Making New Discoveries at GINZA SIX! | GINZA SIX

GINZA SIX EDITORS

Fashion, jewelry & watch, lifestyle, beauty, foods…
Unique editors who are familiar with each genre GINZA SIX aimlessly
We spell way of enjoying that we found on foot.

Kanae Hirasawa

GINZA SIX EDITORS Vol.67

In the case of opening, we visited GINZA SIX and have not taken a walk freewheelingly in facility although we might come by one-shot store coverage afterwards. We decided to swing for a year-end time when time opened a little in this hall, Ginza that we wanted to walk slowly and carefully once.

It is around noon just that we arrived at GINZA SIX on that day. Come to think of it, is hungry, and, at first, is stomach goshiraekara before walk! ……Therefore we enter "il Cardinale" (irukarudinare). It seems to be somewhat good with trattoria-like atmosphere of the town of Florence going every year in Pitti Uomo! Pleasure spreads since before chef whom we studied in Florence ate this shop to present taste of Italy mainly on Toscana dishes.

Well, when, well, we read menu……Hmm? "Caprese of sutoratchaterra and fried tomato" (all 1,800 yen ※ lower than + tax price) will be what? Though as love Caprese, always eat in Japan, sound first as for "the fried tomato." When ask toward the shop, "what sweetness to be like dry tomato as roast tomato according to the name lightly be drawn……It seems to be delicious just to have heard "and the explanation! ……Therefore it is iza, true meal!

Well, this is Buonissimo! Sweetness of tomato comes steadily by having surely baked. Affinity with cheese called sutoratchaterra is also outstanding, too. It is large, and it fully puts on tomato which it cut into pieces, and it is recommended to go at one gulp.

We came out, and condition added to its order another two dishes. With "salad of seafood, as for suberuto wheat" (2,500 yen), it is point that uses "suberuto wheat" which attracts attention as super food abundantly. At first, again some flavor changes and can enjoy new taste when we fully hang lemon if we just eat a little and push forward. Fresh fish and mariaju of suberuto wheat were new discovery, too.

From that "pasta which, hmm, intertwined do unpleasant sauce and sauce that sutoratchaterrachizubarumichierri (1,800 yen) was hot and cheese." In spite of being simple appearance, hotness of sauce and combination of mellowness of cheese are very delicious! As there were other a lot of curious menus, we want to revisit to obi again at night this time.

After having completely had enough with a good three dishes lunch, to the fifth-floor men's floor. Oh, there was "MARK ＆ LONA (mark ＆ rona), too". For year-end golf competition, let's check cold protection golf wear.

This brand which is password "GOLF OR DIE" is popular with icons from golfer who is fashion conscious in pretty skull mark. In men's ladies' added shop, individual golf wear which is difference pear between getting a lot of looks suddenly at golf course lines up.

It is must-have-item that winter golf wear has easiness of movement, these three points and stylish sadakejanaku cold protection. Meanwhile, it is reversible knit hoodie (43,000 yen) at the very beginning that caught eye.

So that the surface is "the out last" of temperature regulation material and mixed yarn of comeback wool, and it seems to be plain in long distance, and, in fact, logo that is Aiko Nic weaves jacquard.

Detail that it faces each other, and the back side is sporty in different fabrics combination like upper photograph! As both sides are simple together, if it is this, you enjoy 2WAY to colored pattern of pants, and do not be usable. It is soft, and woolen feel is comfortable, too and seems to be able to get over winter of severe cold without difficulty because it is the out last adoption. We are listed by lead candidate of wear for year-end golf competition.

Furthermore, this "knit down outer" (58,000 yen) looks good if it is from January to February of severe cold. As for the main part of body, it is dressed up knit of lamb's wool X nylon and that collar and hem part are changed to down parts of original camouflage print! Is tight, and, in spite of being neat design, it seems to be easy to swing that lining is storm nylon with high stretch nature; ◎.

Cold protection accessory which is usable with unisex is simple and is pretty! As set (16,000 yen) of knit cap and neck warmer is rib knit of hall garment, feel is warm for non-stress well, too. Is this good for Christmas gift to men liking golf?

Besides, point that is glad that we can check one set of golf goods including caddie bag and golf shoes of comment product for golfer. We forgot time just carelessly and have stayed too long.

Familiar logo jumped into eyes slightly earlier when we left mark ＆ rona. Oh, "World Footwear Gallery (world footwear gallery), also known as WFG entered GINZA SIX, too"! This must check!

Well-established shoes store where the world footwear gallery founded in 1979 set up road surface in Jingumae and Ginza. We take the initial out of editors in familiar Shops by fashion feature and shoes feature of men's magazine and are called "WFG".

This GINZA SIX shop advocates "elegance existing more than time" in concept and seems to lay emphasis on not only ready-made article but also custom tailoring shoes and bag made in Japan. In addition, unlike another store, the feature is that art works of one point of thing are sold.

Shoes which we have not somewhat looked at! These boots (74,000 yen) which thought of this are Italian shoes named "HICE" (ice). It is charm of WFG that excavates rare shoes brand not to be able to readily come across in another store. That as it features these shoes brand to use the durability and leather of seal superior in water resistance for all products, and leather uses a part of thing which race living in covered Greenland hunted as food for the Arctic Circle, amount is considerably rare peace, too. As we use mouton fur for lining, we can maintain comfortable heat.

And structure of sole original in the one surprising! Say "OC-SYSTEM" by patent technology of Italian ALPI company, and do rubber side at the time of normal weather outward, the snow top that pull of sole in poor weather conditions, and give, and turn, and spikes of slipper appear in tailfirst when do; is groundbreaking; make. Case which it snows very much for from January to March is in Tokyo plenty for these past several years. It seems to be useful when we do sole in reversible if it snows in normal sole in the morning if we right have this stud bolt tire-like boots playing a role, one pair and put! As there was ladies', I came to want slightly for time when I went to snowboarding in Hokkaido.

Then we cannot miss custom tailoring shoes only in WFG, too. "TORU SAITO" which I saw for the first time seems to be the best recommended bespoke now. It is Shoemaker who Toru Saito who learned the making of shoes than Hiroyuki Yanagimachi of one of the Japanese shoes craftsmen "HIRO YANAGIMACHI" proud names own name in 2014, and launched. Unlike foot of Westerners, as for original Bespoke shoes (188,000 yen ...) which we built after having considered characteristic of Japanese foot, "it is wide, and heel is narrow in high insteps", it is said that Saito reason is "shoes which vary, and have thickness, and also arrest the earth vigorously".

There is impression that width is wide, and form of square cane tendency is considerably powerful from Bespoke of the U.K. and Italian shoes, but edge of the amount side wall works, and there is beauty that there is not readily for existing shoemaking. Consideration that heel cup is made a little small for Japanese feet is nice. We want which wants to challenge new Bespoke which people do not wear very much to try in right or wrong shop.

……If it discovers thing to be worried about in one shop though it was going to swing various shops in this, it just just tries on, and it looks at the manufacturing method, and is it occupational disease that stays too long?…….

They did not have the time immediately, and only three were seen today after all. Where shall next go? With that shop where we happened to pass by today and that shop……. To enjoy the next silver burano opportunity again!

Text: Kanae Hirasawa Photos: Natsuko Okada Edit: Yuka Okada

I visited GINZA SIX when it first opened, and I’ve come back a number of times to research individual stores. But I’d never simply walked around the complex. I’d wanted to take the time to wander as I please. With some free time in Ginza toward the end of the year, I finally did.

I arrived at GINZA SIX that day right at lunchtime. I was pretty hungry, I realized—so, why not eat before walking around? I strode into il Cardinale, a restaurant with a great trattoria atmosphere like those in Florence, where I go every year for Pitti Uomo. The chef, who trained in Florence, conjures up Tuscan cuisine and other Italian flavors, so even before beginning to eat, I’m pretty excited.

OK, here we go. I look at the menu and…Stracciatella and Roasted Tomato Caprese (1,800 yen; all prices listed before tax)—what’s that? I love caprese. It’s something I eat all the time, even when I’m in Japan. But roasted tomatoes is a first. I ask the waiter. I’m told, “It’s exactly what the name suggests. The tomatoes are lightly roasted, which brings out their sweetness, like dried tomatoes.” Just hearing this persuades me it must be delicious. Now, to take a bite…

…ooh, buonissimo! Roasting the tomatoes certainly highlights the sweetness. And it goes wonderfully with the stracciatella cheese. I recommend spreading a fair amount of the cheese on the large tomato slices before every bite of the dish.

Picking up the pace, I order two more dishes. The Seafood Salad and Spelt (2,500 yen) makes abundant use of spelt, a grain gaining attention lately as a superfood. First, I simply try it as presented. After eating a little, I squeeze the lemon generously over it, which alters the flavor somewhat and lets me enjoy a new taste. This marriage of seafood and spelt is another new discovery for me.

Next is ‘Nduja Sauce and Stracciatella Cheese Vermicelli (1,800 yen), a pasta dish that combines cheese with a spicy sauce. The presentation is simple, but the combination of spiciness of the sauce and mellowness of the cheese turns out to be unusually delightful! There’s more on the menu that intrigues me as well. The next time, I plan to come back at night.

Pleasantly full after my three-course lunch, I go to the fifth floor, the Men’s Floor, where MARK & LONA store is located. I have a golf tournament at the end of the year, and I want to check out some cold-weather golf wear.

The brand’s slogan is “GOLF OR DIE.” The brand icon is a charming skull; it’s a popular brand among fashion-conscious golfers. Offering both men’s and ladies’ lines, the store is filled with distinctive golf wear certain to turn heads out on the course.

Winter golf wear has three requirements: it has to be stylish; it has to keep you warm; and it has to be easy to move around in. My eyes first alight on the Reversible Knit Parka (43,000 yen).

The outer side is a woven blend of Outlast, a temperature-regulating material, and comeback wool. It looks like a solid-color fabric from a distance, but it actually features the iconic Jacquard logo.

The reverse side, as you can see in the photo, is a combination of different fabrics with sporty details. Both sides are plain and simple, but wearing it as a two-way coat, reversing it or not, depending the color of my pants, would be great fun. The wool feels soft to the touch. It’s pleasing and comfortable. Since it features Outlast, I’m sure the coat will easily stave off even biting winter cold. I put it at the top of my list of candidates to wear during my upcoming tournament.

This Knit Down Outer (58,000 yen) would also work well in January and February, the really cold months. The main portion of the body is a lambswool and nylon knit. The patched collar and hem down parts feature an original camouflage pattern—very stylish! The cut is fitted and snug, but it’s lined with high-stretch, windbreaker nylon—easy to swing a club in, I think.

The simple unisex cold-weather accessories are appealing. This knit cap and neck-warmer set (16,000 yen) is a Wholegarment seamless rib-knit, so there’s no stress on the skin. It’s very warm. This would make a great Christmas gift for any man in your life who loves golf. Various caddy bags, golf shoes, and other items are available by special order. You can check out an entire set of golfing goods at one time, which is nice. I linger long and lose track of time.

When I finally leave MARK & LONA, a familiar logo not far ahead catches my eye. It’s WFG (for “World Footwear Gallery”). There’s a store in GINZA SIX! I have to duck in to take a look.

Established in 1979, World Footwear Gallery is a long-standing shoe store with street-level locations in Jingumae and Ginza. It’s a familiar presence in men’s magazine fashion and shoe features; editors refer to it by its initials, simply WFG.

Based on the concept of an elegance capable of transcending time, the GINZA SIX store focuses not just on ready-to-wear products, but bespoke shoes and bags made in Japan. Unlike other WFG stores, the GINZA SIX location also sells one-of-a-kind artwork.

My reaction when I see these boots (74,000 yen) from the Italian brand Hice: I’ve never seen shoes like this! Finding rare shoe brands you don’t normally find at other stores is one of the great things about WFG. All products from this brand are made of sealskin leather, which offers excellent durability and water resistance, sourced from seals hunted for food by indigenous peoples living in Greenland inside the Arctic Circle. As you would expect, quantities are limited. The mouton fur lining provides comfortable insulation.

One surprise is the creative sole design. Using patented technology from the Italian company ALPI called the OCsystem, the boots offer an innovative feature: a reversible frame embedded in the sole, which can be turned out to expose small spikes to prevent slipping on snow or in other foul weather conditions. For normal weather, the spikes can be turned back over and the rubber side turned out. For the last several years, it’s snowed heavily in Tokyo several times between January and March. You could set out in the morning, when it’s clear, with the normal soles. If it starts snowing, you could simply reverse the sole to the spiked side, like studded tires. Having a pair of these boots on hand would be great! There’s a ladies’ version as well. I want a pair now for snowboarding trips to Hokkaido.

If you visit WFG, you wouldn’t want to miss out on the made-to-order shoes. The store is currently promoting TORU SAITO Bespoke shoemaker, whose pairs I’m discovering for the first time. Toru Saito studied under renowned Japanese craftsperson Hiro Yanagimachi and began making shoes in his own name in 2014. His original bespoke shoes (starting at 188,000 yen) are made to fit Japanese feet, which tend to be wide, high in the instep, and narrow at the heel, in contrast to Western feet. As Saito-san says, “My shoes are wide and thick for a solid purchase on the ground.”

Compared to British and Italian bespoke shoes, the widths are wider and the toes are somewhat squared, design choices that together create a strong impression. The sidewall edges are pronounced, a handsome feature rarely found in ready-to-wear shoes. Another delightful feature—the heel cup is smaller to better fit Japanese feet. If you’re someone who wants to try a new pair of bespoke shoes worn by few others, I recommend coming here to try a pair.

The original plan was to wander around visiting many stores—but here I am, lingering once more in one store after discovering something new, trying things on, looking at how things are put together. It’s an occupational hazard. I’m already out of time, even though I’ve only made it to three establishments. Where should I go my next time out? The store I walked past today? That boutique and… I’m already looking forward to my next chance to wander Ginza.

Text : Kanae Hirasawa　Photos : Natsuko Okada　Edit：Yuka Okada

Kanae Hirasawa

Joined SEKAI BUNKA PUBLISHING INC. in 2000 and has been involved with men’s publications ever since. Served in the editorial department of Begin until 2007 and joined the editorial department of MEN’S EX in 2008. Appointed the magazine’s deputy editor-in-chief in 2013 and editor of MEN’S EX ONLINE (https://www.mens-ex.jp) in October 2017. During Pitti Uomo, a biannual men’s fashion event in Italy, she posts her popular news reports to the magazine’s official Instagram account (@mens_ex) and to her personal account (@kanae727pitti), which has some 7,000 followers.

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