Tenshodo\u2019s wide line of merchandise ranging from luxury brand watches to railroad models.<\/h4>\n\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- How many years has Tenshodo been in business?<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- Tenshodo was established in 1879, so we have been in business for 135 years. We started as a carved name seal retailer but eventually came to sell jewelry and import watches. We were the first to introduce Omega (Swiss luxury watch manufacturer established in 1848) watches to Japan.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- So you have always been ahead of the times.<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- We were also the first company to put price tags on merchandise back when sales were basically made person-to-person and prices were not shown.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- What fascinates me is that you also manufacture and sell railroad models. How did that come about?<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- It was my grandfather, a railfan, who launched our railway model business. In his days, our brass railroad models were all handmade by artisan workers. Plastic models have become popular now, but many older railroad model fans prefer brass models.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I have heard that Tenshodo\u2019s railroad models are referred to as the \u201cRolls-Royce of railroad models\u201d.<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- Yes, they are. We were the only company manufacturing models completely handcrafted in detail.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Tenshodo also has a division responsible for working with corporate clients. We have, for example, manufactured an uncountable number of commemorative gifts, plaques and trophies for our corporate clients. The golden bats presented to Hideki Matsui and Shigeo Nagashima in commemoration of their receipt of the People\u2019s Honor Award were also manufactured by Tenshodo. They were custom fabricated by coating sterling silver bats with gold.<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- That is amazing!<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- We actually do business in a variety of fields.(laughs). We also made the championship rings for the WBC.<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- How wonderful!<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n
![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_38_01.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_38_02.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n\n![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_38_03.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nIrresistible watch brands for the connoisseur<\/h4>\n\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I, in fact, absolutely love watches!<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- Really!? Unfortunately, we don\u2019t have a large collection of women\u2019s watches\u2026<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I am not that interested in women\u2019s watches. I am more into men\u2019s watches, like Jaeger-LeCoultre (Swiss luxury watch manufacuturer established in 1833) and Girard-Perregaux (Swiss luxury watch manufacturer established in 1791).<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- I see! We basically do not sell watches manufactured by apparel brands and are more focused on brands that exclusively manufacture watches. Our customers are inevitably mostly men.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I often give my husband watches as gifts. I once gave him a very stylish Pierre Kunz (Swiss luxury watch manufacturer founded in 2002)\u2026 Asked by a friend which brand it was, he answered, \u201cPierre Herm\u00e9\u201d (renowned pastry chef) (laughs). My husband likes collecting watches too, but perhaps he was not so interested in that particular watch because it was not one that he had selected and bought himself. (laughs bitterly)<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- I guess their names are similar (laughs).<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- During the economic bubble, a luxury watch meant a Rolex (Swiss luxury watch manufacturer established in 1905) or an Omega, but nowadays, we have a wide variety of brands to choose from.<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- That is true. We have an increasing number of low-profile brands, which actually have long histories but just were not widely known.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I agree. Officine Panerai (Italian luxury watch manufacturer established in 1860) was little known until only recently\u2026.<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- Officine Panerai has become very popular these past few years. Which are your favorite watchmakers?<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I love Breitlings (Swiss luxury watch manufacturer established in 1884).<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- Breitlings are also very popular now. Their advertising strategy is impressive and their catalogs show their commitment to style.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- It must be so exciting to be surrounded with watches every day. I would love to see Baselworld (the world\u2019s largest watch and jewelry show held in Basel, Switzerland) one day.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n
![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_38_04.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_38_05.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\n![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_38_06.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n
\nThe key to securing repeat customers without discounts nor rewards cards<\/h4>\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Watches can be bought in department stores and other shops, and yet your customers buy their watches at Tenshodo. What do you think is the distinguished charm that sets your store apart from others?<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- I think people (staff) are most important factor. Tenshodo offers no discounts nor rewards cards to our customers, and yet, some of our customers have been shopping with us for two or three generations. I am proud to say that this is because of our fine-tuned services, including the after-sales service that each of our staff provides. Because watches are sold for similar prices and because they can be bought anywhere, we roll out the red carpet to all of our customers.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- So that is why you have an increasing number of repeat customers.<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- Yes, and I hope to continue exploring many new possibilities in order to remain worthy of doing business in Ginza.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n
Retaining good features from the past and innovating what should be changed.<\/h4>\n\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Do you have any childhood memories of Ginza?<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- When I was a child, Tenshodo used to sell mini 4WDs and air guns, so I would sometimes come to Ginza to play in the store. It was my playground.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Now that you work in Ginza, have you developed any special feelings for the town?<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- I believe Ginza to be the best town in Japan. Ginza is home to various neighborhood associations and the people here take part in voluntary activities in a shared effort to make Ginza a better place. It is only with the support of these people that Ginza never ceases to be ahead of the times despite its historical heritage. As head of the General Affairs Division of Ginmikai (an association of business owners in Ginza and organizer of various local events), I hope that I can make a small contribution to Ginza as an expression of my fondness of the town. We should retain good features from the past and innovate what should be changed.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n
![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_38_07.jpg\")
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nThe next guest will be\u2026<\/h4>\n\n- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- May I ask you to introduce the next guest?<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- The next guest is Ms. Chieko Nakamura, CEO of Ginza Jujiya, a long-established retailer of musical instruments that also holds a variety of music classes and events. As the music store is focused on harps, I think you will enjoy hearing much about the charm of harps.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n
![](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Connect_38_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
- How many years has Tenshodo been in business?<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- Tenshodo was established in 1879, so we have been in business for 135 years. We started as a carved name seal retailer but eventually came to sell jewelry and import watches. We were the first to introduce Omega (Swiss luxury watch manufacturer established in 1848) watches to Japan.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- So you have always been ahead of the times.<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- We were also the first company to put price tags on merchandise back when sales were basically made person-to-person and prices were not shown.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- What fascinates me is that you also manufacture and sell railroad models. How did that come about?<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- It was my grandfather, a railfan, who launched our railway model business. In his days, our brass railroad models were all handmade by artisan workers. Plastic models have become popular now, but many older railroad model fans prefer brass models.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I have heard that Tenshodo\u2019s railroad models are referred to as the \u201cRolls-Royce of railroad models\u201d.<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- Yes, they are. We were the only company manufacturing models completely handcrafted in detail.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Tenshodo also has a division responsible for working with corporate clients. We have, for example, manufactured an uncountable number of commemorative gifts, plaques and trophies for our corporate clients. The golden bats presented to Hideki Matsui and Shigeo Nagashima in commemoration of their receipt of the People\u2019s Honor Award were also manufactured by Tenshodo. They were custom fabricated by coating sterling silver bats with gold.<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- That is amazing!<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- We actually do business in a variety of fields.(laughs). We also made the championship rings for the WBC.<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- How wonderful!<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
Irresistible watch brands for the connoisseur<\/h4>\n
\n- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I, in fact, absolutely love watches!<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- Really!? Unfortunately, we don\u2019t have a large collection of women\u2019s watches\u2026<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I am not that interested in women\u2019s watches. I am more into men\u2019s watches, like Jaeger-LeCoultre (Swiss luxury watch manufacuturer established in 1833) and Girard-Perregaux (Swiss luxury watch manufacturer established in 1791).<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- I see! We basically do not sell watches manufactured by apparel brands and are more focused on brands that exclusively manufacture watches. Our customers are inevitably mostly men.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I often give my husband watches as gifts. I once gave him a very stylish Pierre Kunz (Swiss luxury watch manufacturer founded in 2002)\u2026 Asked by a friend which brand it was, he answered, \u201cPierre Herm\u00e9\u201d (renowned pastry chef) (laughs). My husband likes collecting watches too, but perhaps he was not so interested in that particular watch because it was not one that he had selected and bought himself. (laughs bitterly)<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- I guess their names are similar (laughs).<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- During the economic bubble, a luxury watch meant a Rolex (Swiss luxury watch manufacturer established in 1905) or an Omega, but nowadays, we have a wide variety of brands to choose from.<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- That is true. We have an increasing number of low-profile brands, which actually have long histories but just were not widely known.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I agree. Officine Panerai (Italian luxury watch manufacturer established in 1860) was little known until only recently\u2026.<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- Officine Panerai has become very popular these past few years. Which are your favorite watchmakers?<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- I love Breitlings (Swiss luxury watch manufacturer established in 1884).<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- Breitlings are also very popular now. Their advertising strategy is impressive and their catalogs show their commitment to style.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- It must be so exciting to be surrounded with watches every day. I would love to see Baselworld (the world\u2019s largest watch and jewelry show held in Basel, Switzerland) one day.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
\nThe key to securing repeat customers without discounts nor rewards cards<\/h4>\n
- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Watches can be bought in department stores and other shops, and yet your customers buy their watches at Tenshodo. What do you think is the distinguished charm that sets your store apart from others?<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- I think people (staff) are most important factor. Tenshodo offers no discounts nor rewards cards to our customers, and yet, some of our customers have been shopping with us for two or three generations. I am proud to say that this is because of our fine-tuned services, including the after-sales service that each of our staff provides. Because watches are sold for similar prices and because they can be bought anywhere, we roll out the red carpet to all of our customers.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- So that is why you have an increasing number of repeat customers.<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- Yes, and I hope to continue exploring many new possibilities in order to remain worthy of doing business in Ginza.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n
Retaining good features from the past and innovating what should be changed.<\/h4>\n
\n- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Do you have any childhood memories of Ginza?<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- When I was a child, Tenshodo used to sell mini 4WDs and air guns, so I would sometimes come to Ginza to play in the store. It was my playground.<\/dd>\n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- Now that you work in Ginza, have you developed any special feelings for the town?<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- I believe Ginza to be the best town in Japan. Ginza is home to various neighborhood associations and the people here take part in voluntary activities in a shared effort to make Ginza a better place. It is only with the support of these people that Ginza never ceases to be ahead of the times despite its historical heritage. As head of the General Affairs Division of Ginmikai (an association of business owners in Ginza and organizer of various local events), I hope that I can make a small contribution to Ginza as an expression of my fondness of the town. We should retain good features from the past and innovate what should be changed.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
The next guest will be\u2026<\/h4>\n
- \n
- Takashima<\/dt>\n
- May I ask you to introduce the next guest?<\/dd>\n
- Niimoto<\/dt>\n
- The next guest is Ms. Chieko Nakamura, CEO of Ginza Jujiya, a long-established retailer of musical instruments that also holds a variety of music classes and events. As the music store is focused on harps, I think you will enjoy hearing much about the charm of harps.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\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