Celebrating 350 Years of Shirokiya
After 52 years at Ala Moana Center, Shirokiya is as much a cultural experience as a retail one. Now there are plans to make the store even more of a little piece of Japan. Pictured with president Toshiyuki Okumura are Fumiya Matsushima (left) and Barbara Yonesaki, who have worked there since Shirokiya opened in 1959
By Chad Pata
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season. We want people to come, eat, relax and have fun. We could have merchandise, there but we want people to come and enjoy good, Japanese food.”
Food has long been a favorite for locals at Shirokiya, but it is quite a departure from its roots. Originally founded in 1662 by Hikotaro Omura as a dry goods store in Edo, now known as Tokyo, it is the oldest still active store from Japan a point many Japanese bemoan as their only remnant of that history now resides in the United States.
The original store in Japan broke new ground on many fronts, from featuring the first elevator and escalator in its stores to being the first store during the Meiji era one could walk into with shoes on as it bucked tradition and removed all its tatami mats.
But history and Mother Nature finally got the better of it, with earthquakes and World War II destroying both its buildings and businesses, forcing it to sell out to the Tokyu Group in 1958.
This turned out to be a blessing for Hawaii, as Tokyu’s first move was to bring Shirokiya to the brand new mall, Ala Moana Center, opening its doors just two months after Hawaii became the 50th state.
The store captured the imagination of local residents with its 23,000 square feet of goods from the Far East, drawing not just loyal customers but employees as well.
“I have always liked Japanese merchandise. When I heard about this store, I made an extra effort to apply and when I was hired I was very happy,” says Barbara Yonesaki, who has worked for Shirokiya ever since. “When they interviewed me, they had all these questions about Japanese stock. I was so nervous.”
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Over the past half century, she has steadied those nerves, working in all variety of departments, even helping move the store from its original location next to Sears as part of the first phase of the center to its present location next to Macy’s in 1966. She does not, however, see the 350th anniversary as being an occasion to bow out after all her years of service.
“I have no plans to retire. I enjoy working and we have very good, loyal customers. They are very interesting to wait on,” says Yonesaki.
Another addition for Yonesaki and her faithful patrons to enjoy soon is the opening of a satellite studio for the beloved Japanese radio station KZOO 1210 AM. On the mall level facing Macy’s is a new glassed-in area that will feature a garden, waiting area for on-air guests and the studio itself. During regular business hours customers will be able to watch their favorite on-air personalities broadcasting their shows.
“The idea with the satellite studio is mainly because the radio station has been here for many years, too, and for local Japanese people they wake up to KZOO and go to sleep listening to it, so we thought we could be partners,” says Okumura. “It would be good for Hawaii people to come hang out and see their radio hosts. ‘Let’s go to Shirokiya to have fun!’”
Other renovations on the mall level include a traditional Japanese plaza, consolidating all their classic Japanese goods such as dolls and kimonos in one area.
A tea ceremony area will have a trellised seating section similar to what you find upstairs, where guests can enjoy tea, baked goods or sweets from the new Meika Plaza.
Even the downstairs, which once just contained their offices, is being transformed into an art gallery where paintings and sculptures from around the world can be enjoyed with a nice glass of wine.
While customers are sure to enjoy all the new amenities that Shirokiya will offer by the time its 350th anniversary kicks off in 2012, Okumura wants to assure everyone that at their heart, it is still the same store they have been enjoying since we became the 50th state.
“Basic concept is still the same,” says Okumura. “We like to introduce the Japanese tradition, the culture for local people to enjoy and see, that is what our main concept is. So in that sense, nothing has changed.”
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