Stepping off the bustling main street, you'll find yourself in a world of luxurious luxury watches. Grand Seiko, which has always pursued Japanese aesthetics, has created a new kind of "Japanese luxury" in Kyoto.
Edited & Text by Chieko Tsuruoka (Chronos-Japan)
[Article published in the July 2025 issue of Kronos Japan]
Grand Seiko Boutique Kyoto opens
The Grand Seiko Boutique Kyoto will relocate and reopen on July 26, 2025. The entrance facing Shijo Street and the wall facing Tominokoji Street are made of glass, creating an open feeling that allows customers to see inside from the outside. The aroma created specifically for the Grand Seiko Boutique is faintly fragrant. The first floor will be the store space, and the second floor will be a reception room and lounge.
The glass-fronted building facing Shijo Street in Kyoto, a street bustling with tourists and shoppers, is the Grand Seiko Boutique Kyoto, which relocated and reopened on July 26, 2025.
Upon entering the store, one is struck by the luxurious use of space. Within the spacious store, each display unit containing watches is positioned at a certain distance from one another. At the time of the interview, there were approximately 130 watches displayed on these units. This is said to be the highest number of watches displayed among the brand's domestic boutiques. The fact that the necessary number of units capable of housing such a large number of models can be arranged while still maintaining sufficient space is due to the store's combined floor space of approximately 274 square meters, including the first-floor store and the second-floor lounge, making it the second-largest Grand Seiko boutique in the world.
This size alone is luxurious enough, but the wall on the side without adjacent buildings is made of glass, which makes the interior bright and open. A staff member proudly states, "The open feeling is due to the fact that there are no buildings next door. There aren't many boutiques in Japan that have glass walls other than the entrance."
This boutique embodies Grand Seiko's philosophy of "THE NATUER OF TIME," which means the natural world that changes over time, something that the Japanese people treasure. This philosophy is reflected in the white plaster and warm woodgrain interior, as well as in the location of Kyoto. In addition, the space expresses the beauty of the Japanese concept of "ma." Rather than wasting space, the carefully calculated white space is reminiscent of the dry landscape gardens of Japanese gardens.
Grand Seiko Boutique Kyoto is not just a large luxury watch store in Kyoto. It is a world of Japanese luxury created by a brand that has embraced Japanese sensibilities and spirituality.
Shop information
Grand Seiko Boutique Kyoto
Address: Minamoto Kitchoan Kyoto Shijo Building, 21-1, Shijo-dori Fuyacho Nishiiru Tateuri Higashicho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto
Telephone number: 075-354-5120
Business hours: 11:00-19:00 (irregular holidays)
