"Laox," a comprehensive duty-free store based in Tokyo and affiliated with a major Chinese electrical appliance store, is enhancing its new store openings in Kyoto City. Following its initial expansion into Daimaru Kyoto, located in Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, in September, a new store will open along Shijo-dori Street in Kyoto's Gion area in December. More store openings are planned for the future with the aim of capturing the demands of Chinese tourists and other customers.

Aiming for "Bakugai" or binge shopping

In a survey conducted by Kyoto Convention Bureau, the effect of "Bakugai" is also being seen in Kyoto. Half of the duty-free stores in Kyoto responded, saying Sales figures during the long vacation associated with the founding day of the People's Republic of China, from October 1 to October 7, increased in comparison with the same period of the previous year. Due to this, Laox has accelerated its store expansion with the aim of securing the strong shopping demands of Chinese tourists.

The scheduled second store in Kyoto, "Laox Kyoto Gion Store," will open in Yamato-oji Nishi-iru, Shijo-dori, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, on December 12. It is moving into the first and second floors of a commercial building and has 340 square meters of sales space.

Items sold on the first floor will mainly be traditional crafts of Kyoto, such as chirimen crepe fabric accessories and facial oil-blotting papers, as well as Matcha confectionery, "Yatsuhashi," a traditional Kyoto sweet, and other items which are produced by long-established shops. Various products, ranging from household electrical appliances, including high-class rice cookers, vacuum cleaners, facial care appliances and other products, to cosmetics, general merchandise and so forth will be handled on the second floor. The store staff can also provide assistance in Chinese and English.

Laox is planning to establish 20 more stores by the end of 2017, building a 50-store network in Japan. Establishment of two or three more stores in Kyoto is planned. The management and planning department said, "Kyoto has a high profile even in China, so we place importance on Kyoto also in order to spread our brand. We have gathered high-quality Japanese products."