“Hayashi Genjuro Shoten” is a commercial complex housing lifestyle goods stores, a denim shop, restaurants, and more.
A popular spot where stylish, discerning people gather.
You can discover high-quality products that add color to everyday life.
Hayashi Genjuro Shoten is more than just a place where stylish shops come together to enjoy shopping and dining.
Its courtyard is lush with greenery, the rooftop terrace offers lovely views, and the comfortable space lets you feel Kurashiki’s history.
It’s a favorite place of mine where I can easily find things I love, and I’ve been visiting regularly since it first opened.
Let me introduce Hayashi Genjuro Shoten, a place that showcases local craftsmanship.
Some shops prohibit photography.
Special permission to take photographs was granted for this article.
The information presented is as of the article’s publication in April 2022. Please note that it may differ from current information.
Overview of Hayashi Genjuro Shoten
Hayashi Genjuro Shoten is a space that presents Kurashiki’s rich culture of clothing, food, and housing.
A former pharmacy in the Bikan Historical Area was renovated and opened in March 2012.
Built in 1934, the building has a somehow calming atmosphere.
At the time it was built, three-story wooden buildings were very rare in Kurashiki, and it is said to have become one of the city’s landmarks.
As of April 2022, the following shops are located here.
| Location | Shop | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Main Building, 1st floor | Atiburanti | General goods |
| Main Building, 1st floor | Gashitsu ART & ANTIQUES | Antique art shop |
| Main Building, 1st floor | Cafe Gewa | Cafe |
| Main Building, 2nd floor | Hayashi Genjuro Pharmacy Museum | Historical exhibits |
| Main Building, 2nd floor | shop Miyake Shoten | General goods |
| Main Building, 3rd floor | Kurashiki Machinami Shokudo Akaneiro | Restaurant |
| Main Building, 3rd floor | Rooftop Observation Terrace | Terrace |
| Main Building, 3rd floor | Kurashiki Editorial Office Co., Ltd. | Office |
| Main House | pizzeria CONO FORESTA (Pizzeria Cono Foresta) | Pizza |
| Annex | T.S.L Kurashiki (T.S.L Kurashiki) | Leather goods |
| Storehouse | EL CANEK | Denim |
| Courtyard | Rosha, Second Shop | Jewelry |
The origins and vision of Hayashi Genjuro Shoten
Hayashi Genjuro Shoten has a different origin from that of an ordinary shopping mall.
“We want to use this building, which has a history as a pharmacy dating back to the Edo period and was also a landmark, to help revitalize the town.”
With this wish in mind, the idea was brought to Nobuyuki Tsuji, who works on regional revitalization in Kurashiki.
While making use of its history, it was transformed into a place where visitors can discover Kurashiki craftsmanship and reflect on a spacious, fulfilling way of life.
Rather than soliciting tenants through an open application process, Tsuji selected shops he felt were suited to offering “a fulfilling way of life.”
One of its distinctive features is that the tenants rarely change.
By establishing their shops at Hayashi Genjuro Shoten for the long term, the aim is to introduce good shops and products to as many people as possible.
Together, they share the goal of promoting a fulfilling way of life from Kurashiki. It could be described as a collective of shops united by that vision.
Explore Hayashi Genjuro Shoten
Here’s a look at some of the shops and spaces.
shop Miyake Shoten
The second-floor general goods store “shop Miyake Shoten” offers a range of items related to clothing, food, and housing, with a focus on everyday goods.
It stocks products, mainly from Kurashiki City and Okayama Prefecture, that enrich daily life and are made to be used for years.
A wide variety of items are neatly displayed, including clothes from Kojima denim brands, TEORI bamboo bowls, hand-dyed coasters, and masking tape.
The jams and fruit jam sauces from Miyake Shoten Cafe Kobo, made with local fruit, have lovely colors and packaging and make perfect souvenirs.
The spring-colored gift-money envelopes called “Kurashiki Shugi-bukuro” are a Hayashi Genjuro Shoten design-producer product combining Bitchu washi paper with mizuhiki cords tied by someone who ran a gift shop in the Bikan Historical Area until 2015.
It’s exciting to see new collaborations between materials and techniques that have been cherished for so long!
There was also an exploration set that looks like it would make a stroll around Kurashiki even more fun.
Atiburanti
Kurashiki Isho Keikakushitsu is a lifestyle goods maker that collaborates with artists and craftspeople from across Japan.
Atiburanti is a select shop centered around Kurashiki Isho Keikakushitsu.
It offers products that let you appreciate their tactile qualities and the beauty of handmade work.
For me, it’s a brand I’ve admired ever since I was a student.
You may find things that appeal to the grown-up in you, such as items you’ll grow attached to, things that make you chuckle, or little gifts to take along.
Rooftop Terrace
From the rooftop terrace, you can look out over the Bikan Historical Area.
Take in the townscape of white-walled buildings from above.
You can also see Ohara Museum of Art and Yurin-so Villa.
Courtyard
The courtyard is planted with a variety of species, and is enjoyable even just to walk around.
You could enjoy an espresso at Cafe Gewa while looking out over the garden, or savor pizza baked in an oven brought from Naples and wine at pizzeria CONO foresta beneath the dappled sunlight—either is wonderful!
There is also a medicinal herb garden.
Labels are posted beside the plants in the courtyard, so take your time and have a look.
You might discover something like, “So this is what the plants in the Kampo medicine I often take look like.”
Interior
The distinctive lighting, tables, and chairs on the third floor were commissioned from the antique shop “womb brocante.”
Unexpected items, from pots and birdcages to Polaroid cameras and lunch boxes, have been transformed into lighting fixtures.
The tables and chairs were also repurposed from items that had been used in a school.
Their well-worn character is appealing, and it made me think how nice it is to live in a way that lets you use things for a long time.
Hayashi Genjuro Pharmacy Museum
The history of the pharmacy Hayashi Genjuro Shoten and the lives of its two proprietors are on display at the Hayashi Genjuro Pharmacy Museum.
You can learn about the work Hayashi Genjuro Shoten has done to support welfare in the local community.
The medicine cabinet believed to have been in use since the Edo period is breathtaking!
It really brings the history to life.
Events at Hayashi Genjuro Shoten
Kurashiki Isho Atiburanti and shop Miyake Shoten also hold a variety of events.
Past events have included:
- Marugame uchiwa fans × Kurashiki masking tape: Make your own fan!
- Hayashi Genjuro Shoten × Kurashiki Green Farm: Life with moss balls and moss terrariums
- Bread from a bakery that a baker wants to eat
- Flower Vessel Exhibition
The appealing events are surely one reason these shops, despite being in a tourist area, are places local people want to visit again and again.
For events currently being held or coming up, check the official website.
The history of the pharmacy Hayashi Genjuro Shoten
Here is the history of the pharmacy Hayashi Genjuro Shoten.
In 1657, the only pharmacy in Kurashiki was established.
After changing its name several times, it adopted the trade name “Hayashi Genjuro Shoten” in 1892.
Particularly noteworthy is Hayashi Genjuro, who served as the eleventh proprietor from the late Meiji period through the early Showa period.
While building up the pharmacy, he also devoted himself to contributing to the local community and left a significant legacy.
A devout Christian, he established a church and a kindergarten and helped the poor and vulnerable.
He met Ishii Juji, who founded Japan’s first orphanage, and deepened their relationship.
The person best known for greatly advancing Kurashiki’s economy and culture is probably Ohara Magosaburo.
He was the founder of the Ohara Museum of Art and a businessman who also headed companies that became today’s Kurabo, Kuraray, Chugoku Bank, and Chugoku Electric Power.
In fact, Ohara Magosaburo is said to have led a dissolute life as a student, run up debts equivalent to about 100 million yen today, and been placed under house arrest by his father.
The turning point for Ohara Magosaburo came when Hayashi Genjuro introduced him to Ishii Juji while he was under house arrest.
Inspired by the spirit of social contribution shown by Ishii Juji and Hayashi Genjuro, Ohara Magosaburo also began devoting himself to community service and social welfare.
Hayashi Genjuro, too, supported the work of Ohara Magosaburo and Ishii Juji while dedicating himself to the health and welfare of the town.
If even one of these three men had been absent, Kurashiki today would surely be a completely different city.
The pharmacy Hayashi Genjuro Shoten merged with Oak Pharmaceutical in 1997 and now operates as Evals Co., Ltd., a pharmaceutical and medical equipment wholesaler serving the entire Chugoku region.
What values underpin Hayashi Genjuro Shoten?
We spoke with Michiko Namba, a public relations representative at Kurashiki Editorial Department Co., Ltd., which operates Hayashi Genjuro Shoten.
Hayashi Genjuro Shoten Information
| Name | Hayashi Genjuro Shoten |
|---|---|
| Address | 2-23-10 Achi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-423-6010 |
| Parking | None |
| Hours | Varies by shop |
| Regular closing days | Varies by shop |
| Payment methods | Varies by shop |
| Website | Hayashi Genjuro Shoten | Kurashiki Lifestyle Design Market |
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