. Please feel free to take one in your hands. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I have seen them on TV before, but it is my first time to see the actual thing! How exciting! It looks like a chocolate bar (laughs). (Holding a 1kg gold bullion bar,) It does not appear to be large. and yet it is so heavy! I could never succeed in running away with one (laughs). How much would this be worth?<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- The market price constantly changes, but gold is worth around 4,700 yen per gram as of April 2015). Prices have risen substantially during the past twenty years.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- How expensive! How much was gold worth 20 years ago?<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- In the mid-1990s, it was around 1,200 yen per gram. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- That is a reasonable price! I should have bought some back then\u2026 It is my understanding that some people invest in gold as an asset.<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- Yes, although gold prices are volatile, unlike stock and bonds, gold will never become worthless. Central banks and public institutions all over the world possess gold as a part of their reserve assets. Gold has universal value.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I should buy some too (laughs). By the way, it is my understanding that you also sell crafted gold ornaments. Do you also have ornaments in the shape of oval gold coins, like those which used to circulate in Japan?<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- Yes, we manufacture and sell gold ornaments, which are very popular among the Japanese people. According to some of our customers, the sight of gold makes them grin. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I would love to have one in my possession too. It would be even more exciting to have the family crest engraved. <\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- What a wonderful idea! I would love to offer that as a complimentary service for our customers. <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I recall that gold calendars used to be popular. I would receive them very often during the economic bubble (laughs).<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- They are still very popular as gifts around the New Year\u2019s holidays.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Would you purchase them for a price too?<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- If you bring them in, we will purchase them at the market price.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Really?! Then, I must secretly bring in all the unused gold items that we have packed away in our house. <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/p>\n
Tanaka Kikinzoku Jewelry K.K.\u2019s gold bullion bar with 99.99% purity. (A Good Delivery Bar has engravings that prove that it has been accredited by the London gold market.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/p>\nLarge oval coins with engravings of the Chinese character for \u201csheep\u201d can be bought via the online shop.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
\nCompetitiveness underpinned by reliability and technology fostered in a corporate history of 120 years<\/h4>\n
\n- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Many foreign jewelry brands have also opened boutiques in Ginza. Could you tell me your strengths, or anything that you are particularly committed to that make you special?<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- Originally a wholesale dealer of precious metals, we are confident in the reliability of our precious metals. We have a wide selection of platinum and gold jewelry and I am proud to say that our passion for developing new products and the technology that we put into it is outstanding. This is why we have many customers that have shopped with us for three generations. For example, the son would by his engagement ring here and then when a grandson is born, our customer would by him a gold or silver kabuto (samurai warrior helmet displayed in Japanese homes to celebrate Children\u2019s Day). <\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Gold and silver kabuto! How inspiring. It would have been nice to have one in our home (laughs). The diamond sparkles beautifully, too!<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- This is the Astellion cut, which is exclusive to GINZA TANAKA. It is a high-precision diamond cutting technology only possible by highly skilled artisans. The Astellion is a unprecedentedly finely faceted diamond, which has a special brilliance.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Now I see why people would go to Yamazaki for the best diamonds. As I recall, you published \u201cDiamonds and Ginza: GINZA TANAKA\u2019s 120 years of History\u201d from Shogakukan in 2012.<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- Yes, the book is a compilation of interviews with people who are familiar with our corporate history \u2013 especially episodes of our founder, Kamekichi Yamazaki \u2013 and reference to diamonds that are found in literature by Yukio Mishima and Koyo Ozaki, as well as writings in \u201cDiamonds.\u201d which is known to be Japan\u2019s first specialized book on diamonds. Portraying a wealth of photographs and diagrams, it is an intriguing book unraveling the history of Japan\u2019s diamond industry.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/p>\n
\u201dAstellion\u201d, a proprietary diamond cut exclusive to GINZA TANAKA<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nThe charm of Ginz lies in its mixture of old and new.<\/h4>\n
\n- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Before we close, may I ask you to talk about your feelings for Ginza.<\/dd>\n
- Tanaka<\/dt>\n
- I believe Ginza is a place where we can see a good balance of the old and new. We are very comfortable with the assurance that some things will never change here, and yet we are enchanted by discoveries of something new every time we visit. Ginza has history but it is not conservative. One of Ginza\u2019s charms is its flexibility towards welcoming new ideas. <\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/p>\n\n
Chisako Takashima<\/h4>\n
Violinist. Takashima started taking violin lessons from the age of 6. After a successful career abroad, she moved her home base to Japan, where she currently performs in concerts across the country. Highly noted for her character in TV and radio appearances, she has currently opened up her career to more diverse fields with an unchanged focus on her profession.<\/p>\n