Prologue: And so the ambitious, multi-phase renovation of Kansai International Airport (KIX) Terminal 1 is complete, writes our Japan correspondent Rachel Teo.
I was privileged to attend the various celebratory events last month (click here for our earlier report) representing The Moodie Davitt Report – the only foreign travel retail publication invited to tour the gleaming new T1 commercial zone.
After the buzz of the traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony and a tour of the retail, food & beverage and leisure offer, a private celebratory event, attended by more than 300 guests, was conducted later that day.
As the primary gateway to Western Japan and to Osaka, KIX strives to be the epitome of internationalisation, a mission impressively encapsulated by a strong and diverse commercial offer. Here are some of the key takeouts.
Uniquely Japan
Ever visit an airport that offers little idea of which city or country you’re in?
Kansai Airport ensures this won’t happen during your visit. With 80% of passengers being international travellers, KIX’s design choices and use of rich cultural elements in Terminal 1 have created a ‘uniquely Japan’ experience that evokes a distinct and atmospheric sense of place.
“KIX is aiming to be more international,” Kansai Airports Corporate Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer (Non Aeronautical) Fumio Owada tells The Moodie Davitt Report. “We want to optimise the flow of airport processes in a way that will appeal to our international travellers.”
Past phases of the renovation have sought to streamline airport processes into more efficient systems, allowing travellers to clear security and immigration faster {see A Transformation Timeline panel below}. The final phase sees a bold and vibrant evolution of the commercial offer.
“Consolidating all duty-free stores into one main area makes the airside commercial area more efficient for passengers,” Kansai Airports Commercial Department General Manager Kumiko Kushida comments.
“We wanted to maximise the space and avoid any duplication of stores. This increases the efficiency of the commercial area, but it also keeps the area interesting for our passengers.”
A Transformation TimelineKIX Terminal 1 renovations began in May 2021 and were finally completed on 2 June 2026. Renovation timeline:
|
To keep things lively and different with every visit, KIX has implemented pop-up stores in multiple locations across the airside area. “KIX has a lot of repeat visitors. It is one of the busiest airports in Western Japan,” says Kansai Airports Duty-Free Group Manager Yumi Ito.
“Pop-up stores at KIX have a maximum term of three months. This ensures that even if you visit Kansai Airport more than once in a year, your experience of the shops is completely different.”
What’s New at KIX? Phase 4 Additions
Revised Call to Gate system
To ease congestion around gates and alleviate passenger confusion relating to sudden gate changes, Phase 4 sees a new Call to Gate system introduced.
To ease passenger anxiety, gates are now announced two to three hours before departure time. This information is displayed on flight information display screens (FIDS) throughout the airside area.
KIX has also increased the number of FIDS, accompanied by maps of the newly opened areas and QR codes that enable passengers to check gate information from the convenience of their smart devices.
“In this way we reduce the disruption in cases of gate changes, so passengers can shop with peace of mind,” KIX Representative Director and Co-CEO Benoît Rulleau explained during his opening ceremony address.
“We understand that every traveller has different interests and needs,” adds Kushida in explaining the impressive breadth of shopping and dining opportunities. “We wanted to find a balance between luxury boutiques and retail stores that showcase the uniqueness of Japan.”
So let’s take a close look at how that balance was achieved.
RETAIL AND FOOD & BEVERAGE REIMAGINED
Zoning themes:
Apron: A relaxed space for dining.
Fun: A lively and cheerful atmosphere with shops offering character goods and cute travel items.
Peaceful: Provides a relaxing area in a calm shade of green to mimic nature and serenity.
Magnet: More dining options, Japanese food & confectionery, perfect for last-minute souvenirs.
Wall Side: Luxury and boutique brands
Food & Beverage
Eight additional F&B outlets have been added to the North and South extensions with increased seating areas and take-out options.
The new North wing features Washoku Food Court, Fresh and Kobist Beef Steak Kawamura.
Washoku Food Court (North: Magnet)
Crystal Jade La Mian Xiaolongbao (South: Magnet)
The formal opening of the reimagined Kansai International Airport Terminal 1 commercial zone amounted to a red-letter (albeit purple-hued) day for Avolta as it marked the industry powerhouse’s Japanese commercial debut.
The new offer includes several firsts for Japan’s airport F&B market, including Fresh, Wolfgang Puck Kitchen Counter, Singapore-based Chinese culinary brand Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao and Burger King.
Avolta President and CEO APAC Freda Cheung said, “The opening of our first stores in Japan is an important milestone for Avolta and a strong start for our operations in the country.
“Kansai International Airport is a major gateway for international and domestic travellers, and this portfolio allows us to bring market-first concepts, global brands and traveller-centric offerings into the terminal.
“We are proud to work with Kansai International Airport and to contribute to the continued transformation of Terminal 1, while building a platform for Avolta’s future growth in Japan.”
The 54-seat Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao restaurant pictured above and right offers travellers a menu centred on the brand’s signature hand-pulled noodles and soup dumplings, alongside location-exclusive dishes, including Sautéed Sliced Wagyu Beef with Scallion.
Fresh (North: Magnet)
Kobisto Beef Steak Kawamura (North: Fun)
Wolfgang Puck Kitchen Counter (South: Magnet)
Tully’s Coffee (South: Apron)
Kamameshi & Matcha Tsumugi (South: Peaceful)
Kamameshi is a traditional Japanese dish that not many people outside the country know about. That will change courtesy of this exciting KIX opening.
This classic dish features rice cooked in an iron pot called a kama. Halal and vegetarian options add to the allure of this beautifully presented outlet.
This is also a good spot to stop in for Japanese tea. Try out Uji Matcha or Hojicha from Kagoshima served warm, and maybe even a rich and velvety Uji Matcha Cheesecake for some last-call decadence before you board.
Shops
Kawaii Buzz (North: Fun)
Kawaii Buzz is the place to be if you’re a fan of the beloved Sanrio characters.
Whether you’re buying a gift for a loved one or a treat for yourself, you can pick up Hello Kitty, Kuromi or Cinnamoroll merchandise here, along with an eclectic array of other cute items.
Sakura Voyage (North: Fun)
Sakura Voyage offers a wide range of cute travel essentials, including bags, neck pillows, apparel and even cabin bags with Pokémon and other beloved characters embossed on them. Perfect for the ‘but it has to be practical’ shopper.
Universal Studios Store (North: Fun)
The Universal Studios Store, which celebrated its Grand Opening on 2 June, is proving a predictable success.
The store offers a last chance to purchase souvenirs if you enjoyed your trip to Universal Studios Japan in Osaka.
Find Harry Potter, Minions and Nintendo merchandise, and even a range of KIX-exclusive Curious George plushies and keychains.
Beppinsan (South: Peaceful)
Beppinsan, which means ‘beautiful person’ in Japanese, offers a range of state-of-the-art health and beauty products.
Think targeted muscle massagers, LED face masks, curling and straightening hair irons for wellness tech, and even a trial area for some wellness on-the-go.
Fukujuen (South: Peaceful)
Fukujuen is one of Kyoto’s most historic and respected Uji tea merchants.
At its new outlet at KIX, you can browse exquisite tea sets and utensils made by local Kansai artisans, pick-up premium Japanese teas and matcha products, all before you fly.
Known for its historic Kyoto Uji tea, the Fukujuen store provides a final opportunity to purchase authentic Japanese matcha, premium loose-leaf green teas, and traditional tea utensils (tea sets and whisks) before your flight.
Matsumoto Kiyoshi (South: Peaceful)
Matsumoto Kiyoshi (Matsukiyo) is an ever-present, high-quality Japanese drugstore, a familiar sight across the nation.
Located conveniently inside the airside area, this is a convenient spot to get tax-free J-Beauty items and a range of pharmaceuticals and health products before your flight home.
Taste of Japan Kansai Tabinikki (South: Magnet)
The central duty-free shopping area formerly featured a section dedicated to food and confectionery, but the intense popularity of an enticing range of beautifully packaged (and tasting) products led to excessive congestion.
KIX addressed this issue by creating Taste of Japan, a large, dedicated area in the new South wing dedicated solely to Japanese confectionery and snacks.
Boasting an impressively spacious 630sq m of floor space, the specialist zone showcases 60 brands of food & confectionery from major prefectures across the country.
This speciality emporium offers a dazzling selection, including some of Japan’s most revered sweet treats such as Royce, Shiroi Koibito and Tokyo Banana.
Those choices are complemented by popular Japanese and Western-style confections from the Kansai region and renowned international confectionery brands.
The store ambience, inspired by Japan’s nature and four seasons, allows shoppers to browse at leisure for the perfect keepsake of their trip.
In line with its status as the largest airport operation of its kind nationwide, the store offers tasting samples from 15-20 brands a day, a key measure in driving conversion.
“This is really important to us, because customers don’t really know what the snacks will taste like unless they have tried them before,” Commercial Department General Manager Kumiko Kushida tells The Moodie Davitt Report. “It’s part of our initiative towards a customer-centric experience and showcasing Japanese hospitality.”
Uniqlo (North: Magnet)
The Uniqlo outlet at KIX offers a range of Kansai-exclusive clothing items and a range of the brand’s signature high-quality and highly functional basics.
Boutique Brands (Wall Side areas, North and South)
The completion of Phase 4 renovations also saw the unveiling of eight new luxury and boutique brands adding to the diversity and prestige of the KIX T1 shopping offer.
The new South wing features three renowned brands in Swatch, Omega and Moncler.
Swatch (North: Wall Side)
KIX’s first direct-operated Swatch boutique offers a full line-up of brand classics and latest collections.
Omega (North: Wall Side)
The Omega boutique at KIX offers an elegant pre-flight shopping experience, notable for the luxury brand’s signature white, gold and red interiors.
Moncler (North: Wall Side)
Globally renowned Italian luxury fashion brand Moncler offers its signature sleek and lightweight down puffer jackets.
The elegant KIX outlet showcases a range of windbreakers, jackets, casual-wear apparel and an array of chic accessories.
Gentle Monster
The South Korean luxury eyewear brand, famed for its bold and futuristic aestheticism, has leaned hard into its experiential retail ethos for a long-awaited Japanese airport retail debut.
Customers are welcomed by a striking ‘Star’ installation at the entrance, where natural light blends with the artwork to evoke the warmth of the morning sun. The piece embodies the inner light of the human spirit, as well as individuality, emotion and identity.
Inside, three ‘Giant Head Kinetic Objects’ with contemplative expressions and eyes that move, blink and ‘watch’ passersby, provide an artistic reflection on human thoughts, emotions and relationships.
As reported, the boutique is managed by Lotte Duty Free. Known for its innovative designs and immersive retail concepts, Gentle Monster has helped shape contemporary eyewear trends worldwide.
Loewe
This typically elegant boutique in the South wing showcases the luxury Spanish brand’s latest seasonal line-ups, including bags, accessories and ready-to-wear apparel and shoes for women and men.
Burberry
The timeless British luxury brand’s South Wing boutique offers signature fragrances, accessories and fashion in typically chic style that sees heritage and modernity converge.
Tiffany & Co.
Modelled after the famed Tiffany Fifth Avenue flagship store in New York, the new boutique offers a curated and beautifully designed selection of fine jewellery, watches and signature fragrances.
Issey Miyake
Another standout boutique, which showcases a curated selection of items from two Issey Miyake lines, Pleats Please and Bao Bao.
Pleats Please apparel, known for its lightweight and wrinkle-proof designs, is extremely travel-friendly. The signature Bao Bao bag is composed of geometric, triangular pieces that transform into three-dimensional artistic shapes. ✈
