Nike Opens a Store in Tokyo That’s Dedicated to the City’s Running Community
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Nike has opened a new store in Tokyo that is focused on serving the city’s running community.
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Nike Ginza is the athletic giant’s new retail outpost, which is open now and is located in downtown Tokyo’s busy shopping district. Nike stated this area is also the home to a passionate running community. The store —which spans 12,765 square feet — utilizes its Nike Rise concept, one that is focused on serving performance-focused athletes and was created to offer ways for them to connect to communities that share their passion.
Nike stated the excitement for run in Japan is best seen via long-distance competitive relay running, which takes place in the fall and winter during Ekiden season. The brand released its celebratory Ekiden Pack — featuring the Alphafly 2, Vaporfly 3, Zoom Fly 5, Pegasus 40 and Rival Fly 3 — to Nike Members in Japan on Dec. 1, with a broader nationwide launch Dec. 8 at select retailers and a global drop coming in the winter.
Nike revealed the store has a Running Hub that approaches the needs of the local runner holistically through services and programming, such as Nike Run Club (NRC) Live training sessions that are led by both NRC coaches and Nike Ginza pacers, which “give local runners the chance to meet, socialize and train with each other.” Also, Nike stated runners can use an in-store locker service to store their belongings and head out on a run, and they can browse group run opportunities and more through the store’s three-story digital screens.
In terms of product, Nike said the store will allow for trialing of its latest running shoes so runners can get a firsthand sense of their benefits, and it will offer expert sessions with Nike store athletes to offer runners personalized product recommendations. The store also has a sustainable component in the form of its Recycling+Donation program, which allows people to drop off gently-worn footwear, tops and bottoms to give running gear a second life.
Nike’s announcement of a new running-focused store in Tokyo comes shortly after the company declared its dedication to innovation when it comes to run.
For instance, Nike CEO and president John Donahoe said on its fiscal Q4 2023 earnings call in June that its focus on innovation will be its advantage in running, and it plans to reveal new footwear products ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
And during its Q1 2024 earnings call in September, Donahoe named several silhouettes that the brand is bullish on, including the Invincible 3, the Infinity RN 4 and the Motiva, which are available now, as well as the upcoming Pegasus 41. The exec also said Nike will have a strong focus on its innovations in Air, both in performance and lifestyle, with the 10th anniversary of Air Max Day on March 26, 2024, and the Paris Olympics.
Last week, Nike had several top-tier running shoes for 2024 on display at The Running Event (TRE), the run industry’s annual trade show held in Austin, Texas. One of the looks was the Alphafly 3 “super shoe,” a tech-loaded look that was worn by runner Kelvin Kiptum during his record-breaking performance at the 2023 Chicago Marathon in October. The shoe, which arrives in January, is 15 percent lighter than its predecessor and was built with more stability and comfort in mind.
Also, Nike showcased the all-terrain Zegama 2 trail runner with Vibram Megagrip outsoles, which will retail for $160, and the sustainability-driven Pegasus Trail 5 with ReactX foam, which is engineered to cut down the carbon footprint in a pair of midsoles by at least 43 percent compared to React foam. The Nike Pegasus Trail 5 arrives in May and will retail for $140.
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