Last Urban Planning committee day at City Hall and was presented with another big envelope full of printouts.
The crossed-out lines on top the 100%? Courtesy of the major paper manufacturers in Japan, that got caught recently with overstating the recycle content % in paper.
How much? Does 50 sound good to you?

Softbank brings the Disney Mobile brand to Japan.
I guess if one cannot get the iPhone, they still can be close to Steve.

As opposed to the failure in the US, Disney Mobile is not attempting to be an independent mobile provider in Japan. Softbank is the carrier, seller and provider of handsets.

A copy of yesterday’s Financial Times came with an “Investing in Japan” supplement. Besides the typical ads the articles were quite good -I’m still reading them.

The bottom-half of the front page was owned by Tohoku Electric Power Company, with the clever text “Guess the latest driver of business development in Tohoku”. That refers to Toyota subsidiary Central Motor which is to open a generously tax-subsidized manufacturing plant soon.

Two different areas downtown are battling for the hearts of the shoppers of Tohoku.
The JR station will be remodeled this Summer to turn into even more into a shopping space and shortly after the brand new Parco is opening right next to it.

On the other hand, the arcade is looking a little bit tired. Stores come & go and/but the lack of tenant-mix planning is evident.

The first 4 floors of the huge AER building “the tower of bubble” : -) just celebrated their 10th anniversary with an even bigger UNIQLO. A safe bet.

Tuesday dinner party at Aoba-tei where I re-met the owner & president of that restaurant and the DateNoGyutan chain.
Wednesday morning business meeting at DateNoGyutan where I layed-out the co-branding project.
Signed.

Coincidence? Those who prepare attract more luck ;- )

Around 10 restaurants and over 40 souvenir shops in Miyagi. The largest gyu-tan (beef-tongue) chain in Japan.

Gyu-tan?? Yes, the number one product keyword when Tokyo people think of Sendai

Parco is finally opening coming August next to the main station.
With a great sense of timing the local “fashion dome” 141 closes its doors at the same time to get ready for a Mitsukoshi/Isetan makeover.

Given that I nickname Sendai Mitsukoshi as “Nenkin Kaikan” (ask your Japanese colleagues what that means) there should be no direct competition. However Isetan may want to target otherwise, and certainly the Shopping Arcade officials are unhappy with actions that will certainly reduce foot traffic.

The Station vs. The Shopping Arcade: To be continued

This is March, and it is time for many to graduate.
I’m not talking about students but about government officials turning 60.

Next Tuesday we will have a party at Aoba-Tei celebrating the graduation of Shigano san, the City bucho in charge of Culture -who has put enormous efforts on theater & classical music.
The Who’s Who of Sendai will be there, and your’s truly too.

Aboa-tei is a great interior marvel designed by architect Abe Hitoshi. Owned by Yoshida san of DateNoGyutan and serving gourmet French RSVP. Located in Jozenji Street not too far away from SMT.

Tuesday was time for a DC (Destination Campaign) meeting at the Chamber of Commerce. 30+ Committee members got to hear about the plans of the City and others for the campaign that will take place this Autumn.
One of the main speakers even cared to mention budgets, that was novel.
I provided the project-analysis form that had been discussed with selected members. Let’s see what happens.

Sendai Miyagi Destination Campaign (a JR idea to move shinkansen traffic)

No District of Columbia here, locals have voting rights :–)

Apple Store Sendai opened Dec. 2005. A casual look at traffic patterns would suggest they are not quite selling all the stock in a day, at least beyond iPod-music stuff.
There is a focus on the iPod that has proven financially fruitful, but one may wonder if the translation into Mac & software sales is under-optimized.

We are not in Kansas anymore…

Mitsui and Mitsubishi Real States are getting ready to battle each other this Autumn. Both developers are opening rival outlet malls in opposite sides of Sendai City. The Port vs. Izumi Park Town.
160+ new stores in just one of them means that the target goes beyond the locals. Both are close to highways and aim to appeal to the whole of Tohoku.

Now on the street.