GINZA FLAGSHIP STORE
Befitting a place where you can experience the fantastic world of NIWAKA jewelry, NIWAKA’s new concept store in Ginza is an extraordinary space that reinterprets Japanese motifs in a modern way. This original architectural expression of classic design styles embodies the spirit of tradition and innovation that NIWAKA has inherited from its birthplace of Kyoto.
The exterior of the building is inspired by wisteria flowers, evoking the image of a tiered wisteria trellis through a wavy mesh structure that covers the outer walls of the six-floor building. The flowers themselves are represented by abstract bundles of light that appear to sway gently in the wind. The interior design of the store has a different theme for each floor, boldly incorporating traditional Japanese architectural features like latticework and sliding paper doors into modern design.
Floor Design
1F High Jewelry & Jewelry
A comfortable space harmonizing the traditional and modern
As you step into the store, the first thing to catch your eye is a fine mesh chandelier shining white in the center of the dark coffered ceiling. With an emphasis on the use of untreated wood, this warm space is an embodiment of Japanese hospitality. The wisteria trellis theme from the exterior continues here in the form of the chandelier as well as the wooden walls, creating a luxurious and modern impression. The first floor’s main showcase is decorated with the same mesh material as the center chandelier, and the interior of the case is lined with brocade from Kyoto’s famous Nishijin textile district. The coffered ceiling is the type often found in historical Japanese buildings, and various other traditional design elements are scattered throughout. The reception area is separated from the main store area by delicate metal blinds, which helps create a relaxed atmosphere within.
2F–4F Bridal Jewelry
The second, third and fourth floors, dedicated to bridal jewelry, are designed to allow customers to make their choice in comfort and to confer with specialist staff in an open, airy space. Large showcases are placed in the center with sets of tables and chairs arranged on the sides, separated by screens for privacy. Each floor has a different interior design theme that expresses Japanese elements with luxury and style appropriate for such a sophisticated space.
2F
A calm space created by curved lines of lattice
The second floor is designed to highlight the sort of latticework commonly used in traditional Kyoto townhouses (kyo-machiya). Reinterpreting this familiar lattice as curved rather than straight has opened up new possibilities of interior design. On the ceiling, an artistic installation of Nishijin brocade with a karahana flower pattern can be seen through an undulating line of wooden slats. Behind a wall of vertical latticework on the far end of the showroom, Kyoto’s Mt. Daimonji is depicted with a purple gradient, giving the impression that you are looking at the famous scene just outside a window. The customer consultation area seems wrapped in wooden lattice, creating a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere.
3F
A shoji-themed floor with a refreshing purple and white contrast
The key element of the third floor is shoji, sliding doors made of translucent paper on wooden frames, so familiar to those who grew up in Japanese homes. Against a background of NIWAKA’s distinctive purple brand color, various features evoking the shoji construction create glowing white shapes, placed in a perfect balance throughout the space to create a modern design.
4F
A floor expressing the wisteria trellis with dazzling crystals
The fourth floor once again highlights the overarching theme of wisteria that inspired the Ginza Store, with approximately 600 crystal strands in the shape of wisteria flowers sparkling elegantly overhead against a rich purple ceiling. Natural, untreated wooden floors and walls in a more Eastern design blend seamlessly with the Western touches brought by crystal, creating a very luxurious modern Japanese style by combining dissimilar materials and elements. The back wall of the showroom is done in the traditional yoroibari (“clinker building”) architectural style, which utilizes slightly overlapping panels of natural wood and diffused lighting to add depth to the space.
5F High Jewelry
A fantastic Kyoto-style pathway that invites you to the world of high jewelry
The fifth floor is designed exclusively to showcase NIWAKA’s high jewelry collections. When you step off the elevator, a kyo-koji (Kyoto alley) is laid out in front of you, with a Nishijin brocade textile woven with opal threads as the focal point at the end. The sides of the path are created by folding handmade Japanese washi paper to give the impression of a bamboo grove through the play of light and shadow. Beyond this grove of light are three private rooms, each with its own chic design, where clients with reservations can explore the charms of NIWAKA’s high jewelry.
