JAPAN. Kansai Airports Retail & Services will open two stores – a core category duty free shop plus an Ishiya confectionery concept store – at Kansai International Airport Terminal 1 on 18 December.
The KIX Duty Free Central store builds on the airport-owned retailer’s presence airside. It replaces the core category duty free store previously occupied by Lotte Duty Free. It houses a prestige beauty zone – including brands such as Aveda, Bobbi Brown, Hermès, Jo Malone London, Le Labo, Origins, Penhaligon’s and Tom Ford Beauty – and premium spirits & wines on the right side.
On the other side of the store, drugstore/pharmacy chain Cocokara Fine will open, relocating from a site in the south zone. In addition, the former pick-up points for pre-order purchases at KIX Duty Free’s North and South stores will be consolidated into a dedicated pick-up counter at the centre of this new store.
Kansai Airports said: “With this, customers can smoothly pick up pre-order items without queuing up at the checkout, which will allow more effective use of time before departure.”
Kansai Airports Retail & Services will also open Ishiya in space formerly occupied by a Michael Kors boutique. Ishiya is a confectionery maker from Hokkaido, founded in 1947, and famed for its Shiroi Koibito cookies. Under the theme of ‘Advanced Ishiya’, the store will offer items from Ishiya’s core range as well as its non-Hokkaido offer, which includes a wide variety of sweets including the popular Saqu Langue de Chat. In addition to baked goods and other products, Shiroi Koibito soft-serve ice cream is available.
As reported, Kansai Airports has revised the schedule for its ambitious renovation of Kansai International T1, and aims to complete most of the project by the time of the Osaka-Kansai Expo in 2025. Some commercial areas in international departures will be finished by Autumn 2026, said the company, having originally been planned for early 2025.
The plans allow for a +60% increase in retail and food & beverage space in international departures, featuring a large walk-through duty free shop.
