Consumer Insights - Tokyoesque - Globally Aware & Curious

History of Ramen in Japan: Quintessentially Japanese

14 May 202014 June 2020

By Jane Buhnn

This week, we go on a very specific journey into the cultural and culinary aspects of ramen in Japan, and what makes it quintessentially Japanese, with this guest post, contributed by Jane Buhnn.

Whenever Japanese food comes to mind, chances are, you think of ramen. Everyone is familiar with this favourite noodle dish, thanks to its rich soup and tasty hand-made noodles. Interestingly, however, ramen wasn’t always the Japanese staple that it is today.

Ramen Bowl — Source: Instagram—Ichiran_JP

Consumer Insights

Golden Week 2020 in Japan: Focus on Dining In and Home Entertainment

23 April 202011 June 2020

By Melissa Francis

Across social media platforms, the #おうち時間 (#AtHomeTime) hashtag has been widely used to demonstrate how people can make the most of their time spent at home during lockdown, owing to restrictions on mass gatherings and days out. Travel is normally especially popular during Golden Week 2020 in Japan, with many workers choosing to go abroad or pick a destination within Japan for at least a few days.

Given the current situation, as locals may be wanting to find other ways to entertain themselves, brands are honing in on ways to maximise indoor enjoyment primarily those offering food and entertainment services. Let’s take a look at some of the Golden Week campaigns set in motion by brands in these two sectors, both local and international.

Golden Week 2020 Japan KFC — Source: KFC Japan

Consumer Insights

Change from Crisis? The Reaction to Coronavirus in Japan

5 March 202011 June 2020

By Melissa Francis

Let’s focus on the coronavirus in Japan itself. Being so close to China and relying on Chinese tourism to boost the economy, the outbreak has inevitably had a knock-on effect in Japan. As global pandemics tend to do, coronavirus has given rise to worldwide panic as we continue to find ways of staying safe and work towards developing an effective vaccine. In this article, we outline some of the key happenings related to the coronavirus in Japan and how it has impacted thinking around certain topics.

Coronavirus in Japan Students Masks — Source: Guideable.co

Case Studies

Case Study: Market Entry Research Supporting a European Integrated Resort in Japan

20 February 202011 June 2020

By Melissa Francis

Integrated Resort in Japan — Source: Shutterstock

Tokyoesque assisted an Integrated Resort operator in navigating the perceptions and experiences of Japanese, Chinese and South Korean visitors to a proposed site for an Integrated Resort in Japan.

Following the legalisation of gambling in Japan in 2018, one of the largest operators of Integrated Resorts in Europe wanted to bid to open an Integrated Resort there. In order to do this, they needed to deeply understand cultural perceptions around ideas of gambling, casinos and related services among Japanese as well as Chinese and South Korean visitors. There were a number of areas that they didn’t have expertise in.

These were namely:

Japanese language ability
Direct access to the local market(s)
In-house research capabilities, and the necessary cultural knowledge.

Consumer Insights

Sharing the Love: Valentines Day in Japan 2020

14 February 202013 September 2020

By Melissa Francis

Yes, it’s that time of year once again. Valentines Day in Japan spells out a craving for all things chocolate. In particular, Japanese women have long been attracted to the idea of giving thoughtful homemade gifts for those they care about. And this is strongly reflected in media portrayals of Valentines Day in Japan. But which key trends being favoured by consumers this year?

Valentines Day in Japan Nestle Chocolate KitKat Gift — Source: Weebly

Consumer Insights

Sniffing out fresh opportunities in Japan’s pet sector

3 February 202013 September 2020

By Melissa Francis

This week, we take a look at Japan’s pet sector, exploring the bigger picture as well as honing in on some of the key trends driving this sector, which is currently worth around ¥1.6 trillion JPY and remaining steady, with no real decline or increase in growth.

Consumer Insights

Promoting Christmas in Japan 2019

17 December 201911 June 2020

By Melissa Francis

Because Christmas is an imported festivity, Christmas in Japan carries very different meanings compared with how we might tend to celebrate in the west. For starters, there is no Christmas national holiday or company shutdown period. Businesses remain open until the New Year. Japanese consumers treat this event as an opportunity to make memories with their partners or friends. A 2017 Rakuten survey found that around 45% of people wanted to spend Christmas with their partner, compared with just 25% who said they would enjoy it with their children. In terms of spending, on average Japanese men are tending to fork out around $90 on gifts versus $71 among women.

Consumer Insights

The Benefits of Subscription Services in Japan

12 December 201913 September 2020

By Melissa Francis

Subscription-based offerings are everywhere these days. From shaving kits to medical testing and underwear to meal boxes, brands are realising how important it is to offer something regular and personalised for their customers.

Subscription services in Japan are equally growing in popularity, but not necessarily in the same way as in places like the UK where more than 58 million consumers spend around £2 billion on them. Yes, Netflix, Amazon Prime and other strong contenders are also performing well in the market, but there are many Japan-only offerings catching the eyes of consumers. As a result, subscription services in Japan rank second behind the US in terms of most prominent market, with a forecast to reach a value of $7 billion USD by 2021.

Consumer Insights

The Smart Speakers Market in Japan

27 November 201911 June 2020

By Melissa Francis

Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and other leading smart speakers have become a convenient addition to many households around the world. But what’s the smart speakers market in Japan like right now?

Smart Speakers Market in Japan Google Mini — Source: Shutterstock

Consumer Insights

Queer Eye Japan: Intriguing Insights in Netflix’s 2019 ‘Queer Eye: We’re In Japan’

21 November 201911 June 2020

By Melissa Francis

Cast from Queer Eye Japan — From left: Karamo Brown, Kiko Mizuhara, Antoni Porowski, Naomi Watanabe, Bobby Berk, Tan France, and Jonathan Van Ness — Source: Time Out

Being familiar with the usual format, I felt there was an extra layer to the Queer Eye Japan series that was worth exploring. Understandably, there have been mixed reactions to this, and in particular, Steven Wakabayashi makes a strong critique in his recent article here on Medium, in which he outlines some key points about how the show was approached. I highly recommend giving it a read for an alternative take on the issues presented.

We’re a Japan-focussed market research agency, supporting businesses involved in the Japan markets.

Here’s what we do:

BESPOKE MARKET RESEARCH

We enable our clients to understand Japanese audiences in order to make an impact in the marketplace.

MARKET EXPANSION STRATEGY

Our team are familiar with both the European and Japanese markets. We bring clients on-the-ground in their target markets to truly understand the culture, trends and innovations that will have an impact on their success in the market.

LOCALISATION & TRANSLATION

We provide Japanese / English translation and localisation services for Japanese and UK corporates. Our professional, bilingual team is well-versed in creating messaging that resonates with the target audience.

Category: Consumer Insights

History of Ramen in Japan: Quintessentially Japanese

By Jane Buhnn

Golden Week 2020 in Japan: Focus on Dining In and Home Entertainment

By Melissa Francis

Change from Crisis? The Reaction to Coronavirus in Japan

By Melissa Francis

Case Study: Market Entry Research Supporting a European Integrated Resort in Japan

By Melissa Francis

Sharing the Love: Valentines Day in Japan 2020

By Melissa Francis

Sniffing out fresh opportunities in Japan’s pet sector

By Melissa Francis

Promoting Christmas in Japan 2019

By Melissa Francis

The Benefits of Subscription Services in Japan

By Melissa Francis

The Smart Speakers Market in Japan

By Melissa Francis

Queer Eye Japan: Intriguing Insights in Netflix’s 2019 ‘Queer Eye: We’re In Japan’

By Melissa Francis

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